7 Of The Best 3-Way Light Bulbs
Introduction
Firstly, what are 3-ways bulbs? In brief they are bulbs designed to work in 3-way sockets. These sockets have three settings: low, medium and high. In an old style incandescent bulb there are 2 filaments within the bulb. That is a low power filament and a medium power filament. When the lamp switch is set to low the low power filament lights up. Similarly when the switch is set to medium the medium power filament lights up. Finally when the switch is set to high both filaments light up. Thus the 3-way lamp and bulb provide flexible light output. Owing to this they are a good option for reading lamps (see our article on the best light wattage for reading here)
Our selections are based on a number of criteria:
- Online reviews from a number of light bulb retailers
- Price, we are always looking for the best value
- Energy Star qualified, whether the bulbs has met strict energy efficiency criteria set by the EPA
- Lifetime and length of warranty, as these provide a measure of quality
- Dimmable, having a bulb that can be used with a dimmer switch makes it more versatile
100W LED – GE Relax
Not only have GE been in business since 1892 they are also the most popular light bulb brand in the United States. They make a huge range of bulb. So no surprise that a couple of them make it onto our best of list. This 3-way bulb is from their relax range. Being that it provides a warm soft white that is “relaxing”. Additionally the bulb is rated to last 15,000 hours and comes with GE’s five year limited warranty. Having a maximum output of 100 watts (equivalent) it is not overly bright so perfect for a lamp in a cosy area of your living room. Overall this is a lot of bulb for a very reasonable $11.
Fact sheet
- Rating: 4.8 stars out of 5
- Price: Around $11 a bulb if bought individually
- Wattage: 30/70/100 watt equivalent – 5/9/16 watts actual
- Lumens: 400/850/1500
- Light Range: Soft White (2700k)
- Lifetime: Rated to last 15,000 hour (13 years based on 3 hours per day use)
- Warranty: 5 years
- Dimmable: No
- Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor use only
150W LED – Philips
As well as being the number one supplier of light bulbs in Europe Philips are known for their reliable if somewhat expensive bulbs. In this case the light bulb is a little expensive. Though the price can be brought down if you buy a multi-pack. Overall this is an excellent light bulb. To point out, it has a 25,000 hour lifetime and a 5-year warranty. The light provided is soft white and Philips say that the bulb provides superior eye comfort. Meaning no flicker, strobe, glare or dimming effects. These bulbs would be an excellent choice for a reading lamp. Note that they are not compatible with Philips HUE products.
Fact sheet
- Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5
- Price: Around $13.50 a bulb if bought in a 4-pack
- Wattage: 50/100/150 watt equivalent – 8/16/23 watts actual
- Lumens: 450/800/1600
- Light Range: Soft White (2700k)
- Lifetime: Rated to last 25,000 hour (22 years based on 3 hours per day use)
- Warranty: 5 years
- Dimmable: No
- Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor use only
150W LED – Feit Enhance
Feit are a family owned and operated company based in Los Angeles, California. Interestingly they claim to keep an inventory of 100,000,000 light bulbs to allow 24-hour shipping.
This 3-way bulb comes with an excellent lifetime rating of 25,000 backup up with a 3-year limited warranty. Also they have good online reviews and produce a bright daylight white light. Feit’s Enhance technology means these bulbs delivery excellent color definition. While they are not the cheapest bulb on our list at $14 their long lifetime makes them an great choice.
Fact sheet
- Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
- Price: Around $14 a bulb if bought individually
- Wattage: 50/100/150 watt equivalent – 7/15/23 watts actual
- Lumens: 800/1600/2200
- Light Range: Daylight (5000k)
- Lifetime: Rated to last 25,000 hour (22 years based on 3 hours per day use)
- Warranty: 3 years
- Dimmable:No
- Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor use only
150W LED – GE Basic
GE do actually make a 50/100/150 watt version of the Relax bulb we reviewed earlier but they can be tricky to find. Therefore we have added one of their Basic range light bulbs to our best of 3-way bulb list. While you do not get the full quality of the Relax range these are still pretty good light bulbs. Things to note. Firstly they produce a bright daylight white. Secondly they are rated to last 7,500 hours and come with a 2-year limited warranty. Also, they have excellent online reviews. And finally they cost $12 each. As this is actually more then the Relax bulb (we found the $11 price at Lowes) we recommend seeing if you can find for Relax equivalent.
Fact sheet
- Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5
- Price: Around $12 a bulb if bought individually
- Wattage: 50/100/150 watt equivalent – 6.3/13/20 watts actual
- Lumens: 800/1600/2200
- Light Range: Daylight (5000k)
- Lifetime: Rated to last 7,500 hour (6 years based on 3 hours per day use)
- Warranty: 2 years
- Dimmable: No
- Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor use only
Budget 100W LED – Ameriluck
Ameriluck are not a brand we have heard of before here at Light Bulb A to Z. Though their motto of wishing Americans good luck is something we can get behind. In brief we chose this bulb for our best of 3-way bulb list for a couple of reasons. Firstly they have excellent online reviews at Amazon. Next the 10,000 hour rating and 2-year warranty suggest a good quality product. Finally at $5 a bulb they are a bargain.
Fact sheet
- Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5
- Price: Around $5 a bulb if bought in a 4-pack
- Wattage: 50/75/100 watt equivalent – 6/10/15 watts actual
- Lumens: 500/1200/1600
- Light Range: Warm White (3000k), Soft White (4000k), Daylight (5000k)
- Lifetime: Rated to last 10,000 hour (9 years based on 3 hours per day use)
- Warranty: 2 years
- Dimmable: No
- Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor use only
Incandescent 100W – Bulbrite
Firstly a little something about the manufacturer Bulbrite. They are a family run lighting company based out of Moonachie, New Jersey, where they employ around 60 people. Good to see one of their bulbs on our best 3-way bulbs list.
While we do not normally recommend incandescent bulbs there is a significant price difference from LEDs. So if your budget is low these are a possible option. To point out they have a much shorter lifetime at only 1,200 hours. Though this is offset by their price of $2.75 assuming you are willing to buy a 12-pack. Finally they produce a soft warm white light and have excellent online reviews.
Fact sheet
- Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5
- Price: Around $2.75 a bulb if bought in a 12-pack
- Wattage: 30/70/100 watts actual
- Lumens: 270/780/1050
- Light Range: Soft White (2700k)
- Lifetime: Rated to last 1,200 hour (1 years based on 3 hours per day use)
- Warranty: 1 years
- Dimmable: No
- Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor use only
Incandescent 100W – Sylvania
Following GE, Sylvania is the next most popular brand of light bulbs in the U.S. As noted in the previous review we are not big fans of incandescents. However if you are just looking for a couple of cheap bulbs then these are an option for you. In summary they produce a soft white light, have an expected lifetime of 1,240 hours and come at the very reasonable price of $3.60. This price gains them a place on our best 3-way bulbs list.
Fact sheet
- Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
- Price: Around $3.60 a bulb if bought in a 2-pack
- Wattage: 30/70/100 watt actual
- Lumens: 290/915/1205
- Light Range: Soft White (2850k)
- Lifetime: Rated to last 1,240 hour (1 years based on 3 hours per day use)
- Warranty: 1 year
- Dimmable: Yes
- Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor use only