Lighting - 60W Replacement LED Comparison

I have never been a big fan of the compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs made for the residential market. They take time to warm up to their full output, they contain mercury, and even the ones that are "dimmable" don't dim very well. I decided it was time to finally test out the newest generation of LED bulbs. Up until recently, LED bulbs were prohibitively expensive for the average consumer. Most people are not willing to spend $30 on a light bulb, even if it will pay off in the long run.

I chose to compare the Philips 424382 11W 2700K LED and the Cree 9.5W 2700K LED as these are the two most reasonably priced products ($13-$15) on the market currently, and they are both dimmable.

Side by side comparison of the Philips 424382 11W 2700K LED and the Cree 9.5W 2700K LED 

Appearance: Physically these bulbs are almost identical in height, but as you can see the big difference is the actual shape. The Cree bulb more closely resembles the traditional A19 bulb, while the Philips has more of a tapered look.

Philips 424382 at Full Brightness

Cree 9.5W LED at Full Brightness

Light Distribution and Output: Both appear to truly be 60W replacements. The Philips bulb puts out slightly more light (830 lumens vs. 800 lumens), but not by much. See images below. Notice that the Philips has a less defined scallop of light at the top than the Cree.

Cree

Philips

Color Temperature: Both bulbs closely resemble a traditional incandescent light source at 2700K.

Turn on time: Both are nearly instant-on, though I have noticed that this also depends on what type of dimmer you pair with the bulb. A standard light switch turns these on almost instantly, while my Lutron Diva C.L, which is meant for use with LED sources, has a slight delay with any LED bulb I use it with.

Dimming: Both bulbs dim with a standard dimmer, but the Cree has a few glaring issues:

1. Noise:  There is an audible whine throughout the entire dimming range. Some people may not notice, but it drove me crazy. The reviews of this product on Amazon confirm I'm not the only one that has noticed this issue.
2. Range:  The dimming range is subpar compared to the Philips. See the videos below.

The Philips bulb seems to dim to many different steps rather than continuously dimming. That being said, the Philips still outperforms the Cree in this category because of its quiet operation and it's excellent dimming range.

Fade to Off: If you have the Philips on a dimmer that fades to off, you'll notice that there is a slight flicker before the bulb turns off. The Cree does not have any flicker when fading on or off.

Phillips Dimming

Cree Dimming

Verdict:

The Philips is the winner for me. If your lights are on a dimmer, or if you can see the bulb, I would stay away from the Cree. The high pitched whining is a deal breaker, and the dark spot doesn't look great; however, some may like the dark spot as it does reduce glare at the top of bulb. The Philips bulb looks great and has superior dimming performance. 

The Cree is still a good product, and as of January 2014 can be found at Home Depot for $2 cheaper. I currently have it placed in a lamp where you can't see the bulb, and it's working just fine.