Best LED Candelabra Light Bulbs

Buying guide for best LED candelabra light bulbs

A chandelier gives a certain ambience to a room like no other light source can. It‘s a piece of sculpture that also offers a subtle, cozy glow, which is why it’s important to choose the right light bulbs. Modern LED candelabra light bulbs emit that warm glow that you’re after and save you money in the long run, too. 

Why buy LED candelabra light bulbs when you can just pop in good old incandescent chandelier bulbs? Unless you’ve stocked up on incandescent bulbs, you’ll be out of luck. Not only do incandescent light bulbs burn out quickly, but they’re being phased out over time in favor of energy-efficient bulbs. This now applies to candelabra bulbs, according to the Department of Energy.

The world of light bulbs, including candelabra light bulbs, has changed greatly over the years. Selecting a bulb for your fixture means knowing how it functions and what type of glow it offers.

Early versions of LED light bulbs emitted a bluish tint and created an unwelcome and “muddy” color effect in a room. Modern versions of LED lights are significantly closer to the pleasing effect you’ve come to expect from incandescent lighting.

Key considerations

Shape: Most LED candelabra light bulbs have a basic torpedo or egg shape, much like their cousins, incandescent chandelier bulbs. However, for more contemporary light fixtures, you can find globe- and capsule-shaped LED candelabra bulbs.

Color temperature: Take a tip from lighting designers who frequently choose LED candelabra bulbs. In your dining room chandelier, for example, consider 2400 kelvin (K), which mimics the color of an incandescent bulb dimmed down to 50%, or look for 2150 K, the beautiful color of candlelight.

Socket/base: There are four common sizes of sockets for screw-in bulbs, including LED bulbs. The smaller E12 base is the size for a candelabra bulb, which has a diameter of 12 millimeters. Just for comparison, E26 is the size of a standard screw-in bulb. There are candelabra bulbs with E26 bases, which are common on small lamps, as well.

Lumens: Wattage isn’t much of a consideration when it comes to LED bulbs. Wattage refers to power consumption, and LED bulbs use a fraction of the energy that incandescent bulbs use. What matters more in the world of LED lighting is lumens, which measure the brightness of a bulb. Here’s an example to clarify the difference: a 40-watt incandescent bulb gives off 450 lumens, and a 7-watt LED bulb offers the same amount of lumens. To replace a 60-watt incandescent candelabra bulb, choose an LED bulb that produces 800 lumens to achieve the same amount of brightness.

LED candelabra light bulb features

Dimmable

A number of LED candelabra bulbs are dimmable, but there’s a caveat. You may find they flicker when dimmed, or they don’t dim all the way down. There are two issues: the manufacturers may need to finesse the dimming functions of small candelabra bulbs, or you might need a compatible dimmer switch.

Flame tip

You may prefer to keep your bulbs bare in your chandelier rather than top them each with a shade. A flame-tip bulb is attractive when it’s bare. Remember, however, if you keep your LED candelabra bulbs bare, you might want to consider a brand with a small heat sink at the bottom (see the Tips section).

Finish

• Clear: A clear LED candelabra light bulb offers a sparkly glow. Vintage-style bulbs have clear glass so the “filaments” are visible, mimicking the nostalgic Edison-style bulb with carbon and early tungsten filaments.

• Frosted: Though most LED candelabra light bulbs are clear, there are options that include a frosted white or slightly tinted glass finish. LED bulbs have varying percentages of white frost. Some are fully coated while others are lightly frosted. If your fixture has shades, go for frosted. Clear bulbs may create striations that form patterns on the shades. A frosted LED candelabra bulb evens out the glow that is reflected onto the shade.

• Tinted: Some LED candelabra bulbs have a slightly tinted glass finish. A bulb with a sheer orange- or amber-tinted glass will make the light look more fiery to the eye. You’ll also find brightly colored glass finishes, including festive yellows, pinks, blues, and greens.

LED candelabra bulb prices

Inexpensive: Non-dimmable LED candelabra bulbs are the least expensive versions. They come in single and double packs that average between $4 and $11. Inexpensive multipacks of five or six non-dimmable bulbs range from $15 to $17. Non-dimmable bulbs in this range come in all shapes, with clear or frosted glass, and wattage equivalents to incandescent bulbs.

Mid-range: In the $18 to $28 range, you’ll find multipacks of dimmable LED candelabra bulbs. In this range you’ll see clear, frosted, and colored glass in all shapes and wattage equivalents to incandescent bulbs.

Expensive: From $29 up to $36, you’ll find larger multipacks of 18 dimmable bulbs. In addition, you’ll see smart LED candelabra bulbs that you can turn on with your voice or through your smartphone. Smart bulbs may come in smaller multipacks of two at this price.

Tips

• Dust the bulbs occasionally. LED light bulbs have a long lifespan, between 10,000 and 50,000 hours of operation, depending on the bulb’s rating. If you use a chandelier even for a few hours every day, your LED bulbs could last over 20 years. A little light dusting is all the maintenance your bulbs need.

• Check the heat sink. LED bulbs function best when they stay cool inside, though they produce little heat and are not hot to the touch. To keep the interior cool, the bulb has a heat sink to absorb the generated heat, which covers up the lower half of the bulb. Because of the heat sink, some LED candelabra bulbs might not project an even light in all directions. Look for LED candelabra bulbs with a small heat sink if you want the bulb to cast light in all directions.

• Check the sockets. If your chandelier, sconce, or other fixture has enclosed or semi-enclosed sockets, look for LED bulbs that are rated for enclosed fixtures. LED bulbs do best when they operate at lower temperatures found in open sockets and fixtures.

Chandeliers that hang from high ceilings benefit from LED bulbs that outlast incandescent bulbs by a decade or more.

FAQ

Q. Can I use LED candelabra lights outdoors on my patio?

A. LED candelabra lights are rated just like other LED bulbs for dry, damp, or wet conditions. If you have an outdoor chandelier, sconce, or porch light, look for LED bulbs rated for wet conditions. That means the bulbs will be safe in light sockets that are exposed to weather, including rain and snow. LED bulbs for wet conditions typically have a silicone rubber coating or sealant on the outside of the metal base.

Q. How do I read an LED candelabra bulb package?

A. Check for lumens, color, and CRI. The lumens tell you the bulb’s brightness. The color lets you know if it’s warm or cool. A color rating of 2700 K offers a warmer light. A color rating of 4000 K offers a crisp and cool light. The color-rendering index (CRI) is how well the bulb’s light brings colors to life in your room. An incandescent bulb has a CRI of 100. According to the American Lighting Association, a CRI index of 80 or more is good and 90 or more is excellent for your home. 

Q. My chandelier is on a dimmer switch, but can I use dimmable LED candelabra bulbs?

A. Most LED bulbs are dimmable, but not all dim the same way on traditional dimmer switches that were designed to work with high-wattage incandescent bulbs. That’s why LED candelabra bulbs may flicker when dimmed or not turn down all the way on a traditional dimmer. Chances are, you won’t have issues with newer LED chandelier bulbs on your normal dimmer. But if you do, consider switching the dimmer to one that’s specifically designed to handle the low-wattage of LED bulbs. LED dimmer switches allow for full and flicker-free dimming of your chandelier.