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Some of the biggest names in electronics—LG, Samsung, and Toshiba—aim to give traditional lightbulb brands a run for their money by adding light-emitting diodes to their product lineups. The leap to lightbulbs isn't that big once you consider that like many electronics, LEDs contain semiconductor chips.
These lightbulb interlopers already make semiconductors that are used in TVs and other electronics, says Dr. John W. Curran, a solid-state lighting technical consultant to manufacturers and the government. Samsung's website claims it will "lead the LED industry as the world's top LED company." "The lighting industry has finally caught up with the digital revolution, with microchip technology powering lamps enabling longer lifetimes, more environmentally-friendly designs, and less energy consumption," said Philip Warner, vice president of Samsung LED America in a press release.
Toshiba ended production of incandescent bulbs after 120 years to focus on energy-saving bulbs. LG, however, has never been in the lightbulb business. Its lineup is sold at Walmart and Costco and includes an LED replacement for 60-watt incandescent bulbs. At $20, it's less than the LEDs we recently tested.
And that brings us to the competition. GE, Philips and Sylvania have been selling lightbulbs for eons. "This added competition will probably drive prices down faster and some of the smaller players will drop out," says Dr. Curran. LEDs are still expensive, but lower prices cut the payback period and from that point on you're saving money by using less electricity. Our latest Ratings of 10 LEDs and 26 CFLs note the payback periods, and will help you find the best bulb for the fixture.
—Kimberly Janeway
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