LED Spotlights

What are recessed spotlights and which ones are there?

Spotlights are fixtures that are installed in a ceiling or wall. The fixture ensures a sleek finish to any ceiling, creating a modern yet calm appearance. At Any-Lamp, you will find LED integrated fixtures and housings in which an LED spotlight bulb or halogen spotlight bulb is installed. LED integrated spotlights are available in 3 light colours:

• 2700K - Very warm white is perfect for the hospitality industry, homes and other atmospheric areas.
• 3000K - Warm white is good for general areas and kitchens.
• 4000K - Cool white is the ideal light colour for working environments.

With spotlight housings you must purchase a light bulb yourself. The required spotlight bulbs can be purchased via this link. In this case, the light colour depends on the spot you choose. The popular GU10 spotlight bulb has a range of 2200K (very warm white) to 6500K (daylight white). It is useful to know that this spot does not need a transformer.

Why choose LED luminaires instead of halogen?

The great advantage of built-in LED spotlights is that they consume 80% less energy and last up to 7 times longer. Therefore, you'll have earned back your purchase price in no time. What's more, LED is flicker-free and contains no harmful substances. Another reason for using LED built-in fixtures is that halogen lighting has been phased out since 2018. This means that production is no longer taking place and that only the remaining stock of halogen bulbs is still being sold.

How do I choose the right LED spotlight fixture?

LED spotlights can be used in a wide variety of ways in almost any private or commercial space; as accent lighting or for general lighting. The beam angle of the light fixture also plays an important role. If you want to illuminate a specific object, such as a sculpture or a photograph, you need a narrow angle beam (up to 40°/40D). This also applies to atmospheric lighting. If you want to light up an entire room with recessed spotlights, you should install several light sources (depending on the size of the room) or choose luminaires with a wide beam angle (40°/40D to 120°/120D). This wide beam angle is mainly available with LED downlights, fixtures that are very similar to a spotlight.

What colours and shapes do these light sources have?

In our range, you'll find many LED built-in spots in different basic colours. You can choose from white, silver, anthracite and black spotlights. Any-Lamp also has several options in fixture appearance. There are spots with a round or square design, and it is possible to purchase a tiltable recessed spot. The diversity in appearances makes this light source suitable for every type of interior design. Do you want a light source that is virtually invisible in your interior? Then a white recessed luminaire is the perfect solution. It is also possible to achieve the opposite effect. By for example using a stylish recessed luminaire with a black design, you can turn your lighting into a real eye-catcher.

Are LED spotlights dimmable?

Yes, they are! We have a wide range of dimmable spotlights. Bear in mind that you should also buy a dimmable LED spotlight bulb if you have chosen a housing without a light source. The big advantage of dimmable fixtures is that you have control over the intensity of the light. They allow you to increase the light output when you want to read a book or decrease it when you are watching TV.

How much distance should I use between the light sources?

The amount of space between recessed LED spotlights depends on the room where the light source is placed and the number of lumens that an individual spotlight emits. For example, you need more light in the kitchen when cooking (700 - 800 lumens per square metre) than when eating (300 - 400 lumens per square metre). If you choose a 360 Lumen LED spotlight, one fixture per square metre above the dining table is enough. If it's only 180 lumens, you'll need two. Want to get a better idea of how many lumens a particular room in your home needs? Check out our Lumen per room blog. 

Good to know! When you replace a light bulb in a recessed luminaire, you can always opt for a brighter or dimmer light source.

Which LED spotlights should I choose for which room?

Which built-in spotlights you should use in a room, depends on the activities that take place in there. A kitchen can be used for cooking, but also for enjoying a meal together. Or you can read a book or watch a movie in the living room. Every activity requires a certain light colour, light output or other characteristic. To help you get started, we have listed a few specifications that will work well in certain types of spaces.

• Kitchen / Canteen - Dimmable LED spotlights or recessed luminaires with dim-to-warm light bulbs are the ideal solution for a kitchen or canteen. In this case, you can adjust the light output and/or light colour (2200K - 3000K) to suit the activity.
• Living rooms / Bedrooms - For living rooms and bedrooms the same principle applies as for kitchens: dimmable or dim-to-warm recessed luminaires with warm colour temperatures (2200K - 3000K) are a smart solution.
• Bathrooms / Shower Rooms - In bathrooms and shower rooms it is important to take vapour and moisture into account. Therefore, the luminaire should be at least splash-proof, which is indicated in the specifications with an IP44 or IP54 value. Waterproof recessed spotlights (IP65) can always be installed without any problems. If you would like to install spotlights near the mirror or in a mirror cabinet, we recommend the light colour cool white (4000K). You can read more about this in our mirror lighting blog.
• Working environments - In offices, home workstations and other working environments people concentrate on their work. In these areas, it is advisable to use recessed spotlights with cool white light (4000K). This light enables you to maintain your focus. 

Which spotlights for outdoors?

If you want to light your outdoor area with LED spotlights, you should pay attention to the protection class. We recommend products with IP65 protection. This level of protection indicates that the product is dustproof and protected against contact and water jets from any angle. Therefore, frost and water cannot damage the LED spotlight. Recessed spotlights with an IP44 value (splash water proof) can also be used as outdoor lighting. Suitable light sources for outdoor use can also be found in our LED outdoor lighting category.

How should I install this light source?

You can install built-in LED spotlights in no time. You don't need any experience. The most important thing is that you have a suspended ceiling in which the cables can disappear. Just follow our step-by-step installation instructions:

• Drill holes in the ceiling for the spotlights with the right cut size. This step is not necessary if you are replacing your halogen spotlight with an LED alternative.
• Turn off the power before you start! For extra safety, you can unscrew the fuse.
• Place the LED light source in the holder and fold the tensioning springs upwards.
• Slide the recessed light into the hole in the ceiling.
• Switch on the power supply and save energy and money immediately.

How do I replace the spotlight bulb in a fixture?

If you only need to replace the bulb in a spotlight fixture, you need to remove the old GU10 spotlight bulb from the fixture. Then you push the new GU10 spot in the housing and turn it a quarter turn. Are you switching from halogen to LED and are you using a dimmer? LED lights can only be dimmed with a LED dimmer. Therefore, it might be necessary to replace your dimmer.

What is the cutting size?

The cutting size of a recessed spotlight is the diameter of the hole that needs to be made in the ceiling or wall. This hole size is necessary in order to achieve a neat finish. This hole size is also useful to know when you want to replace your light fitting with a new one. For example, if you switch from halogen to LED. After all, there are many LED spotlight fixtures available with a cutting size between 60 and 90 millimetres and even some with a larger cut size.