CRI index? The higher the better!

CRI index? The higher the better!

If you have overlooked this parameter, you should listen now, because it can be a great help when you're choosing lighting.

The value of the index can be on a scale from zero to one hundred, where CRI = 100 indicates a completely accurate color rendering, corresponding to bright daylight. Low values can completely distort the colors.

 

Light sources with a high CRI index are used wherever an accurate representation of colors is needed, eg in production, healthcare, art workshops, kitchens, shops, etc. Except for practical use, CRI can affect our psyche. In a room that is lit up with a source that has low CRI, we can feel worse than in a room that is well-lit. People who have a light with low CRI can look more tired or sick, food faint and greyish. But high CRI values can add to the attractiveness.

When buying lights, this factor is especially important for bathroom or kitchen lighting. Quality lighting in the bathroom will be appreciated especially by women while they're doing their make-up, in the kitchen, you will see food in the right colors. You can easily distinguish fresh food from those that are not that fresh anymore. Which strawberries look more appealing to you?

 

These days, most of the offered CRI bulbs already have more than 80, which is generally considered to be a quality color rendering. Some manufacturers offer special bulbs with CRI = 100.

Here is a table of CRI values for individual types of light sources. But these are only indicative numbers, as each manufacturer may have these values set differently for their bulbs. In general, classic filament and halogen bulbs have the best color rendering. These days, LED bulbs, which have a very good color rendering, are also appearing on the market.