The 10 Best Light Bulb Stores for 2023 | Free Buyers Guide

Saturday, April 29th

2023 Light Bulb Store Reviews

Home Depot

• Over 5,000 light bulbs to choose from
• “A-” rated and accredited by the BBB
• Free delivery or in-store pick-up on most items
• 90-day return policy, in-store or by mail

The Home Depot has had several taglines over the years, from “You can do it. We can help.” to “How Doers Get More Done” . It all applies to the experience you’ll get when buying light bulbs from this home improvement superstore.

Incredibly easy to find the right light bulbs

From the moment you click over to their Light Bulbs main product page, you’ll have no trouble finding exactly what you need, whether that’s a lot of hand-holding to figure out what bulb will fit or going directly to the type you already know will work. We love all of the ways that Home Depot gives you to shop: by light bulb type, by the LED equivalent of your current incandescent bulb, by color and temperature, by fixture, and so on. Even the not-so-DIY shoppers will have a hassle-free time getting the right light bulbs here.

Helpful filters plus free delivery or in-store pick-up

Once you’ve identified the type of bulb, you can filter the options by wattage, features, color, technology, and several other criteria. And, because Home Depot has so many brick-and-mortar stores (probably with one or more near you), you can look under the Get It Fast filter to narrow the results down to light bulbs that are in stock locally. Glance over at the matching products and you’ll see exactly how many are available for pickup at the store you’ve selected (go to the upper left-hand corner if you want to enter a different location). In-store pickup is always free, giving you the convenience of ordering your light bulbs online and getting them right away. Alternately, most products come with free delivery if you want to save yourself the trip and can wait a few days.

Very detailed product reviews from customers

Because Home Depot is such a major retailer, you’ll find lots of customer reviews on the light bulbs they sell. For example, the EcoSmart 100-Watt Equivalent A19 Non-Dimmable LED 4-pack had almost 4300 ratings during our recent visit! You might not think shoppers would take the time to write in-depth reviews on something as basic as a light bulb, but apparently Home Depot customers are that kind of hardcore: on that EcoSmart product, you can read detailed information on how long the bulbs lasted, descriptions of the light quality, and even photos of the bulbs in use. It’s probably not necessary to go through thousands of reviews to pick the best light bulbs for your fixture or appliance, as the overall star rating can give you quick insights into which ones to consider or to avoid.

Lots of options

Within a product description, it’s a breeze to see what options you have. Unlike some retailers that have minimum order requirements, Home Depot seems to offer every possible combination. We saw light bulbs that could be bought in a single package, or in multiple-bulb packs ranging from two all the way to 48 in a box! If the light bulbs you’re considering come in different temperatures, colors or watts, you can easily toggle among options right on the product page. Finally, if you’ve got a question, scroll down to the Q&A section of the page: search to see if anyone else has already asked what you’re wondering, browse the answered questions, or enter your own.

Best return policy in the industry

It just keeps getting better: Home Depot also has the most customer-friendly return policy of all the retailers we evaluated. You’ll have 90 days to return your purchase, either in-store or by mail. And, if you opt to mail it back, Home Depot will pick up the tab. Just print out a return postage label directly from the website and send it off; nothing will be deducted from your refund for the shipping fees.

First-rate reputation

There’s no issue with Home Depot’s reputation, either. The Better Business Bureau gives its accreditation and “A+” rating to the company, and shopper feedback matches that level of performance. Just reading through the reviews on some light bulbs, we found lots of compliments from customers who said that even when the products were a failure, Home Depot’s response was 100% on point: replacing them under warranty, no questions asked, and making sure that the shopper eventually got light bulbs that worked.

Choose Home Depot for your light bulbs

With over 5000 light bulbs in their inventory, an extremely easy-to-navigate online store, a more-than-generous return policy, and an ironclad reputation, Home Depot is the obvious choice when you need to buy any type of light bulb. This retailer earns our first-place ranking.

Lowe’s

• Over 2,000 light bulbs to choose from
• Unique light bulb subscription plan available
• “A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• Free in-store pickup
• Free delivery on orders of $45+
• 90-day return policy; retailer pays return shipping fees or return in-store

Lowe’s is a big name in home improvement, with over 20 million customers served each week and over 300,000 employees. In business since 1921, this store gives you tons of options for buying light bulbs with more than 2,000 products to choose from.

No problem finding what you need

Get started by clicking on the product image for the type of light bulb you need. Lowe’s has it all, from traditional incandescents and LEDs to smart bulbs, grow lights, fluorescent tubes and much more. You can also scroll down the page to shop by the bulb shape, the room you’re lighting, or the fixture where the bulb goes. If you need more direction, there are buying guides under the “Resources & Tips to Do It Right” heading, or reach out to Lowe’s live chat reps in the blue box at the bottom of the page.

Use filters to narrow down the results

Once you choose the kind of light bulb you need, you can filter your results page by the popular filters at the top: base type, brand, color temperature, and so forth. We like that the results automatically excluded any unavailable products. There are also plenty of ways to narrow down the selection using the additional filters on the left side, from basic criteria like base type and brand to more specialized characteristics like smart-home or app compatibility (if you’re fancy like that!).

Order online and pick up in store

If you’ve got a Lowe’s near you and you’d like to get your light bulbs right away, be sure to click the box that says, “Free Store Pickup” and double-check that the brick-and-mortar location is the one that you prefer (or follow the link to set it to a different store). Lowe’s tells you how many are available at your store of choice: no more getting there only to find out what you need is not in-stock. In-store pickup is always free, or get no-cost delivery on any orders of $45+.

Very thorough product details

There’s no shortage of information on each light bulb’s product page. When you’ve selected an item, you’ll be able to see every imaginable detail, community questions and answers, ample shopper reviews (many with real-life photos), similar products from other manufacturers or in different styles/sizes/colors, sometimes even promotional videos from the light bulbs’ makers. It’s a lot! Fortunately, all of the most relevant info is right at the top of the item page.

Innovative light bulb subscription

One cool feature we didn’t see with any other light bulb store is Lowe’s subscription program. End your “we’re out of light bulbs AGAIN!” frustrations once and for all by having your most commonly-used bulbs automatically delivered on a regular basis. At the time of our most recent visit, there were just under 30 kinds available for auto-delivery, including dimmable halogen flood lamps and classic 25-watt incandescent bulbs. All of the light bulbs in the subscription choices were made by GE (maybe there’s a partnership deal there?). Look for this program right underneath the light bulb reference images on the main product page.

Does a great job with customer service

Lowe’s has an outstanding track record for taking care of customers. Their 90-day return policy matches our first-place retailer’s; the only difference is that if you choose to send your light bulbs back by mail here, you’ll be responsible for the return postage costs (but you can always bring them to a store nearby). The company earns the BBB’s highest rating and accreditation, and customers rarely have a bad thing to say about their shopping experience with Lowe’s.

Dependable, well-stocked retailer of light bulbs

You can count on Lowe’s to have the light bulbs you need. Their prices are always competitive, the online store makes shopping easy, and their customer service lives up to their taglines of “Improving Home Improvement” and “Let’s Build Something Together” . There aren’t many retailers better than Lowe’s for buying light bulbs – and anything else you need for your next project.

Lamps Plus

• Over 700 different bulbs to choose from
• “A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• Free shipping on orders over $49
• 60-day return policy; free shipping on returns in the 48 contiguous United States
• 120% Low Price Guarantee

“In the right light, home is a place to truly love.” That motto has been guiding Lamps Plus for over 40 years. You’ll find their retail locations throughout the western US, but luckily you can use their online store to get the same level of quality and service you’d expect when shopping in person.

Intuitive website

While the selection at Lamps Plus isn’t the most extensive at just over 700 to choose from, the site is one of the easiest to navigate. On the main page for bulbs, use the filters at the top to easily sort by category, price, type, usage, brand or feature. There’s also a “More Filters” button if you need light bulbs with a specific color temperature or brightness, wattage or voltage, or you only want to see options with high customer ratings.

Helpful product info

We really like the variety of information available on each light bulb product page here. Right away, you can see how quickly your bulbs will ship out, plus all of the specs for lumens, CRI and more. Many light bulbs have a good number of customer ratings, along with a Q&A towards the bottom where staff members answer everything from “what’s the difference between this model and another?” to “will this fit a certain light fixture I bought?”

Get help via live chat

Still need more? Try Lamps Plus’ live chat, either by clicking on the red bubble at the bottom or the “design chat” link right under the product image. This store’s experts will make you feel like you’ve got your own personal sales associate at the ready.

