The 13 Best Light Bulbs of 2024

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Lighting may seem like a tiny detail in the scope of your home, but light bulbs can make a big impact on the feel and illumination of a room, depending on their qualities.

When it comes to selecting the light bulbs for your home, you’ll want to consider factors such as wattage, lumens, color temperature, and shape and base codes.

To find out what all these terms mean and what users might need in a light bulb, as well as some of the factors to consider when choosing the best light bulb for every part of the home, we reached out to several lighting experts.

Dan Mock, vice president of operations at Mister Sparky, recommends opting for LED bulbs. “Not only do they last much longer than incandescent bulbs, but they also use more than 80% less electricity,” he says.

For smart light bulbs, Ryan Hruska, head of product for smart lighting at Ring, says that it’s important to consider what smart home applications you’ll want the bulbs to work with. “You might want to control your lighting through your smart speaker or have your lights turn on when your video doorbell detects someone at the front door,” he says.

Most smart bulbs have the capacity to do this via smart devices, such as those that work with Amazon Echo or Google Assistant.

Hruska also mentions that “California’s Title 20 now requires 90 CRI (color rendering index) for standalone bulbs, which indicates a very high quality bulb.” This means that several light bulb options cannot be shipped to California under this law.

These are designed to be gentle on the eyes and render color beautifully.

They cost about $5 a bulb.

Formulated with vision-protective technology, these Philips bulbs reduce glare and don’t flicker, hum, or buzz—even when you dim them.

They simply give off a cozy, warm white glow that offers a color rendering index of 95, meaning these bulbs depict colors in your home richly and faithfully. (Artists and designers rave about the color reproduction, comparing them to bulbs costing four times as much!)

They’re also approved for indoor and outdoor use, so you can put them in exterior fixtures too. Like other LED bulbs, these are energy efficient, and they have an average life span of 15,000 hours. They are Energy Star certified, which means they have passed strict government tests regarding efficiency.

Philips is also moving toward plastic-free packaging, opting instead for packages using some recycled paper.

Our only quibble with these bulbs is the cost—about $5 per bulb. But considering the benefits, we consider them well worth the price—and our pick for the best bulbs overall. You can swap out all other bulbs around the house with these.

The patented ceramic technology and hollow body design ensure it will never overheat or become a fire hazard.

These bulbs are not dimmable.

With a 22.5-year lifespan, these LED light bulbs from Sansi are highly efficient, cost-effective, and quite technologically advanced. For instance, the optical lens offers a high light transmission via several LED chips, and the bulb is flame retardant.

There are four different light color choices, including daylight, warm white, soft white, and cool white, and the bulbs are guaranteed never to flicker or make any noise.

There’s a patented ceramic technology (as opposed to aluminum sported by many other bulbs) with insulation materials for extra safety, and the body’s design is hollow for higher and more efficient heat dissipation. This basically means that the bulb will never overheat or become a fire hazard.

These are the best light bulbs for anyone looking for a long lasting, powerful, and economic option, and the company is so sure of its product, it offers a five-year warranty. Just keep in mind that these bulbs are not dimmable.

They can link directly to motion sensors built into other lights.

They are expensive if you’re not planning to fully use the smart features.

Smart bulbs are super handy for switching the lights on and off without having to get up from the couch, and you can even activate them remotely when you’re not at home—an extra safety perk. These Ring A19s efficiently deliver a high-quality light, and they are 90 CRI and Title 20 compliant, too.

They can link directly to sensors built into other lights, like the Ring Pathlight, so when motion is detected from someone on your walkway, your porch light can turn on in under half a second.

You can even configure the bulb and video doorbell to work together so the light turns on whenever the doorbell detects motion for both safety and illumination at night. To do so, you'd need a Ring Bridge. This is built into the Echo (4th gen or later) or the Echo Show 10 (3rd gen or later), or you can purchase it separately.

