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Review on TORCHSTAR E-Star Series: 3 Inch Gimbal LED πŸ’‘ Recessed Lights with Junction Box - Industrial Electrical Innovation by Dave Brummet

Revainrating 2 out of 5

Superb build quality with critical design flaw

I haven't had a chance to install these bulbs yet (nor will - read on). The build quality is very good; This is not a problem. Other recessed lights have a separate glass and lamp assembly. You install the glass in the drywall and then insert the light into the glass. If the light burns out, pull it out and replace it. You install them by pushing back two springs, inserting the jar through a hole in the drywall, and releasing the springs, which then hold it in place. This is a design flaw. Eventually, these bulbs will burn out and need to be replaced. Yes, they claim a 50,000 hour lifespan and if the bulbs had lasted that long we'd probably be in a new house by the time they went out. But we had many LED bulbs from different manufacturers that failed long before the declared lifetime. Since the glass and the LED bulb form one unit, you cannot simply remove the bulb; You have to change the whole block. The springs holding the device in place are strong and will almost certainly rip the patch out of the drywall if you pull the glass out (I tested it on a piece of drywall and it messed up). Since the front lid is only 1/4 inch wider than the can, there's a good chance the front lid won't cover a patch you rip off. Instead of just replacing a lightbulb, you need to fix drywall.

Pros
  • Impressive
Cons
  • Dull packaging