Have you gone shopping for light bulbs lately?
There are so many different options now, it’s almost mind boggling. There is a lot of information to digest about each of the different type bulbs, but the first thing most people want to know is how much light each type will produce.
Over the years most of us have used the word “watt” as a measure of brightness. For instance, we might want a 75 watt bulb in a lamp next to the chair where we read. But “watt” is really a measure of the amount of power consumed by the bulb while it converts electricity to light. The amount of light, or brightness, of the bulb is actually measured in lumens.
Although bulbs from different manufacturers vary in the amount of light produced while consuming a specific number of watts, the table below uses average watts and lumens to compare the most common bulbs you might find.
If you decide to replace your incandescent bulbs with Energy Star CFL or LED bulbs, they may be eligible for a rebate. Check out the rebates page to see if yours qualify and to download the Rebate Forms.
Use our Electric Cost Calculator to help you decide how much it will cost you to operate various bulbs.
