Energy-Saving 5W GU10 LED Light Bulbs (Amdai)
LED lighting really is the way of the future and we already have several fixtures that utilize this technology. The cost savings over time are significant, and the quality is always improving. This 5 W bulb is equivalent to a traditional 50 W, so you can readily see the advantages.

My husband hates poor lighting, especially in the kitchen and bathroom, which is where we have had some spotlights installed. As soon as we replaced one of our existing 50 W GU10 bulbs with this LED one, the difference was evident.

The light produced is very bright but is diffused by the opaque face and, to my eyes, is more uniform than halogen light. It has a warm but not yellow tone, approximating natural outdoor light. I find it ideal for food preparation and just to generally brighten up the place. I also find the bulbs nicer to look at when unlit as you don't see the silver reflective surface of the old halogen ones.
Now that they are in place these bulbs look terrific and cast a very pleasing, clear light, much brighter than their halogen counterparts but without the heat-building issues. In one of my photos I have tried to show the difference between a 50 W halogen bulb and the Amdai 5 W LED bulb. If you need several bulbs, the price for the 5-pack and 10-pack is very attractive, especially considering the 30,000 hour estimated life-span.

15-LED Portable Light Unit (LEDemain)
Since I started buying LED cabinet lights, more than three years ago, technology in this area has advanced immeasurably. This new model of portable LED lamp, a free sample of which was sent to me for evaluation, provides the strongest light I have seen yet in comparable articles, and offers some different options that were new to me.

It is activated by pressing a central button: the first press lights up the inner 5 LEDs; a second press lights up the outer circle of 10 LEDS; a third press brings all 15 LEDs into action. To switch the lamp off, you just press the button a fourth time.

The unit is circular and of medium size (about 3 ¼ inches or 8 cm across) but quite deep (almost 1 ¼ inches or 3 cm). It can be fixed permanently by using the two holes drilled in the backplate, or hung by a built-in and retractable plastic hook, giving the option to use it as a strong, portable torch. There are also two small magnets in the back, but I found that they are not sufficient to secure the lamp to my fridge, for example.
They might perform better on a different metallic surface, but they don't seem to be strong enough for the weight of the batteries. Three AA batteries are required (not included but I use rechargeables and always have some spares). Opening and closing the battery compartment is an easy matter of rotating the two pieces apart and locking them again into place.

This LED lamp has many strong points:
  • it can be employed in a lot of different places where you need an accessible light;
  • the choice of light intensity is useful;
  • the light output is very high even at the low setting and with all 15 LEDs on, it is almost blinding;
  • with its choice of mounting, it can be a fixture or portable;
  • the AA batteries give lots of power and a long autonomy.

This is a well-made, versatile unit, built with solid materials and promising a long useful life. I am very impressed with its quality and performance.

Energy-Saving E14 LED Light Bulbs LD276B (XCSOURCE)
I have been buying low consumption light bulbs for a while, but have never used this type before, so I was intrigued when I was offered a sample for an objective test and review. This product arrived very securely arranged in a box of 10 individually packed bulbs.

The bronze/gold slatted design of the lower half looks very pretty once installed, and I must admit that they don't look at all out of place, in fact, better than expected, on my traditional shabby-chic chandeliers.

The neck is the E14 type (narrow screw-on) and they are rated 3W (or 270 lumens, which is the new standard of light measurement). Considering that they are replacing a set of five CFL 8W bulbs, the light emitted is surprising and quite satisfactory. I have tried to show the difference in my side-by-side photos. I really like the warm cast of the light, it's restful and flattering. Very suitable for a bedroom or corridor and certainly for side lamps and up-lights in a living room setting, where they can serve as mood lighting.

Because they are LED, they switch on instantly at full power, instead of the annoying slow build-up of my previous CFL bulbs. I really like that. They are very low in consumption (class A), do not heat up and have a staggering lifespan of 50,000 hours. All the 10 bulbs in my sample box work and, since the price of LED lights has come down considerably, I think we are looking at the future of home lighting. An excellent product at a very reasonable price.

DOT-it Linear Vario (Osram)

I originally bought two of these to mount under a kitchen cabinet but decided instead to use them inside a china cabinet, where they look great. In my opinion, they are not strong enough for task lighting but are brilliant in the cabinet, saving me the hassle of cutting holes, wiring, etc. Another obvious application is to light a dark corner to facilitate reading a meter, or in a closet.

The unit comes with 3 AAA batteries already in place and all you have to do is pull off a plastic tab. There are two options for mounting: magnets or Velcro (both provided) which attach to the two sticky circles on the bottom of the appliance. The Velcro seems adequately strong and my lights have been in place for a couple of weeks without problems. It's important to make sure the mounting surface is very clean (I used alcohol to prep the area).  The magnets are not strong enough, though.
To turn the light on or off, you simply touch the two metal probes with a bare finger. The direction of the light can be changed slightly by rotating the LEDs. The idea is valid and well executed, and very useful when you need a bit of lighting but don't want to mess with wires, but be aware that these LEDs provide only limited (or mood) light and with their low wattage cannot compare to traditional strip lighting.

Osram also make this type of lighting fixture in a round spotlight shape.  Everything is pretty much the same, except that to turn it on or off, you just push the whole plastic dome.  I bought some to mount inside a closet and am pretty pleased with them.  They are also handy during the odd power outage.  The same caveat applies, the light emitted is fairly low.

EDIT:  Since buying these three years ago, technology has improved to the point that I no longer recommend these units.  The light output is too low and there are many better options.

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