Price matching and other discounts

To save a little on your first order, be sure to click on the New Homeowner Coupon link at the bottom of the site. You’ll get an email with a discount of $15 off an order of $50 or more. Plus, when you spend over $49 you’ll get free shipping on every order, no code required. Additionally, if you find the same light bulbs for sale at a lower price on a competitor site, reach out to Lamps Plus to take advantage of their 120% Low Price Guarantee.

60-day return policy

Lamps Plus has a really generous return policy. You’ve got 60 days to send your light bulbs back for a refund, and they’ll cover the return shipping costs. You’ll have a hard time finding any online-only retailer that can beat that; the only stores who do are usually those with a well-known brick-and-mortar presence nationwide.

Fantastic customer feedback

Also, this company is very responsive to its customers. The BBB gives Lamps Plus a perfect “A+” grade as well as accreditation, and we found over 10,000 5-star reviews that give this retailer lots of props for top-notch customer service, excellent handling of returns and refunds, and reps going above and beyond in a variety of circumstances.

Trustworthy place to buy light bulbs

Lamps Plus has a great all-around selection of light bulbs for just about every purpose, from recessed and track lights to microwaves and landscaping. Better yet, this store’s customer-friendly return policy and top-notch attention to shopper satisfaction should give you all the confidence you need to buy your light bulbs here. Lamps Plus earns one of our highest recommendations.

Wayfair

• Almost 4,500 light bulbs to choose from
• “A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• Free shipping on orders over $35
• 30-day return policy; customer pays for return shipping costs

Whenever you want to shop for everything and more of it, Wayfair should be your first shopping destination – and that even goes for light bulbs. Get all the selection of your local hardware store and then some, plus get all of the other items on your to-do list for your home? Yes, please!

Over 4,400 light bulbs in stock

Trust us when we say you’re not going to want to browse through all of the light bulbs sold by Wayfair – because there are over 4,400 of them! Use the filters to choose the type of bulb you need, the base size and style (with helpful reference phrases like “candelabra” and “bayonet cap” ), brightness, features, and other characteristics. The only category we had a hard time finding inventory is appliance light bulbs: there weren’t any applicable filters, and our search didn’t give us any relevant results.

Lots of brands and customer reviews

You’ll see plenty of brands here too, both familiar and ones you’ve likely never heard of. While ordinarily you might hesitate to take a chance on an unknown brand, many of the light bulbs Wayfair offers have a ton of customer reviews. For example, we found Birch Lane Incandescent Dimmable bulbs with over 400 ratings and similar bulbs by Newhouse Lighting with nearly 5100 reviews!

Plenty of details to guide your shopping

The product information on light bulbs is extensive. Click on any items you’re considering to see multiple views, delivery estimates, specifications, even highlights that describe the appearance and usage in detail. (Who knew light bulbs were so interesting?)

Free shipping on purchases over $35

While Wayfair’s free shipping on orders over $35 is fairly average among light bulb retailers, there’s a significant advantage here: you don’t have to buy only light bulbs to hit that threshold! Why not take advantage of their “anything home” selection and get some new towels for the bathroom or fun toys for your dog while you’re at it?

30-day return policy

If you happen to get the wrong type of light bulbs, you’ll have 30 days to return them. However, you’re on the hook for the return shipping fees. That’s where it can be a disadvantage to shop for light bulbs with this store: you don’t have the opportunity to consult specifically with a lighting expert before making your purchase. You could reach out to their customer service team via online live chat or Wayfair’s toll-free number, but it’s unlikely you’ll be connected with anyone who can tell you if that bulb will really fit your Samsung fridge or your Tiffany desk lamp. On the other hand, looking in the Q&A section might yield the info you need, so be sure to scroll down on the product page if you need more insights.

“A+” rated by the BBB

It’s true that Wayfair has gotten its fair share of complaints from shoppers over the years. When you’ve got a retailer that sells millions of products, it’s no surprise that sometimes things go sideways – with the quality of an item, the delivery speed, and so on. The good news is that the company handles those issues appropriately, as demonstrated by their “A+” rating and accreditation by the Better Business Bureau.

One-stop shopping for home goods

Wayfair is our favorite place to go for light bulbs when we have other home-related items on our shopping list. This is the right choice if you need an online-only shopping experience: no brick-and-mortar store involved for order pickup or returns. While you may need to turn to a home improvement store or specialty store for appliance lighting or other less common fixtures, Wayfair can definitely meet most of your home or office needs for light bulbs.

