The difference between LED and halogen in flashlights – what should you choose?
Whether it's time for an overnight trip or you're prepping for an emergency stash, a good flashlight is something you should always have – whether it's for active use or just lying in a cupboard.
But what is really the right light for your needs? We've created a guide for you if you're unsure whether to choose LED or halogen bulbs for your flashlight.
Development in light bulbs
When halogen bulbs arrived, it was an upgrade from the older incandescent bulbs. Halogen bulbs provided greater light output and were not at risk of blackening the glass. Now, LED lamps are coming in and have largely taken over from halogen bulbs. Here are the biggest differences that can help you decide what best suits your needs.
Lifespan
A major difference between the two types is the lifespan.Here, LED bulbs completely outshine halogen bulbs by a good margin!
Where halogen bulbs have a lifespan of about 2000 hours, an LED bulb can last for 15,000 hours. In other words, it's a clear winner if you need your flashlight for a longer time.
This alone will make the choice easy for you if you know what you're going to use it for.
Color Choice
However, if you're not so concerned about the bulb lasting a long time, there are other advantages of halogen bulbs you might consider.
Halogen bulbs are known to emit a softer, yellower light. In other words, it might be more comfortable to look at the light from a halogen bulb than from an LED bulb. That said, it's now possible to find LED bulbs with a wider range of colors than before. Where LED light has been associated with cold, white light, there are now options to get bulbs that mimic the yellow light from traditional bulbs.
The brightness from halogen bulbs is also weaker than that of the LED bulb.This means that even though it might be more comfortable on the eyes, an LED bulb will light up better than a halogen bulb.
Energy Efficiency One of the biggest improvements from halogen is the energy usage. This becomes clear when we compare Watt usage. An old-fashioned halogen bulb needs much more energy than an LED bulb. This means that an LED bulb will shine brighter and longer for significantly less energy, which is more environmentally friendly. Where an old-fashioned incandescent bulb could provide under 15 lumens per Watt, a halogen bulb can provide around 30 percent more than this. Comparing this with the LED bulb's 100 lumens per Watt, LED is a clear winner. You can get LED lamps up to 300 lumens per Watt, but 100 is usually plenty. The higher the lumens a light has, the brighter it shines. If you need a light for overnight stays or other activities in the dark, lumens between 200-1000 would be wise.Everything below that gives weaker light suitable for less active tasks, and everything above it is strictly not necessary, unless you're working with light professionally.
Check out our selection of LED and halogen lamps here
Price Range
If the most important thing for you while searching is the price, the halogen bulb takes the lead. A halogen lamp will be significantly cheaper than a flashlight with an LED bulb. This is because it's cheaper to produce.
See more affordable options for emergency use here
What's most important to you?
What you now need to consider when going out to buy a flashlight is what your need is. If you want a flashlight that lasts a long time and shines brightly, a flashlight with an LED bulb is the most advantageous choice. It requires less energy, has a significantly longer lifespan, and can eventually also come in other colors, if you'd like the soft, yellow glow.
The biggest advantage of the halogen bulb is the price. If you need a small flashlight to rummage around in the basement with, the halogen bulb might be for you.
If you're going on a trip and you want a flashlight you don't have to replace anytime soon, a flashlight with an LED bulb would be the clear winner.
Where are you headed? You'll find everything for your trip at game-on.no
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