Battle of the Bulbs: Standard Energy Savers vs LED

You may be wondering whether you should opt for standard energy saving bulbs, also known as CFL lighting, or LED light bulbs. After all, both reduce your electricity bills. A comparison of the two may help you reach a decision.

CFL bulbs contain mercury vapour. Because mercury is poisonous, you must dispose of CFL bulbs at a suitable facility. LED light bulbs don’t contain mercury and are environmentally-friendly.

A small but steady amount of ultraviolet light comes from CFL bulbs. Over time, ultraviolet light can damage light-sensitive dyes in cloth or paintings. LED lighting doesn’t emit ultraviolet light. You can direct it on to textiles and paintings without worrying about any side effects.

Switch on CFL lighting and you may have to wait a moment before the bulbs achieve full brightness. LED light bulbs reach maximum brightness instantly.

CFL bulbs generally use 9 or 11 watts of power. An LED equivalent uses 4-6 watts depending on the type of bulb. This means LED light bulbs are cheaper to run than standard energy saving bulbs.

Both CFL and LED light bulbs have screw and bayonet fittings. You can place either type of bulb in most ordinary fittings. You can also buy CFL and LED light bulbs with similar shapes to old-fashioned incandescent bulbs.

LED light bulbs last up to 50,000 hours. The life expectancy of CFL bulbs is 6,000 to 15,000 hours.

At the moment, CFLs are cheaper than LED light bulbs. But the growing popularity of LED lighting is bringing down prices. There’s also the question of value. LED light bulbs last much longer than CFLs and are cheaper to run. They’re also kinder to the environment.

These are the main issues of the battle of the bulbs. You can now decide whether CFLs or LED light bulbs should become the lighting champion in your home or business.