What are the best light bulbs for kitchen? They should emit cool color temperature completely to provide you with task lighting for cooking, preparing meals, and reading recipes. Or it’s better to consider units, emitting warm color temperature completely to bring a cozy atmosphere for your dining room. Both of them are wrong because you need the combination of them. Normally, a kitchen is a large space with many smaller areas for different purposes. To make a right purchase, you need to consider more aspects, so please read more below:
Here are the best light bulbs for kitchen you can buy in 2024:
- Energy-Efficient (LED Light Bulbs): SYLVANIA
- Best For Wall Sconces (LED Light Bulbs): Ascher
- Color Changing (LED Light Bulbs): Amazon Basics
- Brightest (LED Light Bulbs): Sunco Lighting
- Best For Chandeliers (LED Light Bulbs): winshine
- Best For Pendants (LED Light Bulbs): LiteHistory
- Easy To Install (Incandescent Light Bulbs): Brightown
- Shock & Vibration Resistant (Incandescent Light Bulbs): Xtricity
- Best For Ceiling Fan (Incandescent Light Bulbs): GE
- Best For Light Fixtures (Incandescent Light Bulbs): DORESshop
- Classic, Throwback Look (Incandescent Light Bulbs): HUDSON BULB
- Best For Recessed Downlights (Incandescent Light Bulbs): SYLVANIA Incandescent
| 12 Best Light Bulbs For Kitchen | ||
|---|---|---|
Energy-Efficient | SYLVANIA
| |
Best For Wall Sconces | Ascher
| |
Color Changing | Amazon Basics
| |
Brightest | Sunco Lighting
| |
Best For Chandeliers | winshine
| |
Best For Pendants | LiteHistory
| |
Easy To Install | Brightown
| |
Shock & Vibration Resistant | Xtricity
| |
Best For Ceiling Fan | GE
| |
Best For Light Fixtures | DORESshop
| |
Classic, Throwback Look | HUDSON BULB
| |
Best For Recessed Downlights | SYLVANIA Incandescent
| |
Energy-Efficient: SYLVANIA
- Comfortable for your eyes
- Cheap
- Lightweight
- Easy to use
- Long-lasting
- Not bright enough for tasking lighting
LED light bulbs are the most energy-efficient units compared to other types. And the SYLVANIA LED Light Bulbs are the best in terms of energy efficiency. Specifically, its 9 watts can help you save up to 85% on your energy bill, but the brightness output is similar to standard 60-watt incandescent lamps. The energy cost is estimated to be about $1.08 per year.
| SYLVANIA Specifications | |
|---|---|
Wattage | 9W |
Brightness | 750 lumens |
Color Temperature | 2700K |
Lifespan | 7 years |
Highlight Features | Energy-efficient Energy-saving Non-dimmable |
The LEDVANCE SYLVANIA LED Light Bulbs are energy efficient, so they can help you save a lot of money on your electric bill.
Best For Wall Sconces: Ascher
- Right price
- Impressive energy efficiency
- Durable and long-lasting
- Beautiful
- Too bright for exposed bulbs
The Ascher LED light Bulbs are designed with an E26 screw base that allows you to install them into your wall sconces directly. Besides, this base also fits in other lighting fixtures such as pendant lighting and chandeliers.
| Ascher Specifications | |
|---|---|
Wattage | 6W |
Brightness | 700 lumens |
Color Temperature | 4000K |
Lifespan | Over 20,000 hours |
Highlight Features | Save over 90% on electricity bill of lighting E26 LED bulb Not dimmable Vintage filament design E26 screw base |
The E26 screw base of the Ascher LED Light Bulbs can fit with many lighting fixtures including wall sconces.
Color Changing: Amazon Basics
- Quick to work
- Inexpensive
- Bright
- Easy to use and set up
- Requires you to reconnect the bulb to the app manually
Do you need to buy LED light bulbs to boost your mood or customize the lighting to match your personal style and preferences? If so, these smart color changing light bulbs can give you interesting movements.
There are up to 16 preset color selections, so you can choose one of them that suits your moods or ambiances in your kitchen at different times. For example, set up soft warm lighting for a relaxing environment and bright colorful lights for a vibrant, energetic atmosphere.
| Amazon Basics Specifications | |
|---|---|
Wattage | 7.5W |
Brightness | 800 lumens |
Color Temperature | 2700K |
Lifespan | 13.7 years |
Highlight Features | Control this smart light with your voice or via the Alexa app 16 preset color selections |
The Amazon Basics LED Light Bulbs allow you to change the color through the app or voice control.
Brightest: Sunco Lighting
- Bright but not harsh
- Sturdy and durable
- Adjustable
- Quick and easy to install
- Explicit instruction and great price
- Slight flicker when dimmed
If you need to set up tasking lights in areas where you will prepare meals, cook, and read recipes, you need to invest in Sunco Lighting LED Light Bulbs that have a high brightness. Specifically, their brightness is up to 850 lumens, especially the beam angle is wide (110°) enough for a large kitchen area.
| Sunco Lighting Specifications | |
|---|---|
Wattage | 11W |
Brightness | 850 lumens |
Color Temperature | 2700K |
Lifespan | 25.000 hours |
Highlight Features | Seamless dimming capabilities (100%-10%) A 110° beam angle UL Certified & energy star listed |
The Sunco Lighting LED Light Bulbs are bright but not harsh because you can adjust its brightness level.
Best For Chandeliers: winshine
- Very bright
- Reasonable price
- Beautiful
- Cool to touch
- Hard to put together
The winshine LED light bulbs are designed for chandeliers because their compact and small G9 led bulb with bi-pin base is compatible with chandelier fixtures that have a limited space for bulb installation. It is secure and safe to connect this bi-pin base to the chandelier’s sockets.
Besides, this type of base also helps you save a lot of energy costs since its small base reduces your carbon footprint. This type of base can provide you with bright focused light to illuminate your chandelier effectively.
You can also use it for other light fixtures such as wall sconce, pendant, indoor and household applications.
| winshine Specifications | |
|---|---|
Wattage | 4W |
Brightness | 400 lumens |
Color Temperature | 6000K |
Lifespan | 30.000 hours |
Highlight Features | 360° all-around lighting Fireproof ceramic lamp base Energy-efficient |
The small and compact base of the winshine LED Light Bulbs work well for chandeliers, wall sconce, pendant, and so on.
Best For Pendants: LiteHistory
- Cute and modern look
- Very bright
- Dimmable
- Good price
- Beautiful
- Not smart bulbs
You should choose the retro E26 LiteHistory LED Light Bulbs, if you are looking for light fixtures with medium e26 sockets. This product is designed to fit in this size perfectly. Also, its long design can make your pendant light fixtures more attractive.
| LiteHistory Specifications | |
|---|---|
Wattage | 6W |
Brightness | 600 lumens |
Color Temperature | 2700K |
Lifespan | 25.000 hours |
Highlight Features | Smooth dimming 0%-100% Narrow retro e26 light bulb Flicker free, non buzzing and no glare dimmable 90% energy saving Vintage look 360° beam angle |
The LiteHistory LED Light Bulbs are designed for pendants thanks to their E26 base and their retro design.
Easy To Install: Brightown
- Easy to store
- Good price
- Beautiful and simple shape
- Bright
- Clear
- Sensitive
Don’t you have a lot of experience in installing complicated light bulbs? The installation is a breeze with the Brightown Incandescent Light Bulbs. Simply screw the bulbs into the empty sockets, mount them anywhere with the hooks on the bases, then plug it in an electric source.
| Brightown Specifications | |
|---|---|
Wattage | 5W |
Brightness | 23 lumens |
Color Temperature | 2700K |
Highlight Features | Dimmable Vintage Edison Bulbs |
The Brightown Incandescent Light Bulbs work well for outdoor use because they are waterproof.
Shock & Vibration Resistant: Xtricity
- Long-lasting
- Durable
- Smaller than standard 100W light bulbs
What do you care about the most when buying a light bulb? If it is the durability, you are in the right place. The Xtricity Incandescent Light Bulbs are shock & vibration resistant because of their additional wire that can protect the filament from vibration and external stress. Thanks to this heavy-duty reinforced filament, these light bulbs are more durable.
| Xtricity Specifications | |
|---|---|
Wattage | 60W |
Brightness | 550 lumens |
Color Temperature | 2700K |
Lifespan | 3000 hours |
Highlight Features | Standard E26 Medium Base Rough service bulb 360° omnidirectional beam angle Dimmable |
The Xtricity Incandescent Light Bulbs are long-lasting and durable because of their shock & vibration resistance.
Best For Ceiling Fan: GE
- Long-lasting
- Good price
- Very bright
- Easy to break
I strongly recommend the GE Incandescent Light Bulbs for ceiling fan because a customer said that this product works well for her ceiling fan in the kitchen. They produce the ideal amount of light she needs.
| GE Specifications | |
|---|---|
Wattage | 40W |
Brightness | 280 lumens |
Color Temperature | 2500K |
Lifespan | 1.4 years |
Highlight Features | Fit most chandeliers, sconces |
Apart from ceiling fans with light, the GE Incandescent Light Bulbs also fit with other types of lighting fixtures.
Best For Light Fixtures: DORESshop
- Easy on your eyes
- Cool look
- Create a cozy ambiance
- Super sensitive
- Flickers when dimmed
If you are looking for a type of light bulb that can fit into most types of light fixtures, consider the DORESshop Incandescent Light Bulbs. They are Edison bulbs which can fit into many light fixtures because of their standardized base types - E26 (medium) and E12 (candelabra) bases.
Owning these light bulbs allows you to interchange with other light bulbs, using the same size at your home. However, before installing Edison bulbs, check the wattage and voltage compatibility of your light fixtures.
| DORESshop Specifications | |
|---|---|
Wattage | 40W |
Brightness | 240 lumens |
Color Temperature | 2700K |
Highlight Features | Edison bulbs Vintage Inspired Appearance No Flickering |
The DORESshop Incandescent Light Bulbs work well for most types of light fixtures because of their standard-sized bases.
Classic, Throwback Look: HUDSON BULB
- Nice and beautiful look
- Long-lasting
- Well-made
- Hot to touch when used
Do you want to add a vintage inspired style accent into your space? The HUDSON BULB Incandescent Light Bulbs can meet this requirement because of their classic and throwback look. Plus, the 2100k light color temperature provides you with a vintage warm white color.
| HUDSON BULB Specifications | |
|---|---|
Wattage | 60W |
Brightness | 230 lumens |
Color Temperature | 2100K |
Lifespan | 3000 hours |
Highlight Features | Vintage Inspired Style Fit into any e26 or e27 screw base |
If you are looking for decorative light bulbs, this tear drop design is a great choice for a vintage look.
Best For Recessed Downlights: SYLVANIA Incandescent
- Long-lasting
- Nice look
- Good price
- Buzz when dimmed
The SYLVANIA Incandescent Light Bulbs are designed for recessed downlights because of the flood light bulb type. The recessed downlights are used to offer directional lighting effect, so you had better choose these flood light bulbs that can emit a wide beam of light to spread the light across a specific area.
| LEDVANCE SYLVANIA Incandescent Specifications | |
|---|---|
Wattage | 65W |
Brightness | 540 lumens |
Color Temperature | 2850K |
Lifespan | 2000 hours |
Highlight Features | High color rendering index (CRI) of 100 Fully dimmable |
The SYLVANIA Incandescent Light Bulbs are the flood light bulb type, so it works best for recessed downlights.
How To Choose The Best Light Bulb For Kitchen?
Which Light Color Works Best For Your Kitchen?
Color temperature is measured in Kelvin (K). The lower the number is, the warmer the light is and vice versa. Unlike a bedroom, which requires an intimate atmosphere (warm light, under 2700K), kitchens need the combination of warm and cool lights because this space has many areas for different purposes.
For example, overhead account lighting requires a warmer light bulb (2700-3000 Kelvins) to match other rooms’ color temperature to create a continuous feel to an overall lighting scheme.
For track lighting and under cabinet lights, use light bulbs with a higher scale of Kelvins (4000-5000 Kelvins). This range resembles the daylight, creating tasking light that helps you focus better in preparing meals and cooking.
To have an exact answer, check the color temperature range below:
Daylight (5000K-6500K)
Daylight color temperature has a white and almost bluish light. You can set it up in areas where you prepare your meals, cook, and read recipes. This color temperature can make your cool-colored decorative items more impressive but it will be muddy orangey decor.
Neutral White (3000K-5000K)
This cool white (white to blue color range) option is crisp without feeling overly, so it is bright enough for task lighting in kitchens, home office, and bathrooms.
Warm White (2600K-3000K)
This looks like what a classic incandescent emits - a gentle, yellowish , and familiar light. This color temperature is warmer than a cool white bulb, so it works well in rooms with red and orange decors like bedrooms and dining rooms. You can use it for ceiling and wall lights.
Candlelight (1000K-2600K)
It gives off a dim glow looking like candlelight, so this type doesn't work well for illuminating a large work area like a kitchen. I recommend candlelight for table lamps and floor lamps more.
What Is The Best Type Of Light Bulb For Kitchen?
Halogens
This type emits a white light like high-noon daylight. It is energy-efficient and dimmable, so it suits pendant lights, recessed lighting, and under cabinet lighting. Its lifespan is shorter than others, but it is quick to warm.
Incandescent
This type that is usually used with dimmers, emits a warm light. It is longer-lasting than halogen light bulbs, but shorter-lasting than CFL and LED light bulbs. The incandescent items are not as energy efficient as others.
CFL’s
Although CFL light bulbs require you to wait for them to warm up, they are energy efficient.
Thanks to a high level of brightness, you can use this type for illuminating a large space such as a kitchen, and basement.
Compared to traditional incandescents, CFL light bulbs can last 10 times longer, but they contain a small amount of mercury. It’s very difficult to clean up a broken light bulb.
LEDs
Though LED light bulbs are more expensive than other types, they have the lowest energy cost. The LED light bulb is energy-efficient without containing mercury.
Thanks to the increasingly affordable and flexible technology, you have many choices from directional style for spotlighting, to omni-directional style for lamps. Its color temperature range varies from 2000K to 6500K, so you can use it for different purposes.
Which Type Of Light Bulb Generates Lower Watts?
Watt determines the amount of energy a certain light bulb consumes.
Traditional incandescent and halogen light bulbs have the highest wattage, using more energy, so the electric bill also increases.
If you want to save more money, choose CFL light bulbs that have smaller wattage.
However, the most energy-effective light bulb type is LEDs. This type just uses 9 watts, but it can produce the same amount of light as 60-watt incandescent bulbs.
How Bright Should The Light Bulbs For Kitchen Be?
The brightness of a light bulb is measured in lumens. The more the lumens are, the brighter the bulb is. How bright does your kitchen need to be? Like the color temperature, it’s also better to combine light bulbs at different brightness levels to use for different areas in your kitchen.
Areas where you prepare meals and cook require accent lighting (200-300 lumens) that is bright enough to handle knives and do other delicate cooking tasks safely. Besides, lighting pantries and other storage areas also need a high level of brightness. Meanwhile, ambient lighting used to add atmosphere to your kitchen just requires about 50 lumens.
However, to find an exact answer for your own kitchen, you need to know its square footage (multiply the width and length of the room.) For a kitchen, you need 30-40 lumens per square foot. But, if it lacks windows for natural light, add an extra 10 lumens per square foot.
What Is The Best Bulb Shape And Base For Your Light?
A light bulb has 2 parts: the bulb and the base. Each of them has different shapes and styles for different applications such as table lamps, chandeliers, wall sconces, pendant lights, and other lighting fixtures.
Bulb shapes are denoted by a letter and below is what they mean:
- A: Arbitrary or A-line
- B: Bullet shape or blunt tip
- BR: Bulged reflector
- C: Cone
- CA: Flame tip or bent tip
- F: Flame
- G: Globe
- R: Reflector
- S: Spherical
- T: Tubular
Before making a purchase, you need to check the information of your lighting fixture and which base it works with.
Although Edisons are the most popular bases with many sizes, there are others such as screw bases, BI pin bases, twist and lock bases, and fluorescent pin bases. Each of them is marked with a specific code such as E26, E12, and E39. Thus, you need to check the light fixture to see which size and type of the light bulb will pair with it.
Which Brands Make The Best Light Bulb For Kitchen?
LEDVANCE
This global leader is famous for producing innovative lighting solutions. Most of their products are more energy-efficient and cost-effective compared to products applied to traditional lighting technologies.
FAQs
Are LED bulbs good for kitchen?
Yes. Compared to traditional bulbs, LED lighting bulbs are safer to use in your enclosed kitchen because they emit less heat and minimize your carbon footprint. This type of light bulb runs at a lower voltage, so it is more energy efficient. This solution won’t increase your electric bills monthly.
What is the best light bulb wattage for kitchen?
If your kitchen area lacks natural light, invest in a 100-watt light bulb. However, in case your kitchen has many windows for natural light, a 80-watt light bulb is effective enough.
What light color is best for kitchen?
To answer this question, you have to know how to determine the light color of a bulb. The kelvin rating tells you a bulb's color temperature. The higher the kelvin rating is, the cooler the light is and vice versa. If your kitchen is a heavy workplace where you use it for preparing meals, entertaining guests, making lists, and doing homework, consider a higher kelvin rating that allows you to see things easily. I recommend you 2 options of light colors below:
Daylight - 5000K
5000K is a white, almost bluish light, providing you with a clean daylight type of lighting that works well for task lighting. So, set it up at a position where you usually prepare your food and read recipes instead of using it everywhere in your kitchen.
Cool white - 4100K
This type of lighting will offer great visibility throughout. It is also cool and bright enough for you to work beneath it for a long time.
How bright should kitchen lights be?
Compared to sitting rooms and bedrooms, kitchens require a higher level of brightness, about 70-80 lumens per square foot because you need to see things clearly.
To determine how much overall light you need in your kitchen, you have to multiply your room's length and width for exact square footage. After that, you multiply this figure by the number of lumens.
Should kitchen lights be warm or cool?
Normally, the kitchen is a multifunctional room. So, if you add lighting in only cool or warm tones, it can become an impractical space. Only cool-toned lighting can make your kitchen space harsher and colder while only warm-toned lighting makes it difficult to cook. Thus, it's best to have a delicate balance of both.
Specifically, cool white and daylight bulbs work well for areas with high tasks, workspace areas and places lacking natural light. Meanwhile, set up warm lighting if you use it for social purposes. This type of lighting can make your room more inviting and cozy.
How long do light bulbs for kitchen last?
If you use an incandescent light bulb, it can last from 1500 to 3000 hours. In case you choose a fully dimmable version, its average life span can increase. Meanwhile, LED, and CFL bulbs last 25000 hours or 3 years.
Why do my kitchen light bulbs keep burning out?
High voltage
The higher the supply voltage to your home is, the brighter the bulbs are and the faster they burn out.
Excessive fixture vibration
This is the common problem of ceiling fans with light fixtures. If the fan blade is unbalanced, the whole unit will shake. This vibration jiggles the filament of the bulb to shorten its lifespan.
Depressed socket tab
The hot connection - the metal tab at the bottom of the socket will deliver electrical current to the light bulb. However, if you push this part too far, it contacts the light bulb unsuccessfully. Many people think that this is a sign of a burned bulb, but it is not. You can fix this problem by unplugging the lamp and turning off the power to the fixture. After that, you can bend the tab up about ⅛ inch by using a wooden Popsicle stick and screw the bulb back in.
Short lifespan
CFL light bulbs are known for 10,000 hours of lifespan. However, this time can be shortened (only 3,000 hours) if you switch on and off the light fixture too often.
Loose connections
In case the bulb is loose in the socket, it will flicker on and off. In this case, simply fix the problem by tightening the bulb in the socket. Or you can apply a similar way to correct the problem of the loose circuit wire connection.
Short circuit
Short circuit lessens resistance to largely raise the flow of current through the circuit. This sudden increase causes the circuit breaker to trip or the fuse to blow to stop the current flow. Thus, everything will go dark. Other causes of this problem include the writing problem of the fixture or appliance, a defective cord plug, or a defective light socket. In these cases, simply replace the defective parts before replacing a fuse or resetting the breaker.
Too big light bulbs for your light fixture
Attaching a too large light bulb for your light fixture can cause it to burn out. Therefore, it’s best to check the label stating the maximum bulb wattage to make sure that it can fit in your fixture.
This is a very common problem when using traditional incandescent bulbs because it’s effortless to exceed the rating of the light fixture. However, if you use CFL or LED, this is not a problem. They work at a fairly low wattage. Trying to use a too large bulb for your light fixture can produce excessive heat to shorten the lifespan of your light bulbs. In a more serious case, this can melt the fixture wiring’s insulation.
Insulation around recessed lights
If your recessed lights have an old design, the insulation should be held back by at least 3 inches to keep your fixture from overheating. The latter can cause the fixture to shut off suddenly or your light bulbs will flicker and burn out straightforwardly, even causing a fire.
In case your fixture isn't rated 'IC', don't cover it with insulation. Instead, consider a box (chase) around the fixture housing because it gives your fixture a suitable space.
Wrong dimmer switch type
Using the right dimmer switch type won't cause the burning out problem. Thus, you must determine which one works well for your unit.
Normally, old dimmer switches are designed for standard incandescent bulbs only. Using standard dimmer for CFL and LED light bulbs can damage the circuitry in the bulb bottom, leading to burn out quickly. In this case, you need to choose a dimmer switch that is specially designed for CFL and LED light bulbs.
Conclusion
Finally, to buy the best light bulbs for kitchen, determine the functions of areas in your kitchen to provide them with specific types of lighting like task lighting for cooking.
Besides, you also need to know how large your kitchen is so that you can buy the right amount of light bulbs.
