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LED vs incandescent, halogen and CFL: what do you really save?

Incandescent bulb and LED bulb compared with a stack of money

How much does LED really save compared with an incandescent bulb, a halogen spot or a CFL? In short: up to 85 percent less electricity, a lamp that lasts 15 to 25 times longer, and a purchase that often pays for itself within a few months. In this guide I put all the lamp types side by side, work out the savings for you and show which LED lamp replaces your old one.

In short

  • LED vs incandescent: an 8W LED lamp gives as much light as a 60W incandescent bulb and saves about 17 euros per lamp per year.
  • LED vs halogen: a 5W LED spot replaces a 50W halogen spot and saves about 15 euros per spot per year.
  • LED vs CFL: LED is still more efficient, gives full light instantly and contains no mercury.
  • Choose by lumens, not watts, and start with the lamps that burn the longest.
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LED, incandescent, halogen and CFL side by side

All figures are for the same amount of light: about 800 lumens, as much as a classic 60-watt incandescent bulb.

Power Lifespan Full light instantly Mercury Heat
LED 8 W 15,000–25,000 hours ✓ yes ✓ no cool
CFL approx. 15 W 6,000–10,000 hours ✗ warms up ✗ yes lukewarm
Halogen approx. 42 W 2,000–4,000 hours ✓ yes ✓ no hot
Incandescent 60 W approx. 1,000 hours ✓ yes ✓ no hot

Power consumption for the same light

Incandescent60 W
Halogen42 W
CFL15 W
LED8 W

💡 LED

Most efficient, lasts the longest and gives full light instantly. Available in every light colour and almost every socket, also dimmable and smart. More about the technology in what is LED?.

🔥 Halogen

An improved incandescent bulb with bright light, but it gets hot and uses almost as much power. Most halogen lamps have already been withdrawn from sale in the EU; G9 and R7s followed in 2023.

🌀 CFL

More efficient than halogen, but it needs to warm up before it gives full light and it contains mercury. Since 2023 they may no longer be sold in the EU.

🕯️ Incandescent

Warm, familiar light, but 95 percent of the electricity becomes heat. Gone from the shops since 2012; LED filament lamps give the same cosy light.

What do you really save? Three worked examples

Assumptions: 3 hours of use per day (1,095 hours per year) and an electricity price of 0.30 euros per kWh. Your own rate is on your energy bill; feel free to calculate with your own price.

Replacement Old per year LED per year You save
Incandescent 60 W → LED 8 W 19.71 euros 2.63 euros 17.08 euros
Halogen spot 50 W → LED 5 W 16.43 euros 1.64 euros 14.78 euros
Halogen rod R7s 100 W → LED 10 W 32.85 euros 3.29 euros 29.57 euros
CFL 15 W → LED 8 W 4.93 euros 2.63 euros 2.30 euros

🏠 Example: an average home

10 incandescent bulbs and 8 halogen spots, each burning 3 hours a day: 10 × 17.08 euros + 8 × 14.78 euros = well over 288 euros per year. And for years you won't have to replace any lamps.

Want to calculate it yourself? Saving per year = (old watts − LED watts) × burning hours per year ÷ 1000 × electricity price. Example: (60 − 8) × 1095 ÷ 1000 × 0.30 euros = 17.08 euros.

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How quickly does LED pay for itself?

± 3
months
incandescent, 3 hours a day
± 4
months
halogen spot, 3 hours a day
15–25×
longer
LED lasts than an incandescent bulb

A good LED lamp costs a few euros. For lamps that burn longer, such as outdoor lighting, the hallway or the kitchen, you earn it back even faster. With a multipack it gets cheaper still.

📩 Found this calculation useful?

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Which LED lamp replaces your old lamp?

Look at the socket and the number of lumens of your old lamp, not at the number of watts. This table will help you get started:

Old lamp Lumens LED replacement
Incandescent 25 W approx. 220 lm LED 2–3 W
Incandescent 40 W approx. 470 lm LED 4–5 W
Incandescent 60 W approx. 806 lm LED 6–8 W
Incandescent 75 W approx. 1,055 lm LED 9–11 W
Incandescent 100 W approx. 1,520 lm LED 13–15 W
Halogen spot GU10 50 W approx. 350–400 lm LED 5 W

More on lumens in what is a lumen?, and on choosing the right light colour in colour temperature: 2700K, 3000K, 4000K or 6500K?.

🏠 E27 and E14

The ordinary large and small sockets. Choose an LED bulb, globe lamp or candle lamp with the same number of lumens.

View LED lamps ›

🔦 GU10 and MR16

Halogen spots in the ceiling and kitchen. Note: MR16 runs on 12V, GU10 on 230V. Read the difference between AC and DC.

View GU10 spots ›

📏 R7s and G9

Linear lamps in uplighters and pin-base lamps in small fixtures. They come in LED too.

View R7s lamps ›

🏭 Fluorescent tubes

You can convert fluorescent lighting too. Follow the step-by-step guide to replacing fluorescent tubes with LED.

View LED tubes ›

Handy to have alongside:

How to save the most

  1. Start with the lamps that burn the longest: living room, kitchen, hallway and outdoor lamp. A lamp in the meter cupboard that you switch on twice a year saves very little.
  2. Choose by lumens, not watts. Take an LED lamp with the same number of lumens as your old lamp.
  3. Replace halogen and CFL lamps too. Halogen is almost as wasteful as the incandescent bulb.
  4. Only let the light burn when it's needed. A lamp with a sensor switches off by itself. Read more about LED lighting with a sensor.
  5. Dim where you can. Dimmed light uses less power. Do make sure you have a suitable dimmer: everything about dimmers and compatibility.

More than just saving electricity

🔁 Fewer replacements

An LED lamp lasts 15 to 25 times longer than an incandescent bulb. No more fetching the stepladder for that one spot.

❄️ Less heat

Halogen spots get hot; LED stays cool. Safer around children and more pleasant in summer.

🌍 Better for the environment

Less electricity means lower CO₂ emissions, and LED contains no mercury. More in how sustainable is LED?.

🏷️ Mind the energy label

Good LED lamps often score D or E on the new scale, and that's perfectly fine. Why, you can read in lighting energy label explained.

From incandescent to LED: a short history

1879 · Thomas Edison brings a practical incandescent bulb to market. Electric light enters people's homes.

1930–1960 · Fluorescent and later halogen lamps give more light per watt, especially in offices and factories.

1962 · Nick Holonyak makes the first practical (red) LED, at first only for indicator lights in appliances.

1990s · The blue LED is invented. This makes white LED light possible; the inventors received the Nobel Prize for it in 2014.

2009–2012 · The incandescent bulb disappears step by step from European shops.

2018–2023 · Halogen, CFLs and fluorescent tubes are also phased out in the EU. LED is the standard.

Curious where things are heading? Read the future of LED technology.

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Frequently asked questions

What percentage do you save with LED?
Compared with an incandescent or halogen lamp, about 80 to 90 percent. Compared with a CFL, about 30 to 50 percent.
How much do I save per year with LED lighting?
About 17 euros for each 60-watt incandescent bulb that burns 3 hours a day, and about 15 euros for each 50-watt halogen spot. Add that up for all the lamps you replace.
Does it make sense to replace a working incandescent or halogen lamp?
Yes, especially for lamps that burn every day. The saving is so large that the new LED lamp pays for itself within a few months.
Is LED light as cosy as an incandescent bulb?
Yes. Choose warm white (2700K) or an LED filament lamp and you get the same warm light. For extra atmosphere there are also dimmable and flame variants from 2000 to 2200K.
Is LED also more efficient than a CFL?
Yes. An LED lamp gives more light per watt, is at full brightness instantly, lasts longer and contains no mercury.
Does an LED lamp use power when it's switched off?
An ordinary LED lamp doesn't. Smart lamps and lamps with a sensor use a tiny bit of power on standby.
Why does a halogen spot get so hot and an LED spot doesn't?
A halogen lamp converts most of the electricity into heat. An LED converts much more into light, and the little heat that remains goes to the back of the lamp.
Not sure which LED lamp replaces your old one? Send me a photo of the old lamp and the socket via WhatsApp and I'll pick the right one for you. Message me on WhatsApp ›

Kind regards,
Bas / LEDPLANET.NL

Further reading

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