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For years, one of the biggest criticisms of LED bulbs was that they looked nothing like regular light bulbs, which didn’t sit well with consumers who wanted the familiarity of the incandescent bulb. As creatures of habit, consumers preferred to use light bulbs they considered “normal” and not futuristic. It’s one of the many things that held back LED light bulb sales for a while.

Enter The LED Filament Light Bulb

Thankfully, things have changed a lot since then, with manufacturers like CREE, Sylvania LED, and SATCO releasing filament-style LED light bulbs with a new take on the usually flat chips found in regular LED bulbs. The result is a vintage light bulb design clearly inspired by Thomas Edison’s classic light bulb.

How They Work

LED filament bulbs resemble traditional incandescent bulbs in terms of physical design and light quality. This is made possible by arranging the tiny light-emitting diodes in a wire-like filament, which is then enveloped by a clear or frosted glass bulb, similar to what you would see in an incandescent bulb.

From afar, these bulbs are practically identical to any classic light bulb, down to the familiar yellow glow that has illuminated thousands of [city] homes for decades.

Same Old Energy Efficiency

As with any LED bulb, LED filament bulbs still boast of the same outstanding energy-efficiency, using up to 90 percent less energy than an incandescent bulb. This means that a 10-watt LED filament bulb would have the equivalent of a 100-watt incandescent bulb.

There’s Enough Variety For Different Applications

LED filament bulbs come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes, as well as colors and color temperatures. If you want the super warm light of the incandescent bulb, simply look for an LED filament bulb with a 2200K rating. These are ideal for high-end retail stores, restaurants and cafes, or even for homes that want classic-looking light fixtures.

Downsides To LED Filament Bulbs

But as great as LED filament bulbs are, they’re not without issues. Because of their clear glass exterior, the need a bit of extra care when it comes to handling. You also need to be careful when disposing of them since you don’t want the glass to break and cause accidents.

Another major disadvantage of LED filament bulbs their usually shorter lifespan compared to regular LED bulbs. Still, you should be able to get around 15,000 hours of use from them—10,000 hours fewer than the promised lifespan of regular LEDs.

Of course, that’s a non-issue when you look at how short-lived incandescent bulbs are, with their 500- to 1000-hour lifespans.

The next time you’re out shopping for LED’s, check out LED filament bulbs. You still get the same power efficiency you would get from other LEDs but with the physical design and light quality of an incandescent light. This revamped version of the classic light bulbs might just be the perfect bulb for your [city] home.

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