LED lamps Ecola (Ekola): review of the line, advantages and disadvantages, consumer reviews

In the large “family” of LEDs, Ekola brand products occupy an impressive position.The brand has a wide range of practical products with good performance. They produce Ecola LED lamps for organizing all types of lighting systems. How to find a suitable option in the shopping aisle? Agree, you need to prepare to make an informed purchase.

Those who want to get to know LED light bulbs from Ekola will find a detailed description of the series in demand on the market. The scope of application is given, the differences in power and nuances of radiation color are discussed. A clear description of the positive and negative qualities of lighting devices will help you make the right choice, as well as think about purchasing an LED source for other purposes.

The review we offer of LED devices with the Ekola logo is based on the independent opinion of real users. In addition to standard models, there are interesting innovative solutions, products with non-trivial design and improved characteristics. A useful informative addition to the text part of the article are photographs and video presentations.

Basic information about the manufacturer of Eco-lamp

The company, which has the same name as a concern in China that produces components and accessories for computers, actually has nothing to do with this, although many are inclined to think so.

Ecola is short for “ecological lamps”, and its creators are Russian enthusiasts. They entered the market in 2005, and at first they were LON (incandescent) and CFL (fluorescent), then LED quickly appeared. But the “Chinese trace” is clearly present among environmentalists.

The company's starting position turned out to be not very good; its LEDs were mercilessly criticized for being handicrafts and fragility. Many people remember Ecola lamps from eBay or Amazon, where they were the only ones sold.

But gradually all the feedback was taken into account, conspicuous shortcomings were eliminated, and today it is the largest supplier of cheap LED light bulbs from the East. However, the brand does not advertise its factories or reputable representative offices around it, only a website with an excellent catalog and store sales. However, this is enough.

“Ekola” cannot be called completely addressless - if you have any questions about the product and its operation, you can contact the production office: Moscow, st. Masterkova, 4, or write to e-mail info@ecola.ru. More detailed contacts are listed on the official website Ecola.ru

Eco-lamps are available at all home improvement stores. Offers depend on the focus of the stores: in diverse supermarkets, mainly simple household light bulbs are available, in construction and finishing gigamarkets - from mini-lamps to entire lighting systems. After all, the company, in addition to everything, also produces lamps and a variety of accessories for lighting equipment.

Russian Ecola brand stores are called “Svetonik”.The same name has a very extensive online shop that actively delivers lamps ordered online.

Positive aspects of the brand

The brand certainly has its positive sides. These are the immutable ones:

• price – unlike its eminent brothers, the Eastern European company firmly adheres to the policy of accessibility in relation to its products, solutions are constantly being sought to replace expensive parts with simple analogues while maintaining performance;
• big choice – the brand does not pursue exclusivity, looking for options for a wide variety of tastes and circumstances, both traditional and special;
• unusualness — among the proposals you can find both stylish, minimalist design and bright, unusual shapes and bold combinations.

At one time, it was Ecola that produced stunning colored spiral light bulbs, from one glance at which a wave of positivity and curiosity arose in those passing by.

The colored light bulbs are entirely the company's initiative. There are no other brands that produce something similar, or their analogues are too few. The brand's engineers warn that if you connect several different colors into one chandelier at once, according to the laws of physics the light will turn out white

The most important thing is that manufacturers do not rest on their laurels, but listen sensitively to feedback, instantly responding to customer demand with an actual offer. The company is constantly developing, and today is able to provide real, working quality.

Varieties of LED lamps from Ecola

The assortment is very large. You can buy lamps for home, office, industrial lighting, street, landscape design and accent decoration. The general division includes shape, color shade, type of base, light direction.

The shape of Ekola's light lines offers the following bulbs:

• pear-shaped;
• spherical;
• candle-shaped;
• "corn";
• reflectors;
• tubular, linear.

There are options with standard candles, in the shape of a narrowed oval, and beautiful, curly ones, repeating the appearance of a flame in the wind. Reflectors include cone-shaped ones for spots and types of shapes: flat, convex. Separately, there are cylindrical light bulbs for household appliances.

The purpose of reflectors is to produce a narrow beam of light to highlight a specific area. Eco-friendly reflectors in this regard are more suitable for accessible ceiling decoration with spot light and for spotlights or table lamps

The color temperature of LED products ranges from warm natural at 2700K (Kelvin) to neutral cool white at 6000K. Ecola also has all this. Moreover, the company went a little further and created an amazing series of LED lamps with a non-standard multi-colored glow. These are the “Golden Color” and “Ecola Color Solutions” series, which are discussed below.

