The 20 Most Important Types of Light Bulbs

The 20 Most Important Types of Light Bulbs

Those of us who have been around for a few decades have seen the type of light bulb change and evolve. When LED first came out, the bulbs offered something new, and those with a penchant for trying something new were thrilled while the penny pinchers held back because of the higher prices. Lightbulb technology has come a long way since Edison first patented the invention. Many of the first lightbulbs are still round in the imitated copies of the originals. They’re prized because of their rustic stylishness but the energy-efficient bulbs dominating the market today are for conservation and illumination. Most of the lightbulb types created occupy a place in the history of the lightbulb industry. Many of them are still in use in some form. Today we’re highlighting the twenty most important types of lightbulbs for your enjoyment and enlightenment. These are all bulbs that are still commonly used for illumination.

20. Light Emitting Diode

The Light Emitting Diode bulb is more commonly known as the LED. It’s one of the most important inventions of our time because of its energy efficiency. LED bulbs appear in Christmas tree lights because of their enhanced safety feature of giving no heat. Nor do they contain mercury, but they do emit a brighter light than most other lightbulb types. Light-emitting diodes are valuable because of their extended lifecycles. Longer life translates into money savings in price and energy efficiency over time, according to Wayfair.

19. Incandescent

Incandescent bulbs are still the most commonly used lightbulb type. It’s because of their cost. They’re one of the least expensive lightbulbs on the market today. They’re also versatile, emitting a warm light that you may install with dimmer switches efficiently. These bulbs have a limited lifecycle that averages up to one year of regular use. They require replacement more often than an LED, but not as frequently as a Halogen. They lack the energy efficiency of LEDs but are more expensive to operate.

18. Compact Fluorescent

Compact Fluorescent lightbulbs, also known as CFLs, are energy-efficient bulbs that occupy an essential place in the market today. They come in various models in a broad range of color choices. They’re used to illuminate large areas. They’re the best choice when you need to light a lot of space, such as basements or warehouses. The drawback associated with CFL bulbs is that they take a few moments to warm up and reach their full brightness potential. Illumination isn’t instant. They also contain mercury and require careful handling and disposal when they burn out. On the plus side, they’re recyclable and tend to last longer than incandescents. They’re also less expensive than LED lights.

17. Halogen

Halogen bulbs hold value for their benefits above other types, but they’re not without drawbacks. They have the shortest lifespan of the most popular four on the market today, and they become hot enough to start fires when combustible materials are too close. Oil from your hands can cause them to explode when they heat up. Although there are a few drawbacks, there are also some benefits. The advantages make the Halogen type the best choice for some. The lights emit a bright white light, they’re dimmable, and they are energy-efficient. They warm faster than some of the other types and provide an immediate light source for fast illumination. Homeowners and business owners install them in pendant lighting fixtures. You also find them in recessed and under cabinet light fixtures.

16. Standard Fluorescent

House Beautiful points out that Standard Fluorescent light bulbs are the kind most often used in office and commercial buildings. They’re less commonly used in private homes unless it is to light a basement, workshop, or garage. The benefit of standard fluorescent lights is their long lifespans of several years before they need replacement. This type of light bulb is tubular and contains a mercury vapor inside the glass tubes which becomes ionized by an electrical charge.

15. Smart Bulbs

One of the most recent types of light bulbs invented is the smart bulb. It’s become a part of the new artificial intelligence-powered system for modernizing homes via automation. Nearly every modern or electronic convenience in the home can be programmed to respond to a smart home system. Smart bulbs are usually LED lights with special configurations that make them Wi-Fi enabled. Smart bulbs may be controlled remotely via artificial intelligence programs or through an app. The price is higher than other lightbulbs because of the advanced technology used in their creation.

14. A Group Light Bulbs

A Group light bulbs are traditional in their pear shape. These bulbs come with a metallic screw base. They’re also known as classic or traditional light bulbs. They’re the most common type used in homes for ceiling and lamp lighting. Group A light bulbs are sold in mass quantities and come in most types of lights. The type refers to the shape of the bulb and the type of base.

13. G Group Light Bulbs

G Group light bulbs are also known as Globes. They are easy to distinguish because of their round shape. Light bulbs in this classification do not have a thick stem for connecting to the screw base. They’re most commonly used in bathroom vanities, chandeliers, and other kinds of ornamental lighting applications.

12. B Group and C Group Light Bulbs

B and C Group light bulbs are also known as flame or candle bulbs. Both types are exclusively used in decorative lighting applications. The B group has a blunt tip and the C group is conical. They are formed to look like flames. They’re most commonly used in lighting applications that feature a flame or candle effect, such as candelabra lights, and also for Christmas lights used to decorate your Christmas tree or outdoor areas. These are other types of lightbulbs that are used in mass quantities.

11. BR Group Light Bulbs

BR Group light bulbs are also known as bulge reflectors. The Group B type of light bulb features a lining of material that is super reflective. The color and reflectiveness help direct the beams of light emitted by the bulb. Bulge reflectors are often the kind of light for recessed lighting applications and floodlights.

