Lumens Are the New Unit of Measurement for Light Bulbs

For decades, we've been buying light bulbs according to their brightness measured in watts. However with the emergence of energy-efficient, low-watt light bulbs such as CFLs and LEDs, watts have become an unreliable metric for selecting bulbs. Instead of focusing on wattage, which measures power or energy use, manufacturers are now indicating the brightness of their bulbs according to lumens, which measure light output. So while we may be accustomed to shopping for bulbs according to wattage, lumens are actually a far more accurate measurement of how bright your bulb will be.

Converting Lumens to Watts

How many lumens are in a watt? Because lumens measure brightness and watts measure energy output, there is no simple method for converting wattage to lumens. With energy-efficient light bulbs like LEDs and CFLs, how many lumens are in a 60W bulb or 100W bulb depends on the lumen output of the bulb, not its energy use.

Don't despair! Measuring and labelling light output instead of energy use actually makes it easier for you to find the right energy-efficient bulb for your space. Use the chart below to determine how many lumens you'll need from your next light bulb. As an example, a traditional 60W incandescent bulb produces between 700-800 lumens, so consider a 7-10 watt LED bulb to achieve the same brightness.