Your bathroom’s high-quality lighting can give you the illumination you require for your daily after-shower routine or touch-ups before leaving. Finding the ideal mix of bright and attractive bathroom lighting can be challenging. Not to mention that selecting light bulbs can be difficult given the wide range of products available.
Don’t worry. In this article, we list the 8 best light bulbs for your bathroom. Please keep reading and pick the one you prefer. You may be interested in 5 Best Bathroom Lighting For Makeup.
Best Light Bulbs For Your Bathroom
Best Overall: GE LED Reveal Light Bulb (60-watt Equivalent)
Pros
- Great contrast
- Dimmable
- Energy-efficient
Cons
- The dimmer feature could be smoother
Everything you could possibly need in bathroom lighting is provided by the GE LED Reveal Light Bulb. It provides bright, white light that closely resembles natural daylight and has a CRI rating of 90 or higher for excellent color contrast without any yellow undertones. It is perfect for beauty and grooming procedures because everything illuminated by the light should appear as true to its colors as it would in natural light.
The lamp is sufficiently bright with 650 lumens. Furthermore, it’s dimmable, so if you have a dimmer switch installed, you can always dim the light at night or create the perfect atmosphere for a soothing bath. Some users do, however, complain that the dimmable feature isn’t always as seamless as they would like it to be.
It not only provides you with excellent lighting but also an energy-efficient design. The bulb has an estimated lifespan of up to 13 years and uses only 9 watts to produce the energy equivalent of 60 watts.
Best For Vanities: Philips G25 Halogen Clear Decorative Globe Light Bulb (60-watt Equivalent)
Pros
- Attractive appearance
- Clear, well-dispersed light
- Free of branding on bulb face
Cons
- Less energy-efficient than LED models
Typically, light bulbs for vanities are rounded and shaped like globes; these are known as G25 bulbs. Check out these Philips G25 Halogen bulbs if you want a bathroom light bulb that casts clear light and has a decorative appearance.
For standard bathroom tasks like shaving or applying makeup, the three-pack of vanity bulbs provides bright, clear light. Utilizing 40 watts of power, each light bulb produces 550 lumens of light. These globe bulbs have a lifespan of about two years and offer excellent performance despite not being as energy-efficient or durable as an LED bulb.
The absence of any product or brand information stamped on the bulb’s face, which preserves the decorative appearance of these globe bulbs, is another appealing feature of these bulbs.
Best Led: Feit Electric G25 Dimmable Led Light Bulb, Daylight (60-watt Equivalent)
Pros
- Energy-efficient and attractive
- Great color contrast
- Dimmable
Cons
- Could be brighter
- Words prominently printed on the bulb
The Feit G25 Daylight LED bulb is a fantastic choice if you want the distinctive globe shape of many bathroom bulbs but the energy efficiency and fantastic color contrasts of an LED bulb. This clear glass G25 LED bulb is the energy-efficient alternative to a 60-watt bulb and is perfect for bathroom vanity light fixtures or open fixtures where the bulb is on display. Depending on usage hours per day, these bulbs have a long lifespan of just over 13 years.
This LED bulb’s bright, pure white light is ideal for bathrooms and is also perfect for using to apply makeup and checking the colors of clothing. These light bulbs have a brightness rating of 500 lumens, which is less than many other options. This Feit option, like many other LED bulbs, has a CRI rating of 90+, which indicates that color contrasts are easy to see and seem more vivid. Additionally, it is dimmable and suitable for use in enclosed fixtures.
Best For Vintage Look: Ascher Dimmable Vintage Led Edison Bulbs, 6w
Pros
- Popular Edison style
- LED bulbs last 20,000 hours
- Multiple color temperatures are available
Cons
- May start to flicker over time
The last ten years have seen a huge increase in the popularity of retro-style Edison bulbs. Unlike earlier models, which lacked contemporary features, Ascher’s version is both energy-efficient and dimmable. In a pack of four, the LEDs give off an aged appearance. They have a lifespan of 20,000 hours and have 60-watt equivalents while consuming only 6 watts of power.