The A19 Smart LED Bulbs can be put in the front porch light fixture, too. They’re our top pick for a bulb with smart capabilities as they’re rated for use in damp locations, closed fixtures, and other covered areas where the bulb won’t be directly exposed to water.

They also allow you to set schedules for the porch light to go on via the Ring app. Given these capabilities, they’re worth the more expensive cost, but if you don’t plan to fully make use of their smart features, there are more affordable LED bulbs out there.

A 230-degree light beam angle effortlessly illuminates every corner of the room.

The dimmable bulbs are not as long-lasting as other types.

These great-value bulbs from Linkind offer 800 lumens of bright light at just 9.5 watts in the 60-watt incandescent equivalent bulbs. The dimming feature smoothly reduces the light intensity with no flickering or stalling, and is perfect for creating a cozy and ambient atmosphere in the living room or bedroom.

You can lower them all the way down to just 10% brightness for movie night or up to the full 100% when you just need the lights to be on full blast. The bulb effortlessly illuminates an entire room, as it has a 230-degree light beam angle to cover every corner.

They are UL listed and have an FCC certification, meaning that they’re safe to use and meet all necessary quality and safety standards. These bulbs are available in soft white, daylight, cool white, and warm white and come in packs of 12 and 24, too.

It’s worth noting that these are for indoor use only and that dimmable bulbs may not last as long as non-dimmable light bulbs. If you won’t pair these with a dimmer, we suggest getting non-dimmable bulbs.

Tinted a lovely lavender hue, the Chromalux bulb boasts exceptional color balance and closely mimics sunshine.

Incandescent bulbs don’t last nearly as long as LEDs, and they can heat up.

Remarkably similar to sunlight, this Chromalux light bulb is designed to filter out yellow from the color spectrum (thanks to its lavender-tinted glass) to enhance other colors in a room (violet, blue, green, and red). The result is more vibrant hues, better contrast, and less eye strain.

Users appreciate the clean, balanced light for reading, sewing, and other eye-straining tasks. It’s available with clear glass, which is slightly brighter, or frosted.

As with all incandescent bulbs, these do tend to emit heat, plus they use more electricity and don’t last as long as more energy-efficient styles.

These energy-efficient bulbs have a good lumen output and long lifespan and are easy to fit.

If you want a bright light for the kitchen, craft room, or any other room where clear visibility is a must, fluorescents are the way to go. These energy-efficient bulbs from Xtricity are compact in size, have a good lumen output, offer a long life, and are easy to fit.

They are around four times more energy efficient than your regular incandescent bulbs and give off way less heat. They also last a lot longer than incandescents, at 10,000 hours each.

They come in shades of daylight, cool white, and soft white, depending on your preference, and are available in packs of two, four, six, and eight. These general all-purpose bulbs can be used anywhere indoors, including a kitchen or bathroom, but they’re also ideal for using in a desk lamp.

It has its own built-in sensor that can turn any light fixture into a motion-activated one.

They don’t qualify for shipment to California.

For lights that turn on automatically, you usually need to have an appropriate fixture with a motion sensor. Not so with these light bulbs from Lepro. These dusk-to-dawn bulbs have their own sensor built into the actual body of the bulb, turning any old light fixture into a motion-activated one.

Their dusk to dawn activation means they will automatically switch on once nightfall descends, and there’s no timer you need to set either—one less thing to worry about. Each bulb offers up to 15,000 hours of runtime.

They’re easy to install, and have a smooth, round appearance, making them a good option for anyone who wants to go bare bulb, too. The bulbs are also moisture-proof and are offered in two color temperatures, daylight white and warm white.

The only downsides are that they’re not dimmable and don’t qualify for shipment to California.

It casts a perfectly non-yellow light that's bright enough to provide clear visibility for performing detail work.

Despite the brand’s name being Ecosmart, these are not smart bulbs.

Whether you’re performing your nightly skincare routine, applying makeup, or cleaning the bathroom, a good, bright light in the powder room is a must.

