Best LED light bulb 2022

GE LED lightbulb above front door
(Image credit: GE)

Many of the best LED light bulbs are also some of the best smart light bulbs available today. If, however, you're not necessarily looking for smart lighting then simply switching to LED bulbs comes with plenty of its own advantages. LED bulbs are more energy-efficient, last longer, and can save you money in the long run over incandescent equivalents. When it comes to choosing an LED light bulb, you can't find a more reputable brand than GE. The GE Relax High Definition LED Light Bulb is an excellent option thanks to its soft white glow, a color temperature that makes it ideal for any main room in the home, but there are other alternatives worth considering as well.

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GE LED light by bed

(Image credit: GE)

GE Relax High Definition LED Light Bulb

Trusted brand reputation

Reasons to buy

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Affordable
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2,700K for use in many rooms
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Bright 800 lumens

Reasons to avoid

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Indoor use only
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Might not need all bulbs
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No colors

The trusted brand reputation of GE makes the GE Relax High Definition LED light bulb an attractive option. The lighting division of the company was acquired by leading home automation company Savant not too long ago, providing more brand power behind it.

This simple, soft white bulb can be swapped in for any old A19 bulb inside the home as an ideal 60-watt replacement that uses only 10.5 watts of energy. It provides ample brightness at 800 lumens and is dimmable so you can adjust the brightness to your liking or based on the setting or situation.

The idea behind the Relax line is to match the light to your space, which means this bulb can be an equally great match for your bedroom as it is for the living room or dining area. It accomplishes this through a warm 2,700K color temperature, which is the right glow for the aforementioned rooms as well as areas like entryways. With LED technology, these are the best LED light bulbs that can last up to 13 years before they need to be replaced, and they're available in a four-pack so you can easily swap out all the bulbs in a room in one shot.

Philips Hue official lifestyle 2

(Image credit: Philips Hue)

Philips Hue White A19 Light Bulb

Start to go smart

Reasons to buy

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Dimmable
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Smart capabilities
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Fits most lamp bulbs
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Large smart home ecosystem
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Works with Bluetooth or Hue hub

Reasons to avoid

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Requires Hub for all smart features
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Expensive

If you're looking for a set of bulbs you can use to replace old incandescent ones and connect to a smart home at the same time, Philips Hue is one of the top brands in this space. And this two-pack of A19 bulbs is a great way to get started.

You can use these smart light bulbs as regular bulb replacements. However, if you grab the Philips Hue Hub as well, it will enable remote control through the Philips Hue app as well as voice control using Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, or Google Assistant (a compatible smart speaker is required). With the Hub, you can also do things like add lighting to different scenes in other apps and create lighting schedules. You can also pair your bulbs directly to Bluetooth if you want to enable voice control in one room.

Fitting standard-sized table lamps and other lighting fixtures, these bulbs are dimmable and use 9.5 watts to output 800 lumens of soft white light. If you decide to expand your smart home lighting, you can connect these bulbs to other bulbs as well as accessories like dimmer switches and motion sensors.

SYLVANIA LED TruWave Natural Series Light Bulb

(Image credit: Amazon)

SYLVANIA LED TruWave Natural Series Light Bulb

Warm lighting for your home

Reasons to buy

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Bright 60W equivalent
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Filament design
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Produces soft light 2700k
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Comes with a 5-year warranty

Reasons to avoid

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Doesn't last as long as some other designs
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Somewhat expensive

One thing the first wave of LED light bulbs failed to do was accurately emulate the comfort and warmth of older incandescent bulbs. This Sylvania TruWave bulb is designed to look like filament light bulbs of the past with the longevity and power efficiency of LED. They produce plenty of light with 60W equivalence while using 8W and fit in a typical A19 socket.

There are four vertical orange filaments that can help to make the lighting feel even more comfortable. With a 2700k color temperature, these bulbs create a much more comfortable ambiance than a cooler "daylight" model. If you're sensitive to the harsh light of the first wave of LED and CFL light bulbs, the Sylvania TruWave bulbs are a great pick. Just keep in mind that this style of bulb tends to burn out more quickly than some other LED designs.

