Brightness
Lumens to Watts: What Replaces a 40, 60, 75 or 100 Watt Bulb
For a century people bought bulbs by the watt. With LEDs the watt tells you the running cost, and the lumen tells you the light.
Lumens measure the light
Lumens measure brightness: more lumens means brighter, while fewer lumens means dimmer.
Federal Trade Commission, Shopping for Light Bulbs
For example, a traditional 60-watt incandescent bulb produces about 800 lumens of light. By comparison, you can find an LED (light-emitting diode) bulb that produces that same 800 lumens but uses only about 9 watts.
Federal Trade Commission, Shopping for Light Bulbs
The chart
ENERGY STAR gives the minimum lumens that match each old incandescent wattage.
| Old Incandescent Bulbs (Watts) | Bulb Brightness (Minimum Lumens) |
|---|---|
| 40 | 450 |
| 60 | 800 |
| 75 | 1,100 |
| 100 | 1,600 |
| 150 | 2,600 |
Read it from left to right. If the old bulb said 60 watts, look for 800 lumens on the new one.
Where TJOY bulbs sit
| Line | Lumens | Watts | Matches by lumens | Sold as |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A19 3-way | 1500 | 12 | 75 W | 100 W |
| A19 100W | 1500 | 15 | 75 W | 100 W |
| A19 filament 60W | 800 | 8 | 60 W | 60 W |
| ST58 filament 60W | 800 | 8 | 60 W | 60 W |
| Dusk-to-dawn ST58 | 800 | 8 | 60 W | 60 W |
| A19 60W | 800 | 9 | 60 W | 60 W |
| A19 60W dimmable | 800 | 9 | 60 W | 60 W |
| BR30 65W | 800 | 9 | 60 W | 65 W |
| Dusk-to-dawn A19 | 800 | 9 | 60 W | 60 W |
| Red A19 | 800 | 9 | 60 W | No class given |
| Colored A19 | 600 | 5 | 40 W | No class given |
| CA11 flame tip | 600 | 5.5 | 40 W | 60 W |
| Refrigerator A15 | 550 | 5 | 40 W | 40 W |
| ST58 filament 40W | 500 | 4 | 40 W | 40 W |
| A19 40W dimmable | 500 | 5 | 40 W | 40 W |
| G25 filament | 500 | 5.5 | 40 W | 60 W |
| G9 40W | 450 | 4 | 40 W | 40 W |
| G9 40W dimmable | 450 | 4 | 40 W | 40 W |
| B11 candelabra | 450 | 4.5 | 40 W | 60 W |
| G25 5W | 450 | 5 | 40 W | 40 W |
| GU10 4W | 300 | 4 | under 40 W | 35 W |
| C7 night light | 50 | 0.6 | under 40 W | 7 W |
Two lines sit below the class printed on their packs. The B11 candelabra bulb and the G25 filament globe are sold as 60-watt equivalents. At 450 and 500 lumens they match a 40-watt bulb on the chart above. In a chandelier with five or more arms that is often what you want. For a single-bulb fixture, take a line with 800 lumens.
9 W, 800 lumens, not dimmable
4 whites
$7.99from · $0.83 per bulb
15 W, 1500 lumens, not dimmable
4 whites
$9.99from · $1.67 per bulb
5.5 W, 600 lumens, flame tip, dims
3 whites
$18.99from · $1.37 per bulb
5 W, 500 lumens, dims to 10%
4 whites
$12.99from · $2.50 per bulb
Then choose the lowest wattage
To save energy, find the bulbs with the lumens you need, and then choose the one with the lowest wattage.
ENERGY STAR (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), Learn About Brightness
Among bulbs with the same lumens, fewer watts means a lower bill. Our filament A19 gives 800 lumens from 8 watts, and the frosted A19 needs 9. Over a year at 3 hours a day the gap is about 12 cents a bulb, so choose between those two by looks.
Quick answers
How many lumens is a 60 watt bulb?
A 60-watt incandescent bulb gives about 800 lumens. The TJOY A19 60W equivalent gives the same 800 lumens from 9 watts.
How many lumens is a 100 watt bulb?
ENERGY STAR lists 1,600 lumens as the minimum for a 100-watt bulb. Our brightest A19 gives 1500 lumens from 15 watts, a little under that mark.