With the transition from incandescent and halogen bulbs to LED and compact fluorescent bulbs, wattage is no longer a good indicator of brightness. Instead, we now look at lumens (lm) , which indicate the actual light output.
Here's a handy comparison chart between different types of lamps:
| Light bulb (Watt) | Halogen lamp (Watt) | Energy saving lamp (Watt) | LED lamp (Watt) | Light output (Lumen) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15W | 10W | 5W | 2W - 3W | ± 100 - 150 lm |
| 25W | 18W | 7W | 3W - 4W | ± 200 - 300 lm |
| 40W | 28W | 9W | 4W - 5W | ± 400 - 500 lm |
| 60W | 42W | 11W - 12W | 7W - 9W | ± 700 - 900 lm |
| 75W | 53W | 15W | 10W - 12W | ± 1000 - 1200 lm |
| 100W | 70W | 20W | 12W - 15W | ± 1300 - 1600 lm |
| 150W | 105W | 30W | 18W - 22W | ± 2200 - 2500 lm |
| 200W | 140W | 40W | 25W - 30W | ± 3000 - 4000 lm |
What does this mean to you?
🔹 LED bulbs use up to 90% less energy than incandescent bulbs for the same amount of light.
🔹 Lumen (lm) is more important than watts when choosing a lamp.
🔹 Warm white (~2700K) gives an incandescent effect, while cool white (>4000K) looks more modern.