These Ecosmart LED bulbs are the equivalent of a 60-watt incandescent light and offer a soft white light that is impressively bright. They come in an eight-pack, meaning you’ll likely have some spares once you outfit the bathroom fixtures.

Made for indoor use, these bulbs are energy efficient at only 9.5 watts, each with a runtime of over 15,000 hours with reasonable use. They’re estimated to cost you just $1.14 per year if you use them for three hours a day, and they’ll last for around 13 to 14 years.

These bulbs are bright enough to even be used in a crafting room, according to some users, and they cast the perfect, non-yellow light for clear visibility for performing detail work. Just keep in mind that, despite the brand’s name being Ecosmart, these are not smart bulbs.

The bulbs are shock-, shatter-, and vibration-resistant.

Although they’re UL listed, they can’t be shipped to California.

With a 3.6-inch head that can provide a 110-degree light beam each, these bulbs can brightly illuminate every corner of your kitchen space. There are six of these bulbs in the pack, and they’re able to recess into ceilings for a smoother overall appearance.

They’re also dimmable and can smoothly lower down to just 10% and go back up to 100% without any flickering, making them an eye-friendly option. They instantly turn on with no waiting around, and—possibly their most impressive feature—they’re shock, shatter, and vibration resistant.

Though they’re UL listed, they can’t be shipped to California. They’re available in three color temperatures: soft white, cool white, and daylight. The manufacturer is a small business based in the USA and provides a two-year warranty for these light bulbs.

They are just a fraction of the cost of some of their competitors.

Some users experience issues with setup and pairing with Alexa.

Smart light bulbs are super convenient for operating your lights without having to get up, but they can often be on the pricier side. These LB1 smart light bulbs from GHome Smart are just a fraction of the cost of some of their competitor models and there are four in each pack.

You can switch the lights on or off or dim them via your phone or tablet—or you could ask Alexa or Google Assistant to do it for you. No hub is required either, so if you haven’t fully automated your home, you can still use these (as long as you have a smart device and WiFi).

You can even schedule them to come on at certain times via the compatible app. The fact that they’re dimmable makes them a perfect fit for every room in the house as they can create just the right ambiance for any occasion, but we especially like them for bedrooms.

Authentically antique-looking for vintage lamps and older homes—but with modern LED efficiency.

The appearance of these bulbs might not suit your personal style.

These Edison bulbs from Euri Lighting have all the old-fashioned charm of hundred-year-old tungsten filament light bulbs—but almost none of the drawbacks.

In fact, these vintage-style bulbs improve on the originals in almost every way. The LEDs sip electricity (rather than guzzling it), they don’t get hot to the touch, they are dimmable, and they radiate light at a 320-degree beam angle.

These particular bulbs offer warm white light—though if you want to go brighter, Euri Lighting makes other versions in this style, too. They are also suitable for enclosed fixtures, such as wall sconces, and wet applications (like in bathrooms) so you can put them almost anywhere you want an antique look.

The only drawback is that these bulbs are definitely throwbacks (though with much of the latest light-bulb tech), so they might not suit your décor if you lean more modern.

It can shift from dim, warm white to nearly any color of the rainbow—and it’s controlled by voice command.

This bulb is appropriate for indoor use only.

Set up the EcoSmart Color-Changing LED Light Bulb in under a minute using WiFi and the Hubspace app, and you’ll be ready to customize its settings wirelessly (with the app) or with your voice (using Bluetooth).

With just a few words, you can dim the lights from bright day to warm amber, or choose from 16 million (!) colors according to your mood. You can even control multiple bulbs at once if you group them together on the app.

The one caveat is that it’s not rated for outdoor use, so keep this bulb inside.

These LEDs have the highest possible PPF rating available.

They're expensive to run since they’ll be on for more hours than the average light bulb.

