Are Edison Bulbs LED Bulbs?

Edison light bulbs are reproduction bulbs which are made to look like the first light bulbs introduced by Thomas Edison over 100 years ago. They are incandescent bulbs with filaments and lens (Glass) which are shaped like the original Edison bulbs.  LED Edison bulbs are also shaped like the original bulbs but the filament inside the bulbs are a thin line of LED strip. The LED can be made to produce yellow warm colors like the Original Edison bulb or a cooler white color like the newer incandescent bulbs. The advantage of using LED Edison Bulbs is the fact that they last 5 times longer than the incandescent bulbs and use a fraction of the electricity the Original bulbs use.

The LED technology used in those bulbs is fairly new. We can expect major improvements in the look and efficiency of those Edison LED in the near future.

Now, let's talk about the fun part. This technology enabled a variety of new options which were not available with the incandescent bulbs. As mentioned above, the color of the light or the color temperature of the light is now available all the way from very warm (yellow fire like light) to very cool (daylight). This means you can have an Edison bulb with a whiter cooler color for the areas of your space that require this kind of light. This could be your bathroom, home office, dining room, and kitchen.

See the color temperature scale:

Another major factor is the light output. As you may or may not know, the Edison incandescent bulbs are not as bright as standard incandescent bulbs. The average Edison bulb produces about half the light a standard incandescent bulb would. For example, a 60 watt Edison bulb gives out between 250 to 400 Lumens. The standard 60-watt incandescent bulbs we used to have produced 800 Lumens.

See lumens scale:

With Edison LED bulbs we can now have 800 or more lumens in an array of color temperatures. This really enhances the usefulness of the Edison bulbs.

Using Edison bulbs in enclosed fixtures:

The original incandescent Edison bulbs are all fine to be used in enclosed fixtures as long as you followed the wattage restrictions provided by the manufacturer of the fixture. There is usually a sticker on the fixture stating something like 40-watt max or 60-watt max.  With LED bulbs it is different.

To use Edison LED bulbs in enclosed fixtures you need the bulb to be rated or approved for enclosed fixtures.  Many of them are not and most consumers do not know that they should be looking for this feature. Using the wrong LED bulb will unquestionably shorten the life span and increase the likelihood of premature dimming of the LED bulb.

When shopping for LED bulbs for enclosed fixtures make sure to read all the bulbs features. If it does not state listed or approved for enclosed fixtures then it is not.