8 Best Light Bulbs in the Philippines 2024 | Omni, Philips, Osram, and More

Wattage is the measured energy that a bulb needs to light up. It doesn't dictate how bright the bulb will be, but rather it determines the power consumption. An incandescent bulb requires a certain wattage to maintain its brightness, while a CFL or LED bulb may have the same brightness but would require lower wattage consumption. 

Wattage may be a good reference point when comparing different types of bulbs. As a pro tip to DIYers, never get a bulb that exceeds the maximum wattage capacity of your lighting fixture or bulb holder. Manufacturers have set this safety standard to prevent the fixture from overheating and the risk of catching fire.

On the other hand, lumens refer to the amount of light or brightness a bulb emits. Simply put, a high-lumen bulb means a brighter light, while a lower-lumen equals dimmer light. As two different bulb types may use the same value in watts, the lumen level will determine which will be brighter between the two. 

As such, in LED bulbs versus incandescent bulbs, both bulbs may have the same wattage but could emit contrasting lumen levels. Looking at your own home, you might wonder how much lumens does each of the rooms requires. The answer is dependent on the type of activity being done inside it. 

For example, a home office with a desk for detailed tasks should have at least 1200 lumens, while the ambient lighting needed inside the kitchen must have a minimum of 5000 lumens. To know the specific lumens needed for each part of your living space, one can easily search for them online.

The concept of CRI is based on the ability of an artificial light source to unveil an object's real color in comparison with a natural or ideal light source. The CRI value that a light bulb has will determine how an observer perceives the objects' colors pop out. The higher the CRI of a light source, the rendered color is the closest to the original.

This measurement is commonly used for lighting design in retail or commercial settings as it presents the best color reproduction to attract shoppers. A CRI rating of 80 and above can be considered as high, and it indicates that the light source projects good color properties. In comparison, a CRI of 50 below presents unnatural colors and could be regarded as poor in terms of color rendering. 

The temperature of light emitted thermodynamically is expressed in the Kelvin temperature scale. This is the scale that bulb makers use, which has a range from the lowest, this is the yellow light, to the highest, nearing whitish-blue light. This spectrum of color can establish the "feel" of the ambiance inside a space, as denoted below:

Warm White (2700k - 3000k): This produces a more relaxed feeling which is almost the same as an incandescent bulb. The color temperature promotes an intimate or personal atmosphere that is perfect for bedrooms, living rooms, hotels, or restaurants.

Cool White (3100k - 4500k): This range leans to a more neutral environment that is best used in kitchens, offices, garages, or public areas. Anybody can use this color temperature on any area that requires vigorous lighting that is not too harsh. 

Daylight (4500k - Above): This range is called daylight because the sun, at noon, is about 5000k - 5500k that has a bright and bluish appearance. This temperature is demanded on spaces that needed lighting that could bring out the natural color and details of specific items, like in factories, workshops, or craft rooms. It is also believed that the daylight color temperature tends to increase productivity.

Also called the Edison bulb, this used to be the industry standard when it comes to lighting. This has a tungsten filament inside that is heated up to the point of glowing, which in turn, creates the light. But once it burns out, in about 1000 hours, it should be replaced. Also, almost 95% of the energy it receives is turned into heat, while only 5% of it is actually used to produce light. 

This bulb is so inefficient that many incandescent bulbs are now being phased out so people will turn to high-efficient and practical products. Currently, these bulbs are still available as specialty bulbs for vanity mirrors, ceiling fans, or accent lighting. Most incandescent bulbs are dimmable, so some ancestral houses still use them to preserve the look of their residence.

The compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs or T8/T12 tubes are filled with mercury vapor, that when electrified, emits ultraviolet light. The inner phosphor coating of the tube filters the UV rays into visible light. The tube accumulates lesser heat than incandescent bulbs by 75%, and it lasts ten times longer. 

The light could come in various color temperatures that will suit every room in the house. Unfortunately, this light will not work without a ballast that is needed to regulate the current entering the bulb. It also doesn't work with dimmer switches, and burnt-out tubes or bulbs should be disposed of properly because it contains a small amount of mercury.

This bulb follows the same design as an incandescent bulb that has a heated filament but with an addition of halogen gas. This "recycles" the gas onto the filament as the tungsten gets burned. The light is more intense and whiter, but it tends to be hotter than usual. These lights are usually installed for ambient lighting and provide focal attention in shops and food displays. 

They are generally more expensive than incandescent bulbs but have twice the lifespan. The issue with halogen bulbs is that as the bulb heats up, it dissipates the energy around it and further heats up the area around it, which is called thermal runaway. 

This contributes to shortening the bulb's lifespan, which is about one year on average. Sometimes it explodes upon turned on when left with even a small residue of oil from human skin. It is advisable not to touch the bulb with bare hands when replacing it to avoid such accidents.

High-Intensity Discharge bulbs produce light through an electric arc that occurs between two tungsten electrodes. Inside the bulb, there is a noble gas, such as mercury vapor, metal halide, high/low-pressure sodium, or xenon. The metallic salts included in the bulb get heated and thus creates plasma. 

All of these elements combined amplifies the light emitted by the arc and creates a rather intense, unpleasant brightness. That is why most of these bulbs are used in large areas with high ceilings like factories, warehouses, or a production plant. Homeowners use this type of bulb as an outdoor perimeter light that borders around their property or motion-detection lights to ward off intruders.

Controlling the heat that a LED chip produces is a very tricky task. That is why manufacturers spend a lot of money on heat test machines and extensive research and development. The simplest and most ingenious way to control the heat from the LED chip is to place it on an aluminum heatsink and fasten it with thermal glue.

The heatsink works like a radiator and zaps the heat away from the chip, so it doesn't disintegrate because of extreme heat. The size and design of the heatsink must be the right configuration to prolong the life of the LED chip.

The Edison screw bases are the standard when it comes to light bulbs. Like most screws, it is twisted clockwise to secure the base and allow the contacts to meet so the electricity can flow. Most homes are furnished with sockets that accommodate this type of base. 

It is identified with the letter E and is followed by a number that represents the diameter of the base in millimeters. Incandescent bulbs, HID lights, CFLs, and LED bulbs are often affixed with this type of base. In the Philippines, there is a 90% chance that houses, whether old or newly built, will have this fixture type in them.

As the name denotes, there are two pins at the bulb base that will either plug into a socket or twist and lock into place. The bi-pin base connector is an international standard for lamps that every manufacturer should follow. You can identify this plug type by the letter G, followed either by another letter or a number that indicates the gap measurement of the pins in millimeters.

Most halogen or CFL bulbs are equipped with this type of plug. In some cases, some CFLs require an extra mechanism to securely attach themselves to the lighting fixture will have more than two pins and an added plastic base.