Buying the right LED light bulb is more than just adding one to your cart or picking one up off of a shelf. This guide helps to break down the complexities around LED lighting so you can not only feel good about your purchase but you won’t have to return it later. If you'd like a more indepth guide to LED lighting visit: http://blog.1000bulbs.com/learning-center/led-light-bulbs-buyers-guide/ For more guides about light bulbs, lighting and hydroponics visit our blog at http://blog.1000bulbs.com/learning-center/ Think you're ready to make the smart choice and switch over to LED? https://www.1000bulbs.com/category/led-light-bulbs/

1. LED Light Bulb Guide
A Buyers Guide for LED Light Bulbs

2. The Basics
1. Bulb Shape
2. Bulb Base
3. Brightness
4. Color Temperature

3. Bulb Shapes
• All light bulbs have a designation made up of letters
and numbers.
• The letters describe
the bulb type while
the number is an
indication of the
maximum diameter.
Shape Diameter

4. Bulb Shapes Continued
• LED bulbs can be broken down into four primary
categories of shapes: A-Shape, Reflector, Decorative
and Specialty.
A-Shape Reflector Decorative Specialty

5. Bulb Shapes: A-Shape
• A-Shape LED light bulbs
are the most common
shape available and are
commonly referred to
as standard shape LED
bulbs.
• This is because they
have an arbitrary shape
with a maximum
diameter listed in 8ths
of an inch.
For Example: An A19 Bulb is an A-Shape bulb with
a diameter of 2 and 3/8th inches (19/8 = 2 3/8th)

6. Bulb Shapes: A-Shape Cont.
• The A19 shape is commonly used to replace 40 or
60-watt incandescent bulbs.
• LED replacements for 75 watts or higher typically
have a slightly larger A21 shape.
• You may also find some LED bulbs which use the
smaller A15 or A17 shapes for lower wattages.

7. Bulb Shapes: Reflector
• Reflector LED light
bulbs are most
commonly referred to
as flood or spot lights
due to the reflective
coating used to create a
wide or narrow beam
angle of light.

8. Bulb Shape: Common Reflectors
• Reflector LED bulbs have the letter R in their bulb
shape designation.
• PAR shaped bulbs
can be used both
indoors and out,
while R and BR
are rated for
indoor use only.

9. Bulb Shapes: Decorative
• Decorative LED light bulbs are smaller than A-Shape
LED bulbs and come in three different shapes,
Straight Tip, Globe, and Flame Tip.

10. Bulb Shapes: Specialty
• Specialty LEDs contain several uncommon shapes
since they are only for specific applications. Straight
Sided and Tubular are the most common types.
S = Straight Sided.
Used in signs,
marquees and
patio string lights.
T = Tubular. Used to
replace small halogen
and xenon lights in
automotive, instrument
or landscape lighting
This doesn’t cover every single LED bulb shape out there but it covers a large
majority of what’s available.

11. Types of Bulb Bases
• LED light bulb bases fall into three main
categories. As with shapes, bases are also denoted
by Letters and Numbers.
E 26
Shape Size
(millimeters)
1) Edison
2) Bi-Pin
3) Bayonet

12. Types of Bulb Bases: Edison
• In addition to designation, Edison base bulbs have
several common names.
E12 = Candelabra base
E14 = Small Edison Screw base
E17 = Intermediate base
E26 = Medium base
E39 = Mogul base

13. Types of Bulb Bases: Bi-Pin
• Bi-pin bases are denoted by the letter G.
G4 Base
GU10 Base
(Twist and Lock)
GU5.3 Base

14. Types of Bulb Bases: Bayonet
• Bayonet base LED Bulbs
have notches on the side
of the base which are
used to lock the bulb
into place.
• There are generally two
different kinds of
bayonet base bulbs,
single contact (SC) or
double contact (DC).
Two Contacts = DC Bayonet

15. Brightness
• Lumens are a measurement of brightness while
Watts are a measurement of energy consumed.
Wattage Consumed
by Bulb
Lumens Produced
by Bulb

16. Color Temperature: Explained
• Matching the right color temperature to the right
room will make them easier to enjoy.

17. Color Temperature
• The visible temperature of a room (whether it looks
warm or cool), is actually based on how yellow the
light from your light bulb is.
• Lower values, like the incandescent standard of
2700K, produce a more yellow (warm) light, while
higher values like 5000K create a bluer (cooler) light.
Most LED bulbs are available between 2700K and
5000K.

18. Color Temperature: Soft White
• Soft White / Warm
White (2700K – 3000K)
Recommended for use in:
• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Rooms decorated in
earthy tones (reds,
oranges, and yellows)

19. Color Temperature: Cool White
• Cool White (3500K –
4500K)
Recommended for use in:
• Kitchens
• Bathrooms
• Rooms decorated in airy,
fresh hues (blues,
greens, whites)

20. Color Temperature: Daylight
• Daylight / Full
Spectrum (5000K –
6500K)
Recommended for use in:
• Garages
• Offices
• Rooms where
productivity is key

21. Features
• Some aspects of light bulbs aren’t as obvious or
urgent. These are features:
• Dimming
• CRI
• Life Hours
• Warranty

22. Features: Dimming
• Unlike incandescent bulbs, not all LEDs are
compatible with dimmer switches. If your room
uses a dimmer you should check for a compatible
LED before installation.
If your LEDs are humming or
flickering, it might be caused by
dimmer incompatibility.

23. Features: CRI
• The Color Rendering Index (CRI) measures color
accuracy reproduced by a light bulb. The higher
the number, the closer the bulb is to natural light.
A lower CRI will lower your saturation, leaving
you with washed out colors.
High CRI Low CRI

24. Features: Life Hours
• The Life Hours rating is an average time for lumen
depreciation. In simpler terms, it’s the average
number of operating hours before a bulb produces
only 70% of it’s initial lumen value.
800
Lumens
25,000 Hours
560
Lumens

25. Features: Warranty
• LEDs are substantially less fragile and definitely
longer lasting than any other light bulb. But, they
can still stop working. A long-term warranty is the
best way to protect your investment in case of
driver or electronic failure.
• Every manufacturer has a different method for
calling in a warranty, but most do have them and
you should always check before just writing the bulb
off as a loss.

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27. Image Sources
Attributable Images not owned by 1000Bulbs.com are as follows:
• Title Image - Ryan Hyde
• Socket Guide - Gooddigitalshop.com
• Watts vs Lumens - Department of Energy
• Color Temperature Spectrum - Dteenergy.com
• Color Temperature Rooms - ThinkStock
• Dimmable Light Symbol - Philips Lighting
• Color Saturation - Wikipedia.org
Arranged by 1000Bulbs.com

28. LED Light Bulb Buyers Guide
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