LED Equivalent Wattages Against Traditional Lighting

LED equivalent wattages to traditional light sources can only be approximate, as they will vary depending on the colour temperature and quality of the bulbs being compared. When comparing different light bulbs and lamps, it is better to compare the lumens that each bulb produces, in order to gain a true like-for-like comparison.

That being said, you can use the comparison charts below as a starting point to finding out the LED equivalents for the light source you are shopping for.

LED equivalents to traditional incandescent light bulbs

Incandescent light bulbs are the least energy-efficient light source, with LED light bulbs using just 10% of the energy to produce the same amount of light as their incandescent equivalents.

LED equivalents to halogen light bulbs

Halogen light bulbs are more efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs, but still require much more energy to generate light than LEDs, which use around 85% less energy than halogen bulbs.

LED equivalents to CFL light bulbs

CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) light bulbs were the first real energy-efficient alternative to incandescent and halogen bulbs, using much less energy and lasting for much longer. LED light bulbs take energy efficiency to another level, using around 40% less energy than CFL equivalents.

LED equivalents to fluorescent tube lights

LED tube lights use between 40 and 50% less energy than fluorescent tube lights, which is of course comparable to CFLs that utilise the same technology.

LED equivalents to sodium lighting

Sodium lights can be high pressure sodium (HPS) or low pressure sodium (LPS). LPS are more efficient than HPS but emit a very dim, yellow light. Either way, LED lighting is around 50% more efficient than both HPS and LPS lighting.

LED equivalents to metal halide lighting

LED equivalents to metal halide lighting offer similar energy savings as over sodium lighting – around 50%.