Philips EnduraLED and Osram Sylvania Ultra A-line LED bulbs are designed to replace 60-watt incandescents
May 19, 2010 12:26 PM
The 12-watt Philips EnduraLED lightbulb.
Those drawbacks have opened the door for LEDs and their promise of super-long-lasting, energy-efficient lighting. Two manufacturers are planning to introduce LEDs they see as viable alternatives to 60-watt incandescents, the most commonly used bulb. Both LEDs , claim the makers, can produce the same soft-white light that consumers find appealing about incandescents. (In general, LED makers claim their bulbs turn on more quickly than incandescent lights and at full brightness even in the cold, and that neither rapid cycling nor vibration will impact bulb life.) We haven't tested the new bulbs so we can't vouch for the makers' claims.
The Philips EnduraLED (shown) uses only 12 watts, will last a claimed 25,000 hours, and is dimmable, according to Philips, which says the bulb will deliver up to 80 percent energy savings over an equivalent incandescent bulb, or about $120 over the life of the bulb. The EnduraLED is scheduled to be in stores this fall and will cost around $60. (Read about Philips entry in the U.S. Department of Energy's Bright Tomorrow Lighting Prizes competition, which aims to find replacements for the 60-watt incandescent lightbulb and the PAR 38 halogen lamp.)
Osram Sylvania will roll out the Ultra High Performance Series of LED lightbulbs. The Ultra A-line includes a 12-watt, dimmable LED that's also designed to last a claimed 25,000 hours and offer up to 80 percent energy savings over an incandescent bulb. The Ultra A-line LEDs should be in stores in late August. Prices haven't been disclosed, but Osram Sylvania say it's working with utility companies to offer rebates on the bulbs.
Another of the knocks against CFLs is that they're not bright enough for some tasks. In our tests of 60-watt equivalent spiral CFLs, most had a light output of 750 to 775 lumens after 3,000 hours of use. Philips and Osram Sylvania have designed their new LEDs to provide greater light output, with the EnduraLED 12-watt bulb delivering a claimed 806 lumens; the Ultra A-line 12-watt bulb, a claimed 810 lumens.
Follow the evolution of LEDs on the Home & Garden blog and at Twitter.com/CRHomegarden.
—Kimberly Janeway
Essential information: Read our review of compact fluorescent lightbulbs and interview with lighting researcher Nadarajah Narendran, Ph.D.
Osram Sylvania will roll out the Ultra High Performance Series of LED lightbulbs. The Ultra A-line includes a 12-watt, dimmable LED that's also designed to last a claimed 25,000 hours and offer up to 80 percent energy savings over an incandescent bulb. The Ultra A-line LEDs should be in stores in late August. Prices haven't been disclosed, but Osram Sylvania say it's working with utility companies to offer rebates on the bulbs.
Another of the knocks against CFLs is that they're not bright enough for some tasks. In our tests of 60-watt equivalent spiral CFLs, most had a light output of 750 to 775 lumens after 3,000 hours of use. Philips and Osram Sylvania have designed their new LEDs to provide greater light output, with the EnduraLED 12-watt bulb delivering a claimed 806 lumens; the Ultra A-line 12-watt bulb, a claimed 810 lumens.
Follow the evolution of LEDs on the Home & Garden blog and at Twitter.com/CRHomegarden.
—Kimberly Janeway
Essential information: Read our review of compact fluorescent lightbulbs and interview with lighting researcher Nadarajah Narendran, Ph.D.
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