How to Choose an LED Bulb
Choosing an LED bulb well means thinking in lumens for brightness, Kelvin for colour, and matching the base to your holder, not just grabbing the same wattage you always bought. In Indian homes, a bulb with a wide voltage range and surge tolerance also survives the Tricity's fluctuating supply far longer.
How do I choose an LED bulb?
Pick by lumens for brightness, not watts, choose a colour temperature in Kelvin to suit the room, match the B22 or E27 base to your holder, and prefer a high BEE star bulb with wide voltage and surge protection.
01Think in lumens, not watts
For decades we bought bulbs by watts because a 60W incandescent was always about as bright as the next. LED changed that. Watts measure the power a bulb consumes, while lumens measure the light it actually produces, and a good LED gives around 90 to 110 lumens per watt. So a 9W LED can match an old 60W bulb while using a fraction of the energy.
When you shop, read the lumen figure on the box and let it guide brightness. As a rough guide, 400 to 500 lumens suits a small room or a bedside, 800 lumens a living room, and 1200 lumens or more a kitchen or study where you need to see clearly.
02Colour temperature in Kelvin
Colour temperature, measured in Kelvin, decides whether the light feels warm and cosy or crisp and alert. Warm white around 2700 to 3000K is yellow toned and relaxing, ideal for bedrooms and living rooms. Neutral white around 4000K is balanced and versatile. Cool daylight around 6000 to 6500K is bright and bluish, suited to kitchens, bathrooms and workspaces.
Mixing temperatures thoughtfully makes a home feel considered: warm where you unwind, cool where you work. The wrong choice, such as harsh 6500K in a bedroom, can make a restful room feel like an office.
A common Indian habit is to fit cool daylight everywhere because it looks brightest in the shop, but at home it can feel clinical in living and sleeping spaces. Warm white flatters wood, fabric and skin tones, while cool white keeps you alert for cooking and reading, so decide by the room's purpose rather than by which bulb dazzles most on the shelf.
03B22 bayonet or E27 screw
The base must physically fit your holder. India traditionally uses the B22 bayonet cap, the type you push in and twist a quarter turn to lock. The E27 Edison screw, which threads in like a jar lid, is common on newer and imported fittings and decorative lamps. Buying the wrong base is the single most common LED shopping mistake.
- B22 bayonet: push and twist, the classic Indian fitting.
- E27 screw: threads in, common on modern and decorative lamps.
- E14 small screw: for chandeliers and small candle lamps.
- Check your existing holder before you buy, or take the old bulb along.
04BEE rating and running cost
The BEE star label rates energy efficiency from one to five stars, and more stars mean more light per watt and a lower electricity bill over the bulb's life. Since a bulb may run for years, a slightly dearer high star LED usually pays back many times over. The efficiency also means less heat, which helps the bulb last longer.
Because LEDs sip power, the running cost difference between brands is small in absolute terms, but the quality difference in lifespan and light is large. Spend on a reputable, well rated bulb rather than the cheapest on the shelf.
Think of the price on the shelf as only a fraction of what the bulb truly costs you. The electricity it burns over years, and how many times you climb a ladder to replace a cheap one that failed early, together dwarf the few rupees saved at purchase. A well rated bulb quietly wins on both counts.
05Wide voltage and surge protection
Supply voltage in parts of the Tricity swings and spikes, and cheap LEDs with no protection are the first thing to die, often within months. Look for a bulb rated for a wide input range, commonly stated as something like 100 to 300V, and one that mentions surge protection. These survive the dips and spikes that kill lesser bulbs.
This single feature is the biggest factor in how long an LED lasts in an Indian home. A branded wide voltage bulb with surge tolerance is worth the small premium purely because you replace it far less often.
06CRI and dimmable options
Colour rendering index (CRI) measures how truthfully a light shows colours, on a scale to 100. A CRI of 80 is fine for general rooms, but 90 or above makes food, skin tones, artwork and clothes look natural, which is worth it in a kitchen, dressing area or dining space. Low CRI light makes everything look slightly grey and lifeless.
If you want to vary brightness, buy a bulb clearly marked dimmable and pair it with a compatible LED dimmer. A normal LED on a dimmer will flicker, buzz or simply refuse to dim, so check the box before you commit.
One last practical point is heat. LEDs dislike being trapped in a sealed, unventilated fitting, where the heat they do produce has nowhere to go and slowly shortens their life. If you are putting bulbs into enclosed glass shades or tight downlight cans, choose bulbs rated for enclosed fixtures, and give them room to breathe wherever the fitting allows.
LED brightness, old-bulb equivalent and room use
| LED wattage | Approx lumens | Old bulb | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 to 5W | 250 to 450 lm | 25 to 40W | Bedside, accent |
| 7 to 9W | 600 to 800 lm | 60W | Bedroom, small room |
| 10 to 12W | 900 to 1100 lm | 75W | Living room |
| 14 to 18W | 1300 to 1600 lm | 100W | Kitchen, study |
| 20W plus | 1800 lm plus | 125W plus | Large or bright rooms |
Frequently asked questions
How do I choose an LED bulb?
Pick by lumens for brightness, not watts, choose a colour temperature in Kelvin to suit the room, match the B22 or E27 base to your holder, and prefer a high BEE star bulb with wide voltage and surge protection.
What is the difference between lumens and watts?
Watts measure the power a bulb uses, while lumens measure the light it gives out. A good LED produces about 90 to 110 lumens per watt, so a 9W LED can equal an old 60W bulb.
Which is warm and which is cool light?
Warm white is around 2700 to 3000K and feels cosy and yellow, ideal for bedrooms. Cool daylight is around 6000 to 6500K and is crisp and bright, better for kitchens and workspaces.
What base do Indian bulbs use?
Traditionally the B22 bayonet cap, which you push and twist. Many newer and decorative fittings use the E27 screw base. Check your holder before buying.
Why do my LED bulbs keep failing?
Usually voltage spikes. Choose a bulb with a wide input range and surge protection, which survives the fluctuating supply common in the Tricity far better than a cheap unprotected one.
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