Yes, with two things: an LED marked dimmable, and a dimmer rated for LEDs. When the bulb and the dimmer don’t suit each other, the result can be flicker, buzzing, or a light that won’t dim smoothly.
Check the bulb
Look on the front of the box for “dimmable”, or for “non-dimmable” or “do not use with dimmers”. On a dimmer, use only bulbs marked dimmable.
Check the dimmer
- Rated for LEDs. Older dimmers made for incandescent bulbs may not be.
- The LED rating can be far lower than the rating for old bulbs: Lutron’s Diva LED+ handles 150 watts of LEDs, or 600 watts of incandescent. Add up the bulbs’ actual watts.
- A compatibility list. Lutron lists the dimmable LEDs it has tested with its dimmers; for a bulb that isn’t listed, ask the bulb’s maker which dimmer to use.
- Some dimmable LEDs need a minimum number of bulbs on the dimmer to work properly.
- 12 volt LEDs on a transformer, such as MR16 spots, are a different case: Lutron’s C·L (now LED+) dimmers aren’t designed or tested for them.
Flicker, buzz and other glitches
LEDs dim differently from filament bulbs, which can show up as:
- Buzzing or humming.
- Flicker, strobing or flashing.
- Popping on at a higher level, dropping out, or a short dimming range.
- Ghosting: a faint glow after the light is switched off.
Look in the dimmer’s instructions for a minimum-level adjustment: setting it higher helps with flicker or switching off at the low end.
Changing a dimmer switch means working on house wiring. Turn the breaker off first, and call an electrician if you’re unsure.
3-way lamps are different
A 3-way lamp steps through its levels with its own switch, so its bulb doesn’t need to be dimmable: GE’s 3-way LED isn’t.
Picking the bulb itself?
Bulb finder