Daylight White (4,000K), Warm White (2,700K), and Amber Warm (2,300K) are the three color temperature options that are available for users to select from. They have common E26 bases and can produce 700 lumens of brightness when fully powered.
Best CFL: Sylvania 13W CFL T2 Spiral Light Bulb, 60W Equivalent
Pros
- Soft white hue
- Long lifespan
- Ideal brightness for bathrooms
Cons
- Not dimmable
This six-pack from Sylvania should be suitable for CFL bulb shoppers. They are 60-watt replacements that consume 13 watts of energy, making them more power-efficient than LEDs but less energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs. Warm color temperatures are difficult for CFL bulbs to reproduce, but at 2,700K, these offer a soft white hue.
These lamps have 850 lumens of brightness capacity. It’s significant to note that they are non-dimmable and have an estimated lifespan of 10,000 hours. These CFLs also have a T2 spiral shape.
Best Budget: EcoSmart A19 Non-dimmable Led Light Bulb (60-watt Equivalent)
Pros
- Energy-efficient and bright
- Great task lighting
Cons
- Shorter lifespan
- Could be too bright for some
These reasonably priced EcoSmart A19 Non-Dimmable LEDs will brighten your bathroom. Each bulb produces as much light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb while consuming only 9 watts of power. Due to their 840-lumen output, these inexpensive light bulbs are excellent for bathrooms. The cool daylight color (5000 Kelvin) might be just what you’re looking for if you want a bright, clear source of light in the bathroom. If you prefer a little warmth, you won’t find it in this option, though.
These EcoSmart bulbs typically last 11,000 hours, which is slightly less than half the lifespan of other LED bulbs. However, the cost-effectiveness of this assortment of EcoSmart LED bulbs is difficult to match. Overall, this bulb produces a clear light that is perfect for any task where color and clarity are crucial.
Best Bang For The Buck: OHLUX Smart Wifi Led Light Bulbs (no Hub Required)
Pros
- Compatible with most smart-home technologies
- Multicolored
- Voice or app controllable
- Affordable compared to other smart bulb brands
Cons
- More complicated to install
Although smart LED bulbs are becoming more and more common, many consumers find their high prices to be prohibitive. The advantages of smart technology are fortunately available at a reasonable price with these WiFi-enabled OHLUX bulbs. They have Alexa and Google Home compatibility, and their brightness is comparable to that of a 60-watt bulb.
Due to their ability to change the color using voice commands or a mobile app, they are the ideal solution for people who find it difficult to decide between warm- and cool-toned lighting. They have an E26 base, a selection of 16 million colors, and call for a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connection.
Best Splurge: Tala G25 Porcelain II Lightbulb (40-watt Equivalent)
Pros
- Unique, clean-cut aesthetic
- Long lifespan
- Dimmable
Cons
- The light could be brighter
Consider the Tala Porcelain II bulb if you like a more upscale appearance for your lighting. The unusual bathroom light bulb is made of mouth-blown porcelain and has a brass alloy base that screws into E26 fixtures of the same style. This bulb’s matte glass orb can look especially gorgeous in bathroom vanity lights, though it can also be used in pendant lights and other lighting fixtures.
Utilizing only 6 watts of power, each bulb produces 540 lumens of light. A 40-watt incandescent bulb would be the analogous power source. Although 540 lumens is comparable to other light bulbs on this list, it is less bright.
Regarding this light bulb purchase, it’s not all about vanity. The Tala Porcelain II LED bulbs are long-lasting and attractive in addition to having an excellent aesthetic appeal. They typically last up to 30,000 hours of use. Your decision to use energy-efficient light bulbs also contributes to environmental sustainability because the company plants 10 trees for every 200 bulbs that are sold.
How Should You Choose Light Bulbs For The Bathroom?
A good general rule is to think about warmer light in the bathroom, even though your precise light bulbs may vary depending on your final bathroom fixture choices. Avoid light bulbs that feel clinical or overly chilly and harsh and look for ones that mimic natural light.
