Pros and Cons of Different Light Bulbs

A plethora of different light fixtures exist from table lamps to under cabinet lighting, outdoor lights to pendant lights and everything in between. With so many different light fixtures, it’s no surprise that there are also a large number of different light bulbs available out there. As expected, each light bulb has a number of pros and cons that should be considered before purchase.

Incandescent

Currently, incandescent light bulbs are the most familiar and most common for most people. They’re the most inexpensive, they produce excellent colored lighting for an indoor space and they can be used with a dimmer switch. However, approximately 90% of the energy used by an incandescent bulb is lost through heat, only 10% of the energy used produces actual light. Almost all light fixtures can be used with an incandescent light bulb.

Compact Fluorescent (CFL)

Compact fluorescents or CFL bulbs, use less wattage in comparison to the incandescent. (For example, a 75 watt incandescent bulb is the lighting equivalent of 20 watts in a CFL.) However, they are more expensive in terms of cost. Despite the price hike, CFL bulbs will last up to 10 times as long as an incandescent, which evens out the cost of replacing an incandescent 10 times versus purchasing just one CFL. (CFL has an average lifespan of up to 10,000 hours while an incandescent may last up to 1,000 hours.) Finally, a good majority of light fixtures today are CFL compatible.

LEDs

LED light bulbs are vastly different from other light bulbs out there. LED stands for “light emitting diode,” because that’s how these work: a solid matter, or semiconductor, is used to create the light we see. LEDs feature long lifespans, often longer than the other light bulbs available. However, they can be extremely costly if you are looking to purchase the equivalent of a 75 watt light bulb. That being said, many light fixtures, including under cabinet lights or outdoor lights such as solar powered pathway lights, are affordable and come standard with LED light sources.

Halogen

Halogen light bulbs produce a pure white light that many people find desirable for certain situations such as reading or highlighting artwork. This makes them great for certain light fixtures, such as those used for art displays. They are ideal for outdoor use as they cast a bright glow, but they can heat up quickly. Halogen light bulbs do not use mercury like the CFL bulb. Though they are cheaper than compact fluorescent bulbs, they are more expensive than the traditional incandescent.

Sodium Light Bulbs

High pressure and low pressure sodium bulbs each have their own pros and cons. However, high pressure bulbs can last up to 24,000 hours whereas low pressure bulbs may last up to 16,000. Both pressure types produce poor color rendering, making them unusable in many situations. In fact, high pressure sodium bulbs are often used in light fixtures for indoor horticulture, while low pressure sodium bulbs are found in light fixtures such as outdoor security lights.