How bright should LED lights be?
Which type of light is brightest? When compared to other types of lighting product, LED lights are the most energy efficient and offer a brighter light for the same wattage. Good quality LED fixtures now output around 170 lumens per watt; a fluorescent puts out around 110.
Anything under 400 lumens would be considered 'low light' - you would still be able to see where you are going, but you may find it hard to read or perform tasks that require high levels of vision. Anything over 1,500 lumens could be considered 'too bright'.
A 1500 lumen LED flashlight is a very bright and powerful flashlight that is suitable for most tasks. Nevertheless, the number of lumens you need in your room depends on the application.
Overall, our recommended lighting LED brightness for your living room is somewhere between 1,500-3,000 lumens and an LED color temperature of 2,200-3,000 K.
| Area | Lumens/Sq M |
|---|---|
| Hallway | 300 |
| Bedroom | 300-400 |
| Bedroom (Task) | 700-800 |
| Bathroom | 500-600 |
A good quality LED strip should provide at least 450 lumens per foot (1500 lumens per meter), which provides approximately the same amount of light output per foot as a traditional T8 fluorescent lamp. (E.g. 4-ft T8 fluorescent = 4-ft of LED strip = 1800 lumens).
To determine the needed lumens, you will need to multiply your room square footage by your room foot-candle requirement. For example, a 100 square foot living room, which needs 10-20 foot-candles, will need 1,000-2,000 lumens. A 100 square foot dining room, which needs 30-40 foot-candles, will need 3,000-4,000 lumens.
Bedroom: 1,000 to 2,000 lumens. Hallway: 500 to 1,000 lumens.
We recommend anything from a 1000 lumen LED to a 1600 lumen LED bulb to make sure it is bright and airy. It's also worth looking for cooler temperature bulbs as these can help to keep you alert! Some prefer a bright light when eating, whereas others prefer a more atmospheric ambiance.
Daylight (5000K – 6000K) gives off a bright, blueish light that works best for things like reading lamps. It's usually not a good idea to use these for an entire room.
Is a 60-watt LED light bright?
An LED that uses 60 watts is in no way comparable to an incandescent bulb that uses 60 watts. In fact, a 60-watt LED just may blind you. LEDs are designed to use less energy and naturally have a lower watt rating. This means it's useless to use watts to determine brightness.
5000K Color Range
The quality of this light is bright and crisp. Small details stand out under this type of light because of the color contrast this crisp light offers. This LED color is best used in industrial spaces, such as factories, or other workplaces where details are important, such as surgery and exam rooms.
