BR30 vs A19 LED Light Bulbs – What is the Difference?

When it comes to lightbulbs, there is a massive choice. Despite LED bulbs being more expensive, they will save you money in the long run. If want to become more environmentally friendly and reduce your electric bill we are going to make sense of some of the numbers and letters with the BR30 and the A19.

The letters refer to the shape of a light bulb. The A bulbs are your traditional pear-shaped bulbs. BR stands for bulged reflector; the top is generally stouter with a bulging top. The bigger the number, the larger the bulb. The specifics can be found in the comparison chart below. Bear in mind that this is the average size, there may be other buying options.

	BR30	A19
Image
Height	5.03 inches	3.9-4.73 inches
Width	3.74 inches	2.4 inches
Average Brightness	800-1100lm	Up to 1,600lm
Average Watts	9W	9.5W
Incandescent Equivalent	65W	60W
Price	Check Price on Amazon	Check Price on Amazon

Both the BR30 and the A19 can be used in homes and offices. The A19 has a very wide range of uses in pretty much any of your home fittings from ceilings to lamps. The BR30 is better for recessed fixtures and cans, both 4” and 6”. The traditional shape of the A19 spreads the light over a much greater surface area, whereas the BR30 points the light beam straight ahead from the top.

Again, you will find differences in the brightness and wattage but for the BR30, a popular choice is a 9W bulb, like a 65W incandescent bulb. Very similar, the A19 is often a 9.5W bulb, the equivalent of 60W. With regards to the brightness, the BR30 has an 800 to 1,100lm but the A19 is up to 1,600lm.

We have taken the Philips BR30 and the Philips A19 LED lightbulbs to get a more accurate look at the features and value for money.

The Philips BR30

There is an 11W BR30 which is the same as a 90W incandescent bulb. It gives you a soft white light with 2700k. This light bulb has a lifespan of more than 10,000 hours, so it might seem expensive but that is years! The light bulbs are dimmable and come in packs of 6 or 8.

Read next – BR30 vs BR40 LED Lightbulbs – What is the Difference?

The Philips A19

Our pick is the 9.5W light bulb, the equivalent of 60W. It has 800 lumens and the same soft white light as the BR30. Another similarity is that it is dimmable. What stands out is the lifespan. The light bulb will last for more than 22 years with an average of 3 hours of use per day. The average annual cost of energy per A19 is just $1.14.

The Final Verdict

If you have cans or recessed fixtures, the BR30 is the smart choice, if not, the bulb might stick out and look out of place. For all other uses, we would recommend the A19. It has more all-around purposes and you can’t go wrong with a light bulb that lasts for more than 22 years and costs so little each year.