I’ve had 3 PAR-30 bulbs in my kitchen and while they’re bright and efficient, they’re nothing particularly natural, have an awkward power-on delay, and don’t throw light evenly.
I’ve seen the EcoSmart E26 LED “Down light Light Bulb” at Home Depot, but they seemed too complex and too pricey. Despite the web page saying they’re $49.97 each, they’re just under $20 each in the stores in my area, and they’re stocking a very large number of them. A friend of mine decided to try them out instead of the PAR-30’s I’ve been using, and I was really impressed. Instant-on, warm but white, and unbelievably good light spread (no hot spots). They’re also dimmable and suitable for damp locations. So I binged and bought 5 to replace all my kitchen lights. The difference is amazing. Check out these before
and after
pictures! I highly recommend these; just be aware it’s not as simple as screwing in a new light bulb (you’ll need to remove the existing trim in the recessed housing first) and isn’t necessarily a universal fit.
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Thanks for this kitchen light bulb recommendation, Ben. You have big credibility in all matters electrical. I bought the motorcycle electrical techbooks and studied DC “voltage drop.” Now my dirt bike headlight and odometer are off and I have diagnosis paralysis. — Doug
Glad I can help! You still need to swing by to see the Roadster, mister!
Talk about a transformation. Love your new lighting, Ben. Of course, I’m biased because I work for Cree (which manufactures the EcoSmart LED Downlight for Home Depot). But even if I didn’t, there’s no denying that your new LED lights have improved the lighting in your kitchen. Thanks for posting these pics!
Thanks for stopping by, Ginny! What’s even cooler is that at $20 a pop and at my electric rate of $0.15 per KWh (combined generation and distribution costs), with the assumption of running a 65W incandescent for 6 hours a day, this pays off in 13 months. I’m personally not concerned about time to payback — more about playing with new technology, cool factor, and saving energy.
I’m curious where your Home Depot area is that’s selling these for $20 and if it’s maybe somewhat close to me (Indianapolis).
Great pictures! You can beat those results!
Thanks,
I’m in Massachusetts. You can make it here in about a 15 hour drive … 🙂 I assume they’re still $50 at the HD’s in your area?
Dang, if you weren’t in Indiana, I was pulling for a neighboring state at least. I actually changed out the lights in my kitchen, too, and they look great. But the problem is, I have soooo many friends and family who not only love them, but who I think would do it without a second guess if they were $20 each.
I’m in the lighting industry and know that $50 ea for what you get is a great price…but at $20, it’s a no-brainer.
Thanks so much for sharing all the info!
Can anyone point me to where I could buy these for under $40? I’d buy a few if I could get them for under $40, and dozens if under $30. Of course, they (or similar ones) will probably be $20 sometime in 2012 on a regular basis, but I can’t find anything near that price point now in 2011. Thanks!