I was at Home Depot the other day, and needed to buy some bulbs. I had 3 old halogens burn out in the basement, and temporarily replaced them with 40W LED bulbs that I had been saving for an upcoming fixture swap-out.
I came across incredible pricing on CREE bulbs, both on standard bulbs and their downlight retrofit kits. This was my first experience with CREE’s downlight retrofit kits, and it was remarkably quick and easy to install them.
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The first package lacked instructions, but I had checked the online install guide a few weeks ago. Even if I hadn’t, it would have been just a slightly slower process.
I had only purchased 3 originally, 2 for the laundry room, and one for the basement to try out. I bought the standard 65W equivalent replacements, in daylight colors and TW series, for the higher color accuracy.
I bought a few 60W LEDs for a new hallway fixture, a few for a new dimmable dining room fixture, and one to replace an outside doorway light, all in soft white.
I also bought smaller lamps for the front door and driveway lights, but they were pricier – $15 for a 2-pack. The driveway lights didn’t turn on, so I’ll have to investigate. The base crumbled a little when I changed the bulb, so maybe the fixture internals rotted out.
Our basement’s drop ceiling is pretty low – between 6 and 7 feet tall. Let me tell you – these lights are BRIGHT! I might have to put them on a dimmer. Only half the basement lights are on a dimmer right now.
The only one I swapped out so far was one of two that had those aiming lights – they call ’em eyeball lights – but the other lights will be receiving similar treatment.
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I only bought a few lights initially, but I went back same-day to buy more.
It was something like $4 each for the 4-filament LED bulbs. The price is not yet reflected on Home Depot’s website. The BR40 flood light I bought (and returned, as I only need 1 for the garage and decided to go with the retrofit kits for the basement) was I think $9. And the retrofit kits were $8 each.
$8 each!
Before I went back to the store to buy 1 soft white retrofit for the hallway just outside the kitchen, which will likely be getting soft white bulbs, and some more daylight TW series bulbs for the basement, I checked the website and the prices did not yet match those in store.
I’m not sure why, but today the soft white retrofit LED kits dropped in price on Home Depot’s website.
I really don’t think the price drops were only at my store – they might be at yours as well. If you’re going to be at Home Depot anyways, or want to make a special trip to check LED bulb prices, please let me know if the deal is widespread.
Hopefully the deal comes online. As of now, only very limited of the CREE LED bulb selection are discounted online.
Buy Now(LED Retrofit Kits)
Buy Now(Standard LED Bulbs)
Buy Now(Flood Light LED Bulbs)
If you have tried these, or other LED bulbs, which would you recommend?
I absolutely love CREE LED products, especially the TW series, and wish that TW versions of the standard bulb sizes were more readily available.
If you have another favored LED bulb brand or retrofit kit, please let us know!
Also, any ideas as to why the prices of popular bulb sizes have plummeted in stores? Not that I’m complaining!
Jerry
I got a few of the 4 foot LED shop lights similar or possibly identical to the ones from Rockler that were reviewed here on ToolGuyd a while back for $33 each. I’m impressed. Brighter than the old fluorescents, and hopefully will have full brightness this winter in my unheated storage shed.
Blake
Thanks for the heads up. I got some of the 6″ retrofit kits for $9.99 on Amazon last week but they limited you to only buying 3. They’re great and have converted all my can lights to use them. I need one more so I’ll check out my local Home Depot later today.
Nathan
You aren’t kidding about the brightness in a basement setting. I did essentially the same thing with the recessed lights in my basement two years ago, and had to put in a dimmer. But it’s actually a good thing because the range it offers now. Anywho, for the uninitiated, like I was at the time, if anyone goes that route, don’t forget to upgrade your dimmer switches to the ones for LEDs, it’s not just a gimmick. They really are needed in most cases unless you like your lights to make noise and/or only dim across a partial range of what should actually be available.
Wayne Ruffner
LEDs “dim” by strobing, with less time being on and more time being off. Can be a very cool effect on movement too (since you’re not expecting it).
Anyway, that’s the way they dim and the reason for different dimmers.
Farid
FYI, Costco has (or maybe by now had) 4-pack 65W equivalent flood lights bulbs for about $4 after instant rebate. I have a good number of can lights in my house and I’ve about used up my stock of incandescent. They burn up very quickly. I replaced a couple with the new LED flood lights and so far I am pleased. The light is just as a tad brighter but with more even distribution. They are not Cree, but at $1 per bulb, I am not complaining.
They also have some for replacing standard bulbs for fixtures at similar discounts.
As for the prices, I am not sure exactly, but they seem to coincide with the roll-out of new chip technology. It seems that just about every 2-years, there is a new chip technology that improves efficiency and chip yield. Osram and Cree have been aggressive on this. So may be getting rid of old stock? There is also some market strategy shifts recently with Philips and Osram divesting some of the lighting business and Cree aggressively going after downstream lighting markets.
Or, perhaps there is a final push to get rid of incandescent bulbs and then prices will go back up on LEDs once incandescent are out of the way. A couple of years ago, HD had some really good prices on Philips LED bulbs for almost about a year or so and then all the sudden they doubled.
