When you’re shopping for light bulbs or researching lighting solutions, one word you’ll keep seeing is ‘lumens.’ It sounds like something straight out of a Harry Potter book, but what are lumens exactly? And why should you care?
If you’ve ever stood in the lighting aisle, confused by the numbers on LED lights packaging or puzzled by online lighting specs, you’re not alone. The good news is that understanding lumens isn’t as complicated as it seems. More to the point, doing so can help you make better lighting decisions for your particular property.
In this guide, we’ll explain what a lumen is in lighting, how lumens relate to energy efficiency, and why they’re so important. Let’s shine a light on it!
What are lumens?
So, what does lumens mean? In simple terms, lumens measure brightness. More specifically, lumens (abbreviated as ‘lm’) are a unit that tells you how much visible light a bulb or lighting fixture produces. The higher the lumen rating, the brighter the light. So, if you're wondering what lumens mean or what lumens measure, the answer is brightness. It’s not power or energy use, but the amount of light you actually see.
This is different from the old way of measuring bulbs using watts. For years, we used watts as a proxy for brightness. A 100W bulb was brighter than a 60W one, so choosing the brightest one was simple. But with the rise of energy-efficient lighting (like LED bulbs), watts are no longer a reliable guide to brightness. That’s where lumens come in.
Lumens vs Watts – what's the difference?
To put it simply, watts measure energy consumption, whereas lumens measure light output. This means you could have two bulbs with the same wattage levels but different brightness levels if one is more efficient than the other. This is especially true with LEDs, which produce far more lumens per watt than older technologies.
Understanding what lumens measure
Knowing what lumens measure and how they work helps you choose the right lighting for your space.
It means you can:
- Compare brightness between bulb types (halogen, CFL, LED)
- Find energy-efficient alternatives without sacrificing brightness
- Design lighting schemes that are functional and comfortable
- Reduce your energy bills by choosing lights with a higher lumens-per-watt ratio
Let’s look at an example. A traditional 60W incandescent bulb produces around 800 lumens. An LED bulb that gives off the same amount of light might use only 8 to 10 watts. That’s a huge energy saving for the same brightness. So if you’re still asking, what does lumens mean to me? It means control. Control over the quality of your lighting and how much you spend on energy.
How many lumens do I need?
This depends on the room, the size of the space and how you use it. Below is a guide that gives you an idea of what to aim for, but again, it does depend on your specific circumstances. This may help you choose the right lumen level for different parts of your home or business.
| Room or Area |
Recommended Lumens (Total) |
| Hallway or landing |
300 to 500 lm |
| Cloakroom or small toilet |
400 to 800 lm |
| Living room (general) |
1,500 to 3,000 lm |
| Living room (task lighting for reading) |
400 to 800 lm (per lamp) |
| Kitchen (general) |
3,000 to 4,000 lm |
| Kitchen (under cabinet or task lighting) |
500 to 1,000 lm per metre |
| Dining room |
3,000 to 6,000 lm |
| Bathroom (general) |
4,000 to 6,000 lm |
| Bathroom (mirror or task area) |
1,200 to 1,800 lm |
| Bedroom (general) |
1,000 to 2,000 lm |
| Bedroom (bedside lamp) |
400 to 600 lm |
| Home office or study |
3,000 to 6,000 lm |
| Garage or workshop |
6,000 to 10,000 lm |
| Utility room |
1,500 to 3,000 lm |
| Stairs |
500 to 1,200 lm |
| Outdoor porch light |
400 to 800 lm |
| Driveway or security light |
1,200 to 5,000 lm |
| Commercial sign lights |
Depends on size and purpose so get expert advice |
For more information like this you can check out our other blog – Home Lighting Ideas: Lighting Solutions for All Spaces.
What about lumens per watt?
Now that we’ve covered what lumens are, it’s time to talk about lumens per watt (a key measure of energy efficiency). Lumens per watt (lm/W) tells you how much light you get for every watt of energy used. The higher the number, the more efficient the light source.
Here’s a rough breakdown of common light types:
| Light Source |
Lumens per Watt (Approx.) |
| Incandescent Bulb |
10 to 15 lm/W |
| Halogen Bulb |
15 to 25 lm/W |
| CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lamp) |
35 to 60 lm/W |
| LED Bulb |
80 to 120+ lm/W |
| High Efficiency LED Bulb |
150 to 200lm/w |
As you can see, high efficiency LEDs are by far the most efficient. That’s why they’ve become the go to choice for both domestic and commercial lighting.
Tips for choosing the right lumens
- Start with the purpose: Task lighting (for reading or cooking) needs more lumens than ambient lighting.
- Layer your light: Use a combination of general, task and accent lighting for balance.
- Check the colour temperature: A bright bulb with a cool colour temperature might feel harsher than a slightly dimmer warm light.
- Look for lumens, not watts: Especially important when switching to LEDs.
- Use dimmers: They give you flexibility and extend bulb life.
Why choose Vision Lighting?
At Vision Lighting, we offer a wide selection of LED lighting solutions that deliver outstanding performance, with high lumens-per-watt and exceptional reliability. From commercial signage lighting to floodlights and energy-saving LEDs for warehouses and retail, our products combine modern design with cutting-edge technology. Browse our collection or get in touch for more information or advice on your next lighting project.
Call us on +44 (0) 1132 799745 or email us at info@vision-lighting.co.uk.
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