If you’ve been shopping for new light bulbs or light fixtures recently, you may have spotted these three little letters: CRI. (Hint: Usually, there’s a number next to them too).
What’s this mysterious measurement?
CRI stands for Color Rendering Index. In plain English, that means it’s the measure of a lamp’s ability to render colors accurately. The scale ranges from 1 (low pressure sodium lamps) to 100 (the sun). A CRI of 85 and above is considered very good.
When does CRI matter?
Since a lamp’s color rendering index is an aesthetic measurement, the answer here really hinges on how you want whatever you’re lighting to look. If you go through the trouble of picking out a particular shade of blue to paint your dining room with, you don’t want your lights to distort the color.
When light output is more important than how “pretty” the light is, CRI is less important. Think utility lighting, temporary lights, and certain kinds of commercial lighting.
You can find the CRI measurement in the product descriptions of our lighting products.
Questions? The comments section is yours!
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by Annie Josey
As the E-Commerce Marketing Specialist at Pegasus Lighting, I blog, tweet, write copy, and more. I have a background in English literature, and I love using language to help illuminate the world, so covering lighting news and tips naturally fits my interests. Beyond the office, I enjoy painting, biking, and reading.
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