Task Lamps - Are more lumens better? (Neatfi Elite HD XL vs Neatfi XL vs Esslinger Professional LED Bench Lamp)

[caseten]

Recently I purchased the Neatfi Elite HD XL Task Lamp 1100 Lumens 6000-7000K Dimming for $90 on Amazon (had a $5 off coupon).  

The other option I considered  was the Professional LED Bench Lamp with Dimmer Switch from Esslinger for $119 + shipping, which is also 1100 Lumens and dimming, but has no information on the color of the light, but mentions "84 white LED bulbs provide ample daylight illumination" so basically, I think it's the same lamp as the  Neatfi Elite HD XL Task Lamp.

Another option I considered was the Neatfi XL 2,200 Lumens LED Task Lamp 117 LED 4 Level Brightness, with a color temperature of 5600K-6000K and a CRI of 80. It was a $5 more than teh Elite HD XL model.

So my question is which would you get?

Is 1100 Lumens enough, or would you have got the 2200 Lumen model? 

Does the color temperature and CRI matter to you?

Should I have considered a different task lamp?

Let me know your thoughts.

[spectre6000]

I can't say one way or the other, but $5 for double the output AND the ability to dial it back if you needed to... It's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. From my own experience with whatever lumens I have available to me, I'd definitely prefer more light.

[HectorLooi]

3 hours ago, spectre6000 said:

I can't say one way or the other, but $5 for double the output AND the ability to dial it back if you needed to... It's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. From my own experience with whatever lumens I have available to me, I'd definitely prefer more light.

I hear you. As we age, our eyes become less sensitive and a brighter light source is preferable. Also, the ability of our eyes to focus diminishes. A bright light makes our pupils close down, like when selecting a smaller aperture on a camera, the depth of field improves.

But 2 things worry me. Many dimmers for LED lights use pulse width modulation rather than a current controller. This means that the light actually flickers at a very high frequency that is not perceptible to our eyes, but will still cause eye fatigue. You can notice this sometimes when you see horizontal lines when using a digital camera.

My other concern is, as a dentist, I've noticed that my light cured dental materials can start setting when I'm still working with it if my LED headlight is set too bright. Light cure dental materials are set by blue light in the range of 400 to 500 nm wavelengths. So, that means that white LEDs are putting out enough blue light to set our dental materials. Does that damage our eyes...? I honestly don't know.

[canthus]

Debating this myself re suitable lamp.  Experience of LED lights is that if individual bulbs then can stand a few failing but often all go at once due to circuit failure), if full strip type then usually a total fail.  Cost of new 'bulb' for LED £45 (ie new light!!), (ref Cousins catalogue).  Fluorescent light, maybe not as bright (double tubes better) but cost of new tube £7!  I also see the lines on my digital camera with LED.