To help your indoor plants thrive, both during photosynthesis and growth, a good electric grow light is a must. These bulbs provide a full light spectrum that is similar to the sun’s to help your plants stay strong and healthy. Though commonly more expensive than other types of bulbs, this LED flood grow light lasts for up to 25,000 hours.

Grow lights operate with photosynthesis photo fluxare (PPF) which is measured in micromoles per second, and these LEDs have the highest possible rating available, making them the perfect option to shine on your herbs, indoor vegetable box, or plants.

You’ll have to factor in that since grow lights will be running constantly, or at least for 12 hours a day, making them more expensive to run than other lights. However, since they’re LEDs, they’re still much more economical than other types of bulbs.

Our top pick for the best light bulb is the Philips LED Flicker-Free Ultra Definition Light Bulb. It’s meant to be comforting to your eyes and won’t flicker, buzz, or glare. Instead, it emits cozy, warm white light and renders colors faithfully, and its life span averages 15,000 hours. Use it indoors or out and in nearly any type of fixture.

The wattage of a bulb references the amount of energy it uses per hour. “Wattage used to tell customers how bright a bulb is, but the introduction of LED bulbs has made it a less effective way to compare the brightness of different bulbs,” Hruska says.

“Bulbs still need to meet the requirements of the fixture it is being used in (you don’t want to use a 100W bulb in a fixture rated for 60W), but LEDs make this easier to do than ever before.”

Lumens refer to the amount of a bulb’s brightness and are nowadays considered a great equalizer. Lumens are one of the best ways to compare bulb brightness. “An 800-lumen LED bulb is generally considered the same brightness as a 60W incandescent bulb, and typically uses only 8.5W,” Hruska says.

A bulb’s color temperature describes the light’s color appearance and is measured in kelvin (K). The most common colors are cool or warm whites. Whatever color you opt for basically comes down to your personal preference.

“Color temperature really controls a home’s overall mood,” says John Monte, CEO and co-founder of Elegant Simplicity, an interior design firm in Seattle.

“The right temperature light bulb can make a space feel more cozy by being less bright, or it can make a space feel more open by being brighter. Color temperature is related to function, and then mood, in that order.”

“Some people like a warm, almost yellow white (lower color temperature of 2700 kelvin), whereas others prefer a neutral white of 3500–4000 kelvin,” Hruska says. “It is common to see cool white bulbs in the 5000–6000 kelvin range.”

The shape of a bulb is indicated by a particular code. The most common shape of bulb in the US is the A19, which normally features an E26 screw base. The next most common are Par38 bulbs, which are commonly used in outdoor security floodlights, followed by the BR30, which is used in recessed can fixtures throughout the home.

“Shoppers should look for these designations to make sure they purchase the right bulb for their fixture,” Hruska says.

According to GE Lighting, a bulb’s base code refers to the shape and size of the base of the bulb. For instance, a standard, medium, regular-sized screw-in light bulb base will have an E26 or E27 code. A candelabra will have a smaller screw in base with the code E12.

An intermediate bulb has an E17 code, whereas a pin-in base with two points of contact (often called a bi-pin bulb) will be coded as G4 or GU24. Your average twist-and-lock base bulb has the code GU10.

One often overlooked spec of light bulbs is the CRI or Color Rendering Index. Hruska explains that this spec is sometimes referred to as Color Accuracy and measures how well the light source represents colors on a scale of 1 to 100.

States such as California have begun mandating high CRI for bulbs in regulations such as Title 20. An outdoor fixture with a CRI rating of 80 is considered good, but indoors 80 CRI is seen as the minimum acceptable. For standalone bulbs, California’s Title 20 requires a very high quality rating of 90 CRI.

The process of disposing light bulbs may vary depending on the specific type of bulb. While some can be thrown in the garbage, others, including compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), are considered household hazardous waste, making them difficult to dispose of.

