In recent years, LED strip lights have become a popular and highly sought-after choice for consumers looking for a stylish way to light up their homes. Using lights that do not consume too much electricity is one of the most important aspects of lighting for many people.
LED strip lights do not use a lot of electricity. These strip lights consume considerably less energy than conventional incandescent lighting. Generally, they leave a cheaper electric bill and a smaller environmental footprint due to their energy-efficient design.
In this article, I’ll provide you with a more detailed explanation of the energy usage of LED strip lights, how these lights compare to more traditional forms of lighting, and how to know if they’ll be worth the cost.
How Much Electricity Does an LED Strip Light Use?
If an LED strip light is more energy-efficient than an incandescent-based bulb, you’ll likely come up with an obvious follow-up question: exactly how much electricity do these strip lights use?
An average LED strip light consumes roughly 7 to 35 watts. This wattage is highly dependent on the specific product, as more energy-conscious strip lights require very little electricity while bright, fully-featured lights can use almost as much electricity as a conventional bulb.
According to CNET, most lights will consume considerably less energy than their maximum output. This reduced energy is because you likely will not be running them at full brightness 24 hours a day.
That said, if you purchase the brightest strip lights with the highest number of panels, you could potentially use upwards of 62 watts if you run the light at its full power.
Energy Efficiency of LED Strip Lights
LEDs are extraordinarily energy efficient. LED lighting works by converting most of its energy output to light rather than heat, whereas conventional lighting utilizes a heat-intensive approach.
As a result, LED strip lights require substantially less electricity to produce the same amount of light as fluorescent or incandescent lighting.
LED Lighting vs. Traditional Lighting
Now that we’ve established that LED lighting is exceedingly more energy-efficient than traditional lighting, let me break down the advantages strip lights that feature an LED design can offer you.
According to this source, LED light sources are 90% more efficient in their electricity usage than classic incandescent lighting.
This increased energy efficiency means that LED lighting costs less in the long run and reduces a home’s negative impact on the environment.
Additionally, strip lights with LED lighting have a higher overall lighting quality than standard alternatives. The quality difference in the illumination is a natural result of the more focused design of the LED strips, which creates a stronger glow.
Are LED Strip Lights Expensive to Run?
Though there are multiple clear benefits to LED strip lights, the cost is still crucial for most buyers. Price of purchase and running expenses are arguably the most important thing for a consumer.
Strip lights are not typically expensive to run. Though they are often more expensive than fluorescent or incandescent lights, their energy efficiency and longer lifespan lead to them being cheaper to use in the long run than the lower-priced alternatives.
Next, I’ll give you a more concrete idea of what the market price looks like for different types of LED strip lights and how much you may spend on them when it’s time to pay your electric bill.
Price Range of LED Strip Lights
Some strip lights are more straightforward and advertise a minimal, budget-friendly design, while others are more elaborate and come packed with features. Because of these different design philosophies, the price range for an LED strip light setup can be highly variable.
Popular LED strip lights can range from $15 at the lower end to up to $75 at the more advanced level.
Cheaper strip lights tend to have more basic and limited features. At the same time, the pricier options provide several selling points like advanced customization, convenient WiFi capabilities, and flexible color schemes.
Strip Light Cost by Energy Usage
As you might expect, how expensive an LED strip light is, in the long run, will also depend on the amount of electricity it uses.
The reason for this cost variation is twofold: Firstly, a strip light with a higher maximum output will typically have a higher market price. Secondly, when you use a strip light at its highest brightness level with a high frequency, it will increase your electric bill’s cost.
Regarding the second point I mentioned, you can expect a typical range for the monthly cost of LED strip lights.
Generally, this cost will range from $0.6 per month to $5 per month (assuming 24/7 use at the highest brightness level).
Are LED Strip Lights Worth It?
If you’re considering purchasing an LED strip light or series of strip lights, you might be trying to figure out if the advantages of this type of lighting are worth the total costs.
LED strip lights are worth it for buyers interested in long-term savings. Though their up-front costs are typically more expensive than conventional lighting sources, LED lights save on electric costs over time because of their energy efficiency.
On the other hand, consumers who are more focused on short-term savings are likely to be put off by the higher price tag of the LED strip lights.
Fortunately, there are budget-conscious options that provide both short-term and long-term benefits.
Benefits of LED Lighting
LED lighting provides multiple critical advantages over traditional incandescent or fluorescent lighting.
In addition to the energy efficiency and environmentally-friendly design I’ve already discussed, LED lights also allow for a more customizable and personalized color system for your rooms’ lighting.
This color customization provides a way for consumers to change the mood and atmosphere of their home and purportedly can even lead to a positive impact on mental health.
You can also use strip lights for other convenient purposes, such as preventing tripping hazards, spotlighting areas of interest, and reducing eye strain for electronic screens like PC monitors and televisions.
Comparing LED Strip Lights
Once you’ve decided that LED strip lights are worth the investment, there’s still the matter of choosing a specific product for your home.
While there are many factors that you can consider when choosing an LED strip light setup, typically, there are a few crucial details you’ll want to consider:
- Price: Cheaper strip lights are competitive even with conventional lighting sources, while the more expensive designs often sport a significantly higher price tag.
- Feature set: Some LED lights emphasize a sleek and minimalistic design, while others provide a wide range of valuable and unique features.
- Customizability: If personalization is a critical selling point for you, then you’ll likely want to steer clear of products that offer few customization options.
Technological sophistication has also enormously increased with LED strip lights, so even cheaper and more minimal designs are likely to have several synchronization options for WiFi, music streaming, remote control capabilities, etc.
Conclusion
Though there are substantial variations in how much electricity any individual LED strip light will use, they generally are more energy-efficient, cost-effective, and advantageous for the average consumer than traditional lighting sources.
Additionally, LED strip lights provide other benefits such as a smaller carbon footprint, increased customization, and positive effects on mood and health.