FYI: I had to replace two standard LED bulbs the other day. Both were in the same large but closed fixture installed in a hallway. They were Cree brand and only lasted about 2-years ( I paid around $8 or $10 a piece for those back then). I have had one bad Phillips flat-bulb go bad right right away (there is term for that in our business that I despise using, so I won’t), but the rest of those have been humming along nicely.
I am hoping that LEDs will fair out better than Compact fluorescent, as those mostly did not live up to their promise.
Wayne Ruffner
I think most of the instant rebates on LEDs are occasional power company rebates; at least, all I’ve seen have been. So they’re somewhat location dependent.
At my local Costco (Colorado), the current rebates are really good, makes a good deal even better.
Stuart
Some LED bulbs aren’t rated for use in filly enclosed fixtures. I’ve seen warnings of reduced life, probably due to heat buildup.
Farid
Stuart,
The box did not say. I have not filed for warranty yet, but I may. So I am sure that will come into play with the warranty coverage. Other than the premature failure on one of the Philips flat bulbs, I have not had any issues inside closed fixtures (knock-on-wood). I also have the same bulbs in other location with no issues.
Cree is the brand I generally go to first. I agree with Jonathan though. The older Cree bulbs that look like frosted standard bulbs were very good (they remind me of the heavy-duty opener bulbs).
That was the problem with CF as well. Non I’ve ever seen were rated for closed fixture. I had the best luck with the Eco-smart units. They had almost full brightness at turn as well, to boot.
Mark
I’m a big fan of CREE LEDs. I had the LR6 recessed lights installed when I had my house redone 8 years ago and they have been fantastic. Have been using their LED bulbs ever since. They’ve always been pricey, great to see them finally coming down in price.
Neil Rosen
Chances are the difference in pricing you are seeing between the website and the store is a “prebate” from the electric utility. The available rebate amount changes based on utility so the website will show different numbers…
BonPacific
I’ve switched out most of the lights in the house to Ecosmart Daylight bulbs. Online they list at $15 / 4-pack online, but are only about $7 at my local store. We’ve had some bad experiences with Phillips LED’s burning out in months. Might be a bad fixture, but the Ecosmart’s in the same socket have already lasted twice as long, and don’t show any problems.
I use them in the shop as well, supplementing a trio of Feit LED workshop lights from Costco, and in my task-lights. Having the same bulbs/color temperature available in both places is great for finishing furniture.
Jonathan
Love the Cree TW with the 94 CR swapped out the 8 PAR that had CFL that lasted it seems less than old incandescent bulbs . A few years back I stocked up on the CFLs from Costco. The CFL’s from around the year 2000 we priced similar to LEDs now but definitely higher quality and longer lasting I still have some in sealed fixtures (CFLs) that have been problem free still slow to get to full brightness. I switched out 95% my over to LEDs between screw-in an T8/T12 replacements or bulbs swaps to LED T8/T12 out of all the bulbs I’ve had 3 go bad, one was a bulk HD brand 4/$20 about 18-24 months ago and the other 2 both from Costco Feit brand I think, Costco got a great return policy. I think that if you want long life you’ve got to go with name brand i.e. CREE/OSRAM LEDs. The older CREE’s I bought had 7/10 year warranties but they were also $12-15 a bulb PAR style halogen replacements. At that a price point I would probably get a warranty return. The LEDs are only slightly more energy efficient, but the lack of mercury, the lack of instant on/dimmable, simply disposal, longer life (so far absolutely.
I have to agree that prices do vary state to state with State and local utility programs.
I think my favorite screw in bulbs (E26 base) are the Cree screw in bulbs that look exactly like a frosted incandescent bulb, they are glass with a rubberized coating on the bulb. They are getting harder to find, now Cree has replaced them with a lower cost unit that is plastic and vented and a 4flow light. If you come across the older style buy them they have the longer warranty and seem to be a higher quality product.
Stuart
I still have some of those too, which I use for certain fixtures. My Home Depot has been clearancing them out for some time.
Toolfreak
I prefer the TCP brand LED bulbs, most of the CREE stuff isn’t as good as you would think from the name, lots of the “CREE” home fixtures are lower-tier stuff with the name slapped on it.
The retro-fit kits are okay, I just use the BR30 bulbs since they often use less energy (10 watts for 650 lumens) than the retrofit kits (which are often 15 watts for ~700 lumens). Whatever they are, they are plenty bright, often much, much brighter than the 65W bulbs, even though they were supposedly 750 lumens.
I’d advise against using “daylight” or the 5000K color temperature indoors though. There’s no improvement in “color accuracy” with whiter/bluer bulbs. If anything, it messes with your vision and makes colors appear very different than they do in actual daylight. Lights with about 3000-3200K or “soft white” are better for actually looking at things and are easier on the eyes, at least for larger bulbs. 5000K or “daylight” bulbs are good for outdoor lighting though, at least for cosmetic purposes.
Greg
For regular bulbs for table/floor lamps, Cree has really nailed the soft white color temperature. I find them indistinguishable from regular incandescents. When one such Cree LED quit on me, I emailed the company with a photo of the numbers on the side and they shipped out a replacement the next day.
I would second Tookfreaks suggestion above to avoid 5000K lights indoors. I tried one (Cree) in my kitchen recessed can and it just didn’t look right. Trying out new bulbs gets expensive, but I am hoping to find a good 90W equivalent in a soft white for that application.