Advantages of GU10 Bulbs

A GU10 is a type of cap or base fitted to a lamp (or bulb). This type of cap can be identified by two stubby pins as opposed the two sharp pins of a low voltage GU5.3 cap. A GU10 lamp can be released from a lamp holder by twisting it then pulling it out.

GU10 lamps have now become the preferred choice for LED (Light Emitting Diode) retrofit lamps as they operate on mains voltage (230V) and require no additional transformers or LED drivers. They are easy to install and come in many variations.

Originally designed as an easier to install mains voltage alternative to a low voltage MR16 (GU5.3 cap) requiring no transformer. The GU10 eventually became available in low energy options starting with CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lamp). This began in the form of the once market leading Megaman 11W GU10. As LED lighting technology has now totally surpassed CFL, most CFL GU10s are now obsolete and many are available on our website on stock clearance.

There are two frame sizes of GU10 lamps; one is the halogen frame size which is around 53mm deep. Many CFL and LEDs are available in this size and often referred to as perfect fit lamps. The second is the deeper low energy style which is around 80mm in depth, many of these have since been phased out for perfect fit lamps, while retaining the same lumen output. Both frame sizes must always be 50 or 51mm in diameter to be classed as true GU10 lamps.

Although most of the original deeper low energy lamps have now been superseded by more compact designs, some brighter ones still remain such as the Philips 8W GU10 - currently the brightest LED on the market. This lamp has replaced the once market leading Philips 7W Master LED which has been the bench mark for LED lamps for over three years. The quality and reliability of this lamp has allowed Philips to sell over one million units. The 8W version is now 35% brighter and dims with all types of dimmers!

Another popular, deeper GU10 LED bulb was the original Philips Hue smart lamp. Later versions now take on the perfect fit size but the front lens of the LED is slightly curved which prevents it from fitting inside some downlights such as the EvoFire which has a flat lens, causing the LED not to site quite right.

The main advantage of using a GU10 lamp is that it doesn't need a transformer. Many consumers are converting their existing halogen MR16 low voltage downlights into mains voltage GU10 and using these handy GU10 converter kits: