How to Choose LED Christmas Lights

LED Christmas lights are safer, cheap and more environmentally-friendly than traditional incandescent bulbs, but what do you need to know before you buy?

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Choose a color. LED Christmas lights now come in a wide range of colors--white, blue, red, green and multi-colored--so the color choice is entirely up to you and not the manufacturer.

2. Choose a style. LEDs come in far more shapes and styles than incandescent lights. Some of the possibilities are traditional mini bulbs, large bulbs, circle bulbs and even fun designs like snowflakes. Spend some time researching the various style before you buy.

3. Choose the usage. As with any Christmas lights, it's important that you purchase lights that are appropriate for their intended use. Choose between indoor, outdoor or indoor/outdoor if you're not sure how you'll use the lights.

4. Choose blinking or non-blinking. Until recently, choosing LED lights meant skipping the blinking lights. However, improvements to the LED technology now makes it possible to choose between blinking and non- blinking lights.

5. Choose a life span. Most LED lights last at least 25,000 hours, but some last as long as 200,000 hours. Calculate the expected useage, and purchase accordingly.

Tips & Warnings

• The prices for LED Christmas lights can very widely by brand and store. Shop around for the best price.
• Not sure which style to choose? Most stores have displays with sample bulbs, so you can look before you buy.
• While LED lights are designed to last a lifetime, you should always inspect the cords for damage before use; discard any strands that show signs of wear.