GU10 LED Bulb 4.8W 450lm Non-Dimmable - Cool White 4000K

This is a GU10 LED spot that draws 4.8W and gives 450lm at 4,000K, a cool white with a clean cast rather than the yellow of an old halogen. The cap is the standard GU10 twist and lock pair of pins, so it drops straight into the mains voltage downlights and track heads that took 50W halogen spots, with no driver or transformer to think about. The beam is held to 36 degrees, a narrow cone that puts a defined pool of light where the fitting is aimed, and on our reckoning it stands in for a 50W halogen.

Cool white at 4,000K suits rooms where you want to see clearly: kitchen ceilings, a run of downlights over a worktop, utility rooms, garages, workshops and home offices. It reads neutral against white paint, grey units and stainless steel, where a warmer bulb can look yellow. The narrow 36 degree cone is worth planning for, since closely spaced downlights give overlapping pools and good working light, while wide spacing on a high ceiling will scallop the floor and leave gaps between. If you are adding these to an existing ceiling, keep every lamp on the circuit at 4,000K, because one warm bulb in a cool white row is immediately obvious.

There is no dimming on this one, so it wants a plain switched circuit; on a dimmer it can flicker, buzz or fail early. It carries an IP20 rating, which means no protection against water, so keep it to dry indoor positions. The energy label puts it in class E at 5kWh per 1,000 hours, and the retail pack prints a 15,000 hour lifespan, quoted there as 15 years. Each box holds one bulb and the minimum order is 12, sold in multiples of 12. Other LED bulbs sit alongside it, including a 3.6W GU10 in warm white 3000K and B15 (SBC) candle bulbs.

Will this fit my existing halogen spotlights?

If the old bulb has two stubby pins that twist and lock into the holder, it is a GU10 and this will fit. GU10 runs on mains voltage, so there is no transformer to check.

Can I use it on a dimmer switch?

No. The specification gives it as non-dimmable, so it needs a plain switched circuit. On a dimmer it may flicker, buzz or fail well before its rated hours.

How bright is 450lm next to the halogen I am replacing?

It stands in for a 50W halogen spot. Because the 36 degree cone is narrow, the light lands in a tighter, brighter pool rather than spilling across the whole room.

What does 4,000K cool white actually look like?

It sits between warm white at around 2,700K and daylight at 6,500K: a clean neutral white with no yellow in it, which keeps worktops and paintwork looking true.

How many will I need over a kitchen worktop?

With a 36 degree beam the pools are small, so plan on a closer run of fittings than you would with a wide angle lamp if you want even light along the run.

Do I receive one bulb or several?

Each box contains a single bulb. The minimum order on this listing is 12 boxes, sold in multiples of 12, so you receive twelve individual bulbs.