Amazon Basics LED light

(Image credit: Amazon)

Amazon Basics 60W Equivalent Dimmable 6-pack

Keep some spares

Reasons to buy

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Affordable
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White, soft white, and daylight are available
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Only uses 9 watts of energy
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Expected 10,000 hours of operation
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Dimmable

Reasons to avoid

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Dimming performance isn't great
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Not available to ship to California

Switching to LED lights not only saves you money in the long run but can also improve your lighting compared to some older LEDs or CFLs. This is thanks to the warmer soft white appearance of the light which many people find to be more comfortable. You can get this Amazon basics bundle in a cooler daylight temperature if you prefer, however.

These A19 bulbs are designed to fit right in where an old incandescent or CFL bulb was with no need to change any wiring. If you want to replace multiple bulbs in something like a ceiling fan fixture, you'll want to replace all of them at one so they match. It's also nice to have a few spare bulbs in storage for when your old bulbs inevitably burn out.

Cotanic Vanity LED light bulb 5000k dad fixing daughter's hair in front of a lit mirror

(Image credit: Amazon)

Cotanic Vanity Light Bulb

Bright lights

Reasons to buy

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Ultra-bright for vanity, bathroom
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Less heat output
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Flame-retardant material

Reasons to avoid

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Might be too bright
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Non-dimmable
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For limited rooms

You need extra bright light in your bathroom or on your vanity mirror to provide enough illumination to do things like shave your beard and put on make-up. And these bulbs offer 5,000K daylight glare-free color temperature that is more than bright enough to meet those needs.

With an E26 medium base, they provide the equivalent of 60-watt incandescent lights and are ideal for the vanity mirror or bathroom as well as to use in a chandelier, wall sconce, pendant, kitchen, office, or anywhere else you need bright light. You'll get a total of 500 lumens and a 5-watt globe light from the non-dimmable lights that can run for up to 30,000 hours.

Despite the bright lighting, they provide less heat output thanks to the aluminum material that helps dissipate heat to extend the lifespan. They are also made from flame-retardant material.

CRLight C7 1W LED bulb multiple home scenes with small lights

Source: Amazon (Image credit: Amazon)

CRLight C7 LED Night Light Bulbs

Vintage chic

Reasons to buy

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Cool retro look
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Overload, short circuit, over-temperature protection
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Fits C7 sockets

Reasons to avoid

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Not very bright
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Non-dimmable

Fitting C7-sized bulbs, these bulbs, which come in a two-pack, have E12 candelabra bases and clear glass C7 mini candle torpedo shapes for a retro-chic look that will fit certain pendant lamps, wall lamps, desk lamps, chandeliers, and other lighting.

Offering 150 lumens of brightness with a full 360-degree beam angle, they provide a 2,700K warm white glow that is nearly identical to incandescent. While they aren't dimmable, they are eco-friendly, as with any LED light bulb, and offer up to 30,000+ hours of life span, which can translate to up to 16 years based on five hours of use per day.

They also feature overload, short circuit, and over-temperature protection to provide added peace of mind.

LED lights can save electricity without giving up the comfort incandescents

If you haven't yet switched your home lighting over to LED, what are you waiting for? There are so many advantages to doing so. While the bulbs themselves will typically cost more upfront (though there are some seriously affordable options these days), you'll save money in the long run. Not only will the bulbs last for much longer – in some cases, up to 15 or 16 years! – but they will also draw less energy from the home, which can translate to reduced electricity bills. Not to mention that you're contributing to helping the environment.

The actual light-emitting portion of an LED bulb is quite small making this tech the center of a wide range of new lighting options. You could pick some smart lights for gaming to add some RGB flair as we saw in our Govee Glide Hexa Light Panels review. You could also just stick to simple hubless smart lights.

While there are tons of LED lights on the market today, you can't go wrong with a trusted brand like GE. Now owned by home automation company Savant, GE lighting products like the GE Relax High Definition LED Light Bulb, are ideal for those looking to swap bulbs but who also want to stick with a tried and trusted brand. These bulbs are very affordable and a great way to swap out the bulbs in the main rooms of your home. The ability to dim along with a long-lasting lifespan of about 13 years and 800 lumens of light that's equivalent to a typical 60-watt incandescent bulb will make the transition seamless.

Christine Persaud
Contributor

Christine Persaud has been writing about tech since long before the smartphone was even a "thing." When she isn't writing, she's working on her latest fitness program, binging a new TV series, tinkering with tech gadgets she's reviewing, or spending time with family and friends. A self-professed TV nerd, lover of red wine, and passionate home cook, she's immersed in tech in every facet of her life. Follow her at @christineTechCA.

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