Philips SceneSwitch BR30 LED review: Three lights in one bulb with the Philips SceneSwitch floodlight LED

The Philips "SceneSwitch" line of LED light bulbs promises versatility with the flip of a switch. Each one has three different light settings -- to change between them, you just turn the bulb off and back on.

The newest SceneSwitch bulb is a BR30-shaped floodlight that'll sell for $8 at Home Depot this fall. Flip it off and back on within a few seconds to cycle through a yellowy soft white setting, a whitish daylight setting and a dimmed-down night-light setting. Like the other SceneSwitch LEDs, it's a simple and interesting way to add some limited dimmability to a fixture without needing to replace the light switch or install expensive smart bulbs.

It's also a pretty good light bulb in its own right, and one of the most efficient floodlight LEDs we've ever tested. At just 8W, each one will add less than a buck to your yearly energy bill if you run it at the brightest setting for three hours a day. By comparison, a standard 65W incandescent floodlight at three hours of usage per day will add almost $8 to your yearly energy bill. 

Replace a bulb like that with the SceneSwitch floodlight, and it'll pay for itself in a little over a year. After that, it will continue saving you money for the rest of its 22-year life span -- decades longer than that incandescent would have lasted. Oh, and that longevity claim comes backed by a five-year warranty, too.