The difference between LED and halogen in flashlights – which should you choose?
Whether it's time for an overnight trip or you're preparing for an emergency stockpile, a good flashlight something you should always have – whether it's for active use or sitting in a closet.
But what is actually the right light for your needs? We have created a guide for those of you who are unsure whether to choose LED or halogen bulbs in your flashlight.
Development in light bulbs
When halogen bulbs came along, they were an upgrade from the older incandescent bulbs. Halogen bulbs provided greater light output and were not at risk of fogging the glass. Now LED bulbs are making their way in, and have largely replaced halogen bulbs. Here are the biggest differences that will help you decide which one best suits your needs.
Lifespan
A big difference between the two types is the lifespan. Here, LED bulbs beat halogen bulbs by a wide margin!
Where halogen bulbs have a lifespan of about 2,000 hours, LED bulbs can last for 15,000 hours. In other words, it is a clear winner if you need your flashlight for a long time.
This in itself will make the choice easy for those of you who know what you will use it for.
Color selection
However, if you are not so concerned about the bulb lasting a long time, there are other advantages of halogen bulbs that you can consider.
Halogen bulbs are known for giving off a softer, yellower light. In other words, it can be more comfortable to look at the light from a halogen bulb than from an LED bulb. That said, it is now possible to get LED bulbs with a wider range of colors than before. Where LED light has been associated with cold, white light, there are now options to get bulbs that mimic the yellow light from traditional bulbs.
The power from halogen bulbs is also weaker than LED bulbs. This means that while it may be more comfortable on the eyes, an LED bulb will illuminate better than a halogen bulb.
Energy efficiency
One of the biggest improvements from halogen is energy consumption. This is clearly evident when we compare Watt usage.
An old-fashioned halogen bulb requires a lot more energy than an LED bulb. This means that an LED bulb will shine brighter and longer for significantly less energy, which is more environmentally friendly.
Where an old-fashioned incandescent bulb could provide less than 15 lumens per Watt, a halogen bulb can provide around 30 percent more than this. Compare this to the LED bulb's 100 lumens per Watt, LED is the clear winner. You can get LED lamps up to 300 lumens per Watt, but 100 usually lasts a lot.
The higher the lumens a flashlight has, the brighter it will shine. If you need a flashlight for overnight stays or other activities in the dark, a lumen of between 200-1000 will be a good idea. Anything below that provides weaker light that is good for smaller activities, and anything above that is strictly not necessary, unless you are doing lighting professionally.
See our selection of LED and halogen lights here
Price range
If the most important thing for you who are searching is price, the halogen bulb takes the upper hand. A halogen flashlight will be significantly less expensive than a flashlight with an LED bulb. This is because it is cheaper to produce.
See more affordable options for emergency use here
What is most important to you?
What you need to consider when buying a flashlight is what your needs are. If you want a flashlight that lasts a long time and shines brightly, a flashlight with an LED bulb is the best choice. It requires less energy, has a significantly longer lifespan, and can eventually also have other colors, if you prefer the soft, yellow glow.
The biggest advantage of the halogen bulb is the price. If you need a small flashlight to mess around in the basement with, the halogen bulb may be for you.
If you're going on a trip and you want a flashlight that you don't need to replace anytime soon, a flashlight with an LED bulb will be the clear winner.
Where are you planning to go? Everything you need for your trip can be found at game-on.no
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