What is beam angle?
Learn the simple difference between a narrow spot and a wide floodlight.
What exactly is the difference between Lux and Lumen?
It’s a common question, and the answer is key to understanding why a super-bright bulb can still leave your desk feeling a bit dim. Don't worry, the difference is actually very simple and incredibly useful. Let's shed some light on it.
What is Lumen?
Lumen (lm) is the measurement of the total amount of visible light emitted by a source. Think of it as the raw power or total light output coming directly from the bulb itself, in all directions. A bulb with 800 lumens is simply brighter at the source than a bulb with 450 lumens.
What is Lux?
A Lux (lx), on the other hand, measures the amount of light that actually lands on a specific surface. The official definition is one lumen per square meter.
In simple terms: Lumens are what the bulb *emits*, and Lux is what your surface *receives*.
The best analogy
This is the easiest way to understand the difference. Imagine you have a garden hose with a nozzle.
- The Lumen value is the total amount of water flowing out of the nozzle per minute. This amount is constant.
- The Lux value is how wet a specific spot on the wall gets when you spray it.
If you set the nozzle to a wide, misty spray, the water (the lumens) is spread over a huge area. Any single spot on the wall doesn't get very wet. This is low Lux.
Now, if you adjust the nozzle to a powerful, narrow jet, all the same water (the same lumens) is concentrated on one tiny spot. That spot gets soaked instantly. This is high Lux.
The amount of water (Lumens) never changed, but the intensity on the surface (Lux) changed dramatically. Lighting works the exact same way!
Why this matters to you
Understanding Lux helps you plan your lighting for what you actually *do* in a room. A general ambient light doesn't need to be intense, but a surface where you read or chop vegetables needs to be very well-lit.
Reading nook vs. living room ceiling
You can use the exact same 800-lumen bulb in two places. As a central ceiling light, it spreads its light over the whole room, and the Lux level on your coffee table might be quite low. But put that same bulb in a reading lamp with a focused shade pointing right at your book, and the Lux level on the page will be incredibly high. Perfect for reading!
Recommended Lux levels for your home
While you don't need a light meter for home use, experts have recommendations for how bright different areas should feel. This can help you decide if you need more focused lighting, like spotlights or under-cabinet strips.
- Hallways & General Ambiance: 100 - 150 lux
- Living Room / Bedroom (General): 150 - 200 lux
- Kitchen (General): 250 - 300 lux
- Bathroom: 200 - 250 lux
- Home Office / Desk / Reading Area: 500 lux
- Kitchen Countertops / Workshop Benches: 500 - 750 lux
Lumens for power, Lux for purpose
And there you have it. The difference is simple but powerful. When you're buying a bulb, you choose the Lumens for its total potential brightness. But when you're designing your lighting, you think about Lux to make sure that brightness is delivered effectively right where you need it for a specific task.
It's the secret to creating a space that isn't just bright, but is lit perfectly for everything you do. Have any questions about lighting your space? The experts at Fixerio are always ready to help!