10. T Group Light Bulbs

T Group light bulbs come in the shape of a tube. This type of light bulb group appears in fluorescent and incandescent lighting. You see this bulb type most for appliances and overhead lighting applications. The T in the name stands for tubular.

9. Twisted Fluorescent Lamp

Home Stratosphere explains that the Twisted Fluorescent lamp is a specialty lightbulb valued for its long lifecycle. Twisted fluorescent light bulbs work well in homes and commercial buildings. Manufacturers make them in a variety of models and sizes. Twisted fluorescent lamps are available in bright and dim variations to achieve special lighting emission, depending on the need. They use far less energy than incandescent lamps resulting in significant savings over time.

8. Mercury Lamp

The Mercury Lamp is an energy-efficient lightbulb type that can last for far longer than most other kinds. It emits a high quality of bright light. It is most often used for the illumination of large spaces with overhead lighting applications, and outdoor lighting. It’s used most often for spotlights in sports complexes.

7. Spotlight Bulbs

Spotlight bulbs are used by business owners and by homeowners. This is the type of light bulb that is used to brighten up workspaces, or to power a spotlight. They come in a range of sizes and models and may be used in accent lighting for rooms, or in outdoor fixtures. Spotlight bulbs come in a variety of strengths for delivering various degrees of brightness as needed for specific applications, such as for accent lighting, or in searchlights.

6. Corn Lamps

Another type of specialty bulb is a Corn lamp. The Corn lamp lightbulb emits extremely bright light. The advantage that the Corn light has over other types of bulbs is that it is more energy-efficient than high-wattage bulbs. It helps to conserve energy and save money. These bulbs are commonly used in barns, shops, or outdoor lighting fixtures, and work with a lower wattage than other types that emit similar lumens of brightness.

5. Diode

A diode is a bulb that is most commonly used for under-cabinet lighting, task lighting, and desk lamps. They come in various lumens. It’s difficult to predict how long this type of bulb lasts because of the vast variations. The benefit of light-emitting diodes is that they are tiny light bulbs that are fit into an electrical circuit. They are a type of LED that does not have filaments. As such, most diode bulbs last longer than bulbs that use a filament. There are fewer parts to stop functioning. Two other benefits are associated with diode lights. They don’t use as much electricity as standard lightbulbs, and they don’t get as hot as other bulbs. The enhanced safety feature also makes them a good choice over some other types.

4. Sodium Lamps

Solium Lamps are a versatile light bulb type that is available in low and high-pressure models. They produce a unique color, depending on the type used. Low-pressure sodium bulbs produce a white light that is well balanced. High-pressure bulbs emit a colored light that is reddish yellow. They work through the excitement of sodium that spreads throughout the bulb to create light within the enclosure.

3. Reflector light bulbs

Reflector light bulbs have a silver surface that helps to reflect the light that they emit in one specific direction. This is a specialty bulb that can work for many different applications. They’re most commonly used for spotlights in home security systems because they project light in one specific direction. Reflector light bulbs make great accent lights. They’re stylish ways to accentuate attractive features in both indoors and outdoors settings.

2. E14 European Light Bulbs

E14 European Lightbulbs are bulbs that feature a specific kind of base. This base, which is not one of the more common types, can be found in all types of light bulbs, but they’re generally available online. You will find them in European applications. This bulb accepts an adapter that makes it useful for a broader range of domestic applications.

1. R Series Light Bulbs

R Series light bulbs feature a shape that helps to direct the light. The bulb emits its light in a forward direction. The design prevents light from being lost through the sides of the bulb, so the light that shines is brighter and more direct. This bulb style is most often used to draw attention to a feature or object. R Series light bulbs get installed in commercial and private applications.

Final thoughts

Since the invention of the first lightbulb by Thomas Edison, the lightbulb has undergone a series of evolutions. The lightbulb changed the way that we live and conduct business. It extends the amount of time we can spend working, playing, and enjoying social gatherings. Specialty types of lightbulbs help us to enhance the beauty of our homes and businesses. They make it possible to enjoy stadium events with illumination that is often brighter than the light of day. Inventors of the first lightbulbs had no concern for energy efficiency. The issue of conservation is a requirement that has emerged in recent decades. Advancements in lightbulb technology have spurred an interest in producing bulbs for nearly every illumination purpose under the sun or after it sets. Lightbulbs come in all shapes, sizes, and intensities. You can find colored bulbs, tubular, globes, flame-shaped, or conicals. They’re used to spotlight sports events, emphasize key focal objects, and enhance the safety and security of our homes. We depend on them to provide lighting that can influence our moods or give us enough light to see what we’re doing at night. Some types work with automatic systems. The bulbs come on and shut off according to a preprogrammed guide. We hope you enjoyed our description of the twenty types of lightbulbs and their uses.

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