1 800 Lighting

• Over 4,400 light bulbs to choose from
• “A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• Free shipping on orders of $49+
• 30-day return policy; return shipping fees deducted from refund

1 800 Lighting is the online store for Capitol Lighting, a fourth-generation, family-owned business with over 90 years of experience in the industry. With eight showrooms (in New Jersey and southeast Florida) and an online store with more than 4400 types of light bulbs, this company can absolutely meet your needs.

Easy to access live help

If you need some help finding the right bulb for your lamp, fixture or appliance, it’s easy to reach someone on the 1 800 Lighting customer service team. Just scroll down to the bottom of the site and you’ll find their toll-free number, live chat, or email options.

Website is easy to shop

But, the online store is pretty intuitive and it shouldn’t be hard to locate the light bulbs you need. Use the reference images to choose the category you need, or go through the filters on the left side of the page to shop by category or bulb shape. 1 800 Lighting sells all of the basics like LED and incandescent bulbs, plus a good range of specialty options like colored novelty light bulbs.

Save 20% on your first purchase

Look for a pop-up when you first visit the 1 800 Lighting site. During our most recent shopping trip there, we got a 20% discount offer on a first-time purchase. The fine print said that some brands were excluded from that discount and that it couldn’t be combined with other offers. We got that offer more than once, first asking for an email address and then asking for a mobile number; pick your poison with respect to getting emails or texts, and just click the unsubscribe link or text “stop” at any time.

Free shipping on orders of $49+

You should probably try and order enough light bulbs to reach an order total of at least $49. Why? For the free shipping, of course. Otherwise, you’ll be charged a delivery fee of $15 (which we think is a little excessive, to be honest). And, by the way, you’ll have 30 days if you need to return your bulbs – but your shipping fees back to 1 800 Lighting will be deducted from your refund.

Can you wait three months?

We’re also not super-confident about product availability with this store. For instance, we were looking at an 8-watt PAR light bulb and it said that the expected ship date would be nearly three months away – and that it was only sold in quantities of 5+. Even on something as basic as a compact fluorescent light bulb, we found the same issue: minimum order of 5, not expected to ship out for almost 90 days. Why?! Poking around on the site, we found some light bulbs that were available for shipping and the listing even said there were over 1000 in stock, but it felt really hit-or-miss.

Good but not great shopper reviews

That “maybe yes, maybe no” feeling is reflected in 1 800 Lighting’s customer reviews. They mostly describe light fixtures, not bulbs, and while some people rave about the products and fulfillment, others don’t get a comparable shopping experience. The company enjoys an “A+” rating and accreditation with the BBB, so it’s certainly not a “bad” store if you can actually find the light bulb you need and get it sooner rather than later.

Could be better

We wanted to give 1 800 Lighting a much higher-than-average rating because of their advertised inventory of more than 4000 light bulbs – but the reality of having order minimums and three-month expected delivery timeframes keeps this store from outpacing many of the competitors in the industry.

Lumens

• Over 400 light bulbs to choose from
• “A+” rated by the BBB
• Low price guarantee
• Free shipping on orders of $49+

Founded in 2004, Lumens Light + Living focuses on modern design in lighting, fans, furniture and accessories. While their entire product inventory consists of more than 30,000 items, the selection of light bulbs is somewhat smaller than most stores’: just a little over 400 to choose from.

Pleasant online shopping

We like the overall shopping experience on the Lumens site. You can shop by light source or bulb type, using the clear product images to help you figure out which category matches the bulb you’re trying to replace. Of course, if you already know what you need, just type it in the search box at the top of the page.

Not much variety

You’re not going to find a ton of options in many of the light bulb categories offered by Lumens. For example, there were only three results in the Circline Fluorescent category, four under Reflector Light Bulbs, and four for Ceiling Fan Light Bulbs. Also, the store doesn’t carry very many brands; most of the bulbs here are made by either Satco or Bulbrite. That’s not necessarily a problem, but if you’re loyal to, say, Philips or Sylvania, you’re not going to find them in the Lumens store.

Lots of product info, not much customer feedback

When you find the light bulbs you think you need, there will be ample details on the product page if you need them: everything from average rated life to light color temperature and much more. Lumens allows customers to leave product reviews too, but we didn’t find many light bulbs that had shopper feedback.

Discounts available, free shipping on $49+

On our most recent visit to the Lumens site, there was a pop-up offer with a 5% discount if we signed up for their email list. Be aware that this offer had a long list of excluded brands; fortunately, most of them seemed to be ceiling fan manufacturers and not applicable to a purchase of light bulbs. You’ll also get free shipping if your order is at least $49.