“For typical standard bulbs such as incandescent bulbs, you can simply unscrew them from your light fixture and place them in your regular trash bin,” Mock says. “For LED light bulbs, once these are removed and ready to be disposed of, you can actually recycle them.”

Steven MacDonald, the managing director at Scotlight Direct, says that, though modern light bulbs are recyclable, they need to be disposed of properly as they can contain hazardous materials.

“The best way to recycle light bulbs such as LED or compact fluorescents is to hand these to electrical retailers who offer a free recycling service or your local recycling center,” he explains.

Check with your local community to see if there are nearby places to recycle these items. Some stores, such as hardware stores, will collect and recycle these bulbs as well. “It would be best if you did not place these in your household waste as they can contain mercury,” he adds.

State Representative Tim Ackert, owner of Ackert Electric, advises that, though most light non-recyclable bulbs, including LED, incandescent, quartz, and halogen, can be put in your regular trash, fluorescent tube and CFL type lamps should not.

“Instead, bring them to disposal locations that accept them,” he says, “including some stores, as well as many local transfer stations. Check out earth911.com to find a location near you.”

Halogen light bulbs cannot be recycled, so, when it’s time to dispose of them, put them in protective packaging in case the glass breaks, and then place them in your household waste bin.

When it comes to smart bulbs, the glass and metal used in today’s options are recyclable, and many stores, including The Home Depot and Best Buy, have in-store recycling for LED bulbs, and local municipalities typically offer recycling programs as well.

The lifespan of a light bulb is estimated in hours. You can find this information on the product box or by contacting the light bulb manufacturer directly.

The average lifespan of an LED light bulb, which is by far the longest lasting type of bulb, is 20,000–40,000 hours. Some LEDs can even reach 50,000 hours, lasting for years and years.

A halogen incandescent light bulb’s average lifespan is 1,000–2,000 hours, which is a comparatively short lifespan, but it is still a marked improvement over incandescent bulbs. Incandescent bulbs typically have the shortest life expectancy, clocking in at approximately 1,000 hours.

CFLs can last between 8,000 and 20,000 hours, though they take a while to achieve full brightness after turning them on.

“It is always best to check the average lifespan of the light bulb you purchase, as a low number of hours can suggest a poor-quality product,” says MacDonald.

Ackert advises, “Fluorescent bulbs can last up to 20,000 hours and are best utilized in places where consistent lighting is needed, such as in offices or more trafficked areas of the home, such as the kitchen.”

In relation to smart bulbs, these are typically of the LED variety and last much longer than other light bulb technologies. The Ring A19 Smart LED Bulb, for instance, is rated for an expected lifespan of 22.8 years based on a usage of three hours per day.

“The most important thing to do when removing a broken light bulb,” Acker advises, “is to disconnect the electricity. For a lamp, that just means unplugging it, but, for hardwired lighting, you do this by switching off your circuit breaker.”

You’ll have to ensure that the electrical current going to the light fitting has been switched off at the fuse box, and that the light switch connected to the light is also set to the off position. For extra safety, “make sure your light is turned off before changing out a bulb, whether your bulb is broken or not,” Mock says.

“If you change a halogen light bulb, you will need to wait around ten minutes for this to cool down,” MacDonald says. “However, LEDs can be changed immediately as the light bulb produces no heat.”

You must always use heavy-duty protective gloves when handling light bulbs in case the glass cover breaks, and this is particularly true if attempting to change out an already broken light bulb. Eye goggles should also preferably be worn.

One way to remove a broken bulb, as per MacDonald, is by fixing a set of needle-nose pliers to the base of the cap. While there are actual broken bulb extractor products you can pick up at a hardware store, one of the tried-and-true methods of removing a broken bulb, according to Ackert, is to use a raw potato.

Cut it into the approximate shape of the base of the bulb so it fits snugly, then twist it out. If there are any small pieces left over that are attached to the light fixture, the pliers may be used to remove them. You’ll then want to vacuum up the surrounding area, just in case some broken glass has fallen out.

