To match an old 60 watt incandescent bulb, a bulb needs at least 800 lumens. An LED sold as a 60 watt equivalent should give that much light while using far fewer watts: one Feit 60 watt replacement, a GU24-base A19, uses 8.8 watts.
How bright?
At least 800 lumens
To match an old 60 watt bulb. An LED sold as a 60 watt equivalent had to give 800 to 1,099 lumens under ENERGY STAR.
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Lumens measure brightness. Watts measure the power the bulb uses.
Watts to lumens chart
Watts to lumens
| Equivalent | Lumens (at least) | ENERGY STAR range |
|---|---|---|
| 40 W | 450 | 450–799 |
| 60 W | 800 | 800–1,099 |
| 75 W | 1,100 | 1,100–1,599 |
| 100 W | 1,600 | 1,600–1,999 |
| 150 W | 2,600 | 2,550–3,000 |
Lumens (at least): ENERGY STAR’s brightness table. ENERGY STAR range: the lumens a bulb certified as that equivalent had to give (the program ended for bulbs at the end of 2024). For 150 W the two differ: 2,600 in the table, 2,550 at the bottom of the range.
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Which incandescent bulbs are still sold depends on where you live, and the rules change over time. An old incandescent’s watts are still the quickest way to find the lumens to look for.
Will it go over your fixture’s limit?
Enter the fixture’s limit and the Energy Used watts from the bulb’s Lighting Facts label. Fixture max wattage covers fixtures with their own LED limit.
If the fixture has no limit marked, use a bulb of 60 watts or less, or 25 watts in an unmarked ceiling fixture with miniature bulbs.
Within the limit?
It’s within the limit
The bulb uses 9 W, and the fixture allows up to 40 W.
Reading the box
The front of the box gives the brightness in lumens and the estimated yearly energy cost. The Lighting Facts label lists, in order:
- Brightness, in lumens.
- Estimated yearly energy cost, at 3 hours a day and 11 cents per kWh. The electricity cost calculator works it out for your own hours and rate.
- Life, in years at 3 hours a day.
- Light appearance, from warm to cool, with the color temperature in kelvin (K).
- Energy Used: the watts the bulb actually draws.
- A mercury warning if the bulb contains it, as CFLs do.
Soft white or daylight?
The light appearance on the label is the color of the light, given in kelvin (K): lower numbers give warmer, yellower light, and higher numbers cooler, bluer light. The color doesn’t change how much light the bulb gives. 2700K vs 3000K vs 4000K compares how each color looks and the names makers put on the box.
3-way bulbs
A 3-way bulb has three light levels, and the label lists each one, as in 800/1600/2500 lumens. ENERGY STAR judged 3-way equivalents on the brightest setting: a 50/100/150 watt equivalent had to give 2,150 to 3,000 lumens on top. It needs a 3-way lamp socket, which works the three levels; GE’s 3-way LED has a double-contact (DC) base for it.
Reflector bulbs
Reflector bulbs for recessed cans were rated differently: ENERGY STAR required a BR30 or BR40 sold as a 65 watt equivalent to give at least 650 lumens, 10 lumens for each equivalent watt.
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