These is a stigma about LED light bulbs. “They're too expensive” or “They give off 'gross light'” and “You can't dim them!” none of which is true anymore.
Why?
My research started when I moved into a new house that had been fitted almost entirely with CFL lightbulbs. by the energy conscious previous homeowner. In the first month I was already frustrated with the “warm up time “ of the bulbs, mainly in our main living area. My wife and I would come in at night, turn on the lights and it would hardly be enough light to move through the room without bumping into something we hadn't finished unpacking. It had to stop! I, also being energy conscious, wanted to know what my options were to keep the bills down while actually having light when I flip on the switch, not 2-3 minutes after.
The Price Facts
Here's what I found:
| _ | LED | CFL | Incandescent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bulb lifespan (hours) | 25,000 | 10,000 | 2,000 |
| Power usage (watts) | 9 | 14 | 65 |
| Bulb cost (US $) | 5 | 5 | 2.5 |
| Power used in 25k hours | 225 | 350 | 1625 |
| USD cost for power used ($.11/KWh) | 27.5 | 38.5 | 178.75 |
| Bulbs needed for 1 LED lifespan | 1 | 2.5 | 12.5 |
| Cost for bulbs to match 1 LED lifespan (US $) | 5 | 12.5 | 31.25 |
| Total cost to match 1 LED lifespan (US $) | 32.5 | 51 | 211 |
Each of these prices is on a per-socket basis - each location where you place a bulb.
| Bulbs replaced | Savings from CFL | Savings from Incandescent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18.5 | 178.5 |
| 5 | 92.5 | 892.5 |
| 15 | 277.5 | 2677.5 |
You get the idea... These figures are based on my electricity prices, the CFL's I had and the LED's that I bought. If you have higher utility costs, find a deal on bulbs (I spent a little extra to get dimmable ones), or bulbs with a longer lifespan rating, than your savings will be even more!
The Color Facts
LED bulbs now come in every color that your normal light bulbs do. If you're willing to pay more for “smart” bulbs – which have all the power saving benefits of 'dumb' bulbs – you can have any color in the rainbow.
Should you switch?
- Incandescent
- Light on more than 30 minutes a day?
- Yes – Now
- Less than 30 minutes a day?
- Yes – When it burns out
- Light on more than 30 minutes a day?
- CFL
- Light on more than 2 hours a day?
- Yes - Now
- Less 2 hours a day?
- Yes - When it burns out
- Light on more than 2 hours a day?
Closing
LED bulbs have come a long way in the past year. The colors are great, you can get cool smart bulbs and they will save you money in the long run.