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Want a lamp or porch light that looks like a dancing flame? LED flame effect bulbs can pull it off, but where you put them matters a lot.
I tested an LMCO LED flickering flame bulb in a table lamp, behind the frosted glass of my outdoor lamppost, and screwed in upside down. The LMCO bulb from my video isn’t listed on Amazon anymore, so the button goes to a current E26 flame bulb with 4 modes. Here’s what I learned about making these look like real fire.
- Smooth, fluid dancing flame, no individual LEDs visible
- Fits most fixtures that take a standard bulb
- Fun for holiday and Halloween decorating
- Looked best in an open lamp
- Behind frosted glass it looked like strobing
- Very orange, not warm white
- My bulb didn’t flip its flame when mounted upside down
▶ Watch the full review on YouTube
Know your fixture before you buy
Flame bulbs use clusters of LEDs programmed to dance like flames. People’s biggest complaint is that on some bulbs you can see each individual LED, which kills the illusion.
If the bulb is hidden behind wood or logs, diffusion doesn’t matter much. If it’s visible behind glass, like a lantern, you want it well diffused so the light flows like a real flame.
In a table lamp: really nice
I put it in my trusty lamp first. Even though the bulb is a lot taller than a normal one, it still fit under the bracket, so I think it’ll work in most places you use a standard bulb.
This is a really nice dancing flame effect. I couldn’t see any of the individual LEDs. It looks fluid and alive, and I was pretty impressed. LEDs always look a bit flashy on camera, so it looks even better in person.
It’s definitely orange. If you like warm white, know that this looks much more orange than yellow.
Behind frosted glass: not so much
Next I tried it in my outdoor lamppost to see if I could make it look like an old-school gas lantern. With the bulb’s frosted lens plus the lamp’s frosted glass, it just looked like it was strobing. It didn’t register as a flame. It pulses and draws your attention.
With a little less difference between the bright and dark moments, I think it would look great there. As it is, I’m not using it in that spot.
Upside down: no flip
Some flame bulbs have a sensor so the flame still rises when the bulb hangs upside down, like in a ceiling fixture or an outdoor sconce. This one doesn’t. The flame starts at the top and grows down.
Even so, the flame pattern itself still looked pretty good. If you need the flip, look for a bulb that lists an upside-down or gravity-sensor mode.
FAQ
Can you see the individual LEDs?
Not on the bulb I tested. The flame looked smooth and fluid in a lamp.
Does it work behind frosted glass?
It worked, but in my outdoor lamp it looked like strobing rather than a flame.
Does the flame flip when the bulb is upside down?
Not on mine. If you need that, choose a bulb with an upside-down or gravity-sensor mode.
What color is the light?
Orange, more orange than a warm white bulb.
Will it fit a normal lamp?
It’s taller than a normal bulb, but it fit under my lamp’s bracket.
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