The next difference is the type of base. The choice here is also very wide.

Available versions:

• screw standard for E14, E27, E40;
• pin with G connector, namely G4, G9, G13, GU5.3, GU10, GX53, GX70;
• with recessed contact R39, R50, R63, R80.

That is, almost all types of known connectors found in Russia and Europe are represented.

The last feature is the angle of light direction. This characteristic depends on the model of the light bulb, and it cannot always be corrected due to the special design of LED lamps. But Ecola found a way out of this situation by offering a choice of several new types of diode arrangements in models that allow you to select the desired amount of lighting.

LED technology involves heating LEDs, which in standard diode lamps are cooled by an attached radiator, which narrows the angle of incidence of light. New developments make it possible to avoid this loss due to unusual placement of diodes. Of course, at a higher price

Ecola is good because, without pretending to be elite, it offers customers a variety of combinations of existing light carriers. And while high-end brands change their product line once a year, their eastern counterpart presents new products every month. That's why you can find something with Ecola that no one else has.

#1. Features of standard models

For everyday use in the most everyday places, standard Ecola lamps are suitable; they have a minimum of characteristics, there are no heavy parts, which is why they have the lowest price, 1-2 dollars. The shape of everyday women is also familiar to the eye - pear. But there are differences in design.

Pear-shaped everyday EcolaLED

Standard bulb LEDs consist of a base, a radiator and a frosted diffuser, since the luminous elements are located in them on a flat base. The diffuser helps turn the pinpoint beams into an even glow, but it can steal the brightness a bit.

In addition, due to the presence of the heatsink, the light will be angled only downwards or only upwards (depending on the position of the socket). But this is the cheapest, most popular option for kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, and storage rooms. And ideal for any public places - entrances, public spaces, reception areas and so on.

The radiator can be either ribbed or smooth. The second type is a more modern achievement.However, radiators still do not save lamps from overheating next to additional heat sources, so they can be used in cold weather, but not in saunas, steam baths or ovens

It’s a different story with special transparent pears. These shine 360 ​​degrees, since the diodes in them are originally placed beyond the plane of the base on the leg. The price of such models is slightly higher, and their purpose is to please the eye with aesthetics, familiarity and provide full illumination in chandeliers or lamps with an upper socket orientation.

Simple Ekola-pears are called Classic, and on average they correspond in size to old-fashioned incandescent light bulbs. Power range: from 7 to 20 W; analogues of 9-10 W are convenient for home use. Light output scale: from 2700K to 6500K, 2700-3000K is enough for home.

Subcategory of cabins - “corn”

Such a light bulb really resembles an ear of corn, and its design consists of a plastic cylinder on which luminous elements are located in even rows. On the outside, this type has no diffusers or bulbs, and all because this is one of the first developments of LED lamps. Yes, with this design there is no need for additional coating.

Despite the futuristic style, “corns” are no longer produced by many high-end brands; for example, Philips considers them obsolete. But Ecola is not going to give up unusual shapes, and such lamps are available to customers at their first request

Today, the model is being replaced by more familiar forms, but “corn” still has its fans.

Its advantages:

• impact-resistant, the non-standard case cannot be broken or split on the fly;
• powerfully scatters light in different directions and shines much better than simple pears;
• supports a reinforced platform that allows you to output 27 watts of LEDs, that's an incredible 270 watts of normal LN power;
• frost-resistant, functions perfectly even at -40 ° C;
• budget.

The corn comes in screw and pin versions. In the first case, this is a standard base E14 or E27, in the second - connectors for mini versions to replace halogens in sizes G4, G9. Mini corn poppers, unlike large models, have a protective silicone coating.

Physical qualities of the models: power - from 9 to 27 W, color spectrum - from 2700 to 4200K screw, 2700-6400K pin.

#2. Globular light sources EcolaGlobe

The category of LED balls already belongs to models of a higher price category, since they have a decorative touch. This is especially true for large samples with a diameter of up to 10-13 cm, the G95 series. These analogs come with the “Premium” prefix and have two main versions: matte and transparent.

Matte options are based on conventional dotted boards and have opaque diffusers. Transparent ones are assemblies using a glass burner as a bed for diodes and a special lens that enhances the flow of light. The lighting angle of such lamps is 360 degrees.

Ball lamps fit well into gardening ensembles, but LED analogues are not suitable for open areas in regions where it is very hot even at night. For such purposes, it is better to choose luminescent prototypes. But spherical lamps are ideal for adding style to the interior of the house

The compact variation of the balls is marked G45. In the same way, it is divided into matte and transparent, and also, more than half, consists of “Premium” standards. However, there are enough budget offers.

