LED luminaires: what they are, the best brands and how to install them

In this guide

• What are LED luminaires?
• Where can LED luminaires be used?
• Benefits of LED luminaires
• Best LED luminaires by brand
• Best emergency luminaires
• Best luminaires for walls
• Best luminaires for outdoors

What are LED luminaires?

Luminaires are complete LED units with an LED bulb and driver built into them. These single units are designed to be quick and simple to fit and are known for their reliability. LED luminaires often come in two standard shapes:

• Circular
• Linear (rectangular)

LED luminaires can easily be retrofitted into lighting fixtures for halogen bulbs. As some luminaires are wired into the mains, you will need standard DIY tools to install them. Other luminaires may require an electrician to fit them efficiently.

What is the difference between a lamp and a luminaire?

A lamp is the light source while the luminaire is the body of the fixture. A lamp must be connected to the luminaire to provide light.

Benefits of LED luminaires

• Extremely reliable—they come with a standard five-year warranty
• High levels of lumens (brightness)
• Designed for retrofitting
• A significant energy saving—up to 90%
• Fitting and bulb included in a single package
• Suitable for a range of scenarios

Where can LED luminaires be used?

The wide range of LED luminaires available means they suit a variety of situations.

LED luminaires are often used in:

• corridors
• foyers
• bathrooms
• car parks
• hotels
• offices
• garages
• workshops
• factories

Best LED luminaires by brand

Philips

All Philips luminaires have:

• a circular shape
• a 3-year warranty
• an average lifespan of 30,000 hours

Britesource

All Britesource luminaires have:

• a rectangular shape
• an IP65 rating—waterproof and dustproof
• a 5-year warranty
• an average lifespan of 50,000 hours
• a beam angle of 120 degrees

Venture

All Venture luminaires have:

• a rectangular shape
• an average lifespan of 50,000 hours
• an IP rating of IP65—waterproof and dustproof

Osram

Osram is available in both linear (rectangular) and circular.

Linear

All Osram linear LED luminaires have:

• a rectangular shape
• a 5-year guarantee
• an average lifespan of 50,000 hours
• 41% energy savings
• An IP rating of IP65—waterproof and dustproof

Circular

All Osram circular LED luminaires have:

• a circular shape
• an average lifespan of 30,000 hours
• 50% energy savings
• a 3-year warranty
• an IP44 rating—splash-proof from any direction

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Best emergency luminaires

Britesource Emergency Luminaire

• Designed to replace the traditional single 36w T8 fluorescent
• Comes with a 3-cell D-type battery and Philips emergency module, allowing the fitting to run on emergency mode for up to 3 hours
• 4,000k colour temperature (cool white)
• Available lengths: 4ft, 5ft
• Available wattages: 24w, 36w, 48w, 72w

Best luminaires for walls

Osram 24w LED Circular Surface Mounted Luminaire—C/W Sensor

• Can be a direct replacement for a standard compact fluorescent
• Will last for an average of 30,000 hours
• IP44 rating—splash-proof from any direction
• 50% energy saving
• Available in colour temperatures of 4,000k or 3,000k
• Comes with a microwave sensor, meaning it can be set as a movement sensor or a photocell which will only illuminate when it is dark

How to fix a LED luminaire to the wall:

Best LED for outdoors

Osram Twin LED Luminaire

• IP65 rating—fully waterproof and fully dustproof
• Uniform light and wide beam angle
• Energy savings of up to 50%
• Easy installation
• 5-year guarantee
• No tools needed for installation