Dimmable E26 A60 Standard Household Base 50 Watt Incandescent Light Bulb Replacement with a 6 Watt LED, Warm White, 1012ww Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this A60 Dimmable E26 Bulb because it specifically says 'dimmable'. Most CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) and LED lamps are not compatible with dimmer switches designed for incandescent bulbs. They will either be damaged immediately, or their life spans will be severely cut short when plugged into light sockets controlled by incandescent dimmers.
As it turns out, this LED lamps works very well:
- At 100% power, it emits a bright white light in the forward-facing direction. The color temperature is not quite as warm as a 60W incandescent bulb or a 'warm-white' CFL lamp, but is a lot warmer than the typical bluish light emitted from a 'pure-white' LED lamp.
- At the lowest power, the LED lamp dims down to less than 10% of its full brightness, while still maintaining the same color temperature. In contrast, a 60W incandescent bulb gives out a faint red glow at the same dimming level. (See my customer images for brightness comparison)
The dimming range of this LED lamp is superior to any so-called 'dimmable CFL' I have tried (which usually turns off below 30% power). However, there are several 'issues' you should be aware of. Some for this LED lamp in particular, others for LED lamps in general:
- This LED lamp contains a large heat sink that covers half of its body. The actual LED board is attached to the heat sink using two small screws. The problem is that their screw threads are all messed up and one screw fell out. Lucky for me I tested the lamp in downward-facing configuration, so I was able to spot the loose screw inside the glass dome. Had I tested the lamp in upward-facing configuration, the loose screw would land on the LED board and possibly ruin the lamp.
- The beam it produces is highly directional. The view angle is 165-degree, which is wider than a flood-light or a spot-light, but much narrower than an omni-directional (360-degree) incandescent bulb. What this means is if you use them in your chandelier with lamps facing upward, your ceiling will be brightly illuminated, but the area directly underneath will be quite dim. On the other hand, this directional beam makes it ideal for use in downward-facing recessed light fixtures.
- The total light output (luminosity) is only 260-300 lumens (*). Strictly speaking, this is only comparable to the luminosity of a 25-30W incandescent bulb. However, because the light from this LED lamp is concentrated in the forward direction, it appears much brighter than a 60W bulb - as long as you stay in front of the LED lamp.
Finally, let's consider the energy-saving claim of LED lamps. LED lamps currently on the market are 5-7 times more efficient than incandescent bulbs, but the price is very high at around $5 per watt. So it may take many years for the energy saving to offset your initial investment. For example: suppose you replace a 40W incandescent bulb ([标签:Content].50) with a 6W LED lamp ($30), and your electricity rate is [标签:Content].12 per KWh, then it will take nearly 7000 hours to make up the price difference. In contrast, CFL are 'only' 3-4 times more efficient than incandescent bulbs, but they cost much less. So if you replace a 60W bulb with a 14W CFL ($2.5), then it only takes 360 hours to get your money's worth.
This is not to say that you should not replace your ancient incandescent bulbs with more efficient light sources. Just that you must have a realistic expectation on the luminosity and efficiency claims of LED lamps in general. In some cases, CFL may be a better choice - just remember to recycle burnt out CFL bulbs properly.
(*) Update on June 16, 2010:
The product page now says "Light output: 380-420 Lumens".
Update on Sep 9, 2010:
I purchased my second LED bulb and it has the same brightness as the first one. So I can't tell whether the light output has always been 400 lumen, or this is just another example of creative 'Spec-men-ship'.

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So many of our customers have been asking for a fully dimmable standard replacement light bulb in the 40-50 watt light output range and after a lot of searching, we are pleased to finally be able to offer one that has the high quality and reliability you've come to expect. This bulb is the perfect screw in replacement for all your lighting applications that call for light output in that very popular 40-60 watt range. This is an A60 type bulb with an E26 base (which means it'll fit a standard light bulb socket). It has self contained heat sinks as part of its design and could function as a stand alone designer bulb due to its beautiful shape and appearance. This is the bulb to use wherever you need dimmable lighting in the 40-60 watt range and is also available in White.

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