The next generation of LED offerings is inspiring enough that you’ll want to make the switch. Here’s what you need to know to spec the very best.

GET LIT

A primer in LED technology.

Tala's porcelain bulb collection

The basics: LED stands for “light-emitting diode”—essentially an electrical current passed through a microchip that results in visible light. (A more scientific version: Light is created by a semiconductor when a current is passed through a positive-negative junction.)