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Light bulbs come in a wide range of styles, wattages, brightness levels, and color temperatures — but no matter the type, the best light bulbs for bedrooms should be warm and gentle on the eyes.
Types Of Light Bulbs
Gone are the days of energy-guzzling incandescent bulbs. Instead, the best bulbs for your bedroom will either be energy-efficient LED or halogen incandescent light bulbs.
- Light emitting diodes, or LEDs, are the longest lasting, most durable energy-efficient bulb. They are a fantastic go-to bulb for any setting. If you want to control your light bulb from across the room, consider investing in a smart LED bulb that can connect to your mobile device or voice-activated home assistant. Also, if your bedside reading lamp has one knob or pull string to adjust the lighting to different brightness levels, that means it operates with a three-way switch, and you should get a compatible three-way LED light bulb to ensure that the lamp functions correctly.
- Halogen incandescent bulbs are similar to traditional incandescent bulbs, except that they incorporate gas in the bulb to slightly increase their energy efficiency. Halogen bulbs tend to be cheaper than both LEDs, but they’re not as energy efficient and won’t last as long. They can be a good option if you’re temporarily on a very strict budget and need to save a few bucks, but, if you live in California, you won’t be able to purchase halogen bulbs due to energy efficiency regulations.
Brightness
As light bulbs have become energy efficient, the number of watts they use has gone down, which means a bulb’s wattage is no longer an accurate measurement of its brightness. A light bulb’s brightness is best measured in lumens, though most manufacturers include “watt equivalents” as well. For a bedroom, look for a light bulb that has a lumen rating of around 800, which is roughly equivalent to a 60-watt traditional incandescent bulb, or lower. At this brightness level, you’ll have enough light to read by, but it won’t make you feel more alert when you’re winding down at bedtime.
Color Temperature
Light bulbs come in a range of color temperatures ranging from 2,000 to 6,500 Kelvin. The higher the number, the cooler (aka bluer) the color temperature. For a bedroom, I’d recommend a “soft white” bulb, with a color temperature of 2,700 to 3,000 Kelvin. A soft white bulb will offer a good enough amount of light to see by, but a warmth that’s gentle on the eyes and less likely to disrupt your sleep.
Shop The Best Light Bulbs For Bedrooms
In a hurry? Here are the top picks for the best light bulbs for bedrooms:
- The Best Budget-Friendly LED Light Bulbs For Bedrooms: Philips LED Dimmable Warm Glow Effect Light Bulbs
- The Best Smart LED Light Bulb For Bedrooms: Philips Hue White Ambiance A19 LED Smart Bulb
- The Best Light Bulb For Three-Way Bedside & Reading Lamps: Great Eagle 40/60/100W Equivalent 3-Way LED Light Bulb
- The Best Halogen Light Bulb For Bedrooms: SYLVANIA Halogen Lamp Double Life Bulb
From super energy-efficient LEDs to a basic halogen bulb, here are the best light bulbs for bedrooms — all available on Amazon.
This four-pack of Philips LED Dimmable Light Bulbs is a fantastic option for anyone with dimmers in their bedroom who’s looking for a long-lasting LED bulb that doesn’t break the bank. The light bulbs fit standard medium base fixtures, and the color temperature maxes out in the soft white range. One unique feature to this pick is that the more you dim the light bulbs, the warmer they’ll actually get — without any of those annoying flickers or buzzing sounds, of course. Plus, they have a frosted finish that helps the 60-watt equivalent light spread evenly around the room without uncomfortable glare.
Positive Amazon review: “This is what my bedroom needed. The light has a high color range so I see things clearly, and the low color temperature is relaxing right before bedtime.”
Lifespan: Up to 15,000 hours | Brightness: 800 lumens | Color temperature: 2,200 to 2,700 Kelvin
Also available on: Home Depot, $14
If you want to have lots of control over the brightness and warmth of the light in your bedroom, this pair of Philips Hue LED smart bulbs is a great place to start. Not only does each bulb last a really long time, but it can also be adjusted within a wide range of brightnesses and color temperatures. It's the only bulb on this list that can produce light in the “cool white” and “daylight” color temperature categories, which are bluer than soft white bulbs. (If you want smart light bulb than can change actual colors in addition to white, opt for the White and Color Ambiance version of this bulb.)
And, of course, the fact that this is a smart bulb means you can turn it on or off from the comfort of your bed, without getting up — just download the free Hue Bluetooth app or connect it to a voice assistant if you have a compatible Amazon Echo or Google Nest device. The Hue White Ambiance A19 LED Smart Bulb comes with a three-year manufacturer warranty.
You can control up to 10 light bulbs at a time with the Hue Bluetooth app alone (without purchasing a hub) — but if you're interested in adding even more smart light bulbs to your home, setting automatic timers, or controlling your bulbs when you're out of the house, then you should consider upgrading to a Hue Smart Light Starter Kit.
Positive Amazon review: “Great lights! Have the color set in my living room and bought these for my bedroom. I love how easy they are to set up and use!”
Lifespan: Up to 25,000 hours | Brightness: 800 lumens | Color temperature: 2,200 to 6,500 Kelvin
Also available on: Home Depot, $25 (1 light bulb), and ABT, $45
Bedside and reading lamps are commonly three-way lamps, which require three-way bulbs. If your lamp has one knob or pull string to both turn it on and adjust it to different preset brightness settings, opt for a pack of soft white Great Eagle 40/60/100W Equivalent 3-Way LED Light Bulbs. These bulbs give you the option of turning your lamp to three different brightness levels: 40-, 60-, and 100-watt equivalents. With such a wide range of brightness options, you'll be sure to find a setting that works for you and gives you plenty of light to read by. That said, if you want different color temperature options, the bulbs are also available in warm white or daylight tones.
Again, these three-way bulbs are designed for use with three-way light fixtures only and should not be used with a dimmer switch. They come with a three-year warranty.
Positive Amazon review: “I bought the 4 pack of three-way bulbs from Great Eagle and in a word they are GREAT! I put one in my bedroom lamp immediately and was instantly impressed with the quality of the light output and also the color temperature. [...] Unlike other LED bulbs I have seen, these bulbs are very well made, The base of the bulb is very precisely assembled and will, no doubt, last for a very long time. And the shape of the upper, round part of the bulb will easily allow a clip-on shade to fit. Overall, I think these bulbs will be in my lamps for many years to come!”
Lifespan: 25,000+ hours | Brightness: 100, 500, or 1,500 lumens | Color temperature: 3,000 Kelvin
These SYLVANIA halogen light bulbs can be used in both dimmer and standard single switches, and they are the equivalent brightness of traditional 60-watt incandescent bulbs. They’re the most budget-friendly option on this list, making them a solid, cheap option for the short-run. Just remember that halogen bulbs require more energy than LEDs so your electric bill may be higher, and you’ll have to replace them after 2,000 hours. In addition to the 60-watt equivalent bulbs, you can also nab these bulbs in 40-watt, 75-watt, or 100-watt equivalent formats.
Positive Amazon review: “Nice low lighting in the bedroom. [...] Good price. Can’t beat that.”
Lifespan: Up to 2,000 hours | Brightness: 680 lumens | Color temperature: 2,750 Kelvin
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