New Philips LED is slimmer, lighter, and cheaper

So much has changed about lightbulbs—they consume a lot less energy yet cost so much more than they used to—and they no longer all look the same. Take the new $10 Philips SlimStyle LED. It’s modern and sleek and is one of the lightest LEDs Consumer Reports has tested. Here’s a first look.
 
Replacing a 60-watt incandescent, the Philips SlimStyle A19 LED is shaped like a traditional incandescent except that it’s flat. While it weighs about half as much as the other LEDs we’ve tested that replace 60-watt incandescents, the SlimStyle is still twice as heavy as an incandescent.
 
Philips got rid of the heavy heat sink and tinkered with the thermal management, a crucial part since excessive heat buildup can shorten an LED’s life and a long life is why you buy an LED; the SlimStyle is meant to last nearly 23 years. Philips says its sleek design makes this LED ideal not only for table and floor lamps, but also pendants and sconce fixtures. It’s sold at Home Depot and on Homedepot.com.
 
In our initial tests the Philips SlimStyle was as bright as claimed (800 lumens), cast a warm yellow light, and used just 10.5 watts. We’ll continue testing it and report our findings, including whether this LED can provide all-around light—360 degrees—and how well it dims. Philips has submitted the LED for Energy Star certification, so while it’s $10 now, the Energy Star could bring utility rebates. Until then use our Ratings of LEDs and CFLs to find the best bulb for your fixture.
 
—Kimberly Janeway

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