The Brightest T5 and T8 LED Tube Lights

Currently, the brightest T5 sized LED tube light is the Philips 473512 LED Dimmable Light Tube. This tube shines with 3500 lumens (54 watt replacement). They cost around $85 for a pack of ten.

The brightest four foot T8-sized LED tube light is the Barrina LED Shop Light Fixture. This tube shines with 5000 lumens using 44 watts. It replaces a 72 watt fluorescent tube. The light tubes cost around $81 for a pack of six.

The brightest eight foot T8-sized and T10-sized LED tube light is the Barrina LED Shop Light Fixture. This tube shines with 4500 lumens (72 watt replacement). They cost around $160 for a pack of twelve.

Notes On LED Tube Lights

These newer LED tube lights are designed to easily fit into the same fixtures as their replacements.

LED tube lights are great replacements for older florescent tube lights. They typically use about 50% less power. They also produce a higher quality light — meaning they have a higher Color Rendering Index.

The Color Rendering Index (CRI) is a numerical system that rates the “color rendering” ability of light bulbs in comparison to natural daylight. If a light has a low color rendering index of 50, it does not render colors very well. If the lamp has a color rendering index of 80 – 95, which is very good to excellent.

The Color Temperature is expressed in Kelvin (K). Low color temperature implies warmer (more yellow/red) light while high color temperature implies a colder (more blue) light.

Warm White: 2500 K to 3000 K
Cool White: 4000 K to 4500 K
Day Light: 6200 K to 6800 K