LED bulb comparison chart: the right choice for every room

Three columns are enough to read a table of LED bulbs: the base, the lumens and the colour temperature. The base decides the fitting, the lumens the amount of light, the kelvins the mood. An 8 W bulb at 2700 K replaces a 60 W incandescent in a living room.

What is the LED bulb equivalence chart?

Compare four values, never wattage alone: the flux in lumens, the temperature in kelvins, the base and dimmer compatibility. A 7 to 9 W LED delivers around 800 lumens, the equivalent of a 60 W incandescent. The watt measures the energy consumed, not the light produced.

These benchmarks apply to a single bulb. Rethinking the lighting of a living space means adding up several sources and giving each one its own temperature.

How do you read an LED bulb?

Four markings carry all the useful information, and they are read in this order.

• 800 lm: the amount of light, to be chosen according to the room.
• 2700 K: warm white, the mood expected in a living room or bedroom.
• 4000 K: neutral white, easier to read by, for a kitchen.
• E27, E14, G9, GU10: the only detail that saves a trip back to the shop.

It is better to learn to recognise an E27, E14 or GU10 base before comparing two models.

E27 LED bulb: which wattage should you choose?

Allow 7 to 9 W for a living space and 4 to 5 W for an accent lamp. The E27 base takes the largest globes.

E27 bulbs fit most pendants and floor lamps, and the catalogue records 42% of references with this base.

G9 and G4 bulbs are for small wall lights and slimmer integrated spotlights: 27% and 24% of the same survey of 33 references dated 29 September 2026.

Which bulbs use the least energy?

LEDs come out on top: an 8 W bulb gives as much light as a 60 W incandescent, around seven times less energy for the same light. Add to that a much longer lifespan, so fewer replacements, especially on high points that are hard to reach.

What does LED mean?

LED stands for light emitting diode. A semiconductor converts electricity directly into light, with no filament to heat up: efficiency is high and the heat given off stays low. The light travels in one direction, hence the use of diffusers to soften it.

In a survey of 33 references from our LED bulbs collection on 29 September 2026, LED technology is declared on 100% of the listings, as are the IP20 protection rating and CE certification.

COB LED technology gathers several chips on a single pad and gives an even beam, with no hot spot.

What are the drawbacks of LED bulbs?

Three limits come up again and again: a direct beam that can leave marks, dimmer compatibility to check, and uneven light quality between models. None of them rules out a purchase, and all are settled at the moment of choice.

• Direct beam: without a diffuser, the light marks the floor. An opal shade solves the problem.
• Dimmer: a non-dimmable LED buzzes or flickers on an old dimmer.
• Colour rendering: low-cost models lean green. The kelvin temperature stated remains the best guide.

For looks, filament LED bulbs let the filament show through the glass: the effect of old incandescents, without the heat.

Still hesitating between two bases? Describe your light fitting on our contact page: we will reply with the exact bulb.

How do you choose an LED bulb, room by room?

Start from the use, not the wattage: a bedroom calls for 2700 K and few lumens, a kitchen for 4000 K and many. The same 8 W bulb feels restful in the first and dull in the second. The base of the fitting then determines the shapes available.

The LED bulbs collection has 266 references as of 29 September 2026, sorted by base and by room.

Which LED bulb should you choose for a bedroom?

Aim for warm light that is never directed at the bed: 2700 K, with a shade that diffuses. The number of lumens depends on the surface area and the mounting height.

The right benchmark remains the number of lumens for a bedroom, to be cross-checked with the function of the fitting. In the survey of 33 references dated 29 September 2026, the bedroom is declared on 58% of the listings, against 61% for the living room.

A bedroom fitting with a diffusing shade makes the bulb almost invisible and eliminates glare.

Living room, kitchen, dining room: the same criteria?

No. The living room is worked in several sources at 2700 K, the kitchen needs 4000 K above the worktop, the dining room is content with warm, downward light. Same bulb, opposite effects depending on the mounting height.

• Living room: combine a pendant, a table lamp and a wall light rather than a single ceiling light.
• Kitchen: 4000 K over the worktop, 2700 K for the table.
• Dining room: low pendant, diffusing bulb, never bare.
• Warranty: in the survey of 33 references dated 29 September 2026, 2 years for 73%, 5 years for 27%.

Above a table, a dining room chandelier with several sources spreads the light and removes the shadow cast by guests.

The same principles apply to a professional space and partners: restaurant, shop or office, the temperature is chosen according to what happens there.

Can you put an LED bulb in any light fitting?

Yes for most fittings, on three conditions: the base must match, the maximum wattage printed on the socket must be respected, and the bulb must stay in a ventilated space. An LED gives off less heat than an incandescent, so the safety margin is wider, though not infinite.

• Base: E27, E14, G9, G4 or GU10, to be noted on the fitting before any purchase.
• Max wattage: a ceiling value, never a target to reach.
• Space: closed fittings trap heat and damage the electronics.

What happens if you fit an LED bulb that is too powerful?

Nothing serious in general: it gives too much light and tires the eyes, but stays below the thermal limit of the socket. The real risk concerns closed fittings, where heat stagnates. The useful benchmark remains flux, not wattage.

If you are replacing a bulb with no legible marking, the question becomes fitting a more powerful bulb than planned: compare lumens, not watts.

LED bulb and dimmer: what to check

Three markings matter: "dimmable" on the packaging, the type of dimmer installed and the minimum load of the circuit. A non-dimmable LED wired to a dimmer buzzes, flickers or switches off in fits and starts. Changing the dimmer often solves the problem.

Dimmable LED bulbs are stated as such on their listing: it is the first line to check.

When doubt persists about a reference, the Designix Google listing and buyer reviews remain available online.