Last week we began our series on the four keys to buying the right light bulb, as we discussed how “lumens” measure the brightness of a bulb, not watts.

So if wattage doesn’t dictate the brightness of a bulb, what is it? Simply stated, the wattage of a bulb tells you about the amount of electricity that the bulb needs to operate, and most importantly, its impact on your electric bill.

Take that “100W Replacement” LED bulb we discussed last week. While that light will give off roughly 1600 lumens, the same as the older and now defunct 100W incandescent, it will require only around 15W of electricity to power the light. That is an 85% reduction in electricity use, meaning that the LED bulb is going to cost you far less to operate each time you flip that switch.

While LED bulbs deliver, on average, an 80-85% decrease in energy consumption, CFL bulbs deliver around 70-75% savings when compared to incandescent. Paying attention to the energy needs of a particular bulb can save you a lot of money in the long run, and who doesn’t want that?

Join us next week as we talk about the temperature of a bulb, and how you can make sure you choose the right light for the right room.