7 Of The Best Ceiling Fan Light Bulbs
Introduction
This article looks at the best ceiling fan bulbs you can buy.
Firstly lets define what I mean by ceiling fan bulbs. Not all ceiling fans include a lighting element. Some are just fans. However, where there is lighting in the fan it can be one of two types:
- Firstly it can be integrated. Whereby the light is built into the fan. According, the light source can be difficult to replace.
- Secondly they may have a bulb that you can replace.
So, it is the second type of fans with lighting we are interested in. With this in mind I present a list of the 7 best bulbs currently available.
Another key point worth think about is that fans move. If not they wouldn’t be very good fans. Accordingly the bulb will experience some movement and vibration. So, you want a good solid bulb that is up to the task.
Our selections for the best ceiling fan bulbs is 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
LED – GE Relax HD 40 Watt
Not only have GE been in business since 1892 they are also the most popular brand here in the U.S.
This bulb is from their Relax range, and is a premium bulb. Correspondingly it has a 15,000 hour rating and a five year warranty. Additionally, GE says that these high definition bulbs improve the appearance of colors.
Finally the bulb gives out 320 lumens of soft warm white light. So it will give a relaxing low light feel when used.
Fact sheet
- Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5
- Price: Around $4.50 a bulb if bought in a 2-pack
- Wattage: 40 watt equivalent / 4 watts actual
- Lumens: 320
- 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: Yes
- Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor use only
LED – SYLVANIA TruWave Natural Series 60W
After GE, Sylvania is the next most popular brand of light bulbs in the U.S.
Sylvania say that their TruWave technology bulbs provide light close to the Sun’s natural light. Moreover there are four different light temperatures to choose from. So you can pick which time of day sun you want. Also, they reduce unnecessary blue light which has been linked to eye strain and sleep issues. Further they are dimmable, have a frosted bulb and can be used outdoors.
In summary, the bulb provides 800 lumens of light (so quite bright). They are rated for 15,000 hours and have a 5 year warranty. Overall a lot of bulb for $4.50.
Fact sheet
- Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5
- Price: Around $4.50 a bulb if bought in a 2-pack
- Wattage: 60 watt equivalent / 8 watts actual
- Lumens: 800
- Light Range: Soft White (2700k), Warm White (3000k) Daylight (5000k) and Bright Daylight (6000k)
- Lifetime: Rated to last 15,000 hour (13 years based on 3 hours per day use)
- Warranty: 5 years
- Dimmable: Yes
- Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor and outdoor.
LED – Ecosmart 40W
EcoSmart are a proprietary brand for Home Depot (this is a brand that is made by a different company but is only available in Home Depot). The company who manufactures them is Lighting Science Group Corporation, an American company based in Rhode Island.
So, a few facts about the bulb itself. Firstly it has an expected lifetime of 15,000 hours with a 5 year warranty to back it up. The bulb is globe shaped, G25. Also it provides a low 350 lumens and is available in three light temperatures. Finally it is dimmable, can work outdoors and is Energy Star certified. All for only $3.75 each.
Fact sheet
- Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5
- Price: Around $3.75 a bulb if bought in a #-pack
- Wattage: 40 watt equivalent / 4 watts actual
- Lumens: 350
- Light Range: Soft White (2700k), Daylight (5000k) and Bright Daylight (6000k)
- Lifetime: Rated to last 15,000 hour (13 years based on 3 hours per day use)
- Warranty: 5 years
- Dimmable: Yes
- Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor and outdoor
E12 LED – SHINESTAR 60W
In general, when I am writing one of these best-of reviews I come across a manufacturer I have never heard of. So, today’s new brand is SHINESTAR. According to their website SHINESTAR is an U.S. registered brand, specialized in production gas valves, gas hose and regulators, thermostats, regulators and accessories. With offices in Shenzhen, China.
While they may lack a high profile their light bulbs do have excellent reviews on Amazon. Also, these ones cost under $2 which is a great price for a LED bulb. Moreover they come with the smaller E12 chandelier base, and have a claimed lifetime of 20,000 hours and a 3-year warranty. Though it is not always easy making warranty claims against overseas companies. Finally the manufacturer says that these bulbs are specially made for ceiling fans.
In conclusion, if you are looking for a budget, small base, LED, then these are certainly worth considering.
