How bright is 400 lumens?

When it comes to lighting, most people are used to the traditional way of estimating the appropriate light bulb in terms of wattage. On an incandescent bulb, 100W gave a very bright room, 60W was a general purpose bulb, and 40W was relatively dim, used mostly for reading lamps or accent lighting. However, with the new generation of light bulbs, we are asked to pay attention to lumens instead, as this helps to standardise how we compare the light output of different types of bulbs, regardless of their energy efficiency.

Is 400 lumens very bright?

So, how bright is 400 lumens? Well, it all depends on what you need the light for. 400 lumens is roughly equivalent to a 40W standard incandescent bulb, a 28W halogen bulb, a 9W CFL, or a 4W LED bulb. That’s the same amount of light but with increasing energy efficiency.

So in answer to the question, 400 lumens is not very bright.

Where will 400 lumens be sufficient?

400 lumens will be sufficient in a small room where you only need general light, such as in a bathroom or small office. It’s also the right amount of light for most task lighting, such as under-cabinet lighting in your kitchen or a reading lamp next to your armchair.

Four hundred lumens is about the minimum amount of light you should use in any room if you want to avoid eye strain and fatigue. Anything less than 400 lumens will start to feel dim, especially if you’re trying to do detailed work or read for long periods. We’d recommend including task lighting in areas where you need to see details more intently, such as reading, applying make-up, or working with tools.

You may find 400 lumens sufficient as basic hallway lighting, although if you want to use only 400 lumens as hallway lighting, we recommend pairing it with another light source, such as wall sconces, at the far end of the hallway to help brighten up the space.

Where else is a 400-lumen light sufficient?

Here are four areas that could benefit from 400 lumens of light.

1) Outdoor lighting

Outdoor lighting can be useful for security, decoration, or functionality. Path and wall lights are generally used to help you find your way and prevent you from fumbling around with your key in the dark. A 400-lumen light will provide plenty of illumination for this. However, you can get away with much less – 100 lumens is often suitable for paths and exterior lights near doorways to avoid dazzling neighbours.

2) Workbench lighting

If you have a workbench in your garage or workshop, 400 lumens will be ideal for task lighting if the bulb is directly above your workspace. You’ll be able to see what you’re doing without being blinded by a too-bright light, and you won’t have to waste energy by using a bulb with more lumens than you need.

3) Desk and floor lamps

Again, 400 lumens is perfect for task lighting; if you’re using your desk or floor lamp for reading or working on the computer, this will be just the right amount of light. Although the bulb is not brilliantly bright, its proximity makes the light easily sufficient.

Conclusion

In conclusion, 400 lumens is not very bright, but it will be sufficient for certain tasks and areas of your home. Using 400-lumen bulbs in outdoor lighting, workbench lighting, desk lamps, and night lights is a good idea if the lamp is close to the surface you want to illuminate. Bear in mind that this is just a guide – you may find that you need more or less light depending on the specific circumstances. If in doubt, err on the side of using a brighter bulb. It’s generally better to have too much light than not enough!

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