Buying GU10 LED bulbs: practical buying guide for beginners  

The GU10 bulb is banned, but more popular than ever! With the advent of super-efficient LED technology, the former GU10 halogen spotlight has now been phased out. Indeed, manufacturers are no longer allowed to produce classic GU10 halogen spotlights. 

But not to worry, because GU10 is still an immensely popular category today. In the form of LED halogen spotlights and downlights, many GU10 fittings are produced and sold to satisfied customers every day. 

in the form of extremely efficient GU10 LED lights, the unique two-pin GU10 socket is making a comeback. With the same look and feel as the classic halogen bulb, the GU10 LED bulb is a rather unique form of lighting. 

GU10 LED lamps have all the features and functionality of a classic halogen spotlight or downlight, but are many times more economical to use. Anyone looking to buy a halogen spotlight almost always ends up with GU10 LED lights. You can also find a diverse range of these super-efficient LED spotlights in the VoordeelLED webshop.

What is a GU10 bulb?

A GU10 bulb is a common category for halogen spotlights and LED spotlights. The term GU10 refers to a specific type of fitting. The letters GU stand for 'General Use', or general use. The number 10 refers to the total distance in millimetres between the two pins of the fitting. 

The term GU10 is thus a designation for the unique two-pin lamp fittings, which are suitable for use in (mainly) halogen fittings. Nowadays, economical GU10 LED spotlights are almost always used in these. 

There is not one specific GU10 bulb, it is entirely a category of bulbs with the same type of fitting. Individual bulbs may have their own characteristics. Think of a GU10 lamp with a unique light colour, design, features like dimmability, or a specific wattage. You can find a GU10 LED light source for every need. 

How do I put a GU10 bulb in a socket?

Connecting a two-pin GU10 bulb works slightly differently from the standard screw fitting we are used to from a regular LED bulb. GU10 bulbs have two pins as connections, which can be connected by means of a plug-and-twist mechanism. 

For spotlights without a ring, the light source can be rotated out of the fitting by turning it a quarter turn with your fingers. If this does not work, use a suction cup or a double-folded piece of duct tape around the recessed or surface-mounted spotlight. Apply sufficient pressure and turn the spotlight out with the tool. 

Insert the new GU10 LED light source into the fitting in the same way as it was removed. Align the pins with the pins in the bulb itself, and turn it a quarter turn in the GU10 light fitting using the plug-and-twist principle. 

For a spotlight with a ring, you can simply press it down with your fingers or pincers. When removing the ring, the spotlight falls down automatically. First put a light source back into the fitting by aligning it with the two pins and turning it slightly. 

Please note that an old halogen spotlight must first be switched off and will need to cool down before a new LED spotlight can be installed in the old socket. After all, you don't want to burn your fingers during installation. 

GU10 vs. GU5.3 vs. GU4

Besides the GU10 LED fitting, other types of GU fittings are also widely sold. The most popular variants are GU5.3 and GU4. Like GU10, both GU5.3 and GU4 have two pins to connect the bulb. 

Unlike GU10, the distance between the two connection pins is smaller. Whereas GU10 has exactly 10 millimetres of distance left between the pins, with GU5.3 the distance is exactly 5.3 millimetres and with GU4 exactly 4 millimetres. 

GU10 fittings feature a ball on the end of the pins, while GU5.3 and GU4 do not. Also, the overall thickness of the pins to connect the LED bulb gets smaller as the GU values get lower.  

Is GU10 LED dimmable?

Yes, it is possible to buy a dimmable GU10 LED spotlight. However, not all GU10 LEDs are dimmable by definition; it will be indicated per product whether they are dimmable. It is possible to dim GU10 LEDs with an ordinary dimmer, but it is better to use an LED dimmer. 

By using an LED dimmer, you can regulate how brightly a light source is switched on. There are both stepped and non-stepped dimmers. Stepped dimmers have preset levels of brightness (e.g. 20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100%). 

An LED dimmer without step mechanism can dim an LED light source much more precisely than preset settings. This gives you even more control over how brightly a light source shines. 

It is also possible to connect multiple light sources to one LED dimmer and operate them at the same time. This is useful when it comes to one specific room, or when you need a separate switch for a few GU10 LED downlights above the gas cooker, for example. 

Buying an economical GU10 LED spotlight

By now, you understand a lot better what exactly a GU10 LED bulb is and what features are important with this type of fitting. Fortunately, the unique two-pin bait connection of GU fittings are not complicated to connect. It's just important to learn the right method to do so. 

Important to know when buying GU10 LED lights is the fact that they are an entire category of light sources. GU10 LED bulbs come in many shapes, sizes and variations. Consider differences in wattage, light output, light colour, light shape or size, but also in the application of the lamps. 

The most popular application of GU10 is still its function as a halogen recessed spotlight. Meanwhile, the classic halogen light source has been completely replaced by GU10 LED light sources, which can perform the same function but are of higher quality (and consume less energy). 

You can find GU10 LED lamps in all shapes and sizes in the online shop of AdvantageLED. Browse our wide range of GU10 LED lights directly by navigating to our products below: