Candelabra bulbs are quite difficult to replace. These decorative bulbs are often in very visible places, like living rooms and entryways, so we all want the perfect bulb for the settings.
Here are some tips and bulb suggestions for finding the candelabra bulb that you need.
What Is A Candelabra Bulb?
A candelabra bulb is a small light bulb with a candelabra base. This small base type is also known as an E12 base. The size has a diameter of 12 mm, and it’s about half the size of a standard base (known as an E26).
A candelabra base is mostly used in chandeliers and sconces, where it has a smaller-than-normal bulb size and a bulb with a pointed shape (like an upside-down teardrop).
Candelabra base bulbs can be used in other applications a well, such as an old-fashioned nightlight.
In short, the candelabra base is the defining quality of a candelabra bulb. The bent tip design is popular but not necessary.
Best Incandescent Candelabra Bulb
If you want a standard, old fashioned bulb for your sconce or chandelier, then you want a incandescent bulb. These are the light bulbs that we grew up with, with a metal wire that heats up and creates light. These bulbs are not efficient, but they are cheap and the look great.
GE Crystal Clear Bent Tip Decorative Light Bulbs
For those in search of “normal” light bulbs for your candelabra then you should buy some the GE Crystal Clear bulbs. They sell for under $1 each, they have a popular “bent tip” design, they use clear glass exterior (instead of frosted) and they are sold in packs of 12.
These bulbs produce a warm, inviting light with no flicker, and they never buzz. They are fully dimmable and compatible with any dimmer.
The GE Crystal bulbs are most commonly purchased in a 40 watt design which produces 370 lumens. This means it’s a bright enough bulb, but it’s not very bright. It’s for mood setting, not for reading lamps.
These bulbs should last for about 1500 hours of use and consume around $4.82 of electricity a year, given normal usage.
The bulbs are officially known as GE ProLine 40, Clear CAC.
Best LED Candelabra Bulb
There are an increasing number of good options for candelabra-base LED bulbs now that it’s 2020, so many that it can be difficult to identify the right one.
Phillips BA11 LED Dimmable Light Bulb
One of the most popular choices in LED candelabra bulbs is the Philips BA11. This is a 2700K (warm white) with an E12 base and a bent tip design.
The BA11 is a 40W-equivalent brightness bulb, but because it’s an LED it only consumes 4W of power. The downside of the increased efficiency is that dimmer compatibility is not great with older dimmers, which can create some flickering or the light never fully turning off if your dimmer’s zero point is set too high.
Philips B11 Candelabra Bulb
If you are in search of a non-bent tip candelabra bulb (known as a blunt tip) then you can opt for the Philips B11 LED bulb. It’s a 2.5W bulb (180 lumens) so it’s even more of an ambiance bulb but it’s a better option for chandeliers that have many bulbs.