WikiCompare live prices on lighting across Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, AliExpress, and curated Awin partner merchants. Lighting transforms a room more than almost any other purchase, and the budget range is huge — a single LED smart bulb runs $15 while a full kitchen re-do with cabinet strips and pendants easily clears $2,000. The most common upgrades are ceiling fixtures (flush mounts in low rooms, semi-flush or chandeliers in higher rooms), under-cabinet strips for task lighting, and bathroom vanity lights — look for a CRI of 90+ to see skin tone accurately. Smart lighting from Philips Hue or Govee adds scheduling and color-changing without rewiring; solar pathway lights need zero installation outdoors. 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 lighting
How many lumens do I need for a kitchen?
Kitchens need 70-80 lumens per square foot for the main ambient layer, with extra task lighting (300-400 lumens per linear foot of counter) under cabinets. A 150 sq ft kitchen wants roughly 10,500-12,000 total lumens spread across multiple fixtures, not one bright ceiling light.
What's the difference between warm white and daylight bulbs?
Warm white (2700K-3000K) is the soft yellow-orange light of incandescent bulbs — best for living rooms and bedrooms. Daylight (5000K-6500K) is cool blue-white — best for bathrooms, garages, and task work. 4000K neutral white is the middle-ground pick for kitchens and home offices.
Are smart bulbs worth it?
Smart bulbs are worth it for scheduling, scene-setting, and accessibility (no climbing on a chair to change settings). Skip them if you only want dimming — a $20 wall dimmer works on any bulb. Wi-Fi bulbs (Wyze, Govee) avoid hub costs; Philips Hue needs a $50 bridge for the smoothest experience.
What CRI rating should I look for?
Color Rendering Index (CRI) measures how accurately a bulb shows colors compared to sunlight. 80+ is acceptable for most rooms; 90+ matters for bathrooms (skin tone, makeup) and kitchens (food prep). Cheap LEDs often hide a CRI below 80 — check the package or product spec.
How long do LED bulbs really last?
Quality LEDs (Philips, GE, Cree) last 15-25 years at 3 hours/day. Cheap no-name bulbs frequently fail in 1-3 years from poor heat dissipation. The 25,000-hour rating on the package assumes ideal conditions — real-world life is 60-80% of that. Pay slightly more for established brands.