Why LED is Now the Only Choice
Halogen downlights (the standard in Australian homes built 1990-2015) draw 35-50W each. LEDs produce equivalent light for 7-10W — a 75-80% reduction. A home with 40 halogens running 5 hours per day costs $400-700/year in lighting electricity. With LEDs, that drops to $80-140/year. At current LED prices ($8-20 per downlight), payback is 6-18 months.
Colour Temperature — Critical Choice
- 1 2700K (warm white): similar to halogen, warm yellow-white — suits living rooms, bedrooms, restaurants. Most popular for homes.
- 2 3000K (warm to neutral): slightly cooler than 2700K — good compromise for kitchens and bathrooms
- 3 4000K (cool white/neutral): bright, clinical — suits offices, garages, kitchens
- 4 5000-6500K (daylight): very blue-white — suits detail work, craft rooms, commercial spaces. Avoid in living areas.
Dimming
Not all LEDs are dimmable, and not all LED-dimmers are compatible with all LEDs. When replacing halogens with dimmable LEDs: replace the existing trailing-edge dimmer with an LED-compatible leading-edge dimmer (or a specifically LED-rated dimmer). Mismatched dimmers cause buzzing, flickering, or limited dimming range. Ask your electrician to test and replace dimmers at the same time as LEDs.
Smart Lighting Systems
- 1 Philips Hue (Zigbee): most established system, huge range, works with all major ecosystems
- 2 LIFX (Wi-Fi): no hub required, bright, excellent app — but more demanding on Wi-Fi network
- 3 Smart switches (Brilliant, Clipsal C-Bus, HPM Wiser): replace light switches — don't need smart bulbs, cheaper per point at scale
- 4 Lutron Caseta: premium, reliable, very quiet dimming — popular with professionals
Pro tip: Install LEDs with a high CRI (Colour Rendering Index) — 90+ CRI means colours look natural and vibrant, rather than washed out. Standard LEDs are often 80 CRI. Ask your supplier specifically for 90+ CRI product for living areas.
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