Walmart launches Great Value line of low-cost LED light bulbs

[Shawn Knight]

Walmart is looking to push LED light bulb technology mainstream with the launch of their Great Value line of bulbs. The Bentonville, Arkansas, retailer will sell 26 different bulb types including a non-dimmable 60-watt equivalent LED unit that will retail for $8.88 and a dimmable model for $9.88.

Bulbs using LED technology are said to provide the same quality and appearance of traditional bulbs except they are 80 percent more efficient, emit 40 percent less heat and last 25 times longer than a filament-based bulb. According to the Energy Information Administration, replacing all of the bulbs in your house with LED models could save an average of $129 per year on your energy bill.

If the Great Value line isn’t for you, perhaps a bulb from General Electric (GE) is more up your alley. A 60-watt dimmable GE LED bulb can be had for less than $11, we’re told.

LED bulbs look to be the future but high prices have kept the technology at bay thus far. I haven’t tried an LED bulb personally but they certainly look better on paper than compact fluorescent bulbs as they last longer, consume less electricity, cost less to operate and contain no toxic mercury.

The bulbs are now available in all of their US stores and online with the goal of making LED light bulb more accessible for consumers, the company said in a press release on the matter.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/54218-walmart-launches-great-value-line-of-low-cost-led-light-bulbs.html

 

[MilwaukeeMike]

The quest for a better bulb is a fascinating story to me. The basic filament bulb is one of the only things we use today that hasn't changed much since it was invented. Look at the telephone, radio, TV, computer, car.. just about anything, but the bulb is still pretty much the same.

And one reason is because it's really really hard to make a cheap light bulb that gives off the right color light. Humans are predisposed to prefer light from a burning source (probably from our caveman days) and CFLs and LEDs dont' burn and therefore are too white or unpleasant.

I hope this is a nice bulb because LEDs may inherit CFL's reputation of burning out very fast.

 

[mctommy]

I don't see this as a deal/value at all since Costco just had a set of 3 LED dimmable lightbulbs for $8 after instant rebate. I'm not sure how much was the wattage equivalent.

 

[St1ckM4n]

I bought a $30 one a couple weeks ago. The best part: dimmable, colour changing, remote control.

So I leave floor-standing lamp in the lounge turned on permanently. Now I don't need to get up to turn it on (when pausing movie for snacks, etc) and I have 40+ different colours to choose from. Or, as I mostly do, I leave it on auto so it changes by itself! Best $30 I've spent in a while haha. Package says it lasts 25 years based on 3hrs per day.

 

[VitalyT]

I bought a $30 one a couple weeks ago.

Which one was it? Give us a ref, please

 

[St1ckM4n]

http://www.masters.com.au/product/1...ison-screw-cap-e27-a-colour-changed-led-globe

White light is pretty decent too, if a tiny bit blue. But, $30 ...

 

[p51d007]

The problem I've had with CFL's is the light runs toward the cool end of the color temperature chart.
I prefer the warmer end, 2700-3000k

 

[Tekkaraiden]

I've replaced almost all of the bulbs in my house with led versions. I've found the quality varies greatly from manufacture to manufacture.

 

[gamoniac]

I've replaced almost all of the bulbs in my house with led versions. I've found the quality varies greatly from manufacture to manufacture.

Any tips on which manufacturers are great and which to avoid? TIA.

 

[Tekkaraiden]

Philips and Sylvania both make very nice bulbs. I've found the Cree lights that Home Depot carry to be nice as well (very bright).

I haven't been too impressed with the Lights of America ones, I've already had one partly fizzle out.

I haven't tried any GE bulbs so I can't comment on them.

The biggest challenge I've found is how to determine how bright the bulbs will be as they use lumens instead of watts for light output.

 

[captaincranky]

...[ ]... I've found the Cree lights that Home Depot carry to be nice as well (very bright).

Home Depot's "Cree" brand bulbs are pretty spectacular. Their patented "tower" (?), mixes red, green, and blue LEDs to make the "white light" humans a accustomed to. Couple things though, the transformers hum when using a dimer, and the light color temperature seems to "go up" (gets slightly "bluer"), as you dim them. (Cree claims you don't need a special dimmer for their current line). As you likely know, incandescent lights get redder as the filament heat drops.

The biggest challenge I've found is how to determine how bright the bulbs will be as they use lumens instead of watts for light output.

This is a bit puzzling as the value in lumens is always printed on incandescent light bulb packages. Actually, this is an attempt to make it easier to determine relative brightness, certainly not to make it harder.

http://www.extremetech.com/electronics/166084-cree-tw-led-bulb

I actually like the light from "warm white" CFL bulbs. They're dirt cheap ATM, but unfortunately not dimmable, The dimmable variants are about 5X the price.

 

[Ranger12]

Nice! I prefer the white colored light. Feels more modern.

Oh and for anyone in Georgia, like myself, this weekend is a tax free holiday on energy saving products so nows the time to buy!

 

[Tekkaraiden]

This is a bit puzzling as the value in lumens is always printed on incandescent light bulb packages. Actually, this is an attempt to make it easier to determine relative brightness, certainly not to make it harder.

I didn't mean to suggest they are making it harder, it's just different from what I am used to looking for. I've always understood lighting in wattage so looking for lighting in lumens takes a bit to get used to.

 

[Guest]

The Costco one you have is 15 watts. I have these. I put 3 of them together it is still not bright enough. The LEDs are not pointing into the same direction.

 

[tipstir]

Back in 2011 late I did invest in redoing all the CLF light bulbs to LED light bulbs. There was a good deal on Amazon for $5 to 6 bucks for 50 watt type was the same brightness as 60 watt but uses far less. First batch was okay the second one a few were smashed but, Amazon refunded me my money on the damage ones you don't send those back though. So now here is 100% LED Light Bulbs. Have a saved yes you bet I have save a lot of money on my electric bill.

 

[wiyosaya]

If the 60W equivalent bulb is the Philips A21 bulb with the 1100 lumen output, then this is a good deal as places like Home Depot were selling the Philips A21 bulb for about $30.
What is important in comparisons is the number of lumens the bulb, whether CFL or LED, puts out. A 60W incandescent puts out about 1100 lumens.

The problem I've had with CFL's is the light runs toward the cool end of the color temperature chart.
I prefer the warmer end, 2700-3000k

Personally, I prefer 5000K bulbs myself.

...[ ]... I've found the Cree lights that Home Depot carry to be nice as well (very bright).

Home Depot's "Cree" brand bulbs are pretty spectacular. Their patented "tower" (?), mixes red, green, and blue LEDs to make the "white light" humans a accustomed to. Couple things though, the transformers hum when using a dimer, and the light color temperature seems to "go up" (gets slightly "bluer"), as you dim them. (Cree claims you don't need a special dimmer for their current line). As you likely know, incandescent lights get redder as the filament heat drops.

The biggest challenge I've found is how to determine how bright the bulbs will be as they use lumens instead of watts for light output.

This is a bit puzzling as the value in lumens is always printed on incandescent light bulb packages. Actually, this is an attempt to make it easier to determine relative brightness, certainly not to make it harder.

http://www.extremetech.com/electronics/166084-cree-tw-led-bulb

I actually like the light from "warm white" CFL bulbs. They're dirt cheap ATM, but unfortunately not dimmable, The dimmable variants are about 5X the price.

Hmmm, so Cree uses transformers to accomplish dimmability. I'm disappointed to hear that. Personally, I have known Cree to be one of the pioneers in power LEDs, but this shakes my confidence in them. There has got to be another way to accomplish dimability that does not involve a transformer, or at least there has to be another transformer that would not hum. For now, though, Cree is off my list as I would be very annoyed by any bulb that hums.

 

[wiyosaya]

I bought a $30 one a couple weeks ago. The best part: dimmable, colour changing, remote control.

Personally, I consider the color changing feature to be marketing.

 

[captaincranky]

I

Hmmm, so Cree uses transformers to accomplish dimmability. I'm disappointed to hear that. Personally, I have known Cree to be one of the pioneers in power LEDs, but this shakes my confidence in them. There has got to be another way to accomplish dimability that does not involve a transformer, or at least there has to be another transformer that would not hum. For now, though, Cree is off my list as I would be very annoyed by any bulb that hums.

OK first, "transformer" is a guess on my part. Second, I've read so many tedious, denigrating reviews on HDDs and optical drives on the web, complaining about "noise". Then, you but the "offending" product, and find out you can barely hear it, once you've installed in in your machine.

I gives me pause to wonder if these were babies raised in a soundproof chamber. Speaking for myself, I find the indignance and self importance of the posters, way more annoying than the products themselves.

If you want to live your life in or around the color temperature of noon in June sunlight, (5600K, you might want to investigate metal halide bulbs for your table lamps.

Oh, and this just in, Home Depot has dropped the price on the Cree bulbs to 5 bucks a pop, (from 10) for the 40 watt, and 8 bucks a pop, (from 13), for the 60 watt equivalent.

 

[tipstir]

It's good to see the other major stores are dropping the prices. Prior they were over charging like they do with everything.