Researching for the best energy-efficient Eco friendly light bulbs you should look for the bulb with the longest life span that will light up a room with the least wattage usage. In this article, you’ll learn how I calculate light bulbs efficiency followed by my list of 11 light bulbs of different kinds that are most energy-efficient (and therefore also Eco-friendly and money saving).
If I had to recommended one Eco friendly light bulb that will suit most people needs it would the Hansang LED Light Bulbs. These light-bulbs got a very high energy-efficiency score, they are affordable, and very long-lasting.
Disclaimer: We only recommend products we truly believe in and we might earn a commission for purchases made through links in this post.
Top 5 most popular Eco friendly light bulbs
In the following table, you’ll find a summary of our top 5 energy-efficient light bulbs.
- Higher ‘Energy efficiency score’ means the light bulb is more efficient; Providing more light for less energy.
#1 | Energy efficiency score = 94 | ||
#2 |   | Energy efficiency score = 69 | |
#3 |   | Energy efficiency score = 106 | |
#4 |   | Energy efficiency score = 83 | |
#5 |   | Energy efficiency score = 76 |
On The Same Subject:
How To Calculate Light Bulb Energy-Efficiency
Calculating a light-bulb efficiency, is actually pretty easy. To do so you divide the number of Lumens by the number of watts and what you get is the efficiency.
Lumens is the amount of light a single bulb is putting out and watts is the amount of electricity it consumes to produce that light. The less electricity a light bulb uses to produce more lumens – the more efficient it is.
So basically, you should look for the higher efficiency number.
You’ll be able to find the Watts and Lumens data in the product description or on the light bulb packaging itself.
Average Life-span: each manufacture has to mention the bulb average life span – how long on average it takes for the bulb to burn down. It’s counted in hours and moves from 11,000 hours to 30,000 hours. Life-span must be taken into account when looking for the best Eco friendly light bulbs.
There are 5 types of lightbulbs: Incandescent Bulbs, Halogen Bulbs, Fluorescent Bulbs, Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFLs) and Light-Emitting Diode (LED)
Since LED bulbs are by far more energy-efficient and long-lasting than the other types I focused only on them, except one CFL bulb by Philips.
If you want to learn about each bulb-type scroll down to the bottom of the article or click here.
11 Best Eco friendly light bulbs
In this section I dive into each light bulb specification. We’ll give you our honest review so you can decide which one is the best Eco friendly light bulbs for your needs.
1. Sansun LED Light Bulbs
Our first option is this 6 pack of energy-efficient LED light bulbs by Sansun. They make a great choice for those into eco-friendly lighting.
First of all, with 81.25 lumens per watt they use around 85% less energy than 60-watts incandescent light bulbs. Another great point about these LED light bulbs by Sansun is that they’re suitable for any room due to their soft 3000K light. You can use them in living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, hallways, and even in ceiling light fixtures. Read more in the reviews section
Reviews
Some reviewers claimed that the bulbs burned out after about 6 months of heavy use. Also, some argued that they were too dim for their liking. Despite that, most people loved how these LED bulbs saved them a lot of money on the electricity bill.
2. AmazonBasics energy efficient LED Light Bulbs
These incredible light bulbs by AmazonBasics light bulbs might be what you need if you’re looking for eco-friendly LED lights with a soft white light. The 2700K temperature is great for creating a cozy.
The energy efficiency score is 76.1 which is pretty high. Basically, AmazonBasics light bulbs produce the same amount of light as incandescent 60-watt light bulbs but with 9 watts.
Reviews
These bulbs are among the best energy-efficient light bulbs. With low energy consumption and a fair price, many people found helpful to save money on their electricity bills.
3. Philips Compact Fluorescent energy efficient light bulbs
Theses Philips light bulbs are not LED bulbs but CFLs but unlike most CFLs, these light bulbs have the advantage of being mercury-free.
With energy efficiency score of 69, Philips compact fluorescent light bulbs are not as energy-efficient as the LED light bulbs on my list. But they are also not as pricey.
So if you wish to spend less and still keep your lighting eco-friendly Philips compact fluorescent light bulbs can make a great replacements to 60-watt incandescent bulbs – They provide the same lighting at only 13 watts of energy.
Reviews
Some reviewers admired these bulbs’ longevity. They also liked that they save about 70% of electric power compared to their incandescent siblings.
4. Bandord Light Sensor LED Bulbs
Bandord Light Sensor LED Bulbs are another great example of LED bulb that’s energy efficient and very long-lasting (30k hours). Aside from being a durable, sustainable lighting source, it comes with a unique light sensor feature.
This sensor senses the lack of daylight when the evening comes and automatically lights your room accordingly. You only need to make sure the light switch is always on.
Also, this Bandord Light Sensor LED Bulbs produces the amount of light equivalent of a 100-watt incandescent bulb, providing a 2700K light that only uses 12 watts of energy.
Reviews
Many reviewers loved the light-sensor feature. That was why they chose these bulbs for their porch light. As for the price, it might be overwhelming when you purchase this pack of only 3 bulbs. But the combination of the sensor and the high energy efficiency, might make it worthy.
