We have been writing about LED bulbs for years, but a 6 watt LED is roughly equivalent to a 55 incandescent and will last 25 times longer. LED also does not project much heat versus 300 degrees for the incandescent bulbs.
LED will be more expensive initially, but its operating costs are much cheaper.
What is a Recessed Light?
A recessed light is three different components.
The first is the housing or the electrical part in the ceiling. It is often referred to as a can or can light.
The second part is the decorative part wich you see. It is referred to as the trim.
The third part is the bulb.
Recessed Lighting Brands
I have been at Yale almost 20 years. In that time we have sold Halo, Juno, and Nora. All are fine brands, but in the same 20 years, production has moved almost exclusively to China.
Kelvin Scale
Kelvin is the light color or quality. This is important because LED naturally renders blue, almost like a fluorescent.
You want a LED rated at 2,700-3,300 Kelvin for optimal light quality which will give you a more gold to white color.
LED Recessed Applications
When putting in recessed lights, you need to consider the ceiling height for adequate beam spread. In other words, you need to calculate if the light will spread out adequately for tasking on counters or illuminate paintings on the walls.
You should also consider if the light will provide a softer light for places like the living room or the bedroom.
Therefore no one LED recessed is the best for all of these the various functions.
For tasking in a kitchen (shown above) with high ceilings from 7.6 to 9 feet, my favorite recessed light is the HALO housing with the RA406930WH. The rough housing is $21 each and the trim is $44 for a total of $65. CRI is 90, 3000k wide angle flood light is best for counters and a desk.
Additional Resources
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