Background information

If you can no longer see the light because of all the lamps, a buying guide will come from somewhere

Natalie Hemengül
8.10.2019
Translation: machine translated

Are you looking for the right light source for your four walls and are in the dark? Then let this guide be your light at the end of the tunnel.

First published on 31 January 2018

There are many light sources. But which one is right for you and your needs? I have put together a guide to help you with your decision.

Decorative light

Decorative lighting is primarily designed to create artistic accents in your home and not to brightly illuminate a room. They allow for creative freedom and create a warm, soft atmosphere, especially in combination with wood. It is best to use LED filament bulbs, the successors to the classic light bulb. These look very similar to them thanks to glowing LED filaments, also produce a warm light and are also energy-saving.

All decorative lights

Intelligent lighting

Would you like to control the light intensity and colour and the associated mood from the comfort of your sofa? Then smart lighting is just what you need. These can be easily dimmed using a remote control or smartphone.

Philips Hue White BT (E27, 7 W, 550 lm, 1 x, G)
Light bulbs
−9%
Energy Label G
CHF16.90 was CHF18.60

Philips Hue White BT

E27, 7 W, 550 lm, 1 x, G

Xiaomi Yeelight Smart (E27, 11 W, 800 lm, 1 x)
Light bulbs

Xiaomi Yeelight Smart

E27, 11 W, 800 lm, 1 x

Lifx Color & White (E27, 11 W, 1100 lm, 1 x)
Light bulbs

Lifx Color & White

E27, 11 W, 1100 lm, 1 x

Philips Hue White BT (E27, 7 W, 550 lm, 1 x, G)
−9%
Energy Label G
CHF16.90 was CHF18.60

Philips Hue White BT

To all intelligent lighting

Accent lighting

Spot lighting can help you create precise and controlled beams of light. This allows you to emphasise certain objects, such as works of art, in a room.

Philips Hue White (GU10, 5.50 W, 300 lm, 1 x, A)
Light bulbs
Energy Label A

Philips Hue White

GU10, 5.50 W, 300 lm, 1 x, A

Osram Smart+ Spot (GU10, 6 W, 350 lm, 1 x, A)
Light bulbs
Energy Label A

Osram Smart+ Spot

GU10, 6 W, 350 lm, 1 x, A

Xiaomi Yeelight Lightstrip Plus (Multicoloured, Neutral White, Cold White, Warm white, 200 cm, Indoor)
LED strips
CHF31.90

Xiaomi Yeelight Lightstrip Plus

Multicoloured, Neutral White, Cold White, Warm white, 200 cm, Indoor

Xiaomi Yeelight Lightstrip Plus (Multicoloured, Neutral White, Cold White, Warm white, 200 cm, Indoor)
CHF31.90

Xiaomi Yeelight Lightstrip Plus

All accent lighting

Work lights

Powerful lighting can take the strain off your eyes when reading and writing. Indirect lighting is best for this, as it doesn't dazzle you and at the same time creates a pleasant working atmosphere.

Philips LED standard (E27, 19.50 W, 2500 lm, 1 x)
Light bulbs

Philips LED standard

E27, 19.50 W, 2500 lm, 1 x

Osram Duluxstar (E27, 23 W, 1600 lm, 1 x, A)
Light bulbs
Energy Label A

Osram Duluxstar

E27, 23 W, 1600 lm, 1 x, A

To all task lights

Basic lighting

If you only need to light up a hallway or bathroom, energy-saving lamps are suitable.

Philips Classic Ledbulb (E27, 12 W, 1521 lm, 1 x)
Light bulbs

Philips Classic Ledbulb

E27, 12 W, 1521 lm, 1 x

Osram Led Base Classic A
Light bulbs
Quantity discount
Energy Label F
CHF8.55 per piece for 3 units

Osram Led Base Classic A

Osram Dulux (GX24q-3, 26 W, 1800 lm, 1 x, G)
Light bulbs
Energy Label G
CHF17.90

Osram Dulux

GX24q-3, 26 W, 1800 lm, 1 x, G

Osram Led Base Classic A
Quantity discount
Energy Label F
CHF8.55 per piece for 3 units

Osram Led Base Classic A

All basic lighting

A little basic knowledge

So that you can make sense of the product specifications, you will find a list of the most important terms and their meanings below.

Wattage

The wattage is the unit of measurement for the power that a light source can provide. Make absolutely sure that the wattage of your light source is never greater than the maximum wattage of the lamp, otherwise there is a risk of fire. Conversely, you can use a bulb with a lower wattage than the lamp without any problems.

Lumen

The lumens provide information about the amount of light emitted by the light bulb. In other words, the more lumens a light source has, the brighter the light. If you want to illuminate a room of around 10 square metres, you should buy one with at least 1,000 lumens.

Lamp socket and base

Before you look for the right bulb for the lamp you have already purchased, you should take a closer look at the bulb holder to make sure that the new bulb will fit into the thread.

Bulb shape

There are many different shapes of light bulbs to choose from. The shape itself has no influence on the light distribution. It is only important that the selected shape fits the place of use visually and is not too large or too small for the lampshade . Lifespan

The service life of a light source is generally specified in hours, whereby it usually refers to the so-called "average burning time". This indicates the period of time after which fifty per cent of the light sources in a lighting system fail . Colour temperature

The temperature of a light source is specified in Kelvin (K). 5,000 K roughly corresponds to white daylight. For a more cosy atmosphere in the living room or on the bedside table, light sources with a temperature between 2,000 K and 3,000 K are suitable. For workspaces, a light temperature between 4,000 and 6,000 K is recommended.

Energy efficiency

You can tell whether a light source is energy-efficient or not by its energy efficiency class (EEK), which is shown on the packaging. A+++ is the most economical and environmentally friendly class.

The following table provides an overview of the differences between all light bulb types.

LED illuminantHalogen lampsEnergy-saving lamps
Luminous intensity80 to 1 500 lumens100 to 8 000 lumens400 to 4 800 lumens
Colour temperaturewarm white to cool white (2600 to 8500 K)warm white (3000 K)warm white to cold white
(2 600 to 8 500 K)
Average burning timeup to 25,000 hours1 000 to 4 000 hours8,000 to 15,000 hours
Energy efficiency classA++ to AB to DA to B

And now good luck with your search. 💡

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As a massive Disney fan, I see the world through rose-tinted glasses. I worship series from the 90s and consider mermaids a religion. When I’m not dancing in glitter rain, I’m either hanging out at pyjama parties or sitting at my make-up table. P.S. I love you, bacon, garlic and onions. 


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