Guide 03 · Brightness
People still shop for bulbs by watts out of habit. Watts measure electricity used, not brightness — and with LEDs the two have come apart completely.
Same useful brightness, far fewer watts
A common 60-watt incandescent produces roughly 800 lumens. A modern LED hits the same 800 lumens on about 9 watts.
So when you're replacing a bulb, ignore the watts on the old one and match the lumens. Watts only tell you what it costs to run.
What that saves
Going from 60W to 9W, running three hours a day at 17 cents per kilowatt-hour, works out to roughly $9.50 per bulb per year. Five bulbs in one chandelier lands near $47 a year.
The formula, if you want to run your own numbers: (old watts − LED watts) × hours per day ÷ 1000 × your electric rate × 365.
Why LED wins beyond the power bill
- Up to 90% less energy for the same light
- At least 15× longer life than incandescent
- Runs far cooler — which matters more than people realize on old sockets and eighty-year-old insulation
Shopping checklist
Match lumens for brightness. Choose Kelvin for color. Confirm the base. Check dimmer compatibility. Always stay at or below the fixture's maximum rated wattage.