Price matching

Another nice perk when buying from Lumens is their Low-Price Guarantee. If you find your light bulbs offered at a lower price with another retailer within 30 days of your Lumens purchase, you can reach out to their customer service team and ask for a price match. Certain rules apply, but like their FAQ says, “why not ask?” You may be able to make your request prior to placing your order too.

No returns allowed on light bulbs

While Lumens has a decent 30-day general return policy, light bulbs are specifically named in their list of exclusions. You’d better make absolutely sure that you’re buying the right ones! We would recommend using Lumens’ live chat if you have any questions about getting the specific bulbs you need. Just look for the blue chat bubble at the bottom of the site or the “Live Chat” link at the top. You’ll also find contact options on each individual product page; we like that it puts the toll-free number, email link, and live chat link right there, reassuring customers that they can easily connect with a “100% US-based ALA-certified product specialist” if needed.

Mostly positive customer reviews

Overall, most shoppers have no problems with their Lumens orders. Many people give the company a flawless five-star rating, saying that their packages came on time and in perfect condition, with much of the praise coming from repeat customers who’ve used Lumens for years. However, 10% of the ratings were the lowest possible; complaints cited issues with items listed as “in stock” but then having a shipping timeframe of 60 days after the order was placed, or with lackluster responses from the customer service team when problems arose.

Good enough

Should you buy your light bulbs from Lumens? There’s no big reason not to, as long as you make sure you’ve selected the right ones for your fixture or appliance. You’ll find a wider selection with many other retailers, but go ahead and place your order if you find what you need here.

Bellacor

• Almost 600 light bulbs to choose from
• “A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• Free shipping on orders of $25+
• 30-day return policy

Bellacor’s inventory features “designer-preferred brands” and hand-curated products, spanning more than 500,000 lighting and home furnishing items. The pickings are a little slim when it comes to light bulbs – just under 600 options, many of which were out of stock during our most recent visit to the Bellacor online store.

Get an education on all things lighting-related

Shopping for light bulbs on the Bellacor site is fairly straightforward. There’s an informative Buying Guide linked at the top of the main product page: everything you’ve ever wanted to know about lumens, CRI, voltage vs. wattage, and much more to help guide your purchase if you need it. Otherwise, just shop directly by category, like Candelabra, Globe, LED or Smart Home light bulbs.

Use filters for easier shopping

Once you’ve selected the general bulb type, you can use the filters to sort through Bellacor’s inventory. Maybe you have a particular color temperature in mind, or you have a strong preference for LED over incandescents. You can also narrow it down by features, price, or brand – but even in a very common category like Type A bulbs, you’ll only find a handful of manufacturers (e.g. Satco, Bulbrite, Nuvo).

Mark favorites and compare

We like that product listings show whether or not items are in stock, and you’ve got the option to mark items as a favorite and/or compare them with others. Not sure that’s overly helpful for something as basic as light bulbs, but it probably comes in handy if you’re searching for the perfect light fixture for your renovation.

Minimum quantity requirements on most bulbs

Something we noticed: although results pages show per-bulb pricing, most of the light bulbs here have certain minimum quantity requirements. For example, the Satco 10W LED bulb required us to order at least 10 (at $3.99 each), and the Nuvo Lighting “White Dusk to Dawn” LED bulb had a minimum purchase requirement of 8 bulbs (at $5.95 each). It’s helpful that Bellacor shows exactly how many of each bulb is currently in stock, letting you know upfront if they have enough to fulfill your order. However, you should be aware that Bellacor’s policy is to charge a 25% restocking fee on orders of 10 or more of the same item, which could impact your purchase of light bulbs with large minimums.

Regular promotional discounts, free shipping on orders of $25+

If you sign up for Bellacor’s email list, you can save 20% off your purchase. Just look for that offer to pop up as you browse the site. Also, at the time of our most recent visit, there was a promotion offering free shipping on all items. Fortunately, Bellacor’s regular shipping fees are just $4.95 on items under $25 and free all the time on $25+.

Solid reviews from shoppers

How about customer feedback? Not surprisingly, most comments are about lights and mirrors and not light bulbs. Generally speaking, Bellacor is well-liked by shoppers – as you can conclude from the retailer’s “A+” rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, along with over 5000 five-star reviews. Some people have complained that their orders of large items were unexplainably delayed (or never came at all), or that refunds were slow to be credited after items were returned within the 30-day timeframe. But again, that’s probably not going to be an issue when buying light bulbs.

