yeah my state subsidizes bulbs too. Best time to buy is January before the money runs out.
This is one of those things you'll get wildly various results comparing among internet strangers.
why are led bulbs so expensive
- Thread starter CarLuver
- Start date
This is one of those things you'll get wildly various results comparing among internet strangers.
When they first appeared on the market en masse, the going rate was $10-15 each.
Cree made a big push into the business with Home Despot, with Philips and Osram/Sylvania being the other large players. Ironically, the Cree bulbs were not reliable, and they've since left the market.
The first price breakthrough came when Philips introduced their "Basic" bulbs -- non-dimmable, plastic globe, etc. -- at around $5 each normal price for 60W equivalent, but the introductory price was $2.50 each. They were very popular, and all the ones I bought in 2015 are still in daily use. They've also been good for a classic drop light, replacing severe-duty bulbs, with no glass to shatter, and able to take some knocks.
All told, $2 each for a name brand is not out of line, though they can be found cheaper, and since the advent of the "filament LED" types, they can replace decorative bulbs as well, without looking out of place.
Cree made a big push into the business with Home Despot, with Philips and Osram/Sylvania being the other large players. Ironically, the Cree bulbs were not reliable, and they've since left the market.
The first price breakthrough came when Philips introduced their "Basic" bulbs -- non-dimmable, plastic globe, etc. -- at around $5 each normal price for 60W equivalent, but the introductory price was $2.50 each. They were very popular, and all the ones I bought in 2015 are still in daily use. They've also been good for a classic drop light, replacing severe-duty bulbs, with no glass to shatter, and able to take some knocks.
All told, $2 each for a name brand is not out of line, though they can be found cheaper, and since the advent of the "filament LED" types, they can replace decorative bulbs as well, without looking out of place.
AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2024
I have no idea. I’ll never understand the appeal to them. I prefer just regular bulbs. Cheaper and better in my opinion.
Why not? 120-volt incandescent bulbs not specifically designed for rough service are especially vulnerable to even moderate shocks, especially while on. Low (e.g., 6- or 12-) volt ones are less susceptible because their filaments are thicker, assuming equal wattage.
Relatedly, accident investigators can sometimes determine by inspecting brake light filaments whether a wrecked vehicle was braking at the moment of impact.
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I dunno... When I was putting the LED Bulbs in my garage ceiling fixtures 5 years ago, I fumbled one to the concrete 8 feet below.... still works great to this day.
as do the 3 of the same bulbs I put in the 2 carriage lights on the front of the garage, and the pole light out by the road, also 5 years ago.
...and those are on up to 14hrs a day. (pole light on a photocell, the other 2 on a timer, normally on 7p-7a, except in the dark of winter when it's dark by 5:30p)
do you pay the power bill?
bulbs that give off the equivalent light of a 60-100 watt incandescent, that use only ~10 watts of power.
THAT is the appeal. they also produce less heat, and last longer.
AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2024
No I don’t. We don’t use any LED at home or in the cars. Too bright for us hurts our eyes. I don’t like change so I like the incandescent.
Why not just buy lower watt LEDs so they're not so bright? We buy all of ours in warm white because the light is just like an incandescent bulb.
What's not to like? After the initial expense, they use very little power (so they don't even get all that warm), and (good ones) last a very long time. They'll pay for themselves many times over. Other than pulling the LED bulb out of a light fixture and looking at it, you'd never know it was an LED. Well yes you would; an LED bulb takes a second or so to go off.
Some things don't change very fast but motor vehicles aren't one of them - so if you're going to be an auto mechanic you'll have to learn to deal with change.
I've never made the switch to LED so fast once they have become easily available. 10 pack at Costco boom converted. Dispose CFLS in trash. They even sell LED light fixtures where the diodes are placed on a flat piece of circuit board and is covered by a diffuser to evenly spread out the light. I have two LED light sources in my room, a 40W LED equiv bulb in a table lamp set to a smart switch and an LED light fixture connected to a smart dimmer set at 60%.
Embrace the glowing computer chips.
Embrace the glowing computer chips.
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AutoMechanic
Site Donor 2024
I didn’t know they made any different tones or anything like that. My parents hate them too we have a whole tote full of incandescent light bulbs we’ve collected over the years. I think we tried one on our porch light and didn’t care for it.
My entire house is lit by 40-60w equivalent 2700K LED’s… which are an incandescent “warm” white. You are probably thinking of the 5000K “white” hospital looking lights, in which case I agree with you those are awful. You’d never know unless you pulled a bulb out or looked very closely at one that isn’t on.
Low CRI bulbs, like many of the cheap cheap ones available, can make some colors look really weird. The GE Relax bulbs I use exclusively have a CRI of 90.
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It always helps to research new things. LEDs come in various ratings. Go to one of the big box stores and they will have a display with the different bulbs and light ratings so you can see for yourself which suits your needs.
Not sure who is negative on LED bulbs? I prefer them greatly over CFLs. The light they produce is very much like the old incandescent bulbs but much more efficient.
Not sure who is negative on LED bulbs? I prefer them greatly over CFLs. The light they produce is very much like the old incandescent bulbs but much more efficient.
+1 on this.
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
CT always renews, but you’re correct otherwise for us as well.
I don’t think you’ll get wildly various results from people who have actually done the math and concerted from either incandescent or CFL to LED. It’s pretty clear that LED saves you money.
If I had to guess, Id say I’ve only lost around 3/40 bulbs and they were Cree or Phillips Hue. ironically, I haven’t a single free LED bulb that I got from our home energy audit year ago!
I converted my entire house about 3 years ago. When you are talking 70+ bulbs then yes, you will have some failures here and there. I use exclusively Hyperikon...Amazon or direct from their site. 5 year warranty no questions asked. If one fails, they send you a new one. I have 3000K in the house, 4000K in the garage and exterior fixtures. The biggest reason why I purchase them? CRI of 93-96 on most of their bulbs. No one talks about CRI (color rendering index) when LEDs come up, but it is absolutely the most important factor to consider, unless you don't care about color wash-out. 90 is the absolute minimum acceptable in my opinion...the cheapo bulbs do 80 at best.
I guess most people don't shop by numbers other than price, but I'd like to see the lumen output and color temperature featured more front and center on the packages. The box at the bottom is often covered up when they are on the store shelf.
It's also reaching the point where many people have never seen a 60 watt conventional bulb, yet that is the main rating on the box.
It's also reaching the point where many people have never seen a 60 watt conventional bulb, yet that is the main rating on the box.
Color temp and CRI are everything with an LED bulb. Higher CRI and a reasonable color temp (2700-3500k) makes for a comfortable living room light that doesn't make the room feel "foggy" or washed out. I like a 4500k high CRI in the kitchen and bathroom vanities and a 4000k in large activity areas. Look for the data sheets and look for CRI numbers over 90 for a bulb that won't wash colors out, if it's in the 80's or lower colors will look plastic and fake and nothing will feel right in the room.
If you have dimmers plan on changing them, dimmers from even a few years ago tend to cause flickering and other odd behavior on the newer bulbs and they often don't dim down nearly enough. You'll find that they might get down to 50% when a good LED dimmer will get the bulbs down to 5-10%, look for dimmers that have an adjustable calibration for the low limit.
If you have dimmers plan on changing them, dimmers from even a few years ago tend to cause flickering and other odd behavior on the newer bulbs and they often don't dim down nearly enough. You'll find that they might get down to 50% when a good LED dimmer will get the bulbs down to 5-10%, look for dimmers that have an adjustable calibration for the low limit.
I hated them CFL bulbs, the older they got the longer it took them to reach peak brightness. Never really did switch over fully to the CFL"s.
Finally switched over to all LED's about three years ago using a mix of Great Value and Sylvania, I haven't had any stop working yet.
