Lumens, watts, colour temperature, CRI. The essentials so you buy the right bulb every time.
Watts = energy used. Lumens = light output. With LEDs, ignore watts for brightness—look at lumens.
Rough guide: 100W incandescent ≈ 1,600 lumens. 60W ≈ 800. 40W ≈ 450.
By room: Living room 1,500–3,000 total; bedroom 1,000–2,000; kitchen 3,000–6,000; bathroom 4,000–8,000.
2700K: Warm white. Cosy, living rooms, bedrooms.
3000K: Soft white. Slightly brighter, still warm. Kitchens, bathrooms.
4000K: Neutral/cool white. Task areas, offices, garages.
5000K+: Daylight. Very bright, clinical. Workspaces, outdoor security.
Stick to 2700–3000K for most homes. Use 4000K only where you need focus.
How accurately a bulb shows colours. 100 = perfect (sunlight). 80+ is fine for most rooms. 90+ for kitchens, bathrooms, and anywhere colour matters.
A19: Standard household. Most lamps and ceiling fixtures.
BR30 / PAR38: Recessed, track, floodlights. Wider beam.
E26: Standard screw (Australia often uses E27—usually compatible).
E12: Candelabra. Chandeliers, small fixtures.
GU10: Pin base. Downlights, track.
Not all LEDs work with all dimmers. Look for “dimmable” on the bulb and “LED compatible” on the dimmer.
Flicker or buzz? Try a different dimmer or bulb. Leading-edge vs trailing-edge dimmers—trailing-edge is often better for LEDs.