WikiCompare live prices on bulb across Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, AliExpress, and curated Awin partner merchants. LED bulbs have replaced incandescents almost everywhere — they use ~85% less energy and last 15-25 years at normal use. Key specs: lumens (brightness — 800 lm replaces a 60W bulb), color temperature (2700K warm/yellow, 4000K neutral, 5000K daylight cool), and CRI (Color Rendering Index — 90+ shows true colors). Smart bulbs from Philips Hue, Govee, or LIFX add app control and scheduling; for the lowest price, generic Wyze and Sengled bulbs work fine over Wi-Fi without a hub. Avoid no-name dimmable bulbs — they flicker badly on most dimmers. Click any card to open the seller's product page; we earn a small affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions about bulb
What bulb wattage do I need for my room?
LED watts = old incandescent watts ÷ 5. So a 60W incandescent = 9-12W LED. For lumens: kitchens need 70-80 lumens/sq ft (10,500-12,000 lumens total in a 150 sq ft kitchen), living rooms 20-30 lumens/sq ft, bedrooms 10-20 lumens/sq ft. Most modern packages list lumens — that's what matters, not watts.
Smart bulbs vs regular LED — which to buy?
Smart bulbs (Philips Hue, Wyze, Govee) — app/voice control, scheduling, color-changing. Worth the extra cost for: bedroom, living room, accent lighting. Regular LED for: utility rooms, garage, hallway, closet — places you just flip the switch. Don't put smart bulbs everywhere — overkill + ongoing app maintenance.
Why do LED bulbs sometimes flicker?
Usually incompatible dimmer. Most older dimmers (designed for incandescent) flicker LED bulbs. Solution: replace dimmer with LED-compatible model (Lutron Caseta, Leviton Decora — $25-50). Test each LED brand with your dimmer — some flicker more than others. Smart bulbs avoid dimmer issues entirely (use app to dim).
Are color-changing bulbs worth it?
Yes for one room (typically living room or bedroom). Adds ambient lighting flexibility — warm at night, cool for productivity, color for movies/parties. Philips Hue is gold standard; Govee is cheapest with good quality; LIFX is brightest. Set up scenes once, automate via app — used daily after first month. Skip color in utility rooms.
How long do LED bulbs really last?
Quality LEDs (Philips, GE, Cree): 15-25 years at typical 3 hours/day use. Cheap no-name LEDs fail in 1-3 years due to poor heat dissipation. The '25,000 hour' rating on packaging assumes ideal conditions. Real-world life is 60-80% of rated. Pay slightly more for established brands (Philips, GE, Cree) — they actually last.
What color temperature should I use where?
2700-3000K (warm white): bedrooms, living rooms — relaxing atmosphere. 3500-4000K (neutral white): kitchens, home offices — energizing without being harsh. 5000-6500K (daylight): bathrooms, garages, workshops — best for tasks needing color accuracy. Mismatching temps in one room makes the space feel disjointed.