Now you can light up your life and bring different shades to the house with these best dimmable LED light bulbs.
Overview
Choosing LED lights isn’t a hassle at all due to the majority of LED bulbs sold on the market. However, sticking with the proper lights for long-term use is crucial and not everyone can do it right. Although most of the LED lights today are dimmable, will all of them perform the best?
So here is the thing: there are plenty of things you need to know before making the purchase of a dimmable LED light bulb. In addition, there are also dozens of brands offering this kind of lamp. Do you feel confused? Don’t worry, you will find the answers to all of your wonders about dimmable LED light bulbs and we are showing you some dimmable LED bulbs that we find the best.
Our top picks of dimmable LED light fixtures
What are the typical dimming methods?
Before buying dimmable LED lights, shouldn’t we know the basic dimming methods to install and connect those fixtures successfully? Now let’s figure out the most typical dimming methods in this section.
Mains dimming
The most common dimming method today is mains dimming, which you can find anywhere from your own house, restaurants, or clubs. The framework depends on ‘chopping-out’ portions of the alternating voltage to reduce the voltage that approaches the LED fixture.
Mains diminishing was released initially for filament lights, when a straightforward voltage lessening implied a lower light yield. Today, lighting control producers frequently include mains darkening modules into their hardware.
DALI
DALI stands for Digital Addressable Lighting Interface, which is a dimming method that is becoming more popular on the market. It is usually used to supply area lighting control over a number of lighting circuits. It depends on an extra two-core cable association between the dimmer control and the LED driver.
DMX
DMX or Digital Multiplex is a common dimming method in the entertainment and architecture sector, in which LED lights are performed lively with different lighting channels. In this case, to achieve this light effect, the signal cables between the controller and LED driver have to be a special data cable, which is selected to keep the cores away from spurious electrical signals from adjoining cables.
What to consider when buying dimmable LED light bulbs?
Luckily, there is generally one type of dimmable LED light bulbs. They might just contain some distinctive features offered by different manufacturers. However, there will be some criteria you need to take a look before buying dimmable LED light bulbs to make sure that these lamps will perform efficiently in your house.
Color
Lights in general and dimmable LED lights in particular are packed with numerous color options. Depending on the location and the purpose of using LED lights, you can choose the suitable color rendering. For example, LED lights that are used in bedrooms as sleep lights should provide a warm-toned color, such as soft red or yellow. Meanwhile, the best color for the living room and kitchen should be bright white.
Brightness
Similar to the color factor, the brightness of a dimmable LED light bulb will depend on your using intention. To check the brightness of dimmable LED bulbs, you should look for the lumens measurement printed on the product. Since you can dim your light, this evaluation shows the LED bulbs at its highest brightness.
If you are looking for dimmable LED light bulbs to install in the bedroom, you only need the light with a low lumens measurement. In case it is a living room, bathroom, or kitchen LED lights, you should opt for the one with high lumens. One notable thing with the same amount of lumens, you can expect LED light bulbs to draw up much less wattages than the incandescent counterparts and save you tons of money in the long term.
Dimmer compatible
Testing the dimmer compatibility will help you choose the LED light bulbs that emit the smoother light outcome when being dimmed. There are some brands that offer dimmable LED light bulbs with a higher quality, which will dim better than others. Therefore, you should ask the seller carefully about this factor and if you can test the light before buying, it would be great.
Connection
The world is developing with more technology inventions. It’s true to dimmable LED lights too. There appear more and more dimmable LED bulbs that you can connect with smart devices and control the light (turn on, off, or adjust the brightness) via those gadgets. Consider buying these smarter options if you can afford them, and you will see how convenient and intelligent they are.
FAQs about dimmable LED light bulbs
Can I use dimmable LED bulbs without dimmer switches?
Yes, you can. Not all the predecessor LED bulbs were released with a dimmable version, and a standard regular light switch has been definitely more common. Over time, people invented the dimmable LED light bulbs which can work in both non-dimmable and dimmable circuits.
When dimmable LED lights are used in a regular switch (without a dimmer switch), it will work like other standard and traditional lights, but much more energy-saving. However, in the long term, this will not be an ideal option at all because the improper operation can affect the quality of the light outcome, and also the lifespan of the fixture over time.
One notable thing is it might be acceptable for a dimmable LED bulb to work without a dimmer switch, but not vice versa. A regular lamp if being connected with the dimmer is likely to behave strangely, such as flicker or have the buzzing sound. Over time, it can damage your bulb either.
How do I stop a dimmable LED bulb from flickering?
There are several reasons that lead to a flickering LED light. Fortunately, this problem is easy to fix. You should ensure that your dimmable LED bulbs are connected with the compatible dimmer and other appliances. If the light is still unstable, it might be because of loose wiring. To check this issue, you just need to screw the bulb tighter and give the fixture a gentle clean to wipe out all the dust on it.
How do I know if my LED light bulb is dimmable?
Although most of today LED light bulbs are dimmable, it is not true to all of them. Therefore, to make sure you will buy the correct type, look for the “dimmable” signs on the package of the product. The symbol which states that your bulb is a dimmable LED type might vary from manufacturers, therefore, there is not a standard to tell.
You better check all the necessary information on the package, or ask for help from the seller to have a good understanding about your item. Additionally, the dimming range is usually available on the product information either. This material allows you to know the amount of dimmable LED bulbs can be used in a dimmer switch with a specific range.
Can a dimmable LED light bulb work in a three-way socket?
Yes, it can technically work. However, if your dimmable LED bulb is not a three-way bulb, you will just get the light outcome with the on-off statuses, there will be no dimming ability at all. The reason is dimmable lights operate by limiting the amount of power that enters a single regular circuit, while a three-way bulb has two separate circuits.
In fact, everything will be correct if you get a dimmable three-way LED light bulb, but it is pretty expensive on the market compared to other counterparts. In conclusion, it will depend on your purpose and budget in this case.
Why are dimmable LED light bulbs more expensive?
Generally, dimmable LED lights have a higher price than the standard halogen or incandescent bulbs. The reason is LED bulbs and especially dimmable LED light bulbs feature more technological functions, such as using less wattage but same light outcome, run smoother, less flickering or buzzing, smart brightness adjustment via mobile apps or voice, and so on.
Due to the additional smart features, producing dimmable LED lights costs the manufacturers more, which will result in a higher price on the market. Nevertheless, it is not expensive if you think further. Dimmable LED lights use less energy, therefore reducing your money on monthly electric bills. So in a long run, this is still an ideal choice.
The bottom words
Dimmable LED bulbs are great not because of reducing your electric consumption, but it provides your house with different moods. However, you will not just randomly buy one and expect to work perfectly in the current electric system in your house.
Keep in mind the aforementioned factors that will allow you to buy the best dimmable LED light bulbs. The best overall for dimmable LED bulbs that we highly recommend is the E26 Base Dimmable LED Edison light bulb. Otherwise, you can also consider these following suggestions: Lindink A19 Dimmable LED light bulb, A19 – E26 Dimmable UL Listed by Mastery Mart, Dimmable Ascher Vintage LED Edison Bulbs, or Dimmable Ascher Vintage LED Edison Bulbs. We hope you find our article useful and wish you luck with your choice!