Here’s a quick rundown of the types of bulbs you may encounter while outfitting your bathroom:
Dimmers
Now is the time to change that if you’ve never given a dimmer in your bathroom any thought. If you’re remodeling your space, a dimmer switch that is connected to your overhead light is a necessity.
A dimmer switch can help you transition your bathroom from the morning to the evening while also reducing your energy costs. It can be difficult to find the perfect lighting for a bright summer morning and a dreary winter evening, so a dimmer switch can be a great solution.
To avoid being startled awake by bright lights in the middle of the night, you can use a dimmed light as an adult nightlight.
Bulb Type
- LEDs (light-emitting diodes) have quickly taken over the market because they’re eco-friendly, energy-efficient, and ultimately help save money on electricity bills. They also have a lifespan of about 25,000 hours or more than 30 years. Modern LEDs are capable of producing a wide range of color temperatures and are measured in lumens for their brightness. Given that each bulb costs $1.19 on average to operate each year and that they are becoming more and more accessible, they are actually a cost-effective option.
- Incandescent lights are becoming less popular because they require more energy to produce the same amount of light as LEDs: a large portion of the energy they consume is lost as heat. They each cost about $7 a year to power as a result. A typical life expectancy of an incandescent light is 1.5 years. However, they do have the advantage of generally flattering the skin, which makes them a good option for vanity lighting around a bathroom mirror.
- CFLs (compact fluorescent lights) have a coiled design and are a middle ground between LEDs and incandescent lighting. They last 10,000 hours, or 14 years, and use a significant amount less energy than incandescent bulbs. The drawback is that they often emit a harsh, sterile light and don’t render color as well as LEDs. Because of this, bathrooms find them less appealing.
Fixture Compatibility
Every light fixture has a maximum wattage rating, so it’s crucial to make sure the bulb you choose is appropriate for the fixture. Using a bulb that uses more energy puts the fixture at risk of overheating if the fixture has a maximum wattage of 60 watts. Fortunately, incandescent lights are the only ones that raise this issue. Few situations will arise where the wattage of CFLs and LEDs exceeds the maximum rating because of how efficiently they use energy.
Brightness And Color Temperature
Brightness is measured in lumens rather than watts for LED lights. For task lighting in a bathroom, 75 lumens per square foot is ideal. Decide how many cumulative lumens would be ideal after calculating the space’s size.
It depends on personal preference on what color temperature the bulbs are. In Kelvins (K), the unit of light temperature, Cooler light will result from a higher number. While 2,700K bulbs emit a softer, orange glow, 5,000K bulbs will produce a brighter white hue.
If you need a confidence boost before starting your day, warmer lights are a good option because they look better in most skin tones. On the other hand, cool-toned lighting gives a space a fresh, airy feel.
Shape
Although there are countless different light bulb designs, A-series, globe, and Edison bulbs are the ones that are most frequently used in bathrooms.
- A-series bulbs are the classic light bulb shape that is most popular for home use.
- Edison bulbs have exposed filaments and typically produce an ultra-warm light temperature of between 2,200K and 2,400K. They offer an antique aesthetic and have a vintage appearance.
- Globe or G-series bulbs are excellent options for bathroom vanities because they are appropriate for decorative fixtures where the bulb will be on display.
Smart Technology
Smart lightbulbs are a fantastic way to introduce smart technology into the home. Users can turn off the light while at home or from the comfort of their bed or couch by connecting them to an app that allows for phone control or voice commands.
Depending on the mood they want to create, users can create various lighting aesthetics using models that change color. In comparison to regular bulbs, smart bulbs require a little more setup work. They work best when connected to an app, so they’re great for tech-savvy users once they’re screwed in.
What Wattage Bulb Should You Buy For A Bathroom?
Bathroom lighting should be well-lit and bright enough to allow for precise shaving and makeup application, but not too bright as to be unflattering. Campbell suggests using 12-watt LED bulbs or 60-watt incandescent bulbs for lighting.
You could use 75-watt equivalent bulbs if your bathroom is particularly big or if you like it brighter. If you want to change the lighting at various hours of the day and night, you can choose dimmable lighting. You can check out more information we have on Why Does Your Bathroom Light Always Flicker?