Your guide to G4 LED spotlights

Ready to make the switch to LED and want to find out more?

Then cast your eyes over our handy G4 LED buying guide to give you the lowdown.

What is a G4 LED spotlight?

G4 LED spotlights consume very, very little energy. In fact, they’re one of the lowest energy consuming LEDs around. You’ll find them under cooker hoods, shelves and kitchen cabinets, which is largely a result of their diminutive size. They operate at 12V, which is probably different to your current mains supply (240 V). This means you may need a transformer that converts the mains supply to the required 12V.

What transformer do I need?

As explained above, you may need a transformer for your G4 LED bulbs. The next question is, exactly do you need? Well, the transformer needs to have, at least, the same amount of power (wattage) as the combined total of the bulbs it’s powering. It’s advised, however, that the combined wattage of the bulbs it’s powering doesn’t exceed 80% of the transformer’s wattage. For example, if you wanted to power 4 x 4W spotlights, you would need a 20W transformer.

What wattage do I need?

Most people tend to focus on wattage when it comes to measuring the brightness they need. However, it’s slightly different for LED bulbs. Firstly, the true brightness of LED bulbs is measured in lumens. For instance, a 2.4w G4 LED spotlight which has 150 lumens produces a comparable brightness to 20w standard light. It just consumes a tenth of the energy. It’s also worth noting how beam angle effects brightness. A narrower beam angle (of 45° or less) produces a more concentrated, and thus brighter, light. A wider beam angle will spread the light and create a more subtle glow.

Which colour light is best for me?

G4 LED spotlights come in different colours too. These colours are measured in Kelvins. The lower the Kelvin, the warmer the light, the higher the Kelvin, the cooler the light. You can choose from 3 different colours: Cool White Warm White Daylight You can read more about our post on colour options here to see how they could look in your home.

What beam angle do I need?

Beam angle is measured in degrees. A wider beam angle covers more space with light. Our G4 spotlights tend to come with wider beam angles, which makes them ideal for their most common purpose of illuminating shelving, desks and under cabinets.

How much will an LED G4 cost?

As with everything, you need to guard against paying peanuts for a product that doesn’t feature the latest technology or is made with dud components, while still getting value for money. Prices start from under £5 and go up to £7 for the brighter bulbs at LEDHut. Every bulb is made with quality in mind and that’s why they’re designed to last 25,000 hours.