Depending on the type of light bulb you are removing, MacDonald advises that you will then need to either pull, rotate, or screw. Capsule light bulbs should be pulled by gripping the sides with your gloves.

For a screw light bulb, you’ll have to screw in the clockwise position until the bulb is disconnected from the light fitting, and for bayonets, push the light bulb towards the ceiling plate and rotate clockwise. Once it’s rotated by a half-turn, you can proceed to pull the light bulb out.

Get your replacement light bulb ready and fix the light bulb back into your light fitting, and ensure that this is fixed securely before switching on the fuse box and light switch.

When it comes to disposing of a broken light bulb, “you’ll want to first wrap it in paper or plastic to make sure none of the broken glass falls out. Then, place it in your trash bin,” Mock says.

If you don’t feel comfortable taking care of a broken bulb yourself, “you can contact an electrician or the lighting store from which you bought your bulbs,” suggests Ackert.

LED bulbs are the most energy-efficient option available, with compact fluorescents coming in second. LEDs produce 40–80 lumens per watt, which is far more than incandescent (about 12 lumens per watt) and halogen (17 lumens per watt) and somewhat more than compact fluorescent (about 60 lumens per watt).

Another factor to consider is whether a bulb is Energy Star certified, which means the product meets strict energy efficiency standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or the U.S. Department of Energy.“

“It means the manufacturers are going an extra length to put their products through stricter tests before they take it to market. I think that speaks to the brand itself, and in our experience, it matters whether a light bulb is Energy Star certified, in terms of efficiency," Monte says.

No. Daylight bulbs are the brightest you can buy. Cool white bulbs are excellent for kitchens, bathrooms, and offices—rooms where you need good lighting for food prep, applying makeup, and reading.

Note that manufacturers might label their products a little differently, so one brand's “cool white” will not necessarily be the same as another’s. In general, the range from warmest to coolest is warm white (2,700 kelvins and below), soft white (2,700–3,000 kelvins), bright or cool white (3,500–5,000 kelvins), and daylight (5,000-plus kelvins).

“Remember that there is a spectrum,” Monte advises. “‘Cool white’ is going to be blue on the low end, and then it will get whiter, whereas ‘warm white’ will start almost orange, then get lighter, and then turn over to blue,” Monte explains.

Monte also says that a light bulb will look different in a home depending on several other factors: whether the light fixture covers the bulb or the bulb is exposed, if the bulb is reflecting off of any part of the fixture, whether the room is closed off or open to another room, whether the ambient lighting is dimmable, and so on.

It’s wise to try different bulbs in a room and live with the lighting for a bit to see how you like it. “From a design perspective,” Monte says, “you’re not just thinking about the bulb but the role of it functionally and aesthetically, and different rooms need different light bulbs.”

No. Warm white bulbs are about 2,700 kelvins, whereas daylight bulbs are much brighter—more than 5,000 kelvins. Warm white bulbs tend to look a little yellow and are cozy and comfy, so they’re a smart choice for bedrooms and living spaces—anywhere you might curl up to relax.

This article was written by Kat de Naoum, who has over ten years of commerce writing experience, and Sarah Halverson, who has been writing on home décor for more than 25 years. Kat is also the commerce editor-at-large at Thomas-Xometry, the leading U.S. online platform for supplier discovery and product sourcing.

Par30 Light Bulb Manufacturers For this article, Kat and Sarah reviewed multiple light bulbs, researching factors such as each bulb's wattage, color temperature, lumens, and shape and base codes. They also spoke to Steven MacDonald, the managing director at Scotlight Direct; State Representative Tim Ackert, owner of Ackert Electric; Dan Mock, vice president of operations at Mister Sparky, Ryan Hruska, Ring’s head of product for smart lighting; and John Monte, CEO and co-founder of Elegant Simplicity, a Seattle interior design firm.