5. SYLVANIA LED Light Bulbs
Not only these light bulbs by SYLVANIA LED Light Bulbs have almost the best energy score on our list they also sell for a decent price. They will save you money both in the short term and in the long term. They provide 2700K light-color (soft white) and only consume 8.5 watts, making them a great energy-efficient option.
With energy efficiency score of 94 SYLVANIA LED Light Bulbs energy-saving light bulbs are a good candidate to be the best energy-efficient light bulbs. They can last up to 11K hours which is not as long as other sustainable light-bulbs on our list but it’s still impressive.
Reviews
SYLVANIA LED Light Bulbs are shatter-resistant because they’re made of plastic. This is why some people with children picked them as their table lamps. And also the soft white color of these bulbs works great in bedrooms and dining rooms. Some reviewers complained about their size. They preferred a shorter bulb that wouldn’t be visible from a ceiling fixture.
6. Tenergy LED Light Bulbs
These light bulbs by Tenergy LED Light Bulbs come in two colors, soft white and daylight white.
Aside from being energy-saving, Tenergy LED Light Bulbs are also eco-friendly. They absolutely contain zero toxic chemicals. They also have a 3-Year warranty and commit to instant-lighting which means that the second you hit the switch the bulb will light at it’s fullest.
Reviews
While many reviews were positive mentioning the nice white light and the instant lighting feature, more than one reviewer said his bulbs failed to work after only a few months and he had to contact the supplier for replacement which they supplied. Overall it seems that the life-span the company claims is not necessarily accurate.
7. Energetic Smarter Lighting LED Light Bulbs
Another option for a 5000K light bulb is this Energy Smarter Lighting LED Light Bulbs. It’s considered an energy-efficient LED light bulb because it uses only 9 watts of energy to produce 750 Lumens. Also, these light bulbs have a great quality of its light. It’s strong enough to light a room without over brightening it.
As for being good for the environment, these LED lights contain no lead or mercury. They also don’t cause UV or IR radiation. So, they’re safe to use at home as well.
Energy Smarter Lighting LED Light Bulbs are overall a great eco-friendly purchase. They have a high efficency score of 84, they are money-saving and they can last up to 15,000 hours.
8. Torchstar LED Light Bulbs
With an efficiency score of 91 Torchstar LED Light Bulbs are another candidate for the most energy-saving light bulbs. These LED bulbs by Torchstar produce enough light to replace 60-watts incandescent bulbs while using only 9 watts of energy.
Manufacture claims that if you replace 60-watts incandescent bulbs with Torchstar bulbs you can save about 85% on your electric bill and that they last 10 times longer. Too bad they didn’t mention the average lifespan.
You can place Torchstar LED Light Bulbs almost anywhere in your apartment. You can use them as ceiling lamps, floor lamps, fanlights, and table lamps. But you can’t use them with a dimmer.
Reviews
We looked for user reviews, and many people claimed to like their brightness. It’s vivid enough to use in a place of work, but not too strong to hurt your eyes.
9. Regal LED Eco friendly light bulbs
With a great energy efficiency score of 88 these 9-watt LED light bulbs by Regal are one of the best energy-efficient light bulbs on my list.
Not only they are energy efficient, they are recyclable and very durable (15000 hours on average).
Another plus of LED light bulbs by Regal is that they contain no mercury, and are easy to dispose of. The face that they are recyclable makes them a great green lighting solution.
10. Hansang LED Eco friendly light bulbs
Hansang LED Light Bulbs are on top of our list both in energy efficiency score (100) and in average lifespan (30K hours). They only consume 5 watts of electricity to create a light that competes with a 60-watt incandescent light.
These bulbs give off a warm 27000K white light and the manufacture says they work best around vanity mirrors, in bathrooms, hallways, and living rooms. You should also know Hansang LED Light Bulbs are lead-free and mercury-free. They also cause no UV or IR radiation.
Considering the above and the positive reviews this product got on the review section I believe these are the most energy efficient light bulbs we have on the list.
Reviews
There is another rather surprising benefit to using these lights outdoors. As pointed out by several users, these LED bulbs attract fewer bugs than incandescent bulbs.
11. Great Eagle LED Eco friendly light bulbs
The Great Eagle LED Light Bulbs use 15 watts to give you 1600 Lumens (the equivalent of 100-watt incandescent light bulb) – That’s a lot of light.
While they have the highest efficiency score on our list 15-Watts is considered high consumption compared to other LED bulbs. So I wouldn’t recommend these bulbs for anyone, just for those that need to light up big rooms and wish to use fewer light bulbs for that task.
Great Eagle LED Light Bulbs have instant-lighting so they don’t flicker or heat up. The moment you flip the switch, the lights should go on instantly. They work fantastically with table lamps, floor lamps, and ceiling fixtures.
Benefits Of Eco friendly light bulbs over Regular Light Bulbs
Sustainable lighting solutions is one of the easiest aspects of eco-friendly living. Not only green light bulbs help the environment they also save you money and effort. It’s really a Win-Win when it comes to sustainable lighting.
Let’s view some of the benefits of sustainable lighting by comparing energy-efficient light bulbs like LED and CFLs with older generation light bulbs.
Money-Saving
Incandescent bulbs might be the cheapest bulbs you can get right now, but one bulb will only last you for 1,000 hours on average. This means that you’ll have to replace them much more often than you’ll change LED bulbs with an average life of up to 30,000 hours.
Also, LED lights use much fewer watts to give the same amount light. Some LED light bulbs can actually save you up to 90% compared to Incandescent bulbs.
If you are making the switch from old generation bulbs to LED or CFL you can get a pretty solid estimate of how much energy you’ll be saving, with this calculator.
Being Eco-Friendly
Energy-efficient light bulbs are eco-friendly. They use less energy, they are more durable, they are made of more sustainable materials, they contain less harmful substances and some of them can even be recycled.
This isn’t the case with, for instance, CFLs, the majority of which (not all) contain mercury traces.
The 5 types of light bulbs
There are 5 types of light bulbs that vary in energy consumption, price, and efficiency. If you’re going to buy more than a single light bulb, you should know the basic differences between all these types.
Incandescent Bulbs
This is the most common type of light bulbs and also the least expensive one. It has a warm quality that compliments skin tones. A single light bulb can last from 700 to 1,000 hours.
Incandescent bulbs are the least energy-efficient type, averaging only 17.5 lumens per watt. It’s also not as eco-friendly as the other options.
Halogen Bulbs
These bulbs are a variation of the incandescent bulb only they produce white light.
Energy-saving halogen bulbs are more energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs. Their efficiency is 24 lumens per watt. But they’re also more expensive.
Also, they tend to burn at a high temperatures and they consume a lot more energy compared to LED bulbs.
Halogen light bulbs lifespan is around 2,000 hours. If you compare it to the following options, you’ll find that it’s pretty short.
Fluorescent Bulbs
Fluorescent bulbs gives a cold, bluish light. This makes them great for large areas like hangers, basements or attics.
Also, they are 4-6 times more energy-efficient than an incandescent bulb. They produce between 50-100 lumens per watt.
Fluorescent bulbs are more durable, too. A typical 32-watt light bulb life span can reach 20K hours.
As for the price, it’s a bit higher than energy-saving halogen bulbs.
Compact Fluorescent Bulbs (CFLs)
CFLs are a great example of energy efficient light bulbs – they consume only 25% of the energy that incandescent lights do. They also last 10 times longer.
CFLs average 70 lumens per watt. Furthermore, they produce soft lighting with color-corrected tones, unlike fluorescent lights.
Another great thing about them is that they’re recyclable, which is great if you care about the environment as I do. However, these bulbs contain trace amounts of mercury – you have to be careful when dealing with them if they break.
Light-Emitting Diode (LED) – best energy efficient light bulbs
LEDs are currently best energy efficient light bulbs you can get. LED technology is the most energy-efficient and power-saving lights. Some LEDs can have a lifespan of about 50K hours!
LED bulbs are very efficient and some bulbs can produce 100 lumens per watt. However, LED lights are also more expensive. Some types of LED lights can cost about 5 or 6 times the price of CFLs.
But off course you must take into account that LEDs can save money and energy in the long run.
When people ask me which light bulb to get, I personally recommend LED light bulbs. They’re eco-friendly, and currently the best energy-efficient light bulbs you can get.
Which Eco friendly light bulbs Are Best for You?
Some of us have different needs when it comes to lighting, for example not all light bulbs are suitable for every room or for every budget. Deciding which light bulb to get can get confusing. This is why we’ll give you a hand.
Most Eco friendly light bulbs
If the first feature you look for in a light bulb is how eco-friendly it is. It should be lead-free, mercury-free, recyclable, and consume the least watts as possible.
Also, it’s better if that bulb is one of the best energy-efficient light bulbs you could find. We suggest the 9-watt LED light bulbs by Regal for these reasons.
Best Budget-Friendly Option
LEDs can be quite pricey, but if you buy packs of AmazonBasics A19 LED Light Bulb, you’re in for a good deal. Besides, the money these LED light bulbs will save you in the long run, a 6-Pack of these go for a fair price.
They have a lifespan of 15,000 hours. So, you’ll have peace of mind for quite a while before having to replace them.
Strongest Lighting Option
If you’re looking for a light bulb that will go in a big room or that can replace a few small light bulbs – you need a strong bulb that produces a lot of lumens. For that purpose I would recommend Great Eagle Light Bulbs. They produce 1600 Lumens (twice as any other bulb on the list) just for 15 watts. Their energy-efficiency score is 106 and the consumer reviews are mainly positive.
My favorite Eco friendly light bulbs
If you want the absolute best energy-efficient light bulbs, I once again recommend Hansang LED Light Bulbs. With a score of 94 in efficiency and an average of 30,000 hours lifespan, it’s probably the best energy-efficient light bulb I have on the list.