Bulbs are very important accessories, every household that is connected to electricity in Kenya have at least one. In this article, we are going to see best bulbs in Kenya and all categories they come in. We are also going to look at factors to consider when buying one, the different categories, how differences in categories affects your choice and how efficient each is in terms of energy saving, efficiency, performance and cost effectiveness.
Jump to a bulb category by clicking it here:
[ps2id id=’ledbulbs’ target=”/]
Led bulbs in Kenya
Led bulbs are the latest technology in the bulbs industry. Being the latest also means they are the most efficient. Led bulbs are the most recommended.
Also see: Best electrical installation services in Kenya
They are usually made of light emitting diodes, in this case the light emitting diode is usually of a semi conductor material such as silicon. When electricity passes through this semiconductors material, they produce light. In the image below you can see the light emitting diodes.
When it comes to brightness you can actually choose between different levels of brightness in Led bulbs, it is good noting that when shopping for a led, bulb, you should check for Lumens to determine the brightness and not Watts as in normal bulbs. Later on the factors to consider when buying a bulb, we are going to provide a chart to help choose in regard to Lumens in comparison to Watts.
In terms of colors, the led bulbs are not limited, you can choose from a bunch of colors available for the bulbs, some of the bulbs have the capability of changing colors. The color of the bulb is determined by the heat they produce, hence, Kelvins are used to determine the color of the bulb light. Later, we are going to provide a chart to help determine the color you can choose in regard to Kelvins.
Advantages of Led bulbs
1. Led bulbs have a very low maintenance cost, since they are usually manufactured with high cooling features, it means you will not need to keep on replacing them.
2. Long life span, as mentioned above, they have efficient cooling system hence will serve for long without need for any replacement.
3. Energy efficiency, If you are looking for an energy saving bulb, then Led bulbs should be your choice, they convert a very great percentage of input electricity to light, this means that a lower input will give high brightness still.
4. High quality light, the light emitting diodes will give very clean light as compared to other types of bulbs.
One downside of this bulbs is that they have high initial cost, however this cost is going down with new improvements in manufacturing them been made.
[ps2id id=’flubulbs’ target=”/]
Fluorescent bulbs
Fluorescent bulbs can be considered as second in market bulbs, they came in the market as the second ones after the incandescent bulbs and are the second most recommended.
They are commonly made of tubes in different shapes, standard fluorescent lights are usually the long tubes and compact fluorescent lights are usually the short small tubes, the tubes contain mercury vapor gas and coated with phosphor. When electricity passes through the bulb, a short wave ultraviolet light is produced.
Fluorescent bulbs are available in a range of colors, this is achieved by changing the amount of phosphor in the bulb.
These types are more efficient and long lasting, however, they require high maintenance cost and require frequent replacements.
[ps2id id=’incabulbs’ target=”/]
Incandescent bulbs
This were the first bulbs to be used, they are still in use but are been replaced by the above two categories, They are less efficient and use of a lot of electricity.
They usually have a filament that is heat until it grows. The image below an incandescent bulb
In most cases, it is advised not to consider buying this types of bulbs.
[ps2id id=’cctvbulbs’ target=”/]
CCTV bulbs in Kenya
This is a technology used to provide hidden cameras mainly for security and monitoring. The bulbs used for this operation are mainly of Led bulbs category. Also see CCTV Cameras buying guide
[sc_fs_faq sc_id=”fs_faqs5jsq8ie3″ html=”true” headline=”h2″ img=”” question=”How does a CCTV bulb work?” img_alt=”” css_class=”” ]CCTV bulbs usually have a hidden camera in them, they use the bulb socket for power and will in most cases require a WIFI connection and website or app to operate them as we are going to see below.[/sc_fs_faq].
Once you have your CCTV bulb, install it on the socket just like you would for a normal bulb, after that, switch on the WIFI on your device and search for available devices, connect to the bulb. After that you will need to go to the manufacturers website all app and create an account then test whether the camera is working by having someone move around the area of view of the bulb camera, you can also use a device playing a video in case you are alone to note if there will be any movement.
[ps2id id=’enerbulbs’ target=”/]
Energy saving bulbs in Kenya
Energy saving bulb is term used for bulbs with high energy efficiency. This is the ability of the bulb to convert certain percentage of the overall power input to light. There is no bulb that is 100% efficient. As noted before Led bulbs are the most efficient.
The most recommended energy saving bulb is one from the Led bulbs category, however, if the cost for a led bulb is too high for you, the Compact Fluorescent Light is the second best solution. Do not not go for an incandescent bulb or a Standard Fluorescent Light since they are not energy saving.
[ps2id id=’factorbulbs’ target=”/]
Factors to consider when buying bulbs in Kenya
Now that we have seen the various bulbs categories, let us learn what to consider when purchasing one
1. Features
Just like any other electronic gadget, features of the bulb come in handy with regard to what you want achieve. Features are also the main determinant of cost.
2. Cost
This is an important consideration, it is important noting that Led bulbs have low maintenance cost but higher buying cost. Others might have a lower buying cost but high maintenance cost.
3. Color
If you are looking for a bulb with a certain color, the table below can help you choose, Color is usually a factor of heat produced by a bulb. The following chart can help you choose.
[ps2id id=’kelvins’ target=”/]
source: theguardian.com
4. Brightness
As mentioned earlier, bulbs brightness is usually measured in Lumens in regard to watts. This will vary according to the category of the bulb. The chart below show bulb brightness in regard to Watts. The HID and CFL belong to the standard Fluorescent Lights and the Compact Fluorescent Lights respectively
[ps2id id=’lumens’ target=”/]
source: take3lighting.com
The table below can help you do a quick comparison between different bulbs
[table id=1 /]
[ps2id id=’bestbulbs’ target=”/]
Best bulbs In Kenya
From the above knowledge, we believe you can choose the best bulb in an informed way, here are some of the top bulb brands you will find.
1. Philips bulbs
Image: Philips hue, one of the most advance Philips’ product
This is by far the most famous and dominating bulb brand all over the world. It is also among the best bulbs in Kenya. The brand has manufactured bulbs in all categories, that is the Led, Fluorescent and Incandescent.
Some of their bulbs will come incorporated with features such as: connection with your smartphone or even home assistant programs such as Alexa, others have CCTV camera attached to them. Some will have features such as dimming control capabilities, color change etc
2. Ensave bulbs
This is a company in Kenya that specializes in importation of bulbs. The main focus of the company is Energy saving bulbs in the Led bulbs and Fluorescent bulbs category.
3. Tronic bulbs
The supplier focuses in supply of bulbs in Middle East and Africa. The main bulbs you will get from this company are the energy saving type.
4. Dragon Bulbs
This supplier will also focus on energy saving bulbs category
5.Bulbrite bulbs
This is global bulb producer, although they have the energy saving bulbs. Their main focus seems to be on the incandescent bulbs
6. Nice one
This is yet another bulb provide in Kenya that focuses on Energy saving bulbs.
The above is just a list of some of the top bulbs brands you will come across. You will find more bulbs out there, in fact, almost any brand you will come across maybe well performing. The best thing to consider hence is the features of the bulb you want.