Chroma The Bulb
by Chroma
Switch-controlled bulb with 660 nm red, 1600K amber and 3800K daylight modes, and published melanopic ratios for each. No lumen figure; sold out when checked.
Specs
| Colour / CCT | 660 nm red / 1600K amber / 3800K day |
|---|---|
| Blue light (brand claim) | Mel-DER 0.002 red, 0.153 amber, 0.81 day (brand) |
| Brightness | Not published |
| Dimming | No (amber and red pre-dimmed) |
| Flicker data | Flicker index 0.0036 at 2 ft (brand claim) |
| Control | Wall switch cycles modes |
| Power | 7 W red, 7 W amber, 9 W day |
| Colour rendering | TM-30 Rf 87.4, Rg 93.7; SSI 80 (day mode, brand) |
| Base | E26 / E27, A19 |
| Input | 100-240 V AC |
| Packs | 3 for $75, 6 for $120, 12 for $234 |
| Stock | Sold out on 2026-10-21 |
Specs from the manufacturer and the sources listed below. Last verified Oct 21, 2026.
Good
- Publishes a melanopic daylight efficacy ratio (Mel-DER) for every mode, so you can see red is near zero and amber is about a fifth of the daylight mode
- Covers the whole day from one socket, from a 3800K daytime mode to 660 nm red for night
- Always restarts in red after 6 seconds off, so a 2 am bathroom trip does not switch on daylight
- Gives a flicker index number rather than a bare "flicker-free" badge
Not so good
- No lumen figure for any mode, so you cannot judge how bright the day mode is or how dim red and amber are
- Not dimmable; a dimmer must stay at full power
- Sold out when checked, with a back-in-stock waitlist
- The spectral and flicker figures come from Chroma with no named lab
The Bulb is a three-mode LED you control with the switch you already have. Flick it off and on to step from 660 nm deep red to 1600K amber to 3800K daylight. After six seconds off it always comes back in red. Chroma sells it for $30, or $20 a bulb in a 6-pack.
What sets it apart is the data. Chroma lists a melanopic daylight efficacy ratio (Mel-DER) for each mode, a measure of how strongly a light drives the body clock per unit of brightness. Red is 0.002, amber 0.153 and daylight 0.81. That puts the amber mode at roughly a fifth of the day mode’s clock effect at equal brightness, and red near zero. It also gives a flicker index of 0.0036 at 2 feet and TM-30 colour scores for the day mode. No other bulb on this list publishes this much, though none of it names a test lab.
The gap is brightness. Chroma gives power draw (7 W red and amber, 9 W day) but no lumens, and says it dims the amber and red modes by default. You cannot tell whether the day mode is bright enough for a main room or how dim red gets. The current version cannot be dimmed further.
It is the closest rival to the Hooga Circadian bulb, which also cycles modes from the wall switch. Hooga’s brightest mode is 2700K and it publishes no spectrum. Chroma adds a real daylight mode, a true red night mode and melanopic figures, for $30 a bulb versus about $15 for Hooga in its 2-pack. For a fixed amber lamp with a stated 700 lm, the BlockBlueLight Sweet Dreams is still the simpler buy. For a dimmable schedule, see the Philips Hue White Ambiance.
The Bulb was sold out on 21 October 2026. Check stock before planning around it.
Sources
Alternatives
- Best amber bulbBlockBlueLight Sweet Dreams Sleep Light Bulb$22
- Best smart bulbPhilips Hue White Ambiance A19 (1100 lm, 2-pack)$55
- Best red bulbBon Charge Blue Light Blocking Light Bulb (red)$25
- LIFX SuperColor A19 (1100 lm)$25