Consumer Reports Shine Green Light On LEDs

It’s only natural to have some scepticism when any new technology comes out. Pretty soon, thanks to the EU ban on halogen bulbs, we’ll have to embrace energy efficient methods of lighting.

LEDs have been no exception to the said cynicism – but that might change thanks to a study done by Consumer Reports.

Many of the initial teething problems have been ironed out, and LEDs are now well up to the task of replacing halogens as the industry standard.

The tests were carried out on 10 different models of 60W equivalent LED lights, and the results should give you more faith in them.

After 3,000 hours of testing, the study found that all the LED lights retained their brightness, and energy usage either “matched or exceeded claims”, namely that LEDs are 90% more efficient than conventional incandescent bulbs.

For instance, our E27 Dimmable 6W Clear Globe Omni-LED uses 6W of electricity, making it 10 times more efficient than an equivalent incandescent at 60W.

Despite this, both bulbs would still output a maximum brightness of 650 lumens. This alone highlights the astounding efficiency of LED lights.

To add to this, LEDs also reached 100% brightness instantaneously, and maintained optimal performance when subjected to extreme temperatures.

They even dimmed as low as incandescent lights.

Whilst our LED lights last up to 50,000 hours on average, the acceptable lifespan is supposed to be between 20,000 and 50,000 hours.

Consumer Report had 2 CREE LEDs on continuously for more than a year – reaching 9,000 hours and reported zero drops in brightness or performance.

This is already 4 and a half times the expected lifespan of the average halogen bulb, despite being less than 25% of the way through its own expected life hours.

One of the biggest challenges faced by LEDs has been their ability to put light where it is needed.

However, these tests revealed huge improvements in light distribution scores for all LED lights. So much so, that they matched incandescent bulbs too. A lot of LED bulbs and spotlights now feature wide beam angles of around 120^o.

The very best LED lights received a near perfect score of 98%, with the overall verdict being extremely positive with “most bulbs meeting most claims.”

Our range of GU10 LED spotlights exhibit all these qualities, as do our entire selection of LED light bulbs, so getting started with energy efficient lighting has never been easier.

Consumer Reports is a part of Consumer Union, and have been testing products since 1936 in an effort to ensure “a fair, just and safe marketplace for all consumers.”

The results of these tests confirm that LED lights technology is definitely a leading contender in the energy saving market.