A guide to choosing the best dimmable LED downlights

Dimmable lighting is ideal for controlling the ambience in any room or providing a little extra light when needed. You don’t need to rely on halogen or incandescent bulbs for dimmable lighting options. Dimmable LED downlights are more cost-effective than other types of lighting and provide the perfect lighting solution for any room in your home.

This guide will take a look at the dimmable LED downlight options available, how they work and their benefits.

Dimmable LED Downlights: Options Available

Dimmable LED downlights can be dimmed in two different ways: trailing edge dimming and leading-edge dimming. This refers to the type of switch or dimmer used with the bulbs.

Leading edge dimming

Leading edge dimmer are also called TRIAC dimmers. TRIAC stands for “Triode for Alternating Current” and refers to the type of switch used in this type of dimming system, Leading-edge dimmers are the most common for incandescent and halogen lights but many LED lighting systems will use a trailing edge dimmer.

Trailing edge dimming

Trailing edge dimming is also called reverse phase dimming. They use transistors to make dimming smoother, more silent and easier to control.

It’s important to choose the right type of dimmer switch for your LED bulbs to avoid problems such as buzzing and flickering. If you’re unsure, you can speak to our team of experts for advice on fitting the right LED dimmer switch.

Benefits of Dimmable LED Downlights

Dimmable LED downlights offer a huge range of benefits including:

Flexible lighting solution

The biggest benefit of dimmable lighting is that it allows you to control the lighting in any space. You can have bright light just when you need it or alter it to soft light when you need a touch of ambience. For example, you might want bright lights in the bedroom when you’re folding clothes or cleaning up, but a nice soft light for relaxing in the evening. Dimmable LED lighting helps you achieve this.

Energy saving

LED downlights provide the clearest, brightest light for the lowest energy cost. Dimmable LEDs use even less energy when dimmed which helps to save further on energy costs.

Long lasting

If you’ve previously used halogen lights for dimmable lighting solutions, switching to LED lighting has another major benefit: LED lights last up to 25 times longer than halogen bulbs. Combine that with an energy cost up to 30% less than halogens, and there are plenty of long-term savings to be made by switching to LEDs.

Dimmable LED downlight lighting: which rooms does it work in?

Most rooms will benefit from having dimmable lighting.

A popular choice for dimmable downlights in the bathroom. Shaving, applying makeup and getting dressed require bright lights that allow you to properly focus on the task at hand. However, when you want a relaxing bath, it’s great to be able to turn the lights down.

Living spaces also benefit from having dimmable downlights too. Having the flexibility of being able to turn the lights up and down makes the space suitable for different purposes.

Similarly, in the kitchen, you need bright lights for cooking and preparing food. But, if you’re having a few drinks with friends or dinner as a family, you might want lower level lighting to create an ambience. This is especially important if you use your kitchen as a dining area too.

Dimmable LED downlights allow you to add just the right lighting accents wherever you choose, helping make your house a home.

Factors to Consider when Purchasing Dimmable LED Downlights

Always choose the right dimmer switch to ensure that your lights will work correctly. You can also install dimmer switches with multiple controls to control more than one LED light. Dimmer switches have a minimum and maximum load which is directly related to the wattage of the bulb. Ideally, the total wattage of the bulbs connected to the dimmer should be higher than the minimum load to avoid flickering.

Another important factor is choosing dimmable bulbs. Not all LED bulbs are dimmable and trying to attach a dimmer switch to these type of lights will invariably cause damage to either the switch or the bulb – or both.

Top picks: Dimmable LED Downlights to Consider

If you’ve decided dimmable LED downlights are the right choice for you, you’re not alone! Here are some of the most popular options available at the moment.

Product	Wattage	Colour Temp	Lifespan	Warranty
Bright Source Eco LED Dimmable Downlight	5w	3000k	Lamp life of 50,000, 100,000 switch cycle minimum	3 years	Buy Now
All in One LED Dimmable Downlight – 106mm	12w	3000k, 4000k, 6000k	50,000 hours minimum	5 years	Buy Now
Bright Source Eco LED Dimmable Downlight	5w	6000k	Lamp life of 50,000 hours, 100,000 switch cycle minimum	3 years	Buy Now
Bright Source All In One LED Dimmable Downlight – GST18 Plug	8w	3000k, 4000k, 6000k	50,000 hours	3 years	Buy Now
Philips LED Coreline Recessed Spot 830 – Dimmable	6w	3000k	50,000 hours	3 years plus additional 2 years when registered with Philips	Buy Now

If you’re looking for dimmable LED downlights for your home, LampShopOnline can help. We provide a range of dimmable LED downlights and our team of experts can provide expert advice and guidance. Contact us today.