GU10 and MR16 halogen spotlights can be found in most homes across the country. With the recent introduction of energy saving LED alternatives the consumer can now choose from a far wider selction of wattages, beam angles and colour temperatures. Please click on the images below to view our range of either Halogen or LED spotlights.

Choosing the correct spot or flood lamp can make all the difference when furnishing your room with light or highlighting treasured objects. Use our unique spot and flood lamp selector to see the difference this can make.

Simply click and drag the slider to see the effect of choosing different beam angles and to see the approximate spread of your chosen lamp. The spread shown is at a distance of 3m from the lamp, representing a typical throw from a ceiling-mounted lamp on to a perpendicular floor or wall.

Please note that each GU10 or MR16 is generally only available in a small range of beam angles and that descriptions such as “wide flood” also vary by manufacturer.

The most popular GU10 or MR16 flood beam angle is either 38° or 36°. Both are shown here.

Comparing Spotlights

Here’s a quick guide to comparing spotlights. We highlight the three things you have to look out for to make sure you’re getting the same output when you upgrade your lights:

1. BEAM ANGLE

GU10 and MR16 spotlights with narrow beam angles give more concentrated light, whereas wide beam angle bulbs give a greater spread. When replacing your spotlights it is important to check the beam angle is the same othwerwise you will notice a difference once fitted.

2. VOLTAGE

Lower voltage spotlights are brighter than their mains voltage counterparts. This is because of the formula V=IR, which basically means that at a lower voltage, there is a higher current - or in English: there is a greater flow of electricity through the bulb, rather than a faster flow. This makes the filament burn brighter. NB: These bulbs cannot be interchanged as they require transformers to be installed or removed as well as different fittings.
Always make sure the voltage is the same!

3. LIGHT INTENSITY

For normal, non-directional bulbs we use Lumens to measure and compare brightness. But the beam angle issue with directional GU10s and MR16s means that we can also use Candela to measure the intensity of light. Just like Lumens, a higher Candela value means a brighter light.

Here’s a table showing typical Candela and Lumen values for halogen spotlights:

A HANDY WAY TO REMEMBER

SAME VOLTAGE + SIMILAR BEAM ANGLE + SIMILAR CANDELA + LOWER WATTAGE = GREAT SAVING!