E27 filament bulbs

An E27 filament bulb is chosen first for its look: a visible filament inside a glass globe, a warm white light between 2700K and 3500K, and a base that screws into most standard sockets. Then check the actual wattage your fixture accepts and the use, indoor or sheltered outdoor.

• What is a filament bulb
• E27 outdoor bulb
• Wiring 3 bulbs in parallel
• LED or filament
• Which wattage to choose
• 2700K or 3000K
• Where to install it
• Dimmable or standard

What is a filament bulb?

A filament bulb is an LED bulb whose light comes from small diodes aligned as filaments, visible through a glass globe. It reproduces the look of an old lamp, with a warm white light and an E27 base that screws into most fixtures.

E27 incandescent bulb: what sets it apart

An E27 incandescent bulb heats a tungsten wire: it uses a lot of power for little light and heats the socket. A filament bulb gives the same visual effect without that heat. Replacement is direct: unscrew the old one, screw in the new one on the same base, without touching the fixture. Just check the maximum wattage marked on the socket or holder.

E27 filament bulb: glass and the visible filament

The filament is visible, so the shape of the globe matters as much as the light. All the models in this selection are glass globes, which lets the filament draw its curve when the socket is bare. Compare in the filament bulbs and in the glass globes, which share that transparency. One concrete model: the Éclat doré filament bulb, a 6.5 x 14 cm globe in glass and metal, at 6W.

E27 outdoor bulb: how to choose for outside?

For outdoors, better to choose a shatterproof E27 bulb, with a glass and metal globe, and above all check the protection rating of the fixture: the bulbs in this selection are IP20, so protected against contact and dust, but not against water.

IP20 outside: what it means for the fixture

Watertightness comes from the fixture, never from the bulb. Under a porch, a roof overhang or a closed lantern, IP20 is enough since rain does not reach the socket. In full wind, on an unprotected post, no bulb in this selection will do. The fixture carries the IP rating, and that is what you need to read before choosing.

Shatterproof E27 outdoor bulb: why glass matters

The shatterproof outdoor set combines glass, metal and plastic, at 1W and 2W, in a 3.5 x 10 cm format in black, gold or white. The plastic absorbs impacts where a thin globe would break. Also look at the E27 base bulbs, which are split between indoor and sheltered uses.

How to wire 3 bulbs in parallel?

You wire three bulbs in parallel by connecting each socket to the same live and the same neutral, branching off the main line. The current does not pass through one socket after another: if one bulb is removed, the other two keep lighting normally.

Parallel or series wiring: the difference

In series, the sockets follow one another on a single wire: remove one bulb and everything goes out, and each point receives less voltage. In parallel, each socket starts from the line: the voltage stays the same for all, and one faulty point does not switch off the others. Wiring is done with the power off, and it is better to leave it to an electrician if the panel or the wires are not clear.

Three E27 sockets on a single switch

A single switch can control the three sockets: it is the usual wiring of a multi-point pendant or a fixed string light. The wire gauge must match the number of points, which is checked on site. For the wattages involved here, from 1W to 16W, the constraint is mainly the maximum wattage of each socket, not the line.

What is the difference between an LED bulb and a filament bulb?

A filament bulb is already an LED bulb: the difference is not in the technology, but in the look of the filament. The filament visible in a transparent globe gives a very warm light; a classic-shaped LED often lights more widely, with no visible filament.

E27 LED filament bulb: what it changes day to day

The filament is an aesthetic choice above all. It stands out on a bare socket, under a clear lampshade, in an open fixture. Conversely, a classic-shaped LED goes unnoticed in an opaque lampshade, where it diffuses more widely. Both light up instantly, in warm white, on an E27 base. See the E27 LED filament bulbs and the E27 LED bulbs to compare the two approaches.

E27 incandescent bulb: why it no longer equips fixtures

It heats up, uses far more power than LED for a similar look, and wears out old sockets. On the LED side, the limits to know are elsewhere: not all are dimmable, some flicker with an old dimmer, and a glass globe remains fragile. These are points to check, not reasons to rule out the technology.

Which wattage to choose: E27 filament bulb 25W, 40W or 60W?

