Hats off for wanting to please your audience!!! Even venturing outside the house and going into real stores 😂. On a serious note, one of the most trusted tech reviewer on UA-cam.
"'So in an attempt to please absolutely everyone...' I'm recommending Philips bulbs again." 🤣 I bought a whole bunch of them after your last review and they have been phenomenal. I love your reviews and your channel. Hopefully you do the same type of review with flush-mount ceiling/wafer lights someday. Thanks for all your efforts!
The information density on this video is insane. From the sheer amount of bulbs tested and the metrics on which they were compared, to actually explaining the concepts and why each metric matters, you continue to outdo yourself!
Fantastic review and detail Rob as usual. Suggestion: there is another UA-camr who runs the "Project Farm" channel. His matrix results tables are invaluable as viewers can look at specific details that may influence their specific needs/interests/desires and decide the best results for them. You probably did something like that in your decision process, perhaps include them instead of just your summary or put them in a link. I appreciate all the work you do for us!
Yeah, thisnis valuable feedback. A summary table at the end would be good. I screenshotted some of the results in the video but a summary would be great. He did the recap with selections but having all of the results would be better. Getting to be Project Farm levels of quality here!
I appreciate this. The Cree bulbs have been my go-to "high end" bulb for years. Since your video on the Phillips, I've been wondering how they compare. Thanks! Great stuff.
I can't thank you enough for adding the Color Tint measurement! I've long observed how much I hate bulbs that err on the side of green. On an unrelated note, I find the Philips "60" W UD to look too sickly yellow, but I seem to think that about all 2700K Bulbs so maybe I just dislike 2700K in general. (and your measurements show it's neutral in tint)
This makes me so happy! I didn't expect you create this video to address people like myself who couldn't benefit from your previous video. You didn't have to do this so I want to say *Thank you!*
crazy testing bulbs. I'm not yet into strip lights but I think it is the future. 9:31 These bulbs have built-in obsolescence because of the compact power supplies within that heat up and become unreliable or die way too early. Strip lights spread the heat to a wide area and is not point light source of a room. A PSU strip light are much larger or does not get heat up too much, if there is malfunction it can be easily replaced.
Color selectable bulbs are also really nice if you want a specific neutral color temperature between warm and cool. The color temperature ratings between 3000k and 4000k range seems to be all over the place. Color selectable lets me get the look I want. If you're not using smart bulbs color selectable is the way to go
Based on the last video i had been looking for the ultra definition bulbs over here. Glad you mentioned that they are not available in the EU and i'm not going mad finding NOTHING about them over here :D
In case anyone is looking, it's the Philips 'Master Glass' range in the UK that is most similar to the Ultra Definition ones in the US. Glass body, dim to warm, high CRI
Thank you as always for your above and beyond thorough comparison and reviews. You provide your data to backup your claims and I appreciate it so much!
Thanks for the video. I'm a user of Tradfri smart GU10 colour spectrum bulbs and RGBW bulbs. The spectrum bulbs are set to cool in the morning and warm at night which is a great way to have relaxing lights at night and to wake up fresh in the morning. The RGBW lights are in select places for special effects. I'll always remember my toddler staring up at the coloured lights, mouth wide open, then falling over backwards mesmerised.
Great video as always, thank you for providing this valuable information! Theres one really interesting bulb missing: the Phillips White Dial LED. It is a glass filament type bulb like the other Phillips bulbs but the terminal at the base of the bulb can be rotated to select from 5 color temps. IMO this is a much nicer approach than the plastic slider Feit bulbs. I'm really curious if this bulb makes any performance tradeoffs when compared with the ultra definition line. I have them all over my house now, purchased on amazon. Not a single failure or flicker a year in.
Fantastic work! Would love your opinion on recessed lighting. Whenever I have a new home, I replace all the ceiling lighting. I use different Kelvin, depending on the room - bedroom 2700K/bathroom 4000K etc. Would love a review on what are the best options for adjustable recessed lighting.
0:20 "...in an attempt to please absolutely everyone..." Admitting defeat 20 seconds into your video... 🤣🤣🤣🤣👌🏻👌🏻 (Update: Of course this is great follow-up video and I am going to be sharing it on social media!)
I can't wait for the adjustable color temperature bulb video. I have a set of lifx adjustable white bulbs and have wondered how they stack up against other options
I’m curious if the first Ikea Trådfri bulbs had worse DUV and CRI quality. Since I have one and I think food looks much tastier in the light of an incandescent bulb than the ikea one. And the warm white is slightly pink and the cold white is slightly green.
My project for today was to replace numerous burnout light bulbs in the house. I was getting annoyed that nothing matched color-wise, they never last as long as they say, and I have two different base sizes. Started my research with your last video and I've decided to buy adapters from candelabra to medium base and change every single light bulb in the house to Philips Ultra Def. I don't know why they aren't sold in any big box store though, wish I could just go get them and do it now. Nevertheless, I'm happy to have the exact same bulb in every fixture in the house and end the madness =)
Quality content. Here's my question about bulbs: What are the best low kelvin bulbs available? This is with regard to Dark Sky and wildlife interference. So the base level is 2700k and going down, I've recently replaced many of those with 2200k, 2000k and 'bug lights' that don't have a stated kelvin rating (and Feit wouldn't tell me either when I emailed them). There's also Emery Allen that produce turtle safe bulbs for areas along the coastal US where sea turtles nest. I know this is more niche in terms of the views, but it's the rabbit hole I'm currently down. And warmer lower light would actually be better for human health and counter intuitively, outdoor visibility.
In Canada here. I bought a number of bulbs - Noma brand - from Canadian Tire (kind of like Eagle, but not really) and they were a pile of crap. I talked to an electrician and he recommended not trying to save money with cheaper LED bulbs. He told me there were two parts to the bulb, the actual LED light and the "black box." He said the lights actually last as long as advertised, but the "black boxes" on cheaper bulbs often burned out quickly. So for me one of the important criteria of cheap use is longevity. I now use the Philips and they last a reasonable amount of time. I have an new house with about 99 % LED bulb use and over the last 5 years I've replaced about 12 bulbs as I used the cheap ones.
