the future of lightbulbs? worth waiting for cheaper LEDS?

[dragonfly101]

I'm planning to get some spotlights for my kitchen ceiling - the ones with three or four directional bulbs. Most of the ones I've seen require E14 bulbs, and the options are tungsten filament, halogen, CFL, or LED.

There's a lot of marketing for how cost effective LEDs are, but they are still expensive upfront. The marketeers boast about them lasting 20 years plus, but what if they are selling for half the current price in 5 years?

Halogen and tungsten filament are out since they consume way to much electricity.

So this leaves CFLs, which I have in most of my house and am quite happy with. I've not really liked the single wavelength light I've seen from LEDs, but having said that I didn't like CFL light at first, but now I'm used to it and can't stand the yellow tungsten filament light.

My thinking is to get CFLs now, because they are half the price of LEDs, and then replace with LEDs in a few years if they are cheaper and better.

Any thoughts?

 

[big-all]

at approximately 14p a kw if you average say 10 hrs a day
each watt used will equal 1p per week
so if you change a say 22w fluro for a 9w led that
13p a week saved
56p a month
£6.75p a year saved

what wattage are you talking about and how much are your bulbs ??

 

[scbk]

I can't comment on downlighters/spotlights as I don't have any, but for normal ceiling pendants LED bulbs are worth it just for the fact they come on straight away!

 

[Deleted member 174758]

I can't comment on downlighters/spotlights as I don't have any, but for normal ceiling pendants LED bulbs are worth it just for the fact they come on straight away!

They also deliver a full spectrum, as opposed to the odd spectrum of a CFL - asking around friends and colleagues I find that I'm not alone in finding them better to read by with less eye strain. In addition they don't contain hazardous materials (i.e. mercury) which CFLs do. I've already replaced all CFLs in the living room and bedrooms - the kitchen and bathroom will be next as the CFLs fail

 

[foxhole]

I have cfl and leds throughout the house, depends on the type of light fitting available as to which I use. Avoid cheap chinese led's have a short life.

 

[AronSearle]

LED technology is now where it is at, and what you should buy.

The problem is that a tungsten is a tungsten, but LED's differ in quality, light temperature and angles, so you need to do some proper research so as not to buy duff bulbs.

Colour is tricky as well. Once purchased 'white' LED spotlights from 2x different suppliers, one batch was proper shop bright white, the other was **** yellow, luckily the seller was happy to take them back.

 

[dragonfly101]

Thanks, I did my research on CFLs and have been happy with what I chose (unlike my parents who have stockpiled tungsten bulbs after only trying the rubbish free CFLs that were given away a few years ago).

Are there any particular brands of LEDs that are good?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

For the highest output Japanese ones like Verbatim are good (they do an 1100 lumen output ES27 lamp). We also have some cheapies from IKEA (600 lumen) in standard lamps (for mood lighting) although they are cheap Chinese ones so may not last, but at £4.50 a pop.....

 

[big-all]

toolstation do a 12w
i gave mines away as it was far to bright and my ex mother in law had a dim kitchen
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Lighting/d220/LED+Lamps/sd3276/LED+Lamp+GLS/p14618

 

[Codekid]

I have some of the £4.50 ikea lamps and they have lasted so far for 4 years with kids!

 

[longdogs]

Get them quick before the EU have us using candles made fro pig fat

 

[Newboy]

A lot of the branded LED lamps on sale now have colour temperature (K) and lumens information so much easier to compare different manufacturers