ChooseRead a Lighting Facts label like a planner
The label is a compact comparison tool. It becomes powerful when brightness, energy, color, life, and compatibility are evaluated separately.
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Bulb spec comparator
Compare two real labels by brightness, energy, efficacy, rated life, and an editable five-year ownership estimate.
- Question
- Which of these two bulbs is the better fit?
- Runs
- Locally in this browser
- Reviewed
- 2026-08-06
Five-year comparison
Lowest arithmetic ownership estimateBulb A
Cost is only one decision dimension; compare beam, color, controls, warranty, and fixture compatibility too.
Bulb ALower estimate
$12.37- Efficacy
- 88.9 lm/W
- Annual energy
- 9.86 kWh
- Annual energy cost
- $1.77
- Rated-life equivalent
- 13.7 years
- Bulbs budgeted
- 1
Bulb B
$14.33- Efficacy
- 66.7 lm/W
- Annual energy
- 13.14 kWh
- Annual energy cost
- $2.37
- Rated-life equivalent
- 9.1 years
- Bulbs budgeted
- 1
Rated life is not a warranty. The estimate counts one upfront bulb and whole replacements when scheduled hours exceed rated life; it excludes labor, controls, disposal, tax, and early failures.
From number to decision
Measure.
Read. Verify.
Two 800 lm lamps can deliver equal headline brightness while differing materially in watts, beam, color, controls, rated life, and warranty.
Measure
- Transcribe lumens, watts, rated hours, and purchase price from each real product.
- Use the same daily schedule and local energy rate for both candidates.
- Compare products intended for the same fixture, voltage, distribution, and task.
Read
- Efficacy is lumens per watt; higher means more output per unit of power.
- Five-year ownership counts one upfront bulb plus any whole replacements implied by scheduled hours, then adds simple energy cost.
- Rated life is a planning value, not a predicted failure date or warranty.
Verify
- Beam shape, color temperature, CRI or Rf, tint, flicker, and glare
- Dimmer, sensor, enclosed-fixture, and wet-location compatibility
- Warranty, return terms, replaceability, and manufacturer documentation
The visible method
efficacy = lumens ÷ watts; ownership = purchase replacements + energy
LimitRated life is not a warranty and the estimate does not score glare, dimmer compatibility, color quality, beam shape, or failure pattern.
Results are computed from the fields you enter. Glow & Gauge does not infer a product, electricity rate, room reflectance, or professional approval.
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