LED light bulb buying guide

Our top energy efficient light bulb picks

If you're looking to save energy, LED light bulbs are the most efficient way to light your home. Compared to older types of lights, such as halogen bulbs, LED light bulbs are cheap to buy and cost less to use. Find out more about LED light bulbs, including how they work and our top picks, by reading below.

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1. What is an LED light bulb?
2. Why choose an LED light bulb?
3. How bright are LED light bulbs?
4. Types of LED light bulbs
5. Our top LED light bulb picks

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1. What is an LED light bulb?

LED stands for light emitting diode, which is a type of light source that's powered by electricity. They are different to older types of light bulb, such as a halogen or incandescent bulbs, as they feature LED rather than fragile elements such as filaments and mercury. LED light bulbs are available in almost every common household light bulb fitting, such as E27 and B22.

2. Why choose an LED light bulb?

LED light bulbs are a popular choice as they are much more efficient than conventional light bulbs. They consume less energy, last longer, and are cost-effective to buy. They also emit a lot less heat that a conventional light bulb - so you won't have to worry about burning yourself on a hot bulb!

Let's take a look at the facts to see why LED light bulbs are a popular choice...

1. They have a longer lifespan

LED light bulbs last for an average of 5 years and 15,000 hours, whereas halogen light bulbs last for around 2 years (or 2000 hours) on average.

2. They use less energy

Based on typical usage, an LED light bulb uses around 80% less energy than a conventional light bulb, with households saving around £4-6 per bulb per year.

3. They save money

The lighting in your home makes up around 18% of your annual household bills. As mentioned above, switching to LED light bulbs can save you energy and therefore money. If you have 34 lightbulbs in your house, that's a saving of £140 per year!

3. How bright are LED light bulbs?

If you're used to using halogen bulbs, you'll be used to measuring the brightness of a bulb in watts. The brightness of an LED light bulb is measured in lumens, which differs slightly from watts. However, it's still the same principle - the higher the number of lumens, the brighter the bulb. Despite using a low number of watts, LED light bulbs are able to emit the same, if not more, brightness as a conventional bulb.

Where wattage was once used to measure light bulb brightness, it's now used only to measure energy use in LED bulbs. Take a look at the table below to find out more about lumens and how they compare to watts.

Watts	Lumens
150w	2600lm
100w	1600lm
75w	1100lm
60w	800lm
40w	450lm

4. Types of LED light bulbs

There are various types of LED light bulb, and the one you choose depends on the fitting you're using and your preference to shape. LED light bulbs are designed to retrofit lights and lamps that were originally designed for halogen bulbs, but check your fitting before you purchase your light bulb.

Using Smart light bulbs is another great way to manage the amount of energy your home consumes. You can control multiple lights remotely through an app on your smartphone or with your voice via a smart home assistant. Available in a range of colours and styles and boasting a wide range of smart features - these bulbs are LED bulbs and smart.

Take a look below to find out some of the types of LED light bulbs we offer. Psst - don't forget that all of our light bulbs comes with a 5 year guarantee.

5. Our top LED light bulb picks

Ready to take a look at some of our favourite energy efficient light bulb picks? Keep reading below.

Don't forget the 2021 changes to energy ratings

In 2021, the energy rating scale was simplified to A-G to help customers easily choose the most efficient bulbs. For example, if the pre-2021 old standard was A+++, it's now classed as D or E, but just as energy efficient.

Diall G9 2W 300lm Capsule Warm white LED Light bulb

This capsule style LED light bulb provides high quality bright light to highlight a specific task area. The warm colour temperature creates a relaxing atmosphere.

Guarantee - 5 years
Life length - 15000h
Energy rating pre 2021 - A++
Post 2021 energy rating - E

Diall B22 10W 806lm GLS Warm white LED Light bulb

This traditional style LED bulb features a plastic milky material to provide soft, homogeneous light with no glare.

Guarantee - 5 years
Life length - 15000h
Energy rating pre 2021 - A+
Post 2021 energy rating - G

Diall E14 5W 470lm Candle Warm white LED Light bulb

This candle style LED bulb is an ideal replacement for an ordinary bulb, with a wide beam angle and a good quality of light diffusion.

Guarantee - 5 years
Life length -15000h
Energy rating pre 2021 - A+
Post 2021 energy rating - G

Diall GU10 4.5W 345lm Reflector Neutral white LED Light bulb

Called a reflector (or sometimes spotlight) bulb, this light bulb can replace an ordinary bulb with a narrow beam angle. The glass clear material provide a direct and bright light.

Guarantee - 5 years
Life length - 15000h
Energy rating pre 2021 - A+
Post 2021 energy rating - F

Diall E27 10W 806lm GLS Warm white LED Light bulb

An ideal replacement for an ordinary bulb, with a wide beam angle and a good quality of light diffusion. The plastic milky material provides soft, homogeneous light with no glare.