Fact sheet
- Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5
- Price: Around $1.75 a bulb if bought in a 12-pack
- Wattage: 60 watt equivalent / 6 watts actual
- Lumens: 600
- Light Range: Soft White (2700k) and Daylight (5000k)
- Lifetime: Rated to last 20,000 hour (26 years based on 3 hours per day use)
- Warranty: 3 years
- Dimmable: No
- Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor use only
Statement LED – Feit 40W Amber Vintage
For the most part we think of ceiling fans as something functional. However they can also make a statement. To help them along I have included two statement vintage LEDs into the list. Both of them from Feit.
Feit are a family owned and operated company based in Los Angeles, California. So as to reduce order waiting time they keep a stock of over 100,000,000 bulbs on-hand.
So a few facts about this gorgeous bulb. Firstly it provides a low 250 lumens of light in a choice of 5 temperatures. This particular one has amber glass and provides a warm candlelight. Further it is rated to last 15,000 hours and has a 2 year warranty. Finally it has excellent online ratings and costs $7 a bulb. As these bulbs are durable they should stand up to use in your ceiling fan.
Fact sheet
- Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5
- Price: Around $7 a bulb if bought individually
- Wattage: 40 watt equivalent / 6.5 watts actual
- Lumens: 250
- Light Range: Amber (2100k), Soft White (2700k), Warm White (3000k) Daylight (5000k) and Bright White (6000k)
- Lifetime: Rated to last 15,000 hour (13 years based on 3 hours per day use)
- Warranty: 2 years
- Dimmable: Yes
- Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor use only
Statement LED – Feit 25W Smoke Glass Vintage
What price beauty. Well it would appear the answer is $9.
Firstly this light bulb put out hardly any light. Specifically it only produces 100 lumens which is about 10 watts equivalent by my calculations. So this bulb is really about looks over power.
However it will keep providing these 100 lumens for a rated 15,000 hours and has a 2 year warranty. Furthermore it has a five star online rating. As with the precious bulb its rugged design means it should work well in your ceiling fan.
All in all a beautiful bulb to make your ceiling fan a low-lit statement.
Fact sheet
- Rating: 5 stars out of 5
- Price: Around $9 a bulb if bought individually
- Wattage: 25 watt equivalent / 4.5 watts actual
- Lumens: 100
- Light Range: Daylight (5000k)
- Lifetime: Rated to last 15,000 hour (13 years based on 3 hours per day use)
- Warranty: 2 years
- Dimmable: Yes
- Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor use only
Incandescent – GE Classic
In general, here at Light Bulb A to Z we like to recommend LED bulbs. Because they have a better price to lifetime ratio than other bulbs. However, we understand that sometimes you want to replace like-with-like. Or you just need the cheapest possible options. With this in mind I have included a couple of incandescents in the best ceiling fan bulbs list.
Firstly these ones from GE’s classic range. They are decorative bulbs with a bent tip. Also they have the smaller E12, candelabra base. Due to them being incandescents they are only rated to last 1,500 hours. Also they give out a very low 280 lumens of soft white light. However they do only cost just over $1. And have great online reviews.
Fact sheet
- Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5
- Price: Around $1.10 a bulb if bought in a 6-pack
- Wattage: 40 watt actual
- Lumens: 280
- Light Range: Soft White (2500k)
- Lifetime: Rated to last 1,500 hour (1.4 years based on 3 hours per day use)
- Warranty: 1 year
- Dimmable: Yes
- Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor use only
Incandescent – SYLVANIA Double Life 40W
My second choice for incandescent is this one from Sylvania’s Double Life range. Correspondingly, the bulbs last twice as long as normal. In this case 2,000 hours. So not quite double if my math is correct.
Moreover they are vibration resistant which is good for a ceiling light bulb. And produce a war 370 lumens of light. In summary a good choice if you want an incandescent bulb, with a low price tag.
Fact sheet
- Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5
- Price: Around $2.50 a bulb if bought in a 2-pack
- Wattage: 40 watts actual
- Lumens: 370
- Light Range: Soft White (2700k)
- Lifetime: Rated to last 2,000 hour (1.8 years based on 3 hours per day use)
- Warranty: 1 year
- Dimmable: Yes
- Indoor/Outdoor: Indoor use only