The 25W, 40W and 60W references come from old incandescent bulbs, which are no longer directly comparable to an LED filament. In this selection, the stated wattage ranges from 1W and 2W for the outdoor models up to 16W for the amber retro bulbs.

E27 filament bulb 40W and 60W: read the fixture's maximum wattage first

The limit to respect is the one marked on the fixture, socket or holder. A bulb more powerful than what the socket accepts heats abnormally and can damage the holder or the wiring. Looking for an E27 filament bulb 25W, 40W or 60W therefore no longer makes sense: you look at what the fixture tolerates, then stay below it.

1W, 3W, 6W or 16W: the wattages of this selection

The set of 15 dimmable bulbs is 3W, in a compact 4.5 x 9 cm format that fits anywhere. The Éclat doré bulb is 6W, in 6.5 x 14 cm. The Éclat d'Antan amber retro bulbs go up to 16W, the highest wattage in the selection, for a 5 x 12.5 cm globe. The outdoor models stay at 1W and 2W.

Which light temperature for an E27 filament bulb: 2700K or 3000K?

The whole selection is warm white, between 2700K and 3500K. A 2700K leans toward a candle and wood mood; a 3000K stays warm, but a little more neutral and easier to read above a table. Both work on a standard E27 socket.

E27 filament bulb 2700K: the warmest mood

At 2700K, cream walls and wooden furniture take on a golden tint, textiles warm up. It is the choice for a reading corner or a bedroom, when you want a light that fades away in the evening. The 2700K bulbs gather these references.

E27 filament bulb 3000K: warm, but more neutral

At 3000K, you keep the warmth without the orange cast: the light stays readable above a dining table, food colours do not turn. The 3000K references suit a room where you read or eat. At equal wattage, a cold white seems brighter and more contrasted, a warm white softer: the second suits living rooms, the first workspaces.

Where to install a filament bulb: living room, dining room, bedroom or kitchen?

The living room and dining room concentrate the uses of these bulbs: the visible filament and the warm light dress a pendant or a wall light. The bedroom and kitchen also welcome them, in a string or a pendant, in a dimmable version.

Gold, brass or amber finishes: what look with a bare socket

A gold finish reflects light onto the socket and extends the filament, silver cools it slightly, black frames it. Amber, for its part, softens the light as it passes: it is the look of the amber shades, also found in the retro bulbs. On a bare socket, these finishes are as visible as the light itself.

Materials of the selection: glass, metal, brass, aluminium

Glass is everywhere, since it is what lets the filament show. Metal carries the socket and the holder, brass brings golden reflections, aluminium a light and clean holder. Fabric and plastic appear on some sets, for flexibility or impact resistance. These materials pair with the lighting fixtures of the home, and it is better to match the finish of the bulb to that of the fixture.

For a living room, start with the bulbs designed for the living room and, for rest, with the bedroom lighting. A small base does not screw into these sockets: if your fixture is E14, look at the small E14 base, and for pin formats, the G4 and G9 bases.

The Éclat d'Antan amber retro bulbs give the most distinctive look above a table, while the set of 15 dimmable bulbs covers several light points in the same flat, bedroom and kitchen included.

How to choose between a dimmable E27 filament bulb and a standard bulb?

A dimmable bulb is controlled with a wall dimmer or a dimmable fixture: the light goes down instead of switching off at once. Not all bulbs allow this, and an old dimmer can make a bulb flicker. Check compatibility before buying.

Dimmer or simple switch: what to check

The gesture is concrete: you lower the light in the evening on a living room or bedroom fixture, without changing the bulb. The bulb must be stated as dimmer-compatible and the dimmer must be designed for LED load, which is not the case with the oldest models. The dimmer-compatible models avoid flickering, just like the E27 dimmable LED bulbs.

15 dimmable E27 warm white filament bulbs, dimmer compatible

Payment is secure, delivery is tracked and returns are possible if the format does not suit the fixture. Designix customer service answers on the base, the dimension or compatibility before the order. To go further, browse all our bulbs and all our lighting fixtures, or start with the modern style bulbs.

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