What’s the difference between lumens vs. watts? Find out which measurement is the most important factor when buying new light bulbs.
Light bulbs have changed a lot over the past few decades — and they continue to become more efficient. As technology has changed, so have labeling conventions. To understand what type of light bulb to purchase, you’ll need to know the difference between lumens vs. watts, and what those two measurements even mean for you. Like a nutrition label, once you understand how to interpret the information, it’s easy to know how to make the right choice.
Types of measurement on light bulb packaging
Before we get into the differences between lumens vs. watts, it’s important to understand what these terms actually mean. Let’s go over the terms you’ll need to know when buying light bulbs.
Lumens
This is how light output is measured. Think of one lumen as the equivalent of one candle. If your bulb is labeled as 1,500 lumens, it should be appropriate for ceiling lights, or other uses where the light isn’t directly in your face.
Watts
These are used to describe energy consumption. Watts do not have anything to do with the light output of the bulb. This is an important measurement if you’re trying to lower energy bills or prevent overloading a circuit breaker.
Color temperature (Kelvin)
Describes the warmth or color of the light. This is important for knowing how the light will affect the mood and ambiance of the room. Some tones work better for different settings, so color temperature will be an important factor to weigh.
Life
Describes the typical lifespan of the bulb. These days, LED bulbs are lasting much longer than their incandescent counterparts — you can expect most LED lights to last up to 50,000 hours!
How many lumens is a watt?
Now that we’ve covered the basic lighting facts on a light bulb package, let’s get into the watts vs. lumens topic.
The long and short of this question is that wattage is becoming an outdated concept as light bulbs become more and more efficient. Since LED lights are relatively new, many people still see wattage as the most important factor when buying light bulbs. But since most consumers will be purchasing light bulbs based on the level of brightness, lumens is actually the measurement that will be the most helpful. Wattage is only necessary if you’re concerned about energy consumption, but as light bulbs become more efficient by the year, you should expect wattages to keep going down.
Many people use “lumens per watt,” otherwise called “efficacy” as a way to understand a light bulb’s brightness. The advancements in energy efficiency mean watts will continue to go down no matter how many lumens a bulb is rated for. As you compare bulbs, you’ll be able to see just how much more efficient LED bulbs are than incandescent or CFL counterparts. A standard incandescent bulb may be rated as 60W (watts) with 1000 lumens, while an LED bulb can achieve the same brightness at just 12W.
What’s a better measurement: lumens or watts?
Lumens are a more helpful measurement to understand the type of light bulb you’re buying. Again, as energy efficiency improves by the year, watts will only become more obsolete as bulbs achieve high light output while using very little energy. Most household light bulbs will emit anywhere from 300-1000 lumens, while a floodlight can emit up to 20,000 lumens (a halide bulb can emit over two million lumens to simulate daylight!). So, the next time you’re buying LED bulbs, pay close attention to the lumens, as this will tell you how bright the light will be.
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