A typical LED only draws between 2 to 10 watts of power to produce light. A 6- to 7-watt LED produces about the same level of light output as a 100-watt incandescent bulb. A 22-watt fluorescent lamp produces the same levels of light output as a 100-watt incandescent.
Perhaps the only obstacle in the way of LED's widespread use is production costs. It costs more to produce LEDs than it does to produce most other types of light bulbs, including fluorescent bulbs. Although they do not demand the same production costs as LEDs, fluorescent bulbs are still more expensive to produce than incandescents.
Both types of light bulbs have a high initial cost, but this is offset by the amount of electricity they save the consumer in the long run. LEDs are less prone to damage by being dropped or jarred because they have no filament. One of the largest benefits to LED lighting is that they run cool; very little energy is given off by LEDs in the form of heat.
Because of current technological limitations, the size of an individual LED is rather small. They are often clustered together for many applications. The life of a fluorescent bulb can be significantly shortened if it is continually turned on and off.
A typical fluorescent light bulb can last around 10 times as long as a typical incandescent bulb. LEDs are some of the longest-lasting light bulbs on the market. They are capable of lasting for up to 10 times as long as fluorescent light bulbs.
Unlike almost every light bulb on the market, LEDs contain no traces of mercury, a toxic element. Fluorescents, on the other hand, depend on their mercury content to function properly. A fluorescent light bulb can contain around 5 mg of mercury.