Affordable LED Light Bulbs

[vacationer1954]

Does anyone know where we can get affordable LED light bulbs? We feel CFLs are too dangerous especially in a home with small pets and we cannot find bright enough LED light bulbs that are affordable. We want bulbs that are 1600 lumens or close to that. They need to fit into regular lamps so they cannot be shaped like flood lights. The best we can find is $55 each.

 

[Fire14]

I'd check home improvement stores, batteries plus if they in your area. just some ideas.

 

[tvguy]

I love LEDs but they are just too darn expensive still. I don't know about energy savings with CFLs but they do NOT last any longer than incandescents.

 

[ceecee]

Sam's Club!

 

[wallawallakids]

Believe it or not, Ikea has some and they are very affordable. We are just finishing building our house and all of our can lights and light futures we put in are LED so I was shocked to see the bulbs on sale at IKEA.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I love LEDs but they are just too darn expensive still. I don't know about energy savings with CFLs but they do NOT last any longer than incandescents.

They are supposed to last longer than incandescent bulbs; they should last about 10 times longer. We have some CFL bulbs in our house which are almost 7 years old and are going strong. There are things which make them burn out faster, such as turning them on and off frequently.

 

[wiigirl]

I got some cheap ones on Amazon.

 

[tvguy]

They are supposed to last longer than incandescent bulbs; they should last about 10 times longer. We have some CFL bulbs in our house which are almost 7 years old and are going strong. There are things which make them burn out faster, such as turning them on and off frequently.

Other than my porch light, which is always on, all my lights are in fixtures that are shut off and on during the day.

 

[Hofmanns4]

I found that if we make sure the CFL is on for at least 5 min before turning them off again, they are lasting longer. When we first switched to CFL's, i could not figure out why the bulbs in the bathroom were burning out so fast. I finally found that on/off in short timeframes was the cause. They are so cost/energy efficient, we now just leave the bathroom light on from dusk to bedtime and that has helped tremendously.

 

[OklahomaTourist]

I've avoided the CFL nonsense to this point, and am delighted to see LED's emerging as an increasing alternative on a nearly monthly basis. No mess, no garbage mercury, no waiting five minutes to turn them off. CFL's got all the media hype and hysterics behind them, but I knew as soon as LED's got to appropriate "critical mass" CFL's would be almost instantly obsolete.

Friend of mine had a link to an LED Christmas light catalog online, and I think they also did general LED lighting, and if I can remember to ask him I'll post it here. They had TONS of LED-based stuff there.

 

[vacationer1954]

I'd check home improvement stores, batteries plus if they in your area. just some ideas.

Sam's Club!

We have checked Home Depot, Lowes and BJs. Nothing affordable.

I got some cheap ones on Amazon.

The only 1600 lumens LED bulbs we found on Amazon were still over $50. Could you please provide a link?

 

[Swimalie]

We get ours at Costco and love them. We've started switching our can lights in the kitchen to LEDs and really like the dimmable option.

 

[jmsaj]

Just bought some at Home Depot.... Cree warm white LED 60w and they are dimmable. This was on an end cap at our local store. They were not located with all of the regular bulbs. Also they come in daylight also. The highest price was $13.97 and lowest was $9.97.

 

[vacationer1954]

60w equivalents are inexpensive but they're too dim for the areas we need them for. We need 100w equivalents (they say we're supposed to look for 1600 lumens) and it is those I cannot find affordable options for.

 

[mousireid]

Thank you for the information - we still purchase regular light bulbs and are planning on going LED. The new long life bulbs contain mercury and breaking one of those in my home gives me the willies - may save power but does nothing for teh environment - how do you safely dispose of mercury?!

 

[vacationer1954]

There are two new types of light bulbs. You're referring to CFLs. The other kind are LEDs. LEDs are mercury free.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_5736.cfm

 

[HubbDave]

As far as disposing of CFLs, which do contain mercury...we save them in a closable container, careful not to break them. After accumulating some (this takes a long time), you can bring them to some large retailers like Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart, or perhaps your local community recycling center.

It has been a while since we returned any since they last long, so I am not sure if the above retailers still take them.

The mercury levels in them are very low, so breaking one should not be a problem. Not that I recommend breathing in Hg vapors. But it is a big enough level that they need to be treated as something to no go into a landfill or incinerator.

 

[Lewisc]

60w equivalents are inexpensive but they're too dim for the areas we need them for. We need 100w equivalents (they say we're supposed to look for 1600 lumens) and it is those I cannot find affordable options for.

Many people can make due with reduced illumination. Some people in your circumstance might be able to add an additional fixture. A lamp which takes two bulbs instead of one.

 

[vacationer1954]

That was what we tried originally but it isn't good enough. These are high hats recessed into the ceiling and the dimmer bulbs don't provide enough light.

 

[EMAW_KSU]

That was what we tried originally but it isn't good enough. These are high hats recessed into the ceiling and the dimmer bulbs don't provide enough light.

The 100 watt equivalent LED is not a very big market and there are not a lot of manufactures with a19 bulbs. I know GE, Sylvania and Switch lighting have one. Have you looked at the retrofits for your recessed lights? Halo, Cree, Sylvania and others have them but I am not sure about 100 watt equivalent.


EarthLED has a very good selection of LED bulbs.