Light bulbs aren’t the priority here

Bellacor is a fantastic place to shop if you’re looking for on-trend lighting or home furnishings. Light bulbs are a different story, because their selection is limited, many items are out of stock, and you’ll often have minimum order quantities that mean you can’t just buy a single bulb. It’s not a terrible option for buying light bulbs, but they seem to be offered more as a complement to Bellacor’s light fixtures than anything else.

Lights Online

• Over 1,350 light bulbs to choose from
• “A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• Free shipping on orders over $49
• 30-day return policy; retailer pays return shipping costs

Lights Online has been in business online for over a decade and strives to deliver the quality and attention you’d expect from a family-owned business with a history spanning nearly 50 years prior to that. They specialize in bringing the best of the lighting world to their customers, from chandeliers to ceiling fans – and, of course, all of the light bulbs to go with them.

Not the easiest online store to shop

One thing that makes it a little more challenging to shop with Lights Online is that there’s no part of the site that is dedicated just to light bulbs. Instead, you have to search for the term “light bulbs” and then go to the results list – with over 1300 products that come up! Fortunately, you can click on the “filter” button to narrow that down by brand, price, or type of bulb. Those options weren’t all that helpful, though; the brands weren’t well-known, and there was no way to shop according to usage (like wall fixtures, ceiling fans, and so on). And, because this retailer primarily sells light fixtures, you won’t find any replacement bulbs for appliances, specialty bulbs for outdoor use, or other types of light bulbs that aren’t directly related to items like pendant lights or lamps.

Enough information and help to get the right light bulbs

But, let’s say you’re looking for light bulbs for a fixture. You’ll definitely have options to choose from, and with Lights Online they’re affordably priced. For example, we found a 6-pack of Bulbrite Halogen 60-watt Dimmable bulbs for $31, and there was a coupon code on the product page offering a discount of 10%. You can click on the Specifications tab to see more details, like the color temperature, lumens, or dimensions of the light bulbs. All of that information helps ensure that you’re getting the right light bulbs for your fixture, but you can also click on the live chat icon if you want to check in with a lighting pro before placing your order.

Save money with discounts and free shipping on some orders

Besides the coupon codes we found on many light bulb product pages, there are other ways to save money here. If you provide your email address and phone number to Lights Online, they’ll give you a 15% discount on your next order. Some exclusions apply, but they don’t spell those out in the pop-up box inviting you to subscribe. Also, Lights Online gives you complimentary delivery if your order is over $49. You might need to stock up on light bulbs to reach that amount, though.

Treats customers well

Lights Online maintains a good reputation. The company earned an “A+” and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau, and we were happy to see that there were zero customer complaints registered there. You’ll get some nice customer-friendly perks here, like a 110% price match guarantee and free returns (you don’t have to pay the postage to send products back) for 30 days after your purchase.

Good but not great

At the end of the day, Lights Online is a decent place to shop for light bulbs. The company does a good job of taking care of its customers, and we’re always happy to see businesses with a long history. Will you find every imaginable type of bulb here? No. Are there other light bulb retailers that offer a much more intuitive shopping experience? Definitely. All of this results in an average rating for Lights Online compared with their rivals in the industry.

1000 Bulbs

• Over 2,000 light bulbs to choose from
• “A+” rated and accredited by the BBB
• Carries specialty bulbs not found elsewhere (e.g. medical/dental, aircraft, stage/studio)
• Free shipping on orders over $1,000
• 30-day return policy

For almost three decades, 1000 Bulbs has been offering commercial and residential lighting products. Their selection of light bulbs includes over 2,000 options (despite the company’s name!), including some bulb types you’re unlikely to find with most other retailers.

Best source of specialty light bulbs

You’ll easily find all of the basic light bulbs you need here, from incandescent and LED to compact fluorescent and many others. Start either by typing what you’re looking for in the search bar or select from one of the product categories on the main page. The latter option will give you an idea of just how specialized the light bulbs sold here can be. Need a black light for your game room? Colored bulbs for your holiday decorating? How about light bulbs for medical or dental apparatus? There’s even aircraft lighting and stage/studio bulbs!