These LED balls are ideal for multi-level chandeliers or crystal sets.They fit easily into any lamp, and the crystal details make them play and shimmer under their bright, directional light.

Technical characteristics of the balls: power - from 4 to 9 W, light - from 2700 to 6500K and base sizes E14, E27, among brands G45-G50. Powers from 15 to 20 W, light - from 2700 to 4000K, base E27, including Globe G95.

#3. Ecola Premium series LEDs

Taking into account some comments from its customers, the company decided to create a separate Premium line, where traditional representatives of the series are served with improved filling.

In these models:

• flicker eliminated;
• improved light output;
• the radiator is lightened and strengthened;
• Added additional stabilizers and drivers on the diode board.

Versions with the Premium label can be found in every category of eco-friendly lamp products. They cost a little more, but the reviews are consistently positive.

The flickering glow is easy to detect using a smartphone camera - when you point at a low-quality LED, the screen will blink with dark stripes. Today this drawback has been eliminated in all modern high-quality LEDs.

The practice is that the company is gradually replacing all previous names with Premium. Users are willing to pay more for quality and safety. But we are not talking about a complete rejection of budget versions.

The brand will simply improve its quality, eliminating the negative effects of using Eco-lamps. In addition, even more expensive products from Chinese-Russian comrades are still several times cheaper than the same products from high-brow brands.

#4. New in the line - Ecola Light

The EcolaLight range offers a range of the most in-demand standard items at as low a price as possible.In other words, these are inexpensive standard LEDs at an even more affordable price due to the maximum simplification of assembly. This is achieved by using an old type of radiator or simpler diode boards.

The quality, according to the manufacturer, is not reduced in any way. It just has a somewhat heavy, old-fashioned look to it. On the contrary, some people even like it. Light offers are available in all Ekola lamp lines.

#5. Decorative candle lamps

A separate line for decorating crystal chandeliers, sconces, floor lamps, and designer lamps is the candle-shaped LED series.

Candle lamps offered here:

• matte regular;
• transparent regular;
• matte curly (“candle in the wind”);
• transparent curly.

According to the location of the diodes:

• "sparkling pyramid" view;
• "sparkling point";
• "sparkling trefoil";
• "lens".

Most samples have screw base E14, several prototypes are planted on E27.

Elongated candle-shaped lamps look most impressive in crystal. However, in order for the crystal details to really sparkle, it is better to choose transparent modifications with LEDs assembled in the form of a pyramid, trefoil, cylinder or mounted on a lens

What is the difference between sparkling pyramids, trefoils and dots: in the first case it is a matte bulb, inside of which the diode elements are raised in the form of a pyramid, in the second case it is a transparent bulb, behind which there are 3 vertical petals with LEDs.

The third is similar to the second, but instead of a trefoil there is a small cylinder with luminous dots. Petals and cylinders are newer developments compared to the pyramid.

“Lens” is a transparent candle-shaped lamp, where the light sources are sealed into a glass base, which, expanding, rises above the flat base in the form of an optical lens. This device allows you to achieve even, dazzlingly bright light.

A completely separate model of LED-Ecola candles is a light bulb that completely replicates a real candle with a wick and melting wax. This is a Premium rank offering at 6.4 watts, 15 centimeters long, with two color temperature variations - 2700K, 4000K. Sold mainly in online stores.

Capabilities of the remaining “candles”: 2.3-9 W, 2700, 4000, 6000K, cartridge E14, E27. Premium options are improved with composite radiators (aluminum reinforced with plastic).

#6. Models for recessed luminaires

The entire large family of LED reflectors from the described company is divided into components for built-in, rotary and table lamps. This means that there are various options available in flat, cone and mushroom shapes. The only difference between them is the type of connector in combination with a transparent or matte diffuser.

The first ceiling reflectors were halogen (left), but they lost out to LED (right) due to strong backlight, which created unsightly shadows on the ceiling. LED spotlights shine strictly in the intended direction, since they do not require separate reflectors, like halogens

Connector types: GU5.3, GU10, GX53, GX70, R39, R50, R63, R80. Powers vary between 6 and 15 W on compact GX53 reflectors, between 10 and 20 W on large GX70 (up to 11 cm).

There is a very large selection of kits for MR16 lamps, they come with very neat GU5.3, GU10 of various designs with brightness from 4.2 to 10 W and color rendering from 2700 to 6000K.Flat reflectors have the same coldness-warmth range.

