Costco sells a 4W LED lamp by Lights of America. They briefly sold LEDs a few years ago from that company that weren’t highly regarded, and I think a lot of people are scared of the brand because of that experience. Not to worry, though. These are much better.
They’re billed as 25W replacements, and they’re globe-shaped. I find they’re a good replacement for 25W globes in bathroom fixtures.
To my eye, they’re brighter than a 25W incandescent globe (yes, I have exactly one of those) but not as bright as anything 40W equivalent. That’s probably due to the directional nature of LEDs; all the light goes toward the room and none toward the fixture. And they look like a clear globe; the heat sink recesses nicely into the fixture, hiding it from view. At first glance, you wouldn’t think they were LEDs. They’re a warm white, like daylight, not a soft white like costlier bulbs. But in a bathroom, that’s fine, or even preferable.
A 3-pack costs about $18, which isn’t cheap, but look at the competition. Incandescent globes are inefficient, burn out quickly, and cost a couple bucks apiece. CFL globes cost $4-$5 and generally aren’t happy being turned off and on a lot like you typically see in a bathroom. Most of the LED globes I’ve seen at the big-box stores are expensive and look like hack jobs, and cost more than $6. Considering these cost 2-3 times as much as an incandescent and not much more than a CFL, withstand being turned off and on better, and use a fraction of the energy of the bulbs they replace, I don’t think they’re a bad deal at that price.
I bought one pack to try out and I like them, so chances are I’ll have an all-LED bathroom before too long. Although they’re billed as being suitable for use outdoors, I don’t think I’d do that with them. The brightness is fine for bathrooms, but I’d be hesitant to use them anywhere else, except maybe closets.
David Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author. He started his career as a part-time computer technician in 1994, worked his way up to system administrator by 1997, and has specialized in vulnerability management since 2013. He invests in real estate on the side and his hobbies include O gauge trains, baseball cards, and retro computers and video games. A University of Missouri graduate, he holds CISSP and Security+ certifications. He lives in St. Louis with his family.