The 13 Best Light Bulbs for All Your Household Lighting Needs

Best Overall

Philips LED Flicker-Free Ultra Definition Light Bulb

These are designed to be gentle on the eyes and render color beautifully.

These are designed to be gentle on the eyes and render color beautifully.

They cost about $5 a bulb.

They cost about $5 a bulb.

Formulated with vision-protective technology, these Philips bulbs reduce glare and don’t flicker, hum, or buzz—even when you dim them.

They simply give off a cozy, warm white glow that offers a color rendering index of 95, meaning these bulbs depict colors in your home richly and faithfully. (Artists and designers rave about the color reproduction, comparing them to bulbs costing four times as much!)

They’re also approved for indoor and outdoor use, so you can put them in exterior fixtures too. Like other LED bulbs, these are energy efficient, and they have an average life span of 15,000 hours. They are Energy Star certified, which means they have passed strict government tests regarding efficiency.

Philips is also moving toward plastic-free packaging, opting instead for packages using some recycled paper.

Our only quibble with these bulbs is the cost—about $5 per bulb. But considering the benefits, we consider them well worth the price—and our pick for the best bulbs overall. You can swap out all other bulbs around the house with these.

Best LED

Sansi LED Light Bulbs (Pack of 6)

The patented ceramic technology and hollow body design ensure it will never overheat or become a fire hazard.

The patented ceramic technology and hollow body design ensure it will never overheat or become a fire hazard.

These bulbs are not dimmable.

These bulbs are not dimmable.

With a 22.5-year lifespan, these LED light bulbs from Sansi are highly efficient, cost-effective, and quite technologically advanced. For instance, the optical lens offers a high light transmission via several LED chips, and the bulb is flame retardant.

There are four different light color choices, including daylight, warm white, soft white, and cool white, and the bulbs are guaranteed never to flicker or make any noise.

There’s a patented ceramic technology (as opposed to aluminum sported by many other bulbs) with insulation materials for extra safety, and the body’s design is hollow for higher and more efficient heat dissipation. This basically means that the bulb will never overheat or become a fire hazard.

These are the best light bulbs for anyone looking for a long lasting, powerful, and economic option, and the company is so sure of its product, it offers a five-year warranty. Just keep in mind that these bulbs are not dimmable.

Best Smart

Ring A19 Smart LED Bulb

They can link directly to motion sensors built into other lights.

They can link directly to motion sensors built into other lights.

They are expensive if you’re not planning to fully use the smart features.

They are expensive if you’re not planning to fully use the smart features.

Smart bulbs are super handy for switching the lights on and off without having to get up from the couch, and you can even activate them remotely when you’re not at home—an extra safety perk. These Ring A19s efficiently deliver a high-quality light, and they are 90 CRI and Title 20 compliant, too.

They can link directly to sensors built into other lights, like the Ring Pathlight, so when motion is detected from someone on your walkway, your porch light can turn on in under half a second.

You can even configure the bulb and video doorbell to work together so the light turns on whenever the doorbell detects motion for both safety and illumination at night. To do so, you'd need a Ring Bridge. This is built into the Echo (4th gen or later) or the Echo Show 10 (3rd gen or later), or you can purchase it separately.

The A19 Smart LED Bulbs can be put in the front porch light fixture, too. They’re our top pick for a bulb with smart capabilities as they’re rated for use in damp locations, closed fixtures, and other covered areas where the bulb won’t be directly exposed to water.

They also allow you to set schedules for the porch light to go on via the Ring app. Given these capabilities, they’re worth the more expensive cost, but if you don’t plan to fully make use of their smart features, there are more affordable LED bulbs out there.

Best Dimmable

Linkind A19 LED Dimmable Light Bulbs

A 230-degree light beam angle effortlessly illuminates every corner of the room.

A 230-degree light beam angle effortlessly illuminates every corner of the room.

The dimmable bulbs are not as long-lasting as other types.

The dimmable bulbs are not as long-lasting as other types.

These great-value bulbs from Linkind offer 800 lumens of bright light at just 9.5 watts in the 60-watt incandescent equivalent bulbs. The dimming feature smoothly reduces the light intensity with no flickering or stalling, and is perfect for creating a cozy and ambient atmosphere in the living room or bedroom.

You can lower them all the way down to just 10% brightness for movie night or up to the full 100% when you just need the lights to be on full blast. The bulb effortlessly illuminates an entire room, as it has a 230-degree light beam angle to cover every corner.

They are UL listed and have an FCC certification, meaning that they’re safe to use and meet all necessary quality and safety standards. These bulbs are available in soft white, daylight, cool white, and warm white and come in packs of 12 and 24, too.

It’s worth noting that these are for indoor use only and that dimmable bulbs may not last as long as non-dimmable light bulbs. If you won’t pair these with a dimmer, we suggest getting non-dimmable bulbs.

Best Incandescent

Chromalux Full-Spectrum Neodymium Bulb

Tinted a lovely lavender hue, the Chromalux bulb boasts exceptional color balance and closely mimics sunshine.

Tinted a lovely lavender hue, the Chromalux bulb boasts exceptional color balance and closely mimics sunshine.

Incandescent bulbs don’t last nearly as long as LEDs, and they can heat up.

Incandescent bulbs don’t last nearly as long as LEDs, and they can heat up.

Remarkably similar to sunlight, this Chromalux light bulb is designed to filter out yellow from the color spectrum (thanks to its lavender-tinted glass) to enhance other colors in a room (violet, blue, green, and red). The result is more vibrant hues, better contrast, and less eye strain.

Users appreciate the clean, balanced light for reading, sewing, and other eye-straining tasks. It’s available with clear glass, which is slightly brighter, or frosted.

As with all incandescent bulbs, these do tend to emit heat, plus they use more electricity and don’t last as long as more energy-efficient styles.

Best Fluorescent

Xtricity Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb

These energy-efficient bulbs have a good lumen output and long lifespan and are easy to fit.

These energy-efficient bulbs have a good lumen output and long lifespan and are easy to fit.

They are not dimmable.

They are not dimmable.

If you want a bright light for the kitchen, craft room, or any other room where clear visibility is a must, fluorescents are the way to go. These energy-efficient bulbs from Xtricity are compact in size, have a good lumen output, offer a long life, and are easy to fit.

They are around four times more energy efficient than your regular incandescent bulbs and give off way less heat. They also last a lot longer than incandescents, at 10,000 hours each.

They come in shades of daylight, cool white, and soft white, depending on your preference, and are available in packs of two, four, six, and eight. These general all-purpose bulbs can be used anywhere indoors, including a kitchen or bathroom, but they’re also ideal for using in a desk lamp.

Best Outdoor

Lepro Light Bulbs Outdoor Lighting (Pack of 2)

It has its own built-in sensor that can turn any light fixture into a motion-activated one.

It has its own built-in sensor that can turn any light fixture into a motion-activated one.

They don’t qualify for shipment to California.

They don’t qualify for shipment to California.

For lights that turn on automatically, you usually need to have an appropriate fixture with a motion sensor. Not so with these light bulbs from Lepro. These dusk-to-dawn bulbs have their own sensor built into the actual body of the bulb, turning any old light fixture into a motion-activated one.

Their dusk to dawn activation means they will automatically switch on once nightfall descends, and there’s no timer you need to set either—one less thing to worry about. Each bulb offers up to 15,000 hours of runtime.

They’re easy to install, and have a smooth, round appearance, making them a good option for anyone who wants to go bare bulb, too. The bulbs are also moisture-proof and are offered in two color temperatures, daylight white and warm white.

The only downsides are that they’re not dimmable and don’t qualify for shipment to California.

Best for Bathrooms

EcoSmart A19 LED Light Bulb

It casts a perfectly non-yellow light that's bright enough to provide clear visibility for performing detail work.

It casts a perfectly non-yellow light that's bright enough to provide clear visibility for performing detail work.

Despite the brand’s name being Ecosmart, these are not smart bulbs.

Despite the brand’s name being Ecosmart, these are not smart bulbs.

Whether you’re performing your nightly skincare routine, applying makeup, or cleaning the bathroom, a good, bright light in the powder room is a must.

These Ecosmart LED bulbs are the equivalent of a 60-watt incandescent light and offer a soft white light that is impressively bright. They come in an eight-pack, meaning you’ll likely have some spares once you outfit the bathroom fixtures.

Made for indoor use, these bulbs are energy efficient at only 9.5 watts, each with a runtime of over 15,000 hours with reasonable use. They’re estimated to cost you just $1.14 per year if you use them for three hours a day, and they’ll last for around 13 to 14 years.

These bulbs are bright enough to even be used in a crafting room, according to some users, and they cast the perfect, non-yellow light for clear visibility for performing detail work. Just keep in mind that, despite the brand’s name being Ecosmart, these are not smart bulbs.

Best for Kitchens

Energetic Smarter Lighting BR30 Indoor Recessed Light Bulb

The bulbs are shock-, shatter-, and vibration-resistant.

The bulbs are shock-, shatter-, and vibration-resistant.

Although they’re UL listed, they can’t be shipped to California.

Although they’re UL listed, they can’t be shipped to California.

With a 3.6-inch head that can provide a 110-degree light beam each, these bulbs can brightly illuminate every corner of your kitchen space. There are six of these bulbs in the pack, and they’re able to recess into ceilings for a smoother overall appearance.

They’re also dimmable and can smoothly lower down to just 10% and go back up to 100% without any flickering, making them an eye-friendly option. They instantly turn on with no waiting around, and—possibly their most impressive feature—they’re shock, shatter, and vibration resistant.

Though they’re UL listed, they can’t be shipped to California. They’re available in three color temperatures: soft white, cool white, and daylight. The manufacturer is a small business based in the USA and provides a two-year warranty for these light bulbs.

Best for Bedrooms

GHome Smart Light Bulbs (Pack of 4)

They are just a fraction of the cost of some of their competitors.

They are just a fraction of the cost of some of their competitors.

Some users experience issues with setup and pairing with Alexa.

Some users experience issues with setup and pairing with Alexa.

Smart light bulbs are super convenient for operating your lights without having to get up, but they can often be on the pricier side. These LB1 smart light bulbs from GHome Smart are just a fraction of the cost of some of their competitor models and there are four in each pack.

You can switch the lights on or off or dim them via your phone or tablet—or you could ask Alexa or Google Assistant to do it for you. No hub is required either, so if you haven’t fully automated your home, you can still use these (as long as you have a smart device and WiFi).

You can even schedule them to come on at certain times via the compatible app. The fact that they’re dimmable makes them a perfect fit for every room in the house as they can create just the right ambiance for any occasion, but we especially like them for bedrooms.

Best Vintage Style

Euri Lighting LED Edison Bulb

Authentically antique-looking for vintage lamps and older homes—but with modern LED efficiency.

Authentically antique-looking for vintage lamps and older homes—but with modern LED efficiency.

The appearance of these bulbs might not suit your personal style.

The appearance of these bulbs might not suit your personal style.

These Edison bulbs from Euri Lighting have all the old-fashioned charm of hundred-year-old tungsten filament light bulbs—but almost none of the drawbacks.

In fact, these vintage-style bulbs improve on the originals in almost every way. The LEDs sip electricity (rather than guzzling it), they don’t get hot to the touch, they are dimmable, and they radiate light at a 320-degree beam angle.

These particular bulbs offer warm white light—though if you want to go brighter, Euri Lighting makes other versions in this style, too. They are also suitable for enclosed fixtures, such as wall sconces, and wet applications (like in bathrooms) so you can put them almost anywhere you want an antique look.

The only drawback is that these bulbs are definitely throwbacks (though with much of the latest light-bulb tech), so they might not suit your décor if you lean more modern.

Best Colored

EcoSmart Color-Changing LED Light Bulb

It can shift from dim, warm white to nearly any color of the rainbow—and it’s controlled by voice command.

It can shift from dim, warm white to nearly any color of the rainbow—and it’s controlled by voice command.

This bulb is appropriate for indoor use only.

This bulb is appropriate for indoor use only.

Set up the EcoSmart Color-Changing LED Light Bulb in under a minute using WiFi and the Hubspace app, and you’ll be ready to customize its settings wirelessly (with the app) or with your voice (using Bluetooth).

With just a few words, you can dim the lights from bright day to warm amber, or choose from 16 million (!) colors according to your mood. You can even control multiple bulbs at once if you group them together on the app.

The one caveat is that it’s not rated for outdoor use, so keep this bulb inside.

Best for Grow Lights

GE BR30 LED Grow Light Bulb

These LEDs have the highest possible PPF rating available.

These LEDs have the highest possible PPF rating available.

They're expensive to run since they’ll be on for more hours than the average light bulb.

They're expensive to run since they’ll be on for more hours than the average light bulb.

To help your indoor plants thrive, both during photosynthesis and growth, a good electric grow light is a must. These bulbs provide a full light spectrum that is similar to the sun’s to help your plants stay strong and healthy. Though commonly more expensive than other types of bulbs, this LED flood grow light lasts for up to 25,000 hours.

Grow lights operate with photosynthesis photo fluxare (PPF) which is measured in micromoles per second, and these LEDs have the highest possible rating available, making them the perfect option to shine on your herbs, indoor vegetable box, or plants.

You’ll have to factor in that since grow lights will be running constantly, or at least for 12 hours a day, making them more expensive to run than other lights. However, since they’re LEDs, they’re still much more economical than other types of bulbs.