LED bulbs are a no-brainer these days. LED bulbs use about 2/3 of the energy of a CFL bulb and about 1/6 of the energy needed to power an incandescent bulb. And, if you haven’t noticed yet, they also cost as little as $2 each – a far cry from the $20 LED bulbs of 10 years ago.
To put that into perspective, imagine a bulb that you use for 4 hours a day every day. This is about how much each bulb type costs for one year (all bulbs provide about the same brightness, or lumens, of light):
75W Incandescent: $13 per year
18W CFL: $3.15 per year
12W LED: $2.10 per year
If you have CFL bulbs that are still working, I’m not sure I’d recommend replacing them just yet. It’s just a waste and your payback would be 3 or more years (depending on the cost of the LED bulb you choose).
On the other hand, at an average cost of $4 per LED bulb, your payback if replacing incandescent bulbs is ridiculously fast, just slightly over three months!
Oh and if you are getting rid of your CFLs, please dispose of them properly as there is some mercury in each bulb. Home Depot and Lowes usually take your old CFL bulbs for free, as does your local recycling center.
A Few Things To Note:
Size and Shape: There are many to choose from, but if you’re looking for a standard traditional style bulb, that would be A19 shape and E26 base.
Choose the color temperature you prefer: Warm or Soft White tends to be similar to the yellowish glow of an incandescent. Call me old-fashioned, but it’s still my favorite. That’s about 2700 Kelvin. The higher the number the whiter/brighter the light, all the way up to “Daylight” bulbs which run around 5000 Kelvin.
Read the fine print: Make sure the bulb you choose has the features you need. The cheapest LEDs cannot be used with a dimmer nor can they be placed in enclosed fixtures. So look for the Dimmable ones and/or bulbs rated for Enclosed Fixtures, if that’s your need. Also when comparing bulbs, cost isn’t everything – consider the rated life expectancy, too.
Lastly, keep your receipt. All LED bulbs come with a warranty. Usually 3-5 years but sometimes more. I’ve used this warranty a few times and the companies I’ve dealt with have always honored the warranty and sent me a replacement bulb.
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