Best LED lighting: what should I choose?

LED lighting is being discussed more and more often, and in a wide variety of circumstances. Indeed, the world of lighting has changed in recent years. Compared to previous types of lighting, LED bulbs are more energy efficient, provide much higher levels of brightness and add beauty to your existing lighting.

In this article, we will review all the information about this lightweight equipment and its many advantages.

The best LED lighting of 2024

What is LED lighting?

The LED lamp is an example of an electric lamp that works on the concept of electroluminescence or optoelectronic phenomena. The latter incorporates the use of light emitting diodes. In reality, the LED is a type of electronic component that uses current to emit light.

The light-emitting diode, or LED, is its simplest form. It is a light created by the electroluminescence technique, which uses a semiconductor. This technique has a much longer life and is much more efficient than conventional incandescent lamps.

Because of their tiny size and generally lower operating temperature, LEDs can be used in shapes that traditional bulbs would not be able to illuminate.

LED lighting: for what purpose?

The use of LED lights is an important development in the lighting industry. They are light, strong, durable and relatively affordable. Unlike ordinary lamps, they provide bright, smooth lighting without any health risks.

Whether it's for the simplest domestic light fixture, for huge industrial buildings or even for infrastructure lighting, LED lighting has many applications. In fact, this technology is gradually appearing in many public lighting projects, in parks and car parks all over the country.

With LEDs, interior designers, both amateur and experienced, have a wide choice of alternatives when working on their projects. Because of its greater adaptability, LED lighting can be used by designers to create a range of ceiling lights, including modern ceiling lights and bedroom lights.

One of the advantages of LED lighting is that LED bulbs can be found in almost any wattage comparable to CFLs or incandescent lamps, and they use much less energy to light the same area.

How do LED lights work?

Understanding how LED lighting works as a light source, as opposed to an electronic component, will be more beneficial. Essentially, LED lighting works by converting electrical energy into light. LED lighting devices produce up to 90 % more light than incandescent bulbs.

To produce visible light, an electric current flows through a microchip and lights up tiny light sources called LEDs. The heat produced by the LEDs is collected by a heat sink to avoid performance problems.

All types of lighting, including indoor wall lights, picture lights and ceiling spots, now incorporate LEDs. They increase the efficiency and longevity of the bulbs while offering a wide range of options that can be used for a number of tasks.

What are the advantages of LED lighting?

Like traditional lighting, LED lighting has nothing to envy it. Depending on the amount of light provided, you get lumens, which are the unit of measurement for luminous flux.

Since LED lighting is energy efficient, it can save you more on your bill. Find out more about the benefits of this new technology.

LED lighting, more economical

LED lighting is extremely popular at the moment, and for good reason. It's true that the economics allow many families to have adequate lighting without spending a fortune. In addition, LED lighting allows you to reduce your impact on the environment.

When it comes to energy consumption, LED bulbs are incredibly low. You can save up to 70 % if you replace your powerful lighting with LEDs. For the replacement of an incandescent lamp with an LED lamp, for example, you can save 10 % on your electricity bill every year.

In terms of savings, it's hard to beat that. But what is even more intriguing is that prices are coming down as more and more households decide to switch to LED lighting, which is often seen as the lighting of the future. If I had to give you one piece of advice, I would say switch to LED lighting if you want to save a lot of money.

LED lighting, more ecological

The fact that LED lighting is environmentally friendly is an important advantage. Compared to other bulbs, they consume less energy. In addition, their life span is much longer.

Typically, residential LED bulbs use 75 % less energy than an incandescent bulb and last 20 times longer than conventional bulbs. As well as reducing your overall carbon impact, this saves you money on electricity and replacement bulbs.

One of the main advantages of LED lighting over CFL bulbs is that it does not use mercury or other hazardous components. This reduces the risk of exposure and makes it easier to dispose of the bulb once it is no longer in use. And you don't have to throw them away, because LED bulbs are also 100 % recyclable.

Do not cause UV emissions

The fact that LED lighting emits almost no infrared or ultraviolet light is another fantastic advantage. LEDs can be used to protect delicate items such as your wine collection or precious objects from heat or UV radiation. This is why this type of lighting is becoming more and more common in art galleries, archaeological digs around the world, and even in wine cellars.

Very long life

The life of the LED bulb is its main advantage. Depending on the type of lighting chosen, it can operate for 30,000 or 100,000 hours! These characteristics give it a considerable advantage over its competitors.

By comparison, the life of a halogen bulb is estimated at less than 3,000 hours, a compact fluorescent lamp at around 16,000 hours and an incandescent lamp at between 1,000 and 1,500 hours.

This notable distinction is the result of the new LED technology. With older lighting models, the frequency with which a lamp is switched on, off and on is not taken into account. And the life of the lighting is shortened by this recurrence. LED technology, on the other hand, is much more resilient, as it has been designed to deal with these repeated operations.

Softer lighting

With LEDs, you can enjoy a better working environment. LED lighting is less tiring for the eyes and does not dazzle. That's why some parents find that LEDs stimulate and enhance their children's concentration while learning at home. What's more, LED lights do not break, which increases safety in the workplace, unlike conventional lighting such as mercury-filled fluorescent tubes.

LED light offers more pleasure and aesthetics

Indoor and outdoor luminaires have many attractive design features. Indeed, they are available in a wide variety of colours, including warm white, natural white and multicoloured. In addition, because the light output is not dazzling, offices can use it.

Wide range of LED bulbs available in a variety of sizes, colours and styles for a quiet, private or disco environment. Even some LED bulbs can be remotely controlled to change colour! With the advent of vintage LED bulbs, they have also become decorative items.

For outdoor activities, you will find similar inspirations and applications. For sports and leisure, the LED lighting models are mobile, USB rechargeable and/or have small solar panels built in. These torches are incredibly useful for finding your way in any situation when camping and hiking.

Easy to install and integrate

As LED lighting can be used in any room of your home, it is one of the easiest types to install. In addition, you can also get LED bulbs that look like standard bulbs.

In addition, a recessed LED spotlight is another more fashionable and, above all, more discreet option. Other types of recessed spotlights include the recessed holder with LED bulb, which allows you to replace only the bulb instead of the holder if necessary.

In this example, the fixture and LED are combined. This choice is recommended if you want to make the recesses more aesthetic and discreet while reducing their depth. These are just suggestions, however, it is up to you to choose the option that suits you best.

Low heat generation

As you can see, since LED bulbs do not need a filament to light up and they consume much less electricity, they emit almost no heat. There is therefore no risk of burning yourself when changing a bulb. However, the electricity must be switched off generally or at least the switch must be turned off.

No warm-up time

Unlike energy saving lamps, LED bulbs start to glow immediately after being switched on. For infrastructure projects such as traffic lights, this has many advantages. In addition, they can be switched on and off regularly without any deterioration in the life or light output of the lamp.

LED projectors

For outdoor lighting, LED floodlights are often used. Their lighting power is an advantage. Therefore, a good LED spotlight can provide ideal lighting for a large outdoor area. Despite its high power output, it consumes little energy, making it a cost-effective solution.

Whether you want to enjoy your home at night, make your life easier or secure your property, an LED floodlight is a great option. With an LED floodlight, you can illuminate any area as needed, as it is an economical, practical and effective light source.

When it comes to lighting a car park, a warehouse or an area used for displaying products, LED floodlights are indispensable for professionals. On an unlit construction site or at night, you can use an LED floodlight. LED floodlights are also frequently used to illuminate construction sites and to ensure the smooth running of sporting events.

LED spotlights

To increase the amount of light in any room of your home, LED spotlights are an excellent approach. They are also much more energy efficient than conventional incandescent lamps. They can be used for a number of activities, including reading, cooking and using a computer.

One of the advantages ofan LED spotlightOne of the most important things about these lights, no matter what technology you choose, is that they can be vibrant and even multi-coloured. These lights are called RGB, or red, green and blue. By combining the three primary colours of the LEDs, you can create at least 256 colours. Then, using the remote control, you can program your environment.

The choice of your LED spotlight will depend on your lighting needs and the limitations of the installation. To light a living room, a garden, a bathroom, a kitchen, or to highlight an object, you need to use different spotlights.

Before establishing the structure of the installation, it is crucial to focus on the limits, such as the depth of the recess. As far as flush mounting is concerned, it is quite common and should be valued. Indeed, it can be installed on a ceiling as well as on a piece of furniture.

Another crucial factor to consider is the direction of the spotlights. While a fixed LED spotlight may be ideal in some circumstances, it is not always the best option, especially when you are trying to avoid glare or illuminate a particular workplace. You should choose a directed spotlight in this situation. You can always ask a specialist for help if all these technical details seem confusing.

What are the differences between conventional and LED bulbs?

Some people are still reluctant to replace their bulbs because they are afraid that the brightness will change. Here is a quick explanation of the difference between conventional and LED lighting.

No difference in lighting

The light produced by an LED bulb and that produced by an incandescent or halogen bulb are identical. It is impossible to distinguish with the naked eye whether a luminaire is equipped with an LED bulb or an ordinary bulb as long as the bulbs have the same shade of light, which is usually a warm white.

Reduced energy consumption

The main distinction is the energy consumption of LED bulbs and conventional bulbs. An LED bulb uses 80-90 % less energy than an incandescent bulb, which loses most of its energy as heat, to generate the same amount of light output.

For example, an equivalent 8W LED bulb can be used instead of a 75W bulb. This difference is an undeniable advantage in terms of energy savings.

Longer life expectancy

Another positive point is that LED bulbs generally last more than 20,000 hours, which is 10 to 20 times longer than incandescent lamps. This considerably reduces the time and cost of changing lights.

What is lumen/watt efficiency?

To determine the appropriate wattage of your LED bulb, you need to look at its luminous efficacy, which is measured in lumens per watt (lm/W). But what exactly is this?

Lumens measure a bulb's light intensity, or its ability to illuminate, as opposed to watts, which measure the amount of electricity needed to produce light. This means that a high lumen/watt bulb will produce more light for a given amount of electricity.

For example, 470 lumens are required to provide the light of a 40W incandescent bulb. This explains why light output is measured in lumens rather than watts, which are used here only to indicate energy consumption.

What type of LED lighting, for what room?

Before installing your lighting, you need to select the appropriate product type. The LED bathroom lamp is different from the LED kitchen lamp or the LED garden lamp. There are several factors to consider, including visual comfort, the aesthetics of the lamp and the desired atmosphere. As a result, LEDs can create different lighting shapes:

For your living room and dining room

For a warm and welcoming atmosphere, consider 3000k warm white lighting for your living and dining room. The shade of light that the human eye perceives is measured in Kelvins. If you prefer a more contemporary look, LED strips in RGB (red, green and blue) hues will enhance the lighting in your room. They can be installed under your table, under your furniture or on a ledge.

For your bathroom

The area that needs the most attention is your bathroom. To choose the lighting to be used in the bathroom, it is essential to know the protection rating of the luminaire. For your information, the more protected the light is from water and dust, the higher the IP rating. Choose recessed LED spotlights for your false ceiling to better direct the luminaire's light output.

For your traffic areas

Traffic areas, although often neglected and poorly lit, are a crucial part of your living space. As LEDs provide instant illumination, they are preferred for these traffic areas. In addition, they offer a lossless luminous flux as soon as the luminaire is switched on.

For focused lighting, choose circular luminaires such as recessed downlights or spotlights. For a more uniform illumination, it is advisable to install LED ribbons on your cornice.

How to choose the colour of your lighting?

For incandescent, halogen and fluorescent lighting systems, the only colours available in the past were "warm white" and "cool white" respectively. Today, a variety of light colours in white tones are available thanks to advances in LED technology, allowing you to change the mood of the area you are lighting.

In addition, you can change the lighting to suit the needs of the space using LED technology. Measured in Kelvin (K), the colour can be 'warm' for a cosy environment or 'cool' for a neat, professional look. The different white colour options made possible by LED lighting include

Warm white (2700 -3000Kelvin)

It most closely resembles the classic bulbs that were originally found in every home. This colour offers a warm, slightly golden light that makes it perfect for indoor use. After a long day of work, this light has a soothing effect and promotes relaxation and comfort in the home. This is a good solution if you are used to traditional light bulbs and are often hesitant to switch to more energy efficient LEDs.

Neutral white (5000 -5500 Kelvin)

It is scientifically proven to be the best choice for use in clinics, public services and offices. By being exposed to blue light, our retina secretes less melatonin. As a result, we are less tired and can be more motivated to work.

Cool white (6000-6500 Kelvin)

This colour is perfect for lighting production halls, warehouses and other commercial spaces. It offers the highest number of lumens per 1W, but has a slight blue tint and is therefore much less common in domestic environments.

Which brands for LED lighting?

LED lamps are becoming more and more common nowadays, as they provide good lighting while consuming as little electricity as possible. In the following lines, you will discover the most popular references in this field if you are thinking of buying one, but do not know which products to buy.

Philips

Headquartered in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, Philips Lighting provides high quality solutions for all levels of the lighting industry. With more than 120 years of experience in the field, it offers state-of-the-art solutions to improve people's sense of security.

The brand was previously known for its household appliances. This includes televisions, hoovers, irons and many others. But in addition to these types of appliances, the company has also entered the lighting sector, which has enjoyed a very good reputation.

Osram

Osram is one of the world's largest lighting manufacturers. This manufacturer is at the service of all customers who wish to obtain lighting. Whether it's a car, motorbike or truck, Osram has the right lamps for your vehicle. There are no limits to what Osram can do for interior lighting. It offers a wide range of products designed to illuminate your home beautifully.

Noxion

In 2000, Noxion Lighting was established in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. The Noxion brand was introduced in 2015 to meet the needs of the wholesale market in Europe. Noxion specialises in the supply of LED lighting at reasonable prices that not only meet the current and future legal requirements in Europe.

Lighting EVER

Lighting EVER, also known as LE, is well known in the LED and floodlight sector. The company offers a wide range of LED powered lighting fixtures. For LED floodlights for various uses, including outdoor LED lighting, garden lighting, front of house lighting and other outdoor spaces, the Lighting EVER brand offers a wide choice for your needs.

How much do LED lights cost?

The overall cost of lighting can vary between 20 and 200 euros. For a pendant or chandelier, the cost is between 50 and 300 euros, for a track lighting fixture between 30 and 100 euros, not including installation. As there is a wide range of options, price differences are crucial when choosing a particular light.

Depending on the size, materials and design, prices range from 1 to 10%, from entry-level to high-end. As an example, for a 60 watt device, an LED bulb typically costs between 5 and 20 euros.

FAQ LED lighting

My opinion on LED lighting

By purchasing LEDs for your home lighting, you can significantly reduce your electricity costs and save the money you would otherwise spend on new bulbs. Thanks to a much longer lifespan, these bulbs do not need to be replaced for very long.

I hope this buying guide will help you sort through the different types of LED bulbs and determine which ones you really need.

Our favourite LED lights

Conclusion

In conclusion, while LEDs have become indispensable because of their many advantages, including low power consumption, long life and low environmental impact, it is important to note that not all LED bulbs are the same. It is up to you to choose what is best for you. If you are not sure what to buy, it is best to consult a light therapy specialist.