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Home lighting—it can make or break a living space. It can transform a once flat and dull room into a comfortable sanctuary. More so, lighting plays into how we as humans perceive our environment. Proper home lighting can even boost your mood and mental health.
When picking out the right lighting for your house, it’s key to know the basics about how to choose light bulbs. From sizing to energy efficiency factors, there are all types of light bulbs. We aim to help you narrow it down in this light bulb buying guide.
Here’s what you need to know when it comes to choosing the right light bulb for your home.
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Basics of light bulbs
Before getting into the shapes, sizes, and uses of light bulbs, let’s make sure we understand commonly used terms you’ll see while shopping for home lighting.
Light bulb wattage
Watts are a measure of how much power or energy is used in a light bulb. Higher wattage light bulbs require more energy, which typically results in a higher electric bill.
You’ll notice more energy-efficient light bulbs, like CFLs, have lower wattage, while traditional incandescent bulbs have a much higher wattage.
Even so, they’ll emit the same amount of light despite their wattage differences.
Light bulb lumens
Lumens refer to how much light a bulb gives off. If a bulb has more lumens, it will have a brighter light.
The U.S. Department of Energy recommends considering lumens instead of watts while shopping, if your main concern is how dim or bright your home lighting will be.
Types of light bulbs
While all light bulbs achieve the same purpose of enhancing a dark room, several different types of light bulbs cater to different aesthetic preferences and home functionality requirements.
Halogen light bulbs
Halogen light bulbs offer a warm glow comparable to high-noon lighting and look great in areas where you want to add a splash of mood lighting. Wayfair recommends the use of these bulbs for under cabinet lighting, pendant lights, and recessed lighting.
While these light bulbs are great when it comes to energy efficiency, these types of bulbs don’t last very long. Halogen bulbs tend to have a shorter lifespan than other light bulbs—about nine to 12 months after regular use of the light.
CFL light bulbs
CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) take on the same energy-efficient properties as fluorescent bulbs, but with a more compact shape, as the name suggests. The twisted shape of the bulb fits easier within more lighting sockets around the home.
CFLs typically use fewer watts in comparison to other bulb types, making them an energy-efficient choice. While CFLs do contain small amounts of mercury, the Environmental Protection Agency says that using energy-saving CFLs instead of incandescent bulbs will consequently reduce mercury emissions that are created from burning coal used to power electricity.
In other words, the use of CFL bulbs is encouraged over traditional incandescent bulbs that aren’t as energy-efficient.
No mercury is released when intact, but when broken, CFLs should be cleaned up carefully.
Incandescent light bulbs
As one of the most common and widely available light bulbs, traditional incandescents are affordable options for home lighting.
These light bulbs produce a soft, warm glow, and you can install them just about anywhere in the home, from the dining room to your home office. Also, many appliance light bulbs, like your fridge and microwave lights, are incandescent light bulbs.
Incandescent bulbs aren’t very energy-efficient and also have a shorter lifespan than newer types of bulbs on the market (like LED bulbs).
Fluorescent light bulbs
You may be familiar with fluorescent light bulbs in commercial settings, like the mall or an office space. These harsh, bright white lights do come in handy for utility spaces like garages and laundry rooms.
These bulbs can last up to 200,000 hours, making them a long-lasting selection.
LED light bulbs
Light-emitting diode light bulbs, i.e. LED bulbs, are perfect for those looking for an energy-efficient choice—they create a bright light while using less energy. These bulbs don’t get hot to the touch and contain no mercury (unlike fluorescent bulbs and CFLs).
LED bulbs also include—but are not limited to—smart bulbs, which can offer a multitude of high-tech options like paired control with voice assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant.
Light bulb color temperature
When researching home lighting options, consider color temperature, too.
Color temperature refers to the appearance of the light given off by the bulb, and can range from warm light to cool light to, even, daylight temperature. Light bulb color temperature doesn't have anything at all to do with heat.
When it comes to color temperature, choosing the right light bulb means seeing where it lands on the Kelvin scale. Color temperature is measured in degrees of Kelvin on a scale from 1,000 to 10,000.
Bulbs that fall higher on the Kelvin scale are whiter in color temperature—this doesn’t mean they are actually brighter or that they have more lumens. They just appear to due to their color temperature.
Cool light color temperature
Cool, white light strikes the right balance of providing adequate light to get tasks done while also being soft and inviting. This type of light is ideal for kitchens and bathrooms.
Oftentimes, lightbulb packaging will specify if bulbs are cool versus warm light, others leave you in the dark. The trick is to learn how to read the bulbs Kelvin rating. This is listed as a number alongside the letter “K.”
For cool white lightbulbs, look for those rated 3100-4500 K. The higher the rating, the bright and cooler the light will be.
These bulbs from GE will give off a crisp white glow.
Warm light color temperature
Warm-colored white light bulbs are best for spaces like offices and bedrooms. For warm light, look for bulbs with 2500K ratings.
These 2700K filament bulbs from Sylvania provide a smooth and dim glow.
Daylight color temperature
The most stark of all color temperatures is daylight. At 5000K, this lighting temperature is meant to emulate daylight. It’s ideal for garages and basements that lack natural light.
This set of 5000K GE LED light bulbs, for example, provide a daylight glow to the room.
Light bulb shapes and sizes
Whether you’re equipping an antique lamp, sconces on the wall, track lighting, or task lighting, your light bulbs will need to properly fit into its vessel.
There are several shapes and sizes of light bulbs to choose from. Before you buy new bulbs, take a look at your light and determine the correct size. Here are the most common type of light bulb shapes to know.
A Series: This is the most common light bulb shape. You may see light bulbs labeled as A60 or A19, for example, which refers to it being an A type bulb shape followed by its diameter measured in eighths of an inch.
B Series and C Series: These are some of the most decorative light bulbs, which include candle and candle angular bulbs (think Christmas lights). B and C bulbs make for great options for wall sconces and lamps.
G Series: G light bulbs, also known as globe light bulbs. These bulbs look similar to A light bulbs, but possess a much rounder shape. Globe lights have an ornamental feel to them, making it a great decorative choice for something like a vanity space.
MR Series: MR, or multifaceted reflector bulbs, are used in smaller spaces to create direct, beaming lighting.
PAR Series: PAR, which means parabolic aluminized reflector bulbs, are great bulbs when it comes to illuminating or spotlighting a specific area, like a piece of wall art.
R Series: R or reflector bulbs have very similar qualities to PAR bulbs, but differ in the goal of lighting. R bulbs create wider flood lighting that fills up the room.
Types of light bulb bases
Light bulb bases refer to the end tip of a bulb that you install into the light fixture. Before installing, it’s important to ensure your bulb base will fit. When purchasing a new lamp or light fixture, they should specify which types of base your light bulb will need to properly screw in.
E26 and E27: The most common base sizes are E26 and E27 which are considered standard to fit in most lamps.
E12: E12 base bulbs are otherwise known as candelabra bases. These candles are more common in light fixtures, like that gorgeous chandelier hanging in your home.
E17: Intermediate bases that are labeled at E17, are far less common than standard or candelabra bases. Typically these will be used in small table lamps and ceiling fans.
Bi-pin: With bi-pin bases, the base is two pronged and slides into place. These are common in kitchen light fixtures like under cabinet lights.
Twist and lock: A twist and lock base simply turns until it clicks into place—less turning is involved than a traditional bulb.
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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.
This article originally appeared on Reviewed: Types of light bulbs: How to know which ones to buy