So much information. What would you recommend if I want max 10W but would like High Lumens brighter lights in 5000K? Philips? Or any other brand i can only see 60w equivalents. Thank you
I bought the Phillips UD, but in daylight, and it has a green tint to it, or maybe that is accurate and my other bulbs just have a reddish tint to them, not sure.
DUV on the Philips Ultra Definition 5000K was +0.00136, so slightly green tinted. The 2700K are -0.00022 which is an order of magnitude less tinted, but also shifted pink instead of green.
Thanks again for the exceptional content. Quick question: what are the odds all the Philips “eye comfort” series bulbs perform this way? Looking at the thin wafer high hats for recessed lighting retrofit in the house and don’t want to add cans and bulbs.
Excellent video, thank you! I’m curious to know if you have a 360 degree LED bulb to recommend for household light fixtures. Also what bulb would you recommend for use in the Secto Victo pendant for the North American market? Thanks again from Alberta Canada!
I have the Feit smart wifi bulbs from Costco. I just installed Home Assistant on a Pi and haven't figured out how to set it up yet. Not sure it can even be done without flashing the ROMs.
@@TheHookUpyes. I bought them over the years because I work here. A couple years ago Feit changed the bulb and the colors I can set them to using Google home isn't the same for each type. I'm thinking I might have to buy a while new set for the house.
I live in a 220 V region and I've taken a punt on a Phillips 2200-2700k dimmable. It says CRI 90+ so hopefully should be good. I really like the warmer incandescent feel and am going to swap out the pre installed ones in my apartment
A filament doesn't necessarily put the light where you want it. Some of them like their "Dubai" versions have straight filaments, and radiate little light away from the socket. In a table lamp or a small toilet, the light would be partially lost on the shade and walls.
Idk why some comments are straight up rude. I am trying to find a SAD lamp alternative and I really appreciate the spectrometer readings and the information. I purchased an UD Philips bulb prior to watching your video but I now feel better about my decision.
If you look up "How to build a Lumenator", the first google result will be about people who treated SAD by using a silly amount of regular bulbs rather than a single SAD lamp. Hope it helps.
Amazon has the SADS Therapy light panel and the original . The Therapy light says 10,000 only bulb i’ve seen has 60,000 unless you buy a case of industrial T8 Fluorescents . I was only researching for a friend .
I’ve been in the process of swapping bulbs in my kitchens recessed & pendants and appreciated your last video. I could not find the Philips ultra definition on the shelves. Seems like big box stores are phasing them out for some reason. Wasn’t sure if you knew any more about that?
Unfortunately, I don't know any more about it. They also phased out their original "warm glow" line, even though it was wildly popular. They are still available at Walmart.com and Amazon.com. When I made my first video they were still also on the shelves at Walmart, but aren't anymore.
Making a request for the next round of testing: the Philips White Dial bulbs. These are like the Feit in that they have selectable color temperatures, but the selection is made in the base of the bulb, so it keeps the same glass construction as the other Philips bulbs. I have high hopes for these guys. I'd love to use the Ultra Definition, but to my eye 2700K is too warm and 5000K is too cool.
Thanks for the video. Do you plan to review recessed bulbs? E.g., BR30, BR40, and PAR 38? They particularly interested in the eco-smart bulbs from HD as they are a value purchase.
hmm i wonder if the feit electric bulbs at BJ"S wholesale clubs is same as Walmart or others you tested do they make many different models of feit bulbs?
I was actually very disappointed to learn that I could have avoided the Costco membership. Those Feit bulbs were the only lightbulbs they had and those exact same bulbs are available on Amazon (same model number and everything).
i looked at some Feit electric bulbs from bjs and they say on the box it is an exclusive model for bjs it does not have the switch to change the temperature of light@@TheHookUp
Not noticeable/problematic delay. Generally speaking the larger the capacitor and inrush resistor the longer the turn-on delay, but it will result in longer lifespan and significantly less flicker.
That’s unfortunate. They are my favourite and I’m also seeing them become rarer. I was able to order several from my local Home Depot in Edmonton Alberta.
Wish 4k color temp lights were more popular. I've got the Phillips ccts (selected at the base kind). Gotta find some better quality gu24 base bulbs too..
I think IKEA really improved the Trådfri bulbs pretty recently, and price dropped dramatically too. There's really no point in ever buying Solhetta at this point. Great comparo as always.
Tradfri still can't match Solhetta when it comes to "100W" lights. There aren't any Tradfri's with more than 1100lm output. They also can't match power efficiency, but that's understandable having in mind additional electronics.
Hi this review is pretty nice! thanks I think the most important thing in lighting is to have a whole home that the lights mimic the sun CRI and temperature at the exact time of the day. so High CRI+R9 and automatic color temperature when switching on the wall switcher is the final goal (Alexa and the phone app is annoying, speaking to a machine makes quite noise, complicate things for guests and the app is impossible for kids). Any thing out there doing this? Philips Ultra Definition looks promising, but they are temperature fixed and Philips needs proprietary switchers to "natural lights", each wall switcher is 40€... Closest I found is Ledvance SUN@HOME, CRI >95, temperature from 2000K to 5500K and works with regular wall switchers for natural lights, BUT it takes 20 secs to adapt the light form the last state when switched off to the new time of the day. So quite annoying if you switch lights at night and the latest state was mid day (100% 5500K and at night you would expect something as 20% 2000K)
I actually did one better than that. I verified the temperature readings by holding the bulb in my hand for 2 minutes and then reading the temp on the glass and the temp on my hand, then repeated with the plastic shell. No difference at all.
Haha, not with the bulb on. I warmed up the bulb with my skin until they were both the same temp and measured to verify that the materials were not giving different readings.
"I stepped out of the house and into real stores". Thank you. More people should do that, so we continue to have real stores. Btw: Based on your last video, I picked up a bunch of the Phillips UD bulbs (from a real store) and they are truly superior, even compared to my Cree and Fiet bulbs. Color is part of it, but flicker drives me crazy. One of life's least expensive luxuries.
