Long gone are the days where the only place LEDs were useful was the backlighting of a $10 wristwatch. LED technology has come a long way in the past 5 years from being an extremely niche technology to becoming a well-established force in the mainstream lighting market. You may think you know all about LED Lights, as those little clear plastic domes that put off little light but are energy efficient. That may have been true 5 years ago, let’s get you up to speed. Here is a quick overview about how the world’s most advanced lighting has changed in the past half-decade and links to exactly what we are talking about.

Flexible LED Light Strips
 Perhaps the most versatile LED advancement is high quality Flexible LED Strips. Today people use these for literally anything from a teen who wants to put accent lighting on his car, to a mom who wants under cabinet LED lighting for her Kitchen. LED light strips are simply high powered LEDs placed on an extremely thin circuit board and for waterproofing can be coated in silicone. They usually have an adhesive backing for easy installation. These strips come in varying intensities but can be as bright per foot as a 60W light bulb!

Direct Replacement LED Bulbs
 This advancement is responsible for the rapid adoption of LED technology. Available in a wide assortment of products including direct replacement LED light bulbs for homes and even LED lights for cars. These bulbs are designed to literally fit right into existing sockets designed for older obsolete lighting and work without any modification.

High Power SMD LEDs
 This technology is the engine behind many of today’s modern LED lighting products. First produced in early 2001, these LEDs are produced by growing gallium nitride on silicon. These LEDs are flat, brighter, and are more durable than their predecessors.