Are LED lightbulbs really worth it?

October 22, 2021

LED Lightbulbs

You may have heard about the many benefits of LED lightbulbs. From brighter lighting solutions to saving energy, however, are they really worth the extra money?

There are 3 main types of lightbulbs on the market;

LED– light emitting diode
CFL– compact fluorescent light
Incandescent– emits light due to being heated

LED lights are currently the most sustainable type of bulb available. They use a mixture of red, green and blue light to emit bright white light and are best for illuminating concentrated areas.

CFL bulbs sit between LED and incandescent. They are fairly energy efficient, however, sometimes take slightly longer to brighten and can be a safety hazard if broken. They contain a small amount of mercury so must be disposed of correctly.

Traditional incandescent light bulbs work by electricity being passed through a thin wire filament being heated, causing it to emit light. Due to this, they get very hot and emit 80-90% of their energy as heat.

As you can see, LED light bulbs are becoming the most favourable. Due to recent developments in technology, they are also much more affordable than they have been in the past, making them widely available to more people.

What are the main benefits of LED bulbs?

The main benefits of switching to LED bulbs is their lifespan, energy efficiency and long-term saving.

An LED bulb can be expected to last up to 50,000 hours as opposed to a traditional incandescent bulb which only lasts 1,000 hours. Therefore, the saving on cost and time to replace is second to none.

As the world becomes more socially conscious, there is no time like the present to consider how you could save more energy in your home. An LED bulb uses a much smaller wattage than any other bulb meaning that less energy is required to keep it running. This will result in a huge saving over time.

Opting for LED also allows you to cater your lighting to each room. You may want cool toned light in the kitchen to keep it bright and fresh but soft, warm lighting in the living room to create a cosy atmosphere. In order to achieve the correct ambience in your home, be sure to pay attention to the type of affect the bulb will give before purchasing.

Soraa and Philips offers a great range of LED bulbs, varying in affect and design with something for everyone.

Whether you’re looking to upgrade your domestic or commercial lighting, Point Electrical are always happy to offer their advice and assistance. We can even provide you with a table to show the payback period which comes in handy when making business decisions.

Are LED Lightbulbs more cost effective?

Although it may be natural to reach for the cheapest option on the shelf, you need to consider whether this will help or hinder your bank balance, long term. The cost of a standard incandescent bulb tends to sit between £1 – £3. On the other hand, an LED bulb will cost on average between £3 – £6 or more depending on the type.

Upgrading to LED bulbs is a long-term investment that you will reap financial benefits from in the future. However, if the initial high cost puts you off, consider just switching your most used lights first, such as your kitchen and living room. You can then commit to changing all of them later down the line if you feel it is worth it.

Also, consider how likely it is that you will be living in your current house for the next few years. It may not be worth it if you are planning a move in the foreseeable future as you will just end up repeating the process.

Also be aware of the quality of LED lamps, as this can vary a lot. This is a subject in its own right so watch out for a blog article on this in the future. But as they say, you really do get what you pay for. We recommend to never go cheap!

Final verdict…

Of course, the above reasons make this choice of bulb highly convenient, especially if you lead a busy lifestyle. Less time will be spent worrying about mundane chores such as changing the light bulbs and, as a business owner, you will see it makes great financial sense in the long term. Plus, you will be contributing to saving the environment by using less energy each day.