Energizer LED GLS Bulb E27 (ES) 7.3W Opal Dimmable - Daylight 6500K

This is a standard GLS bulb on an E27 screw cap, the pear shape most people picture when they think of a light bulb. It draws 7.3W and gives 806 lumens, which the pack puts in place of an old 60W incandescent, so it is a one for one swap for the general lighting bulbs in most homes. The light is 6500K daylight, a crisp blue-white rather than anything cosy, closer to a bright overcast sky than to candlelight. A soft matt white body spreads the light in all directions rather than forming a beam.

Daylight white suits work more than it suits winding down. It reads well in a kitchen, a utility room, a garage, a home office or a workshop, anywhere you want to judge colours and small print accurately, from sewing to sorting paperwork. Because a GLS bulb sends light out in a sphere rather than a cone, it does its best work in pendants with open shades, table and floor lamps and hallway fittings, where the light needs to reach the walls as well as the floor. If you mix it with warm white bulbs in the same room the difference will be plain, so it is usually better to run one colour temperature per room.

The bulb is dimmable, though how low it goes depends on the dimmer as much as the bulb: an LED rated or trailing edge dimmer gives the smoothest range, while an older switch built for filament loads may hum or drop out early. The pack prints a 15,000 hour lifespan, quoted there as 15 years, and the energy rating is E. Each box holds one bulb and our minimum order is 12, sold in multiples of 12, which covers relamping a house and leaving spares in the cupboard. It sits alongside our wider range of LED bulbs, including B15 (SBC) candle bulbs and GU10 spotlights.

Which fittings does this bulb screw into?

It has an E27 cap, also called ES or Edison screw, which is the larger of the two screw caps at about 27mm across the thread. Check the base of the old bulb before you order.

Will it really do the job of an old 60W bulb?

The pack rates it as a 60W replacement and it gives 806 lumens, which is the usual output of a 60W incandescent, so brightness should feel the same on 7.3W.

What does 6500K daylight actually look like?

It is a clean blue-white with no yellow in it, the brightest of the common LED tones. Colours and fine print read accurately under it, which is why it suits task areas better than lounges.

Will it dim properly on my existing dimmer switch?

It is dimmable, but results depend on the switch as well as the bulb. An LED rated or trailing edge dimmer gives the widest, quietest range; older filament dimmers can hum or cut out early.

Is an IP rating printed for this bulb?

No, the manufacturer states no IP rating for it, so we would only put it in ordinary dry indoor fittings where it is never exposed to water or weather.

How many bulbs do I receive, and how many must I buy?

Each box contains a single bulb. Our minimum order on this listing is 12 boxes, sold in multiples of 12, so the smallest purchase is 12 bulbs.