THANK YOU FOR THIS!!! I have CREE bulbs in my can'd lights in my home and my wife swears they give her a headache when at full brightness and she feels the fluctuating of the "flicker" ... I explained to her how LED work and they are basically turning on/off constant, well if they kept at the 60mhz, but thats why there is capacitors in theDC circuit and such to keep the flicker near zero. But I dont notice is, but shes sensitive to it.... Looks like your results here are in line with a very high flicker and she may be seeing it. ...I cant tell her shes right... loll... So i'll get some "BEST" bulbs here and swap our room and see if she notices a difference without me saying anything.
OK, friends, I have something to say about Feit smart bulbs, specifically the RGBW bulbs. After having purchased a dozen or so from Costco, I have tossed out all but two. They get hot, very hot, as Rob pointed out, and they kill themselves. From my experience this usually happens in 3 to 6 months. Fortunately the warranty is longer than that, at least mine was. Here is a list of the issues I have had with them: Randomly turning themselves off or on, randomly disconnecting from WiFi even though they are 20 feet from an access point, losing their configuration and requiring re-connection to WiFi via the app, LEDs dying but WiFi working, WiFi dying but LEDs working, FLICKERING badly, and getting them to work with Home Assistant is not for the faint of heart. (I had one bulb die in the middle of trying to set it up to work with HA via Tuya. I was never sure if it was a physical failure or if the firmware bricked the bulb. I never got close to getting any of the newer bulbs to work. I suspect they locked down the firmware.) If you do decide to buy Feit bulbs, I have a couple of suggestions. First and foremost, buy them from Costco. I was having a fit dealing with Feit support the first time I tried to warranty a bulb until I mentioned that I had bought them from Costco, suddenly I was royalty. After that I led with "I purchased these bulbs from Coscto....." No questions asked after that, they just asked for my receipt and sent new bulbs. Secondly, I would keep them out of enclosed fixtures. That may have been part of the issue with a couple of my failed bulbs. Although I had a couple in floor lamps that failed. At least they didn't catch fire like a couple Great Value bulbs that my wife bought did. I replaced most of the Feit bulbs with the Phillips bulbs that Rob recommends and 4 with Kasa bulbs, so I can still do "Dance Party Mode" for the kiddos. I miss how bright the Feit bulbs were and how good the colors were. Anyway, there is my experience and my two cents, I hope it helps someone.
I think the smart bulb comparison is going to be especially difficult to do when considering wifi and other network dropouts. I think I'm mostly going to focus on light quality and control options (CCT, dimming, etc), but I agree there's a lot more going on.
@@TheHookUp I agree that comparing connectivity and longevity is more complicated. I was offering up my experience because I suspect it speaks to the overall quality of the brand. I also have some of the Feit smart plugs and am similarly disappointed in their reliability, although none of them have failed. I suspect there is a firmware issue with them because I have to pull them out of the wall outlet and plug them back in every so often. I am thankful for your reviews verifying specs of various products. You have saved me a lot of money, time, and frustration over the years.
I disagree on the temperature part that plastic base bulbs run hotter which can lead to failures. They all generate pretty much the same amounf of heat at the same power and it doesn't disappear. Main difference is that plastic base bulbs have components attached to the said base, often made from aluminium so the base sort of helps to dissipate some heat. Glass bulbs don't have that option, components are attached to the screw-in base through the glass stem and they basically hoover in the air and air is a great insulator so the glass stays cool and the components are cooking inside.
I know may be hard but could you do one for the European market. The ultra definition isn't over here in Europe and the ones you mentioned are advertised as 80cri 🙏 Greetings from Spain!
Myself, I will not purchase a FEIT bulb again. Back in the CFL days I had one fail under warranty. The representative did not want to honor the warranty. It wasn't until I got angry that she finally acquiesed and replaced the bulb. I don't have time for that.
I've spent hours trying to find a Philips Ultra Definition alternative (that is dimmable, in addition to high CRI and no/low flickering) here in Europe. Has anyone had any success, please? It feels kinda weird that there really seem to be no good lightbulbs with these specs around here.
signed up for Costco to get the bulbs, lol... I've had mine again for the last 2 years and got the executive... the cash back ALONE pays for my yearly membership and then some! Costs 120 a year for it and you get full cash back % of spend and such... also, ensure to get their credit card... I get about 200 back at end of year for cash back, and another 250 or so in points on the credit card (I pay it off each month). So minus the 120, costco PAYS ME about 330 a year to shop there.... not a bad deal... Wife and I are seriously concidering to drop Prime and Amazon... It used to be cheaper then brick and morter, now its nearly twice the price on most items you pick up in the store for normal cleaning and stuff... now Amazon is CHARGING prime members 2.99 a month for Prime Video!!?!?!?! That was the straw that broke the camels back... I'm not paying on top of paying for something that was included since amazon studios started... I've found almost all brick and morter stores are CHEAPER then Amazon now. Hopefully Brick and Morter stores are coming back after Americans dealt with COVID lockdowns and are tired of being home and now want to get out. *fingers crossed* that brick and morter make their comeback!!!
@@TheHookUp Good answer. You did us right. I suppose all along bulbs should have been sold based on lumens or lux. But since they were not, and consumers are calibrated to the old wattage rating, it's the only answer. Though it wouldn't be a bad idea for manufacturers to start emphasizing lumens/lux instead. But then there is CRI and other things that matter too. (Thanks for doing costco bulbs ;-)
You missed out on testing the very best 60 watt bulbs from Costco, the Feit Electric Enhance bulbs. When used in a multi bulb fixture, I cannot tell the difference between the Enhance LED and a traditional incandescent 60 watt bulb. Originally I used the Phillips version but at some point they changed to a brighter “60 watt” bulb that does not match the light output of the incandescent bulb. A row of these hurts my eyes when used above the bathroom mirror. The Feit Advance are just right. I have bought many LED filament bulbs and the vast majority have filaments that burn so bright that you cannot stare at them at all. This is not true of old style decorator incandescent bulbs. I found one coil filament LED bulb (bare glass) that I use at my night stand. It is rated at 1 watt actual power and I can stare at the filament with no discomfort. I would love to get my hands on a Dubuai (sp?) multi-filament 3 watt bare bulb but Phillips can’t sell them in the US.
Yes I went to Costco today and was disappointed to find that they no longer carry the Feit Enhanced 60 watt bulb. If you have a 60 watt frosted incandescent bulb you could compare it with the latest Phillips LED version since it has been a few years since I have bought a Phillips version. All the Phillips 60 watt LED bulbs I now have are noticeably brighter.
@@dwightmiller1983 Home Depot carries them in clear or frosted filament glass (which are the newest) similar to the Philips UD bulbs. It would be interesting to find out how the two directly compare. I believe the Feit is listed at 90+ CRI while Philips is 95. I've been playing with both a Feit in 3000k 60 watt vs a Philips 2700k 75w in a bedroom ceiling boob light (without the cover on) and to the naked eye I couldn't tell the difference other then the Philips having a slight edge in overall brightness. Ironically color seems the same even though they are rated at diff kelvins. To the touch the Feit bulb seems to run a little hotter after several minutes. Right now online reviews suggest the Feit Enhanced bulb is more reliable long term(lower % of overall complaints). However to me the Philips feels like it has a better build quality glass.
Great video, but I disagree with the ranking for one very important reason. Lifespan. Let me elaborate. About 5 years ago I replaced all the bulbs in my house with LED ones. Half of them were Philips light bulbs (I don't remember the exact type but some of them were glass ones and some were plastic ones), the other half were various noname ones (all of them were plastic). I had them placed all over the house. If a room needed 4 bulbs I made sure half of them were Philips ones and the other half noname (this means that the Philips bulbs and the noname ones were used an equal amount of time). Unfortunately I didn't keep the receipt of the Philips bulbs (I was so sure of their quality) Within 2 years all the Philips bulbs stopped working (a couple of them almost reached 3 years). All the noname ones are still working without an issue and without noticeable reduction to their brightness. I don't believe that there is the possibility that all my Philips bulbs were defective (the 10 bulbs were bought from different stores). It seems to me that there is a manufacturing issue with the bulbs which I hope is not intentional. I also don't believe that the issue is not the quality of the electrical power here in Greece, since the noname ones still work without an issue. If I had known these outcome I would have fully documented the whole thing. It would have made a great video I believe a bulb review should have such a real life test of longevity, but I understand it will not be practical at all to spend years for a review 😜 I very much enjoy all your videos. Keep up the good work
That was addressed in the video. The lifespan on the box is just a measure of how many hours the LEDs can maintain 70% of their original brightness and doesn't account for other electrical failures.
@@TheHookUp Yes, you mentioned that. My point is that FEIT doesn't honor what they claim in the box. Other brands are bettter at that, in the same house, same usage patter, same power failures.
Thank you for the depth of coverage! Puts a nail in the coffin for the incandescent only crowds arguments. Wish the regulation had minimum requirements for flicker, CRI plus r9, DUV, blue spike, power factor and real longevity…and go for broke on efficiency and ban anything less than say 150 l/W. That would keep the e-waste off the shelves and allow us to get Philips UD quality at the grocery store
Hats off for wanting to please your audience!!! Even venturing outside the house and going into real stores 😂. On a serious note, one of the most trusted tech reviewer on UA-cam.
"'So in an attempt to please absolutely everyone...' I'm recommending Philips bulbs again." 🤣
I bought a whole bunch of them after your last review and they have been phenomenal. I love your reviews and your channel. Hopefully you do the same type of review with flush-mount ceiling/wafer lights someday. Thanks for all your efforts!
The information density on this video is insane. From the sheer amount of bulbs tested and the metrics on which they were compared, to actually explaining the concepts and why each metric matters, you continue to outdo yourself!
Fantastic review and detail Rob as usual. Suggestion: there is another UA-camr who runs the "Project Farm" channel. His matrix results tables are invaluable as viewers can look at specific details that may influence their specific needs/interests/desires and decide the best results for them. You probably did something like that in your decision process, perhaps include them instead of just your summary or put them in a link. I appreciate all the work you do for us!
Yeah, thisnis valuable feedback. A summary table at the end would be good. I screenshotted some of the results in the video but a summary would be great. He did the recap with selections but having all of the results would be better. Getting to be Project Farm levels of quality here!
I appreciate this. The Cree bulbs have been my go-to "high end" bulb for years. Since your video on the Phillips, I've been wondering how they compare. Thanks! Great stuff.
You are doing God’s work for mega-picky light nerds like me on a budget
Amen to that 😉
I can't thank you enough for adding the Color Tint measurement!
I've long observed how much I hate bulbs that err on the side of green.
On an unrelated note, I find the Philips "60" W UD to look too sickly yellow, but I seem to think that about all 2700K Bulbs so maybe I just dislike 2700K in general. (and your measurements show it's neutral in tint)
I like to add one 4000K or 5000K bulb for every three 2700K bulbs. Maybe a combination like that would help with your problem with 2700K.
This makes me so happy! I didn't expect you create this video to address people like myself who couldn't benefit from your previous video. You didn't have to do this so I want to say *Thank you!*
Amazing follow up to my favorite video! Thrilled to hear that more are coming since I've gone through a ton of smart bulbs, lol
crazy testing bulbs. I'm not yet into strip lights but I think it is the future. 9:31 These bulbs have built-in obsolescence because of the compact power supplies within that heat up and become unreliable or die way too early. Strip lights spread the heat to a wide area and is not point light source of a room. A PSU strip light are much larger or does not get heat up too much, if there is malfunction it can be easily replaced.
A tour de force. Great job pulling together so many different factor across so many bulbs so concisely.
You are detailed, precise and affable - a rare combination in a tech UA-camr. Thank you for helpoing people all over the world make good decisions.
Color selectable bulbs are also really nice if you want a specific neutral color temperature between warm and cool. The color temperature ratings between 3000k and 4000k range seems to be all over the place. Color selectable lets me get the look I want. If you're not using smart bulbs color selectable is the way to go
Based on the last video i had been looking for the ultra definition bulbs over here. Glad you mentioned that they are not available in the EU and i'm not going mad finding NOTHING about them over here :D
Thanks for the follow-up. Your content is truly one of my favorites! I don't browse any other channels looking for recent videos.
In case anyone is looking, it's the Philips 'Master Glass' range in the UK that is most similar to the Ultra Definition ones in the US. Glass body, dim to warm, high CRI
But those are marketed as 90 CRI by Philips themselves (in their data sheet)
What a great video. Thanks for including DUV.
Would love to see more bulbs tested, like a15 / a19 / a21, or candelabra-style bulbs
Thank you as always for your above and beyond thorough comparison and reviews. You provide your data to backup your claims and I appreciate it so much!
Thanks for the video. I'm a user of Tradfri smart GU10 colour spectrum bulbs and RGBW bulbs. The spectrum bulbs are set to cool in the morning and warm at night which is a great way to have relaxing lights at night and to wake up fresh in the morning. The RGBW lights are in select places for special effects. I'll always remember my toddler staring up at the coloured lights, mouth wide open, then falling over backwards mesmerised.
Thank you so much for this video. I'm PWM flicker-sensitive and this video and the prior one have been an invaluable resource.
This was really informative and also easily understandable. Thanks for taking the time to make this!
Thanks for testing Solhetta's, the only ones from the list that is widely accessible in Europe. I'm glad they are quite good.
Wow, thank you for more data than I think anyone asked for but now know we need! Very well done!
This is really informative. Looks like a comparison review of dimmers might be in order?
Great video as always, thank you for providing this valuable information! Theres one really interesting bulb missing: the Phillips White Dial LED. It is a glass filament type bulb like the other Phillips bulbs but the terminal at the base of the bulb can be rotated to select from 5 color temps. IMO this is a much nicer approach than the plastic slider Feit bulbs. I'm really curious if this bulb makes any performance tradeoffs when compared with the ultra definition line. I have them all over my house now, purchased on amazon. Not a single failure or flicker a year in.
Pretty cool, looks like they are only 90+CRI though. Philips advertises 95+ on the Ultra Def bulbs, so probably not the same phosphor formulation.
Thanks you for buying and comparing !
Thank you also for mentioning UE market ❤️
Fantastic work! Would love your opinion on recessed lighting. Whenever I have a new home, I replace all the ceiling lighting. I use different Kelvin, depending on the room - bedroom 2700K/bathroom 4000K etc. Would love a review on what are the best options for adjustable recessed lighting.
0:20 "...in an attempt to please absolutely everyone..." Admitting defeat 20 seconds into your video... 🤣🤣🤣🤣👌🏻👌🏻 (Update: Of course this is great follow-up video and I am going to be sharing it on social media!)
A man can dream.
I can't wait for the adjustable color temperature bulb video. I have a set of lifx adjustable white bulbs and have wondered how they stack up against other options
I’m curious if the first Ikea Trådfri bulbs had worse DUV and CRI quality. Since I have one and I think food looks much tastier in the light of an incandescent bulb than the ikea one. And the warm white is slightly pink and the cold white is slightly green.
Someone else commented the same thing, very possible.
outstanding review. Any chance of a review of 150 watt bulbs (or anything above 100w) ? thx subbed. came here from your other light bulb review
I love you man ,, can't wait to see the jvc review vs budget projectors.
Great reviews! You're getting up to Project Farm levels of quality. I'll use your affiliate links when I mass purchase Phillips UD bulbs, thanks!
My project for today was to replace numerous burnout light bulbs in the house. I was getting annoyed that nothing matched color-wise, they never last as long as they say, and I have two different base sizes. Started my research with your last video and I've decided to buy adapters from candelabra to medium base and change every single light bulb in the house to Philips Ultra Def. I don't know why they aren't sold in any big box store though, wish I could just go get them and do it now. Nevertheless, I'm happy to have the exact same bulb in every fixture in the house and end the madness =)
Hey tHU, while talking lighting, what lights do you use for your studio setup?
A pretty inexpensive set of LED lights from Neewer: amzn.to/4a6npXY with the softbox covers on them: amzn.to/4afq6Xr
@@TheHookUp Hey, those were the ones that I was already looking at getting, thanks for the reply!
I use the feit electric rgbw bulbs for high framerate filming because they won't flicker at 240fps. Great video lights for cheap.
Tried a few brands of plastic bulbs including Philips, they only last 2-3 years on regular home use. i'll try glass with cob next time
Thank you for doing this! I learned a lot that I was not aware of! 👍
Quality content. Here's my question about bulbs: What are the best low kelvin bulbs available? This is with regard to Dark Sky and wildlife interference. So the base level is 2700k and going down, I've recently replaced many of those with 2200k, 2000k and 'bug lights' that don't have a stated kelvin rating (and Feit wouldn't tell me either when I emailed them). There's also Emery Allen that produce turtle safe bulbs for areas along the coastal US where sea turtles nest. I know this is more niche in terms of the views, but it's the rabbit hole I'm currently down. And warmer lower light would actually be better for human health and counter intuitively, outdoor visibility.
Seeing the efficiently ratings really make the Phillips bulbs, albeit more expensive up front, way more worth while long term
In Canada here. I bought a number of bulbs - Noma brand - from Canadian Tire (kind of like Eagle, but not really) and they were a pile of crap. I talked to an electrician and he recommended not trying to save money with cheaper LED bulbs. He told me there were two parts to the bulb, the actual LED light and the "black box." He said the lights actually last as long as advertised, but the "black boxes" on cheaper bulbs often burned out quickly. So for me one of the important criteria of cheap use is longevity. I now use the Philips and they last a reasonable amount of time. I have an new house with about 99 % LED bulb use and over the last 5 years I've replaced about 12 bulbs as I used the cheap ones.
The black box is the current and voltage regulation circuit, he is correct, those are the parts that normally break.
Amazing review, thank you! Any chance on doing a similar one for indoor recessed lighting (BR30) or outdoor flood lights?
So much information. What would you recommend if I want max 10W but would like High Lumens brighter lights in 5000K?
Philips? Or any other brand i can only see 60w equivalents. Thank you
I bought the Phillips UD, but in daylight, and it has a green tint to it, or maybe that is accurate and my other bulbs just have a reddish tint to them, not sure.
DUV on the Philips Ultra Definition 5000K was +0.00136, so slightly green tinted. The 2700K are -0.00022 which is an order of magnitude less tinted, but also shifted pink instead of green.
@@TheHookUpI commented before I saw you addressed it in the video, you really are thorough.
