It will save the environment; it will help you save money as well. It is time you switched to energy-efficient lighting

Light bulbs are an essential purchase for every household, and for years our purchasing options have been limited. Incandescent [or GLS (General Lighting Servive) as they’re sometimes known as] bulbs have been the mainstay for lighting Indian homes for decades, but technology is now changing, meaning more choice for the consumer. Walk into any lighting store and you’ll be struck by the vast range on offer. Fittings, wattage, energy use, lumens all vary considerably, as do the prices of the different bulb types – it is confusing to know where to start.

While incandescent bulbs are always the cheapest, they also use the most electricity. Halogen bulbs that have been around for years can be suitable for some situations, and while they can be an effective solution for many parts of the house, they too use vast amounts of electricity. New technologies such as Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) and Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) can produce the same amount of light, using just a fraction of the electricity consumed by a GLS bulb, and hence a fraction of the running cost – but their initial price is high. Here, we look into the range of light bulb types available and consider how they can be used through the house. We look at the technology employed, the colour of the light given out, and the various advantages and disadvantages of each type. Finally, we have also taken a detailed look at some of the specific models of lightbulbs available in India, and tested them in our laboratories in Europe. We provide some buying recommendations based on these tests.