I purchased this A60 Dimmable E26 Bulb because it specifically says 'dimmable'. Most CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) and LED lamps are not compatible with dimmer switches designed for incandescent bulbs. They will either be damaged immediately, or their life spans will be severely cut short when plugged into light sockets controlled by incandescent dimmers.
As it turns out, this LED lamps works very well:
- At 100% power, it emits a bright white light in the forward-facing direction. The color temperature is not quite as warm as a 60W incandescent bulb or a 'warm-white' CFL lamp, but is a lot warmer than the typical bluish light emitted from a 'pure-white' LED lamp.
- At the lowest power, the LED lamp dims down to less than 10% of its full brightness, while still maintaining the same color temperature. In contrast, a 60W incandescent bulb gives out a faint red glow at the same dimming level. (See my customer images for brightness comparison)
The dimming range of this LED lamp is superior to any so-called 'dimmable CFL' I have tried (which usually turns off below 30% power). However, there are several 'issues' you should be aware of. Some for this LED lamp in particular, others for LED lamps in general:
- This LED lamp contains a large heat sink that covers half of its body. The actual LED board is attached to the heat sink using two small screws. The problem is that their screw threads are all messed up and one screw fell out. Lucky for me I tested the lamp in downward-facing configuration, so I was able to spot the loose screw inside the glass dome. Had I tested the lamp in upward-facing configuration, the loose screw would land on the LED board and possibly ruin the lamp.
- The beam it produces is highly directional. The view angle is 165-degree, which is wider than a flood-light or a spot-light, but much narrower than an omni-directional (360-degree) incandescent bulb. What this means is if you use them in your chandelier with lamps facing upward, your ceiling will be brightly illuminated, but the area directly underneath will be quite dim. On the other hand, this directional beam makes it ideal for use in downward-facing recessed light fixtures.
- The total light output (luminosity) is only 260-300 lumens (*). Strictly speaking, this is only comparable to the luminosity of a 25-30W incandescent bulb. However, because the light from this LED lamp is concentrated in the forward direction, it appears much brighter than a 60W bulb - as long as you stay in front of the LED lamp.
Finally, let's consider the energy-saving claim of LED lamps. LED lamps currently on the market are 5-7 times more efficient than incandescent bulbs, but the price is very high at around $5 per watt. So it may take many years for the energy saving to offset your initial investment. For example: suppose you replace a 40W incandescent bulb ($0.50) with a 6W LED lamp ($30), and your electricity rate is $0.12 per KWh, then it will take nearly 7000 hours to make up the price difference. In contrast, CFL are 'only' 3-4 times more efficient than incandescent bulbs, but they cost much less. So if you replace a 60W bulb with a 14W CFL ($2.5), then it only takes 360 hours to get your money's worth.
This is not to say that you should not replace your ancient incandescent bulbs with more efficient light sources. Just that you must have a realistic expectation on the luminosity and efficiency claims of LED lamps in general. In some cases, CFL may be a better choice - just remember to recycle burnt out CFL bulbs properly.
(*) [Update on June 16, 2010]
The product page now says "Light output: 380-420 Lumens".
[Update on Sep 9, 2010]
I purchased my second LED bulb and it has the same brightness as the first one. So I can't tell whether the light output has always been 400 lumen, or this is just another example of creative 'Spec-men-ship'.
[Update on June 14, 2011]
The price of this LED light bulb has dropped ~50% since I wrote the review one year ago. So it is a much better value now. Dimmable E26 A60 Standard Household Base 50 Watt Incandescent Light Bulb Replacement with a 6 Watt LED, Warm White, 1012ww
I will know LED bulbs are fully satisfactory incandescent replacements when my wife says they're acceptable for her bedside reading light. This LED bulb comes the closest to all LED bulbs I've tried, but is not there yet.
Pros:
* Probably one of the best, if not the best, warm white LED bulb you can get for the price
* No mercury
Cons:
* Color output not quite there yet - still too greenish (see photo I uploaded with a comparison), but the green appearance seems to vary depending on how and where the light is used
* Still much more expensive than CFL's but getting cheaper
* Directs more light upward
Other:
* I'd say light output is close to a 40W incandescent... the 50W rating may be stretching it
* Light gets fairly warm when in use, but not hot like an incandescent
I ordered this along with 2 other LED bulbs from Lemnis (Pharox 300 bulbs). I got the Lemnis Pharox bulbs from their website at roughly $30 (shipping included) each. This review is for people shopping around for LED bulbs and comparing brands.
It has an OK brightness, enough for my bedroom. I'd say it's on par with the 50watt incandescent it replaced. It's brightness is on par with Lemnis'.
Wins over Lemnis Pharox:
-No buzzing, even when dimmed. The Pharox has this constant buzzing even when it's at 100% brightness.
-Dimming works great (at least with my switch).. it can go from 100% gradually down to 0 without missing a beat. I think judging from some reviews, I just got lucky and it works with my dimmer switch.
-Cheaper
-Warmer white on the reddish side, much more pleasant than Lemnis' white. The Lemnis bulb looked almost greenish next to this one. I'm actually very happy with it's warm tone, it's very easy on the eyes. (a word of warning... DO NOT get the Pharox Flame bulbs unless you want super bright yellow light, not warm white, but YELLOW.)
-Heat management seems to be much more efficient than Lemnis' almost solid body. This one's body is made with a cage of aluminum strips, which keeps relatively cool.
Loses over Lemnis Pharox:
-No warranty. Pharox bulb comes with 5 year warranty.
-No brand. Came in a generic, slightly crushed, blank white box, no info at all. meh. :/
Overall I'm pretty satisfied, although it could be cheaper it is one of the cheapest LED bulbs I've seen out there so far for a 50watt replacement. I'm off to try some other brands.
I'll update if I think of anything else...
(Also, I must say I agree with one of the reviewers here that maybe it's better to wait a few years for the technology to be perfected and price to drop, but I just need to feed my curiosity even if I'm not about to replace every bulb in the house.) - Led Bulb - Light Bulbs - Light Bulb - Energy Efficient Bulb'
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