How did the feit light bulbs do as far as blue Spike in their emission spectrum?
Thanks again for the exceptional content. Quick question: what are the odds all the Philips “eye comfort” series bulbs perform this way? Looking at the thin wafer high hats for recessed lighting retrofit in the house and don’t want to add cans and bulbs.
I don't think they are the same, no.
Excellent video, thank you!
I’m curious to know if you have a 360 degree LED bulb to recommend for household light fixtures.
Also what bulb would you recommend for use in the Secto Victo pendant for the North American market?
Thanks again from Alberta Canada!
I have the Feit smart wifi bulbs from Costco. I just installed Home Assistant on a Pi and haven't figured out how to set it up yet. Not sure it can even be done without flashing the ROMs.
Are they WiFi?
@@TheHookUpyes. I bought them over the years because I work here. A couple years ago Feit changed the bulb and the colors I can set them to using Google home isn't the same for each type. I'm thinking I might have to buy a while new set for the house.
I live in a 220 V region and I've taken a punt on a Phillips 2200-2700k dimmable. It says CRI 90+ so hopefully should be good. I really like the warmer incandescent feel and am going to swap out the pre installed ones in my apartment
Could you share the blue Spike emission for the Costco bulbs please was there a hump
In the previous video the R9 score of the 60W equivalent 2700K Philips Ultra Definition bulb was 72. Now it's 79?
I repainted the inside of my testing chamber with a slightly more true white. I think it helped increase the R9 score of all the bulbs.
A filament doesn't necessarily put the light where you want it. Some of them like their "Dubai" versions have straight filaments, and radiate little light away from the socket. In a table lamp or a small toilet, the light would be partially lost on the shade and walls.
Idk why some comments are straight up rude. I am trying to find a SAD lamp alternative and I really appreciate the spectrometer readings and the information. I purchased an UD Philips bulb prior to watching your video but I now feel better about my decision.
If you look up "How to build a Lumenator", the first google result will be about people who treated SAD by using a silly amount of regular bulbs rather than a single SAD lamp. Hope it helps.
Amazon has the SADS Therapy light panel and the original . The Therapy light says 10,000 only bulb i’ve seen has 60,000 unless you buy a case of industrial T8 Fluorescents .
I was only researching for a friend .
I could not find the Phillips premium led in Germany. Osram-Ledvance have a 97cri lamp, not available in US?
This is such a great video. Deserves way more views
Can you do candelabra bulbs next? I have ceiling fans everywhere that require these bulbs and I can't find any that dim well.
The philips ultra definition line has candelabra: amzn.to/43mnBQP
I’ve been in the process of swapping bulbs in my kitchens recessed & pendants and appreciated your last video. I could not find the Philips ultra definition on the shelves. Seems like big box stores are phasing them out for some reason. Wasn’t sure if you knew any more about that?
Unfortunately, I don't know any more about it. They also phased out their original "warm glow" line, even though it was wildly popular. They are still available at Walmart.com and Amazon.com. When I made my first video they were still also on the shelves at Walmart, but aren't anymore.
Making a request for the next round of testing: the Philips White Dial bulbs. These are like the Feit in that they have selectable color temperatures, but the selection is made in the base of the bulb, so it keeps the same glass construction as the other Philips bulbs. I have high hopes for these guys.
I'd love to use the Ultra Definition, but to my eye 2700K is too warm and 5000K is too cool.
I wonder if the results with E27 will be the same with their E14 counterparts or if the internals are so different it will be a different result.
I believe the same LED chipset is used for all bulb types within the same brand sub-type.
Thanks for the video. Do you plan to review recessed bulbs? E.g., BR30, BR40, and PAR 38? They particularly interested in the eco-smart bulbs from HD as they are a value purchase.
BR30/40 are pretty low down on the list right now. I'll probably be doing Wafer downlighting and smart bulbs next.
hmm i wonder if the feit electric bulbs at BJ"S wholesale clubs is same as Walmart or others you tested do they make many different models of feit bulbs?
I was actually very disappointed to learn that I could have avoided the Costco membership. Those Feit bulbs were the only lightbulbs they had and those exact same bulbs are available on Amazon (same model number and everything).
i looked at some Feit electric bulbs from bjs and they say on the box it is an exclusive model for bjs it does not have the switch to change the temperature of light@@TheHookUp
Great review! Did you notice any delay with the selectable bulbs when you turn on the power?
Not noticeable/problematic delay. Generally speaking the larger the capacitor and inrush resistor the longer the turn-on delay, but it will result in longer lifespan and significantly less flicker.
The philips ultra definition isn't available in normal stores anymore
I listed that as a "con" in the conclusions section.
That’s unfortunate. They are my favourite and I’m also seeing them become rarer. I was able to order several from my local Home Depot in Edmonton Alberta.
Wish 4k color temp lights were more popular. I've got the Phillips ccts (selected at the base kind). Gotta find some better quality gu24 base bulbs too..
I’ve “ Big Clived “ quite a few of my bulbs , mostly in the table lamps.
Should last a 1000 years .
It should remove LED failure from the equation but caps and the bridge rectifier are still possible failure points.
I think IKEA really improved the Trådfri bulbs pretty recently, and price dropped dramatically too. There's really no point in ever buying Solhetta at this point. Great comparo as always.
I have some automation ideas ready for implementation once I find the best high CRI CCT smart bulb.
That could explain why it got a good rating here, while I'm not really happy with the colour of my early trådfri bulb.
Tradfri still can't match Solhetta when it comes to "100W" lights. There aren't any Tradfri's with more than 1100lm output. They also can't match power efficiency, but that's understandable having in mind additional electronics.
Do you think top 2 results would apply to a BR30/E26 bulb as well?
Yes, I believe the same LED chipset is used for all bulb types within the same brand sub-type.
This is the ultimate electronics reviewer
INCREDIBLE work, thank you !!!
