After a seemingly endless period of anticipation, LED light bulbs and other forms of LED lighting are starting to make a dent in the lighting marketplace. In 2011, consumers will be astounded by the new array of LED lighting, LED bulbs, and LED fixture choices on the market. As LED lighting continues to improve, manufacturers all over the globe are conducting research in order to bring costs down and provide more options to consumers. Though this sudden emergence of LED lighting products can mean both good and bad things for consumers, one good thing is definite: Lower prices. Even a couple of years ago, manufacturers could not produce LED lighting in an affordable range for most consumers. Commercial customers were able to swing the high cost of entry with products like LED recessed ceiling fixtures, but consumers were by and large left out. In other words, the technology was there, it just couldn’t be replicated on a large enough scale to bring costs down and appeal to the homeowner. However, technological advances as well as manufacturing improvements have led to a steady decrease in prices of LED technology.

Because competition always breeds lower prices for consumers, this trend will continue as more manufacturers enter the marketplace. At the same time, consumers are starting to demand better quality from LED manufacturers. Until now, many manufacturers released sub-par products, believing poor quality could be masked by shockingly low prices. Such lower quality products left a bad taste in many consumers’ mouths; these consumers will now have to be won over again with quality that surpasses price. Manufacturers can now be seen offering up-front guarantees on the longevity of their products and clearly mapping out the return on investment associated with their LED bulbs, LED fixtures, and other LED lighting products.

Lower prices and superior quality in LED lighting have paved the way for more widespread use of LED technology. 10 years ago, LED lighting was a novelty, not a mainstream product, but now manufacturers are starting to improve LED technology by making them in forms that consumers will use more readily. Keep an eye out: While there are LED lights available in typical Edison-style bulb shapes, there are also LED products in forms that weren’t imaginable mere months ago. This means that consumers have a wider selection and will start readily adopting this technology as it becomes more affordable.