LED light bulbs are classified as F due to the presence of heavy metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium, which can be harmful to the environment if not properly managed at the end of their life.
Class F on the energy label corresponds to an official calculation based primarily on the ratio between electricity consumption (in watts) and the amount of light emitted (measured in lumens). Specifically, the more power a bulb consumes to produce light, the lower it ranks in the classes (toward the bottom of the alphabet). Although LEDs are more efficient than older incandescent bulbs, new ultra-strict European standards have recently been introduced. They have drastically raised the energy efficiency scale, causing LED bulbs to often be classified as F when they previously occupied much more favorable classes like A+ or A++. These criteria also take into account other parameters such as performance after prolonged use or the quality of the light produced.
Contrary to what one might think, even an LED bulb can earn a big F. In fact, since the new European regulations came into effect, the criteria for evaluating bulbs have become much stricter. As a result, a previously highly efficient LED bulb may now be considered a poor performer. Among the criteria influencing this ranking are luminous efficacy, which compares the amount of energy consumed to the light produced, as well as durability, meaning how long it maintains good brightness without losing performance. Another important factor is how the bulb performs under real conditions such as ambient temperature and lighting orientation, which can reduce its performance and thus lower its ranking. Finally, the adjustment of energy rating thresholds clearly impacts the final result: where you once had a nice little A, you can easily drop to F today, even if your LED is still more economical than many other options.
LED bulbs rated F might be surprising, as they were thought to be very energy-efficient until now. But in reality, the new European energy scale has raised the bar significantly. Bulbs rated A or B are still very rare and particularly efficient. In practical terms, an LED bulb rated F is still much more energy-efficient than an old halogen bulb or a standard low-energy bulb from before the reform. Simply put, on this stricter scale, standard LEDs have been downgraded. Today, more efficient lighting options, often still expensive or hard to find, offer better luminous efficacy with even lower electricity consumption. This is what truly raises their energy rating.
Since March 2021, energy labels have been revised at the European level to be clearer. Basically, what you used to see classified as A++ or A+ now falls into lower categories like F or even G. Be careful, this doesn't mean that the bulbs have become less efficient! In reality, Europe has deliberately left the higher classes (A, B) almost empty to encourage manufacturers to create even more efficient lighting in the long term. As a result, your LED bulbs that seemed super efficient are now in category F, simply because the energy requirements have become much stricter.
The color temperature of an LED (in Kelvin, K) indirectly influences its energy classification. Warm white LED bulbs (around 2700 K) may sometimes have a slightly lower rating than those emitting cool white light.
The energy class indicated on the packaging of an LED bulb takes into account several criteria: luminous efficiency, light color, and lifespan, and not just its electrical consumption.
Even though they are currently classified in lower categories (E or F), LEDs consume on average 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.
The choice of your light fixture and its lampshade can affect the energy efficiency of a bulb. Using light and open lampshades helps to more effectively distribute the light produced by your LEDs, thereby reducing the need to increase their wattage.
Currently, LED bulbs rated A according to the new European scale are very rare or unavailable on the market, as the new energy rating system is intentionally strict to encourage technical advancements and motivate manufacturers to significantly raise their energy efficiency standards.
Not at all, LED bulbs rated F according to the new criteria remain very efficient and economical compared to other technologies such as halogen or incandescent bulbs. This classification should rather encourage you to closely monitor technological developments and to consider the ratings as benchmarks for continuous improvement.
The energy rating system has been revised to better reflect technological progress and to encourage manufacturers to continually innovate. With the new scale ranging from A (very efficient) to G (less efficient), a bulb that was previously rated A++ may now be rated E or F, reflecting a clearer margin for improvement in the future.
Even if classified as F, an LED bulb is still much more energy-efficient than a halogen bulb placed in a slightly higher energy class, such as D. The energy classification is specific to each type of technology; thus, an LED rated at the bottom of the scale can still consume far less energy than a higher-rated halogen bulb.
No, despite their classification as F under the new European standard, LED bulbs remain among the most energy-efficient solutions for home lighting. The F classification stems from the recently updated and more stringent criteria aimed at continually promoting innovation in energy efficiency.
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