A little over two weeks ago, writer Tom Scocca published a story on LED light bulbs for New York Magazine that went surprisingly viral (previous BoingBoing coverage here). Apparently, a lot of people have had those uniquely terrible experiences with LED bulbs, and Scocca's piece really resonated with them!
LED Light Bulbs are also a part of the beat I cover for Wirecutter, so I read Scocca's deeply-researched article with a keen interest. And he does some genuinely great work, particularly when it comes to breaking down the physics and economics of LEDs (which will soon be the primary light source for everyone in the US, whether they like it or not).
Despite Scocca's (very valid!) criticisms, I can assure you: there are some good LED light bulbs out there. It is frustratingly easy to find a bad one, but the good ones do exist, and the investment makes a difference. The popular WNYC politics show The Brian Lehrer Show invited me on the air to talk about some of my recommendations for better bulbs, and what to look for when you're shopping (Scocca had spoken with Lehrer about his own piece the day before).
You can listen here:
The Best LED Light Bulbs [Thom Dunn / Wirecutter]
The New Light Is Bad [Tom Scocca / The Strategist]
Full disclosure: I also write for Wirecutter, which is owned by the New York Times Company.
