There are LED lightbulbs, Halogen light bulbs, Flourescent light bulbs, and Incandescent light bulbs. They each have different aspects and uses, so it’s imperative to know which light bulb is best for each particular use in your home.

LED Light Bulbs

LED light bulbs are a function of newer technology in lighting. These types of light bulbs are specifically designed to last an extremely long time, and also save you money on your electric bill. While they might cost more up front, they’ll help save you money, and save the environment, in the long term. Unfortunately, they’re best used for light that goes in one direction, like a spot light or flashlight or task light, rather than an ambient light.  So, if you’re looking for a powerful light that’s going to be doing a specific task in its lighting, then LED light bulbs are a fantastic option. Also, if you were curious, LED stands for “light-emitting diode”.

Incandescent Light Bulbs

Incandescent light bulbs are popular for their inexpensive prices. They’re probably the most popular light bulb on the market, actually. They’re also very functional. They’re great for homes because they provide a warm light and can last up to 1,000 hours. The problem with incandescent light bulbs, though, is that they’re not as energy efficient as a lot of other light bulb options on the market. This means that while you pay less up front, there’s a chance that you could pay more in the long term. It’s something to consider when purchasing.

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Compact fluorescent light bulbs are extremely energy efficient. In fact, they’re four times more energy efficient than incandescent light bulbs. Like incandescent light bulbs, though, they have a warm color to them. Also, if you thought 1,000 hours was a long time for a light bulb to last, you’ll be even more impressed with these.

Fluorescent light bulbs can last up to 10,000 hours. So, because they’re long lasting and energy efficient, they can save you a lot of money in the long term. The only problem with these light bulbs is that they contain some mercury, so they need to be disposed of carefully once they break.

Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Average fluorescent light bulbs are not very homey. They’re more like something you’d see in hospitals. They give a cold light that isn’t very fun to look at. But, because of the advances in light bulb technologies, you now have a ton of more fluorescent options to choose from. You can choose a compact fluorescent, as talked about above, or you can choose warmer or colored versions of regular fluorescent light bulbs.

Halogen Light Bulbs

Halogen light bulbs are long lasting, at up to 3,600 hours, but unfortunately don’t boast the same efficiency as compact fluorescent or LED bulbs. They also operate at higher temperatures than most light bulbs. Because of these facts, Halogen light bulbs are best used as spotlight or flood light bulbs.

Lumens, Wattage, and CRIs

Now that you know the different types of lightbulbs and what distinguishes them, the final step to understanding your light bulbs is figuring out what their measurements actually mean.

You’ve probably heard of wattage, or watts, as they’re a measurement of power used in science. Watts measure the amount of electricity a light bulb uses, but don’t affect how bright a light bulb is capable of being. So, in general, you want less watts in your light bulb if you want to save money on your electric bill.

Lumens do actually measure how bright a light bulb can be. So, if you want a light bulb that’s going to light up a whole room, or an even larger area, you definitely want higher lumens on that light bulb.

CRIs are an even different measurement. CRI stands for “Color Rendering Index”, and for light bulbs, this measures how well the light bulb is able to portray the actual color of an object that it’s shining on. Whereas some lights might make something look lighter, yellower, blacker, or redder than they actually are, CRI measurements measure how close an object will look to its true color under daylight.

Satco and Beautiful Things Lighting

Beautiful Things Lighting knows all about light bulbs, as you can see, which is why we partnered with Satco, a company that can provide any type of light bulb you could possibly want with great quality and excellent prices. So, if any of these types of light bulbs seem right for you, you can check them out on our website and get great deals.