Forbes' Holiday LED Guide

Forbes.com has a very handy guide to buying your family LED lightbulbs for the holidays. Check it out here:

1. Cree Home-Depot EcoSmart downlight:

The EcoSmart downlight, according to Forbes, costs $39.97 and and consumes 10.5 watts. The downside is because it's a downlight, it doesn't fit in lamps or very many ceiling cans.

2. Lighting Science's Definity Bulbs

Forbes says that LS's bulbs are the most innovative on the market. They're working with Google on a bulb that can be controlled by an Android phone. Next year it will release a $15 bulb that gives as much light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb. These bulbs range from $10-$50, and have a high price/performance ratio.

3. The Enhance Lite from LEDnovation

The LEDnovation light is more efficient than most other LED bulbs--the caveat is that it's difficult to find them and they tend to be expensive: in the $60 to $90 range. As Forbes says, it's more of a bulb "for connoisseurs."

4. The Noribachi Topaz

Similar to the Enhance Lite. It's super-efficient, and points out a little more light than the Lighting Science bulb, but costs double at $45 to $50. Another bulb for the connoisseurs.

5. The Pharox Line from Lemmis Lighting

Slightly less efficient, but still moreso than traditional incandescent or CFL bulbs. It costs $20-$25 online--the "Honda Civic of bulbs."

6. The EnduraLED from Philips

The EnduraLED doesn't rank highly on Forbes' list, mostly because it doesn't emit as much light as some other ones--though it does sell for the same price. The brand has a 60 watt equivalent for $24.97 and a 75 watt from $39.97.

7. General Electric 

It costs $34.98, which is much more than other bulbs that put out the same amount of light. Forbes says: skip it.

8. Switch

Switch, which used to be called SuperBulbs, has a bulb filled with liquid. According to Forbes: "The liquid, perhaps a basic mineral oil, helps dissipate heat by continually circulating. (Switch initially wanted to use gel, but gel doesn’t circulate.) Better heat flow lets Switch use fewer chips but run them at higher voltages, thereby increasing performance and reducing cost at the same time." The problem? The bulbs aren't out yet.

9. MSI

While MSI has contracts with companies like Macy's, the product itself isn't that great--although a ring at the base of the bulb allows users to adjust power consumption and light output.

10. VU1

The VU1 isn't exactly a bulb; it contains an electron gun that that shoots energy, like how old tube televisions used to work. The pale green light it emitted turned this Forbes contributor off.

11. Lumiette

Lumiettes are another non-LED company with a television background. According to Forbes, the bulbs should last 35,000 hours or more, but cost half as much as they do. Unfortunately, it produces far less light than the others. Forbes says: stick to the LEDs.