Warm or Neutral: Which is the White for You?

Moving from traditional incandescent lamps to energy efficient LEDs is a great move, and you’re ready to make it, but … why are you being asked to choose a color temperature?

And, what does 2700K, 3000K, 4100K and 5000K really mean?

In short, those numbers represent the color of the light you want; do you want a warmer light or do you prefer a cooler tone? The “K” stands for “kelvin,” a unit of measurement for energy. The higher the Kelvin temperature, the cooler – or bluer – the light becomes.

E-conolight classifies the color temps accordingly:

• 2700K, 3000K, 3500K as warm white
• 4000K, 4100K as neutral white
• 5000K, 5700K as cool white

Incandescent lamps generally trend toward the warmer end of the spectrum at about 2700K. So, if you’re looking for an LED that delivers that same kind of light, you’ll want to look for lamp or fixture with that same temperature rating.

If, however, you prefer a cooler, bluer light, e-conolight recommends giving a lamp rated at 4000K or higher a try.