LED GU10s are the LED equivalent of standard halogen GU10s. However, they are much more energy efficient, saving you money.
They are designed to retrofit into old GU10s slots. For more information on how to retrofit LED lights, click here.
In this guide
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We are proud to showcase these highly-respected brands. We have chosen them based on their reputation as offering some of the highest quality electrical equipment in the world.
Brands by price
Why do LED prices vary?
The type of bulb, shape and general purpose of LED bulbs all play a factor in their costs.
These days, standard household LED bulbs are all reasonably priced. Even the top brands are easily affordable.
Compact designs like capsule LEDs (shown left) can be expensive if you are looking for quality. This is because they have to be powerful enough in confined spaces which requires more development and research.
Large outdoor fittings are bigger and more protected that standard household bulbs. This means they require more material and harder to mass produce quickly, hence a slightly increased price.
Dimmable GU10s
Normal dimming switches are often known as leading edge switches which work with incandescent and halogen.
LED dimmable lamps require a trailing edge dimmer. Trailing edge dimmers are much more advanced than old leading edge dimmers as they allow smoother and silent dimming.
Best LED dimmer switch
Varilight V-Pro 1 Gang, 2 Way LED Dimming Switch
- Available in white and chrome
- Works for both Led and halogen
- Silent, smooth dimming
- 10 year warranty
Best Dimmable GU10
Osram 4.6W LED GU10 2700k
- Can replace a 50w halogen bulb
- 2700k light colour (warm white)
- Average life span of 25000 hours
- Lumen output of 250
Halogen GU10 vs LED GU10
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Branded 50w Halogen
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Philips CorePro LEDspot
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Energy Rating
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N/A
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A+
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Savings
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None
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80%
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Wattage
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50w
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5w (equivalent to 50w halogen)
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Cost
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£1.07
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£2.54
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Switch Cycles**
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10, 000
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50, 000
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Colour temperatures
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Standard temp: 3200k
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2700k - warm
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Suitable locations
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- Kitchens
- Living rooms
- Bedrooms
- Dining rooms
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- Kitchens
- Living rooms
- Bedrooms
- Dining rooms
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Rated lifespan
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2,000 hours
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15,000 hours
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Beam angle
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40 o
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36 o
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** Switch cycle
A switch cycle is how many times you can turn a bulb on and off again before it is unusable.
The best GU10 LED for the kitchen
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Room
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Bulb
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Kitchen
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Energizer/JCB 5W LED 6500k
- Colour temperature: 6500k (bright white) – clear and illuminating
- 85% energy saving
- Energy rating A
- Designed to replace 50w halogen
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Buy now!
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Living Room
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Osram 4.3w LED Par16 36deg GU10
- Colour temperature: 2700k (warm white) – creates a cosy atmosphere
- Average life: 15,000 hours
- Lumens: 350lm
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Buy now!
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What are Lumens?
Lumens is a measurement of light output. Lumens are indicated by lm.
Lumens are a different way to know how bright a lamp is. Because of the efficiency of LED, watt based measurements have become somewhat obsolete. It’s a common misconception to use watts as a way to measure light output, when in fact watts simply state how much power the bulb consumes.
Low energy LED lamps have a higher light output and a much lower power consumption, therefore an LED light may have a low watt rating but actually equals in light output.
The fact that a 6.5W LED lamp can give the same light output as a 50W Halogen lamp, shows how much more energy efficient LED is.
What is Kelvin (k)
Colour temperature describes the colour of light emitted from different types of bulbs. The technical term for this is correlated colour temperature (CCT). Different colour temperatures create different visual effects and are appropriate for different environments.
Colour temperature is measured in Kelvin (K) on a scale from ‘warm’ to ‘cool’:
- The ‘warmer’ the light, the lower the number of Kelvin.
- The ‘cooler’ the light, the higher the number of
For more information, check out our guide to LED colour temperatures
FAQ
What LED GU10 is equivalent to 50w?
4.5w LED GU10 will provide the equal brightness as a 50w.
Wattage isn’t actually an indication of brightness. Wattage is a measurement of how much energy a bulb requires. Because LEDs require less energy the correlation between wattage and brightness does not work.
Lumens are the true measurement of brightness provided by a bulb. Look out for the lumens when purchasing your LED bulb.
To make things easier, the table below shows the correlation between lumens, incandescent and LED bulbs
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Lumens
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Incandescent
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LED
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450 lm
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40 W
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6 - 9 W
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800 lm
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60 W
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8 – 12 W
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1100 lm
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75 W
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8 – 12 W
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1600 lm
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100 W
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16 – 20 W
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2600 lm
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150 W
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25 – 28 W
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How long do GU10 LED bulbs last?
The average GU10 LED bulb lasts approximately 15,000 hours.
This is excellent value for money compared this to the average halogen bulb which lasts approximately 1000 hours.
Do LED GU10 bulbs get hot?
LEDs maintain a relatively low temperature.
LEDs will be hot to the touch but will not pose a fire risk. LEDs GU10s run at a much cooler temperature than incandescent bulbs.
Do GU10 LED bulbs need a transformer?
No.
LED bulbs do not need a transformer but do require a driver to work. Drivers are the LED equivalent to ballast and provide the LEDs with the electricity required for optimum performance.
GU10s have a driver built into the bulb at no extra coast.
Are GU10 LED bulbs dimmable?
Yes.
LED dimmers can be purchased and installed in order to dim your LED GU10 and they will also work for halogen bulbs too. You will need to also purchase a GU10 LED bulb that is dimmer friendly. See above for our best dimmer switches and dimmable GU10s
Can you replace GU10 halogen bulbs with LED?
Yes, you can simply swap out the bulbs when you need to.
It is worth looking at the colour temperature of your halogen bulbs in order to match your LED. This means that your LED will look as similar as possible as your previous halogen bulb, whilst retaining the energy saving qualities.
How to install GU10 LED bulbs
The same way as a standard halogen bulb.
GU10 LED bulbs are designed to be retrofitted with ease. Simply install the GU10 in the same way as your normal light bulb.
Are all GU10 led bulbs suitable for outside?
No. You will need to check the IP rating.
All lightbulbs whether LED or incandescent will have an IP rating.
IP ratings provide a rating for “waterproofing” and “dust-proofing”. The higher the number the more resistant they are.
Using improperly rated light bulbs outside can be dangerous as you could expose electrical components to damage and even risk electrocution.
The IP rating system begins with the letters IP and followed by two digits:
For more information, have a look at our guide: IP ratings for LED lights
Are LED GU10 bulbs brighter?
LEDs can match the brightness of the incandescent bulb they are replacing.
Like standard bulbs, LED comes in a range of brightness levels. However, LEDs can provide a higher level of brightness with less energy usage. To find out more about brightness levels and wattage, view the question above.
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