#7. Golden series and colored light

The motto of this large, mysterious company is “Live brighter.” And manufacturers are trying to make their wish come true. To create an atmosphere of exceptional warmth and harmony, Ecola designers offer their customers to acquire special, special lamps that emit light similar to the warm burning of a fire or the glow of a sunset.

A sample with this feature can be selected in any category of Ekola-LED. The packaging will contain the word “Gold” instead of the color in Kelvin.

Another way to relax will be provided by analogs with diffuser flasks painted in the most unexpected colors - red, green, blue, orange. And they light up in colors, respectively, red, green, blue and orange. Such things can also be obtained for any series of Ecola lamps, even for spots.

Well, for lovers of vintage atmosphere and antiquity, filament exclusives are sold.

#8. Filament products from Ecola

Cozy light bulbs that completely replicate the design of the old, familiar, filament-based Ilyich light bulbs, but glow with the help of modern LEDs, are called filaments. For Ecola, this is not the highest priority, but its filament lamps fulfill their role with dignity.

Tests have shown that filament LED-Ecola can withstand competition with renowned manufacturers at a good level, unlike conventional models. Therefore, they can safely replace expensive analogues. The photo shows two types of filament prototypes from Ekola

The position of the filaments is represented by duplicates of the standard versions of the Globe, Classic, Candle lines, in the old version, but with diode technology. Almost all samples have Premium status.However, if world brands have some of the most expensive filament offerings, Ecola-LED has them more than affordable.

#9. Special lamps for special occasions

Environmental leaders understand well that situations are different, and in everyday life there arises the need for non-standard, special solutions.

To make the task easier for customers, suppliers of the brand under study have stocked several lamp alternatives:

• T25 format light bulbs – regular and “corn” LED mini-cylinders, for use in refrigerators, hoods, and sewing machines;
• one reflector position and one - pear category - with a dimming option if you want adjustable lighting;
• powerful bundles of several LED lamps at once base E40 or multi-watt analogues on a standard base, but with an attached larger format adapter - for industrial or public needs;
• lamps for household spotlights - “corn” R7s of different powers;
• light T8 tubes on G13 connectors, different lengths.

The last article is designed to replace fluorescents and halogens, with the sockets of which it is fully compatible.

LED Ecola spotlights are not afraid of direct contact with water, have been proven to work at -50°C, and have floating panels. The lamps for them (pictured) are shock-resistant, do not break, do not become dirty and save a lot of energy. But they may not work on floodlights of other brands.

The product catalog is constantly being updated, and it is quite possible that by the time this article was written, several completely new alternatives had already appeared. It's better to keep up with the offers.

User experience and negative reviews

With the development of LED technologies, Ekola light bulbs were actively purchased by a large number of people of two categories: those who needed budget LEDs, and those who actively tested products from different manufacturers.

Therefore, there were plenty of reviews and comments. However, it is reasonable to divide them into 2 waves: the first, when the LED manufacturer was just mastering it, the second is modern.

The initial wave revealed many negative aspects:

• strong flicker;
• explosions of products directly in cartridges;
• rapid burnout;
• cheap, unpresentable appearance;
• low warranty period.

The first 2 charges are practically eliminated. There are indeed problems with durability. The claimed 30,000 hours of operation is in no way true unless improvements are made over time. The same can be said about the brightness; it is often a little weaker than the packaging promises.

Reproaches in a simple manner are also often fair. The new lines are already taking on a more solid look, but mass production still suffers from simplicity. Some ceiling lamps are especially noted for such a flaw. But there are no complaints about the price. The product warranty is still one year.

More recent reviews increasingly indicate great progress in product quality. The company does not neglect its reputation and is actively fighting for the title of the best.

We also recommend reading the article about what points to pay attention to when choosing LED lamps for your home. More details - go to link.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

The reviews and informative videos present interesting video material about the design of Ecol lamps, their application, and the effectiveness of functionality.

Ecola about herself:

Futuristic, beautiful corn lamp in natural size:

What transparent LED balls look like in packaging and when illuminated:

An honest review from a blogger about the new EcolaLED GX53, measurements of characteristics, pros, cons:

Modern Ecola LED lamps cannot be ignored, even with a set of voiced shortcomings. Let them not burn for 30 years, as they promise. But who knows what will happen in 30 years? The main thing is that these lamps help to truly save electricity, and with the right choice they can really please with their light for little money. It is enough to remember when purchasing that these are products of standard quality, and not a super-elite product.

Please leave your comments in the block below. Perhaps you have been using Ecola LED lamps for a long time? Share your impressions of using them, tell us about the advantages or disadvantages you noticed.