Energy-Efficiency

LED bulbs use less energy than the standard incandescent Christmas lights, which makes them the more energy-efficient choice. This is because, due to the way they are made with light-emitting diodes instead of filaments, they produce almost no heat at all when turned on. This means that a much higher amount of electricity goes towards producing light, rather than being wasted on heat.

In fact, incandescent or regular lights are being phased out entirely due to their inefficiency, making them harder to find. The greenhouse gases that incandescent bulbs produce may have a bigger environmental impact, potentially contributing to issues such as climate change. LED bulbs emit fewer greenhouse gases than incandescent bulbs, which makes them not only more efficient but more environmentally friendly.

LED bulbs require less wattage to run so that you will use less electricity to power the same number of lights over standard string lights. This can save you up to 80% on your electric bill this season when compared to regular Christmas lights. This is a benefit for those who like to create a large display.

Installation

If both types of lights use the same insulated cord, then the installation will be comparable. However, many LED lights now come on a copper strand. This strand is much more difficult to install than a cord because it is thinner and more easily tangled. LED strands are often shorter than regular strands, which means you’ll need more extension cords and strands to hook together to complete an installation, meaning more work to set up your lights.

Brightness

With the growing technology, LEDs have the same, if not brighter lighting than standard bulbs. In addition, LED Christmas lights have fewer bulbs than traditional strings of lights but can still shine brightly in many colors.

In the past, LED lighting was dimmer than traditional lighting, which caused people to stay with the standard string of Christmas lights. This has changed, however, and both bulbs now put out a similar amount of light.

The key is looking at the size of the lights. LEDs on copper strands are much smaller, so while the brightness is comparable, the lights will not be as visible as standard Christmas lights. This may be a personal choice, however, in how you want the bulbs to be viewed.

Standard lights used to have more color options than LED, but nowadays, there are plenty of options for LED lights too. You can buy these lights in all kinds of colors and options, and it’s also worth noting that LED lights are made with plastic bulbs, rather than glass, making them less likely to break as well.

Maintenance

In terms of maintenance, LED lights are the better option. They’re made with plastic bulbs, rather than glass, so there’s far less chance of the bulbs shattering or breaking and they don’t need to be handled with quite as much delicate care as standard glass Christmas lights. 

Plus, since LED bulbs won’t ever burn out, you don’t need to worry about replacing them or messing around with fuses either. All you need to do is plug them in and enjoy the lights. If the brightness starts to fade over time, many home improvement stores now offer trade-in or recycling programs where you can hand over your old lights and get a discount on a new set.

With standard lights, the maintenance levels are higher as you may need to handle them more carefully, as well as looking for any burned-out bulbs and replacing them as needed. You also need to be careful how long you leave them on as the high levels of heat can increase the risks of individual bulbs breaking.