Use filters to find matching bulbs quickly

Another option is to click where it says “filter results” : it has a magnifying glass that might make you think it’s another search bar, but it actually leads you to a few helpful categories for sorting through 1000 Bulbs’ inventory. Maybe you have a particular brand, bulb shape or base type in mind; this is the most direct way to get right to the kind you want to buy. When you find the bulb type you need, it’s easy to see all of your choices, listed by brand and price. Clicking on the individual products takes you to all of the specifications, and some light bulbs have customer reviews (though usually not very many).

Very high shipping fees

One reason this retailer doesn’t rank higher is their shipping policy. Where most of their competitors offer free delivery on a minimum order of $49, 1000 Bulbs requires you to spend a whopping $1,000 to qualify for no-cost shipping. We don’t know about you, but we personally are rarely in a situation where we’d need to place an order of that size! You’ll have to wait until checkout to see what your order will cost to ship, but it’s not uncommon for customers to spend $14.95 to get a $22.95 light bulb delivered.

Customer reviews run hot and cold

Shopper feedback for 1000 Bulbs is really mixed. On the one hand, the BBB gives this retailer their highest rating and accreditation, and we found over 62,000 five-star reviews from customers. There was lots of praise for customer service responses to problems with orders, especially from clients who have used 1000 Bulbs for their businesses over many years. But, we also spotted enough recent negative reviews to give us pause. Orders delayed with no notification, not-so-great responses from customer service reps, and poor bulb quality were just a few of the reasons behind shoppers’ complaints.

Not the best retailer for the average consumer

We’ve given 1000 Bulbs a three-star rating: their reputation with long-term customers and their inventory with many hard-to-find specialty light bulbs are strong factors that could make them the right choice for some shoppers. But, for your average, everyday household lighting needs, you’ll find better – and less costly – retailers among the higher-ranked stores in our evaluation.

Light in the Box

• Over 750 light bulbs to choose from
• Unique selections you might not find elsewhere

Light in the Box is definitely the most eclectic retailer of light bulbs in our evaluation. Where else can you buy a bulb for your lamp, a 3D printer, and… a wedding dress?! We’re all for one-stop shopping, but this online store takes it a little too far.

You’re on your own

Because lighting isn’t exactly this store’s specialty, you won’t get much guidance when buying light bulbs. There’s definitely no user guide or product recommendation pages to consult before you jump in. Instead, you can shop by the type of bulb – incandescent, LED smart lights, or dimmable bulbs, for example – or filter by the base, light color, wattage, voltage, bulb shape, features, or price. There’s no filter for brand names because you’re not going to recognize any of the ones carried here.

No free shipping

When you find the light bulbs you need, you’ll have to add them to your cart to find out how much you’ll pay for shipping. We weren’t impressed: on a $12 USB-rechargeable night light, our shipping fees were $5.32. Light in the Box doesn’t offer free shipping, even if you spend over $100. (But, we got a good chuckle when our “Buy Together” recommendations in the shopping cart included wig caps and a white three-piece pantsuit. A perfect match for our night light!)

Total fail reputation-wise

This retailer falls flat on its face when it comes to customer satisfaction. Your first clue would be their “F” rating from the Better Business Bureau. Despite the company’s promises back in 2020 that they would improve their customer service, there were still dozens of complaints registered with the BBB afterwards. One of the biggest issues is that returns have to be sent to an address in China, at the customer’s cost! But, either way, light bulbs are completely excluded from Light in the Box’s return policy.

No customer satisfaction guarantees

Even their guarantee page is worth a laugh. Light in the Box uses it to proudly tell you all the steps they go through to source their products, test them, and package your order with tracking. What’s missing? Any equally proud promise to take good care of you when things go wrong. (And, as you can see from the customer feedback we mentioned, things tend to go horribly wrong when shopping from this store.)

Is everything really deserving of a five-star rating?

The only even slightly positive comment we have about Light in the Box is that they have some unique options for bulbs that we didn’t see elsewhere. For example, the 3D Colorful Star Fireworks light bulb looked interesting in the product images, and according to the site there were nearly 400 of them sold. The product had a perfect five-star rating, too: just like all of the other Light in the Box items for sale (not suspicious at all).

It’s best to buy your light bulbs somewhere else

By now you’ve probably gotten the impression that Light in the Box isn’t the best place to shop for light bulbs. You are correct! This is literally the last place we would recommend for your purchase, all fun-and-novel light bulb options aside. You’ll have a much better chance of getting what you order in good, working condition with the higher-rated retailers in our review.