Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2019/08/09/led-light-bulbs-on-sale-on-ama.html
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These are a good deal, bought a couple of boxes several years ago and have had no problems.
note - non-dimmable bulbs. Also likely have a poor color rendering index because its not noted on the listing.
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Yeah, that’s the killer for me - I have dimmer switches all over my house, so the bulbs need to be dimable for me to buy.
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And in Canada they’re only a little more than double the price. What’s that all about?
It’s a little surprising that more people aren’t aware of this – but anyone with a seizure disorder or other photosensitivities is likely to have a hard time with LED bulbs, especially ones on dimmer circuits. My partner has epilepsy (her seizures are grand mal when they happen, so it’s serious) and can’t be in lots of rooms simply because of the lighting. (CF bulbs were even worse, in case you’re wondering. So it does appear we’re moving in the right direction, at least.) So if you’re tempted to paint anyone who likes incandescent bulbs with a broad brush, just remember… there are those for whom incandescent light bulbs (increasingly hard to find these days) are medically necessary.
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Let me ask, if LED bulbs are supposed to last 20 years, why do we need a box of 24 of them? The 20 year claim is a lie. I’ve replaced LED bulbs three times already right next to an incandescent bulb that’s still going.
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In my case when I replace them, it’s probably because of vibration. 75% of my LED bulbs are in ceiling fans, which I’m sure takes a machete to their lifespan. I’ve only had to replace 1 in a wall mounted fixture.
eta: I’ve also seen them develop a notable flicker sometimes (hi, @melodist!)
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I got paranoid after once paying attention to the fine print and only finding bulbs that say “not for use in enclosed fixtures” which aptly described where I needed to replace a bulb at the time.
…and not a single question/answer on the page mentions CRI either. I don’t understand why people aren’t willing to care more about CRI. If these lights last even half as long as they’re supposed to, why would you condemn yourself to spending the next decade or more with shitty light quality in your house in order to save a forgettable amount of money? Even if you don’t consciously notice it, it will subtilely affect your mood and appreciation of your surroundings. People are sooo cheap on the wrong things.
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There are still three incandescents here. Given our summer heat I have not replaced the outside bulbs because I would expect a short lifespan out there and they’re rarely used anyway.
Exactly - its precisely because these last so long that you want to be sure you only buy high CRI bulbs.
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it might be time to stop buying from amazon
it’s one thing when people in usa choose to work in the warehouses despite the horror stories and experiences
but this is unacceptable:
60W LED Bulbs? Those must be really bright, close to 5000 lumens each.
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My understanding also is that excess heat shortens their lifespan and shouldn’t be used in enclosed mounts.
I’m still waiting for the day that I have to throw away one of my LED bulbs!
I didn’t look at the listing, but I’d wager from the little asterisk in that picture that they are equivalent to a 60w incandescent.
So they consume 60watts of power?
Seems very inefficient.
I started writing install dates on all my LEDs using a Sharpee pen, so I can track how old they were when they failed.
That’s a GE “Relax” HD bulb in the photo. Note life expectancy claim: 13 yrs.
In my house no bulb has lasted more than six years. I understand the actual diodes will dim with age, the problem is the electronics behind them fail due to aggressive cheapness and low production values.
Premium bulbs I bought 10 years ago are all gone. The cheaper ones I bought here or there since have all been replaced. I expect the current production runs will produce the same results. I noted the last pack I bought had an expected lifetime of five years. So much for the 20 year myth; optimistic early-years engineering improvements fouled by volume production and enthusiastic profit-taking.
Don’t get me started on flickering and gross colour output. Why do people put up with this …?..!
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Okay, let’s see:
Non-dimmable
Crappy CRI of 80
Three-year warranty
User reviews frequently mention early failure
At least one user received counterfeit bulbs (confirmed by Sylvania).
24-pack can’t ship to CA
I’ll pass.
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Has efficiency improved on 60w “equivalent” LED at all?
