Best Light Bulbs Types For Home Office
Work from home has now become a reality. While we all thought it would be a temporary solution, it has become the new alternative if you want to be safe and healthy.
Creating work-like environments is necessary to be productive and put yourself in an office-like mindset. Hence, having a home office is not just a good idea, but also a necessity.
A good home office should consist of a formal setting yet bring you a sense of comfort. While you cannot transform it into a proper office, you can make enough changes to it to make it a workspace you can capitalize on.
Apart from the right furniture and technology, another important aspect is lighting. Having good lighting in your workspace is integral to enhancing your productivity. If you work in constant harsh lighting, your skin and vision will suffer greatly, and you will get crankier by the day.
How to Plan Your Home Office?
Before we discuss the light bulbs in some detail, let us first plan the office accordingly.
- Make sure you have at least one window in the room.
- Ensure that there’s enough space for all your equipment and you still have moving space for yourself.
- Avoid using direct overhead lights as they do not benefit from total exposure.
- Overhead lighting also reflects poorly on computer screens when you attend meetings with your camera on.
- Make sure you have a lamp on your table apart from regular lighting. It can be yellow lighting as it will be very close to you. Investing in a good lamp is always a good decision. You can use these for late-night assignments and reading.
- Please make sure the lighting is fixed at such an angle that you can access it when conducting meetings and everything.
Also, it would be best if you asked yourself these questions before you get to choose a light bulb for your home office. Are you trying to save money?
Do you want very bright lighting? Do you want a certain kind of bulb to suit your specific needs? Is there a particular amount of lumen output you have in mind?
While all experts suggest that working in daylight is the most optimal choice, we all know that it is impossible for everyone. Some of us have to work at night, whereas some do not have the luxury of having sunlight facing the office room.
What to Look for in a Good Bulb?
Here are a few things you should consider while looking for lightbulbs for your home office:
- The light should be evenly distributed around your workplace so that you can work in any spot and not feel the need to squint.
- If possible, you should have the ambient lighting setup to modify it according to your own accord.
A good lightbulb will help you with:
- Keeping you alert
- Reducing the strain on your eyes
- Boosting your energy levels and making you more productive
Various Types of Light Bulbs
Incandescent Warm Lights
These are the oldest kinds, found in fixtures in old buildings. These were used a couple of decades ago, but now they are mainly decorative types, and hence you cannot use them for practical purposes in offices anymore.
Pros
- These have non-toxic filament made of tungsten, so it is environmentally friendly.
- It has a better total lumen output than fluorescent lights.
Cons
- They are less energy-efficient than all the other options on the list
- They burn at a hotter temperature.
- Their average life rating is shorter than the rest of the options.
Full Spectrum Lighting
These are excellent alternatives if you want to simulate sunlight in your workspace. They are not too harsh on your eyes and offer an aesthetic value.
Pros
- These improve your color perception.
- They are believed to lighten your mood.
- These also improve plant growth.
Cons
- They are not long-lasting.
- They are often not available with dimmers to have one standard state.
Fluorescent/Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs)
CFL bulbs were created to replace incandescent light bulbs. These are usually installed in long tube lights, but you can also get them in tubular structures, readily available in markets.
Pros
- Last at least 20 times more than Incandescent light bulbs.
- They glow at a lower temperature.
- Their lumen output is higher even at this lower temperature.
- They offer a broader scale of illumination.
Cons
- They are made out of mercury, so they are harmful.
- They are more prone to flickering than the others.
Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)
These are the best alternatives. They are affordable, have a large lifespan, have zero wait time, and do not have harmful elements. They are expensive only once; they run longer than average, so they are good investments. They have varied models to choose from bulbs, tubers, rope lightings, etc.
Pros
- These are long-lasting.
- They operate at the coolest temperature.
- They pull the lowest wattages while giving the output equivalent to 60-100 watts.
- They use less energy, so you save on your electricity bills.
Cons
- The cons vary from model to model, and we have mentioned them in detail a little further down in this article.
Halogen Lightbulbs
It is another kind of incandescent bulb that uses halogen gas. That enables these bulbs to have increased output and rated life, making them non-toxic.
Pros
- Halogen light bulbs are energy efficient.
- They are very affordable.
- They give the appearance of incandescent lightbulbs without harmful impacts.
- They are instant to light up.
Cons
- These only last for around 9-12 months which is less than LEDs.
Vintage Lightbulbs
These are the earliest versions of incandescent lightbulbs. They are mainly similar to them, and they used carbon or tungsten filaments and were the earliest prototypes for modern-day bulb shapes.
Pros
- The only pro of these bulbs is that they add a nice touch to your office. So you can install one for aesthetic value and light it every once in a while.
Cons
- These run at very high temperatures.
- They also rack up your electricity bill and also have a shorter lifespan.
Reasons to Avoid Incandescent and Fluorescents
Here are the reasons why you should avoid Incandescents and Fluorescents:
- They have the flickering effect, which is generally a signal of how harsh the lighting will be.
- The flickering effect also indicates that the bulbs use a lot of power. Delay in lighting/warming up means they need a lot of power input to light up.
- They also do not have a good energy efficiency ratio, and using these would mean racking up on electricity bills.
- These also do not have a long life, so you will have to keep replacing them frequently.
Reasons to NOT Consider LEDs
Even though LEDs seem like the most efficient option, you still need to consider a few more things.
- They have a blue color temperature which puts people at a higher risk of carcinogenic lighting.
- They have a higher initial cost.
- Unless and until you invest in suitable LEDs, you won’t have sound wattage output.
- Most of them require specific bulb holders; hence you will need to replace the traditional ones.
- The illumination isn’t always the best.
However, it is given that they are still the best option from the array we have discussed up there. Hence, here are some LED bulb options you can consider for your home office.
Best LED Lightbulbs in the Market
How to make the most of your home office? Here we have listed some of the best lightbulbs in the market. These are guaranteed to make working a pleasant experience for you.
It is a known fact that natural light is indeed the best option, but it is not possible that you can have it at all times or in all locations.
There are a lot of trusted brands in the market that have come up with models of bulbs that replicate natural light and are also non-toxic and cheap. You can also use these models in regular offices where you need to be economical.
Since LEDs seem like the most affordable and accessible options, we have highlighted some of the best models available in the market.
#1 GREAT EAGLE A19 LED LIGHT BULB
These light bulbs can relocate daylight, and they function in the daylight form of 5000K. Hence, if you want to recreate the natural light in your office, you should go for these.
These are compatible with all standard bulbs, and you can use them to replace all the bulbs in your home office. These have a life of 25,000 hours and come with a 3-years warranty.
Pros
- These LED lights are only 9 watts but capable of producing light equivalent to 60 Watts.
- These bulbs are shatter-resistant.
- They do not contain any toxic elements like mercury and lead.
- These are very eco-friendly.
- You wouldn’t need to install any new fixtures for these.
Cons
- They are non-dimmable.
#2 PHILIPS LED NON-DIMMABLE A19 FROSTED BULBS
These can deliver a color temperature of 5000K, and it is also capable of replicating daylight. These are available in the standard shape of bulbs, and you can usually buy them in bulk to replace all the bulbs in your house.
They do not require a new holder, which is an advantage.
Pros
- These only consume 8 watts.
- They are LEDs hence have no toxic elements.
- It only consumes 13 percent of the power compared to a 60-watt bulb.
Cons
- You may need to replace them frequently.
- They are non-dimmable.
#3 SUNCO LIGHTING BR30 LED BULB
The Sunco Lighting bulb is another option that you can use if you want a natural look for your office. They aren’t too harsh and are very affordable.
Pros
- These are shatter-resistant.
- These consume only 11 watts.
- Their life expectancy is 25,000 hours.
- They are dimmable.
Cons
- They aren’t as good at energy efficiency as the other options.
#4 HueLiv A19 BULBS
At 5000 K Daylight, these are other good options for your home office. They come in standard shapes and a few brand-specific ones, so you can choose from a range of them.
You can have nine of these bulbs on at the same time, and you still wouldn’t get a bill that will be as high as when you’d use a 60 watts bulb.
Pros
- Shatter-resistant, these are very safe to handle.
- These do not have harmful toxins.
- It has a lifespan of 25,000 hours.
Cons
These bulbs are equivalent to a 100 watts bulb so it may be a little too harsh for your home office.
#5 ASENCIA AN-03411, 60 W BULB
The Asencio AN-03411 is another 5000K bulb that you can use in the already existing holders in your workplace.
Pros
- It does not contain any toxic elements.
- It gives you a daylight appearance.
Cons
- It is equivalent to other 60 Watts bulbs, so there isn’t much saving here (We would recommend you look at the different options instead)
Conclusion
Before we conclude with the guide, let us look over various factors you should consider before choosing the light bulb for your home office. It would help if you made sure the lighting was ambient.
Moreover, it should complement the interior design of the office so that it does not go against the vibe you are trying to create. Make use of blinds and curtains to adjust the amount of light your room receives.
Also, do not set up your workspace under an overhead lighting fixture, and it will hinder your workspace setting. Lastly, aim for a combination of white and yellow lights. It will balance out the tones, and you can always use the specific lights when needed.
Most importantly, you should work in daylight as much as possible. However, we know that’s not possible for everyone.
In that case, out of all the options we have discussed, find the one which suits your needs and has the least amount of disadvantages so that you can have a budget-friendly and eco-friendly home office setup.
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