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Lighting your bathroom can be a challenge, but the best LED light bulbs for a bathroom vanity are the key to achieving maximum brightness with minimal energy use. Because they come in a variety of sizes and styles, choosing LED lightbulbs largely comes down to personal preference.
Kelvin Versus Lumens Versus Wattage — What Are The Differences?
You've probably heard the term wattage thrown around when searching for light bulbs, but because LEDs require less energy to run (aka have lower wattages than standard incandescent bulbs), this unit of measurement is less important. Instead, focus on kelvin, which measures color temperature, and lumens, which measure brightness (the higher the lumens the brighter the bulb).
Things To Note About LED Bulbs
In your quest for the right bathroom lighting, think about the style you want to achieve, then select bulbs that'll fit your fixtures and provide adequate brightness.
- You might want to consider installing a dimmer so you can control the amount of light your LEDs emit. However, warning: Not all LED light bulbs are dimmable. Some might fail to turn off or even flicker when paired with a dimmer switch. There are some options that'll work without issue, though
- If you're going to be applying makeup at your vanity, you might want bulbs capable of simulating daylight. Even if you have adequate natural light already, this will help ensure a flawless application.
To help guide your LED search, here's a quick guide to some of the best lights for a bathroom vanity.
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Best LED Light Bulbs For A Bathroom Vanity
These non-dimmable TCP decorative LED light bulbs have a classic A19 shape and emit soft white tone (2,700 Kelvin). With 350 lumens, they use only 5 watts of energy but give off a brightness equivalent to that of a 40-watt incandescent bulb. To put that into perspective: If you use them for an average of three hours per day, they'll last you up to 18.3 years, according to the manufacturer. They come in a pack of three, and each bulb features a medium-sized E26 screw base.
What fans say: "These are fabulous, especially for the price. I put them in my bathroom fixture and they provide enough light for me to see clearly without being too bright."
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Best LED Light Bulb For Makeup Application
These AmazonBasics A19 LED light bulbs mimic daylight with a color temperature of 5,000 Kelvin, so when you're applying your makeup, you'll know exactly how it's going to look outside. Each bulb features a medium base and uses 11.5 watts of energy but, with 1,000 lumens, provides a brightness equivalent to 75 watts. They've got an impressive 13-year life span and, considering this is a pack of six, a budget-friendly price point to boot. Sadly, they're not dimmable.
What fans say: "I have been searching for the perfect natural daylight bulb for years. I ordered these to put in the bathroom for makeup application and they are amazing!"
3
The Best Dimmable LED Light Bulbs
If you're looking to control the brightness in your bathroom, Hyperikon's dimmable A19 LED light bulbs are ideal, as they can be adjusted from 100 percent brightness all the way down to 20 percent. These Energy-Star-certified bulbs use just 9.8 watts of energy to emit 820 lumens soft white light equivalent to 60 watts. Like the other long-lasting options on this list, they have a lengthy life span (25,000 hours) and a medium base for a versatile fit. They come in a pack of six and are backed by a five-year manufacturer warranty.
What fans say: "Excellent quality lamps — no issues with hum, no flicker, well balanced output across eight units installed across our twin bathroom vanities."
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