Hi this review is pretty nice! thanks I think the most important thing in lighting is to have a whole home that the lights mimic the sun CRI and temperature at the exact time of the day. so High CRI+R9 and automatic color temperature when switching on the wall switcher is the final goal (Alexa and the phone app is annoying, speaking to a machine makes quite noise, complicate things for guests and the app is impossible for kids). Any thing out there doing this? Philips Ultra Definition looks promising, but they are temperature fixed and Philips needs proprietary switchers to "natural lights", each wall switcher is 40€... Closest I found is Ledvance SUN@HOME, CRI >95, temperature from 2000K to 5500K and works with regular wall switchers for natural lights, BUT it takes 20 secs to adapt the light form the last state when switched off to the new time of the day. So quite annoying if you switch lights at night and the latest state was mid day (100% 5500K and at night you would expect something as 20% 2000K)
what I mean is fixed temperature bulbs for home use don't have sense any more.
ua-cam.com/video/1Xk7sTe29hs/v-deo.html
@@TheHookUp amazing, thanks!
I'm curious if you recalibrated thr flir camera when switching from glass to plastic housings.
If not, the readings are likely not accurate.
I actually did one better than that. I verified the temperature readings by holding the bulb in my hand for 2 minutes and then reading the temp on the glass and the temp on my hand, then repeated with the plastic shell. No difference at all.
@@TheHookUp huh. Nice!
Also, ow?
Haha, not with the bulb on. I warmed up the bulb with my skin until they were both the same temp and measured to verify that the materials were not giving different readings.
@@TheHookUp 😂😂 That makes way more sense.
"I stepped out of the house and into real stores".
Thank you. More people should do that, so we continue to have real stores.
Btw: Based on your last video, I picked up a bunch of the Phillips UD bulbs (from a real store) and they are truly superior, even compared to my Cree and Fiet bulbs. Color is part of it, but flicker drives me crazy.
One of life's least expensive luxuries.
THANK YOU FOR THIS!!! I have CREE bulbs in my can'd lights in my home and my wife swears they give her a headache when at full brightness and she feels the fluctuating of the "flicker" ... I explained to her how LED work and they are basically turning on/off constant, well if they kept at the 60mhz, but thats why there is capacitors in theDC circuit and such to keep the flicker near zero. But I dont notice is, but shes sensitive to it.... Looks like your results here are in line with a very high flicker and she may be seeing it.
...I cant tell her shes right... loll...
So i'll get some "BEST" bulbs here and swap our room and see if she notices a difference without me saying anything.
She deserves a win :)
OK, friends, I have something to say about Feit smart bulbs, specifically the RGBW bulbs. After having purchased a dozen or so from Costco, I have tossed out all but two. They get hot, very hot, as Rob pointed out, and they kill themselves. From my experience this usually happens in 3 to 6 months. Fortunately the warranty is longer than that, at least mine was. Here is a list of the issues I have had with them: Randomly turning themselves off or on, randomly disconnecting from WiFi even though they are 20 feet from an access point, losing their configuration and requiring re-connection to WiFi via the app, LEDs dying but WiFi working, WiFi dying but LEDs working, FLICKERING badly, and getting them to work with Home Assistant is not for the faint of heart. (I had one bulb die in the middle of trying to set it up to work with HA via Tuya. I was never sure if it was a physical failure or if the firmware bricked the bulb. I never got close to getting any of the newer bulbs to work. I suspect they locked down the firmware.)
If you do decide to buy Feit bulbs, I have a couple of suggestions. First and foremost, buy them from Costco. I was having a fit dealing with Feit support the first time I tried to warranty a bulb until I mentioned that I had bought them from Costco, suddenly I was royalty. After that I led with "I purchased these bulbs from Coscto....." No questions asked after that, they just asked for my receipt and sent new bulbs. Secondly, I would keep them out of enclosed fixtures. That may have been part of the issue with a couple of my failed bulbs. Although I had a couple in floor lamps that failed. At least they didn't catch fire like a couple Great Value bulbs that my wife bought did.
I replaced most of the Feit bulbs with the Phillips bulbs that Rob recommends and 4 with Kasa bulbs, so I can still do "Dance Party Mode" for the kiddos. I miss how bright the Feit bulbs were and how good the colors were. Anyway, there is my experience and my two cents, I hope it helps someone.
I think the smart bulb comparison is going to be especially difficult to do when considering wifi and other network dropouts. I think I'm mostly going to focus on light quality and control options (CCT, dimming, etc), but I agree there's a lot more going on.
@@TheHookUp I agree that comparing connectivity and longevity is more complicated. I was offering up my experience because I suspect it speaks to the overall quality of the brand. I also have some of the Feit smart plugs and am similarly disappointed in their reliability, although none of them have failed. I suspect there is a firmware issue with them because I have to pull them out of the wall outlet and plug them back in every so often.
I am thankful for your reviews verifying specs of various products. You have saved me a lot of money, time, and frustration over the years.
I disagree on the temperature part that plastic base bulbs run hotter which can lead to failures. They all generate pretty much the same amounf of heat at the same power and it doesn't disappear. Main difference is that plastic base bulbs have components attached to the said base, often made from aluminium so the base sort of helps to dissipate some heat. Glass bulbs don't have that option, components are attached to the screw-in base through the glass stem and they basically hoover in the air and air is a great insulator so the glass stays cool and the components are cooking inside.
I know may be hard but could you do one for the European market. The ultra definition isn't over here in Europe and the ones you mentioned are advertised as 80cri 🙏
Greetings from Spain!
Basically impossible. I'd need to be able to simulate a 240v50hz grid to accurately test them.
You're amazing! Thank you for this video.
Myself, I will not purchase a FEIT bulb again. Back in the CFL days I had one fail under warranty. The representative did not want to honor the warranty. It wasn't until I got angry that she finally acquiesed and replaced the bulb. I don't have time for that.
Thanks for the info. I bought the lights from the 1st video...
I've spent hours trying to find a Philips Ultra Definition alternative (that is dimmable, in addition to high CRI and no/low flickering) here in Europe. Has anyone had any success, please? It feels kinda weird that there really seem to be no good lightbulbs with these specs around here.
what about recessed light bulbs?
If you are in Europe, you can go for Ledvance LED CLASSIC A DIM CRI97 S
Very illuminating
signed up for Costco to get the bulbs, lol... I've had mine again for the last 2 years and got the executive... the cash back ALONE pays for my yearly membership and then some! Costs 120 a year for it and you get full cash back % of spend and such... also, ensure to get their credit card... I get about 200 back at end of year for cash back, and another 250 or so in points on the credit card (I pay it off each month). So minus the 120, costco PAYS ME about 330 a year to shop there.... not a bad deal...
Wife and I are seriously concidering to drop Prime and Amazon... It used to be cheaper then brick and morter, now its nearly twice the price on most items you pick up in the store for normal cleaning and stuff... now Amazon is CHARGING prime members 2.99 a month for Prime Video!!?!?!?! That was the straw that broke the camels back... I'm not paying on top of paying for something that was included since amazon studios started... I've found almost all brick and morter stores are CHEAPER then Amazon now. Hopefully Brick and Morter stores are coming back after Americans dealt with COVID lockdowns and are tired of being home and now want to get out.
*fingers crossed* that brick and morter make their comeback!!!
My costco is about 30 minutes away, so it's a hard sell for me.
Thanks Rob.
Please do a test of recessed LED lighting!
It's on the list!
Philips UD not available in Europe.
thanks bro much love
why are you using their replacement wattage instead of their real wattage? weird
Because that’s still how they are marketed and sold.
@@TheHookUp Good answer. You did us right. I suppose all along bulbs should have been sold based on lumens or lux. But since they were not, and consumers are calibrated to the old wattage rating, it's the only answer. Though it wouldn't be a bad idea for manufacturers to start emphasizing lumens/lux instead. But then there is CRI and other things that matter too. (Thanks for doing costco bulbs ;-)
Ce gars mérite une statue sur la place publique
Still no ultra Definition for us europeans. Almost ordered some last video before i realized they arent 230v :/
You missed out on testing the very best 60 watt bulbs from Costco, the Feit Electric Enhance bulbs. When used in a multi bulb fixture, I cannot tell the difference between the Enhance LED and a traditional incandescent 60 watt bulb. Originally I used the Phillips version but at some point they changed to a brighter “60 watt” bulb that does not match the light output of the incandescent bulb. A row of these hurts my eyes when used above the bathroom mirror. The Feit Advance are just right. I have bought many LED filament bulbs and the vast majority have filaments that burn so bright that you cannot stare at them at all. This is not true of old style decorator incandescent bulbs. I found one coil filament LED bulb (bare glass) that I use at my night stand. It is rated at 1 watt actual power and I can stare at the filament with no discomfort. I would love to get my hands on a Dubuai (sp?) multi-filament 3 watt bare bulb but Phillips can’t sell them in the US.
I'm fairly certain that did not exist when I did this video. I went to costco and bought every lightbulb they had.
Yes I went to Costco today and was disappointed to find that they no longer carry the Feit Enhanced 60 watt bulb. If you have a 60 watt frosted incandescent bulb you could compare it with the latest Phillips LED version since it has been a few years since I have bought a Phillips version. All the Phillips 60 watt LED bulbs I now have are noticeably brighter.
@@dwightmiller1983 Home Depot carries them in clear or frosted filament glass (which are the newest) similar to the Philips UD bulbs. It would be interesting to find out how the two directly compare. I believe the Feit is listed at 90+ CRI while Philips is 95.
I've been playing with both a Feit in 3000k 60 watt vs a Philips 2700k 75w in a bedroom ceiling boob light (without the cover on) and to the naked eye I couldn't tell the difference other then the Philips having a slight edge in overall brightness. Ironically color seems the same even though they are rated at diff kelvins. To the touch the Feit bulb seems to run a little hotter after several minutes.
Right now online reviews suggest the Feit Enhanced bulb is more reliable long term(lower % of overall complaints). However to me the Philips feels like it has a better build quality glass.
Yuji looks great for rich photographers homes lol
I think you meant 60 times a second right? Not 120 times.
Nope, 120
Gotta pass through 0 twice per cycle.
@@TheHookUp I stand corrected. through 0, 120 times. Complete cycles 60.
You should be paid extremely well for this content. Dear migraine sufferers, pay attention
Great video, but I disagree with the ranking for one very important reason. Lifespan.
Let me elaborate. About 5 years ago I replaced all the bulbs in my house with LED ones. Half of them were Philips light bulbs (I don't remember the exact type but some of them were glass ones and some were plastic ones), the other half were various noname ones (all of them were plastic).
I had them placed all over the house.
If a room needed 4 bulbs I made sure half of them were Philips ones and the other half noname (this means that the Philips bulbs and the noname ones were used an equal amount of time).
Unfortunately I didn't keep the receipt of the Philips bulbs (I was so sure of their quality)
Within 2 years all the Philips bulbs stopped working (a couple of them almost reached 3 years).
All the noname ones are still working without an issue and without noticeable reduction to their brightness.
I don't believe that there is the possibility that all my Philips bulbs were defective (the 10 bulbs were bought from different stores). It seems to me that there is a manufacturing issue with the bulbs which I hope is not intentional.
I also don't believe that the issue is not the quality of the electrical power here in Greece, since the noname ones still work without an issue.
If I had known these outcome I would have fully documented the whole thing. It would have made a great video
I believe a bulb review should have such a real life test of longevity, but I understand it will not be practical at all to spend years for a review 😜
I very much enjoy all your videos. Keep up the good work
The problem with the FEIT is that it doesn't last the 10 years or whatever lifetime it claims. You get a few years from it, if you're lucky.
That was addressed in the video. The lifespan on the box is just a measure of how many hours the LEDs can maintain 70% of their original brightness and doesn't account for other electrical failures.
@@TheHookUp
Yes, you mentioned that.
My point is that FEIT doesn't honor what they claim in the box. Other brands are bettter at that, in the same house, same usage patter, same power failures.
Thank you for the depth of coverage! Puts a nail in the coffin for the incandescent only crowds arguments. Wish the regulation had minimum requirements for flicker, CRI plus r9, DUV, blue spike, power factor and real longevity…and go for broke on efficiency and ban anything less than say 150 l/W. That would keep the e-waste off the shelves and allow us to get Philips UD quality at the grocery store
Hell yea, Costco membership tax write off plug at :30
Making a light bulb illegal is a little crazy. Great video!
Having standards for efficiency is nothing new. We also do it for air conditioning, refrigerators, cars, ovens, water heaters, etc.