What is CRI in Lighting? (And Why You Should Care)

The Short Answer

CRI stands for Color Rendering Index. It is a score from 0 to 100 that tells you how well a light bulb shows colors:

• Score < 80: Colors look dull or grayish.
• Score > 90: Colors look vibrant and accurate (like they do outside).

Think of it like the resolution on your TV: a standard bulb is 720p, but a High CRI bulb is 4K.

Note on Brightness

Don't confuse CRI with lumens:

• Lumens: How bright the light is.
• CRI: How pretty or accurate the light makes things look.

You can have a very bright bulb with terrible color rendering (like a street light).

80 CRI vs. 90 CRI: Can You See the Difference?

Most standard LED bulbs sold in big-box stores are CRI 80. This is fine for general use, but it fails to capture the full spectrum of red:

• Wood floors look flat.
• Skin tones look pale.
• Red apples look muddy.

CRI 90+ bulbs (often found in Sylvania’s TruWave™ or Natural Series) fill in the missing red spectrum, making colors more vivid and true-to-life.

Does High CRI Actually Matter for My Home?

Yes, but you don’t need it everywhere. Spend the extra money on CRI 90+ bulbs (often labeled "Premium" or "Natural") in these rooms:

1. The Bathroom

Low CRI can make your skin look grayish or green. You might overcompensate with makeup, only to appear orange in natural sunlight. High CRI shows your true skin tone.

2. The Kitchen

We eat with our eyes. Low CRI lighting can make meats look brown instead of pink and salads dull. High CRI makes food look fresh and appetizing.

3. The Closet

Distinguishing between black, charcoal, and navy is nearly impossible under standard 80 CRI bulbs. A 90+ CRI bulb fixes the "mismatched socks" problem.

Room-by-Room CRI Guide

Do you really need to spend extra for High CRI bulbs? Only in specific rooms. Use this guide to save money: