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Whether you have to replace the burned-out bulbs in your refrigerator or in the chandelier over your dining room table, you'll need the right ones for the job. Sure, you could head over to your local home improvement store, but can you be sure they'll have what you want? How many times have you wasted a drive because the light bulbs you were looking for were out of stock?
Make it easy for yourself: shop for them online! Many retailers have extensive guides to help you select the ones you need for your wall fixtures, appliances, or any other lighting. And, if you're still not sure, it's usually a breeze to get in touch with an expert in their customer service department, just to verify that you've got the light bulbs that will fit, in the brightness and color temperature you prefer.
Sunday, March 26th
The Home Depot makes it practically a pleasure to shop for light bulbs. Whether you're a confused homeowner or a seasoned construction professional, you'll find everything you need in just a few clicks. This retailer's inventory of more than 5,000 light bulbs easily bests the competition, with free delivery or in-store pickup on most products and a 90-day return window. When you need a new light bulb for anything in your home, your first choice should be the Home Depot website. This store earns our highest rating.
Lowe's is one of two major home improvement stores in our review, and it earns a respectable second-place finish just behind its biggest rival. There are more than 2000 different light bulbs sold here, and numerous retail locations give you options for ordering online and picking up in person - or taking advantage of the 90-day return window by bringing your order to the store. Lowe's is one of the best places to shop for light bulbs of every kind
Lamps Plus checks off all the boxes: good selection of light bulbs for a wide variety of purposes, generous customer-friendly perks like a 120% low price guarantee and extended return timeframes, and thousands of five-star reviews from happy shoppers. This is one of our favorite online stores for buying light bulbs.
Wayfair may be the most fun place to buy light bulbs - because they sell millions of other home items you can't live without. There are over 4,000 bulbs in their inventory, and it's easy to add extras to your purchase to qualify for free shipping. Some light bulbs have thousands of customer reviews, making it obvious which ones are high-quality and which ones you should avoid. Although there aren't many options for appliance light bulbs here, Wayfair still gets our recommendation for most other lighting needs.
1 800 Lighting is the online storefront for Capitol Lighting, an industry expert with nearly a century in business. Their inventory supposedly has over 4400 light bulbs to choose from, but many of them aren't available for immediate delivery. Who wants to wait three months for light bulbs? This company has a solid reputation and plenty of knowledge to share, but you'll have more "right now" options with other light bulb retailers.
Lumens Light + Living carries an inventory of over 30,000 home decor and design items ranging from ceiling fans to furniture and more. The retailer has a smaller-than-average selection of just 400 types of light bulbs, limited to just a few brands. Also, Lumens excludes light bulbs from their return policy: you may want to reach out to their lighting experts if you're not 100% sure you've selected the right one for your fixture, lamp or appliance. Most customers have a good shopping experience here, but you'll find far more light bulb choices with many rival retailers.
If cutting-edge lighting design is your thing, Bellacor's got you covered. Their light bulb inventory, however, is secondary to their fixtures and home furnishings - you'll find a limited selection of less than 600 bulb types, many of which have minimum order requirements of 8 or more and quite a few that come up as "out of stock" . Bellacor gets a lot of praise from customers who love their light fixtures, but other stores do a better job when it comes to light bulbs.
Lights Online carries light bulbs primarily for fixtures: chandeliers, pendant lights, wall mounts and so on. The selection is generous, with more than 1350 options in their inventory, but their online store doesn't make it easy to find what you need. The store has a good reputation for customer service, but you'll find other retailers that offer quite a bit more than Lights Online.
1000 Bulbs is a good store to consider if you are buying in bulk (for example, as a contractor) or if you need specialty bulbs for stage/studio lighting, aircraft, medical apparatus, or other unique types of lighting. Unless you're placing an order of at least $1,000, your shipping costs will be high. Also, customer feedback runs the spectrum from loyal, lifelong shoppers to one-star reviews advising people to shop elsewhere. All of these factors earn 1000 Bulbs a "just average" score here.
Light in the Box might be the most entertaining place to shop for light bulbs. This China-based retailer really mixes it up, with bulbs on one page and thousands of other options from screwdrivers to custom-made dresses. But, if you just want a straightforward customer experience that includes a solid satisfaction guarantee, free shipping, or brand-name light bulbs, you won't get any of that here. Browse this site for amusement if you like, but it's the lowest-ranked provider of light bulbs in our review.
What if you still manage to order the wrong light bulbs? Don't worry, because you can typically return your order within 30 days - or longer, with some stores' generous refund policies. Even the big-box stores get in on the action, letting you order online and pick up in-store (where you can ask an associate to verify that you've got the bulbs you need) - and then make returns to the store or via mail, whichever you prefer.
There are lots of retailers to choose from when buying light bulbs. Which one should get your business? Here are a few things to look for as you shop for your lighting needs:
To help you find what you need, TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked the most popular online retailers of light bulbs. We're confident that this information will make it quick, easy and affordable to get the right bulbs for every fixture and appliance!
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