5 Best Tanning Bed Bulbs [Cost Included]

Do you want to buy tanning bed bulbs? If YES, here are 5 best affordable tanning bed bulbs in the market, how much they cost and where to buy them.

Tanning beds are known to come with multiple bulbs (also called lights or lamps), some almost as many as 50, and if just one of them burns out it can impact the overall tanning experience. The light bulbs in a tanning bed are not the same as regular light bulbs.

These bulbs emit ultraviolet rays which make the skin produce melanin faster than the sun’s rays can. Tanning bulbs can also encourage the production of vitamin D. Always remember that the quality of the tanning bed depends on the quality of the tanning bed bulbs. There are a lot of choices in the market, but the best you can buy include;

Best Tanning Bed Bulb

1. Wolff Dark Tan II Plus Tanning Lamp – $10.25

When compared to other tanning bulbs, this tanning bulb has a very affordable price. This bulb has a 100-watt and also designed with a bi-pin, which enables a more straightforward installation. This tanning bulb is efficient for those who have been maintaining their tans since they won’t need to spend a lot on bulb replacements.

This can work as a tone maintaining bulb which is a good substitute for ordinary replacement bulbs which may cause the skin tone to get darker.

2. X Power Twister Tanning Lamp Kit and Bronzing Bulbs – $166.25

This tanning lamp comes in form of a kit and contains 3 X power twists and 3 X power dual twists tanning lamps. This is perfect for giving off a more powerful tanning emission. The lamps are also designed with magnetic bottom sockets which enable high compatibility to various tanning beds and for ease of adjustment.

Please note that this type of lamp can be used as replacement bulbs since it gives off a mild amount of UVBs. The X Power Twister Tanning Lamp Kit and Bronzing Bulbs are designed as twisted bulbs for a more natural ray emission effect. Twisted bulbs also help for a wider tanning coverage, thus giving the whole body an even bronzer tone.

3. Midday Sun Tanning Lamps – $13.93
   

The Midday Sun Tanning Lamps can be also be used as an easy replacement to tanning bulbs such as Velocity, Dark Tan, Diamond Sun, Golden Tan, Speed 175, and Brilliance. Its sockets are designed to be compatible with some of the most popular tanning beds, such as Wolff, SunVision, AlphaSun, and Sun Quest. Unlike all the other tanning bed bulbs, this particular lamp has a rated life of 1,200 hours.

4. Wolf System Tanning Bed Bulbs – $279
   

This product was named as the best replacement bulbs, for it emits only mild tanning substances and it won’t hurt or change the skin tone of the user. Even if the user started sessions with a bed bulb of a different brand, using Wolff System Tanning Bed Bulbs will compliment how the tanning session started.

According to reports, these Bed bulbs are made with F71 Bi-pin end fitting and have an electric capacity of 100 watts. This would mean that it uses a lesser amount of electricity to work and heat up.

5. Brilliance Bronzer Lamp – $12.14
   

Note that this bronzer lamp was first introduced by the manufacturing company Brilliant Advanced in May 2015. These types of bulbs were designed as compatible replacements for any type of bed. The Brilliance Bronzer Lamp is renowned as the best for first-time users because it offers ease of use and installation.

This tanning lamp was created with F73 T12 HO 100W-120W RDC technology, which is part of Brilliance Advanced’s 2015 bulb series. This series was well-known for efficient home and salon use.

Types of Tanning Bulb

There are different types of bulbs for tanning beds. Hotter bulbs have less UVA and more UVB light, at 5.5 percent UVB or higher. These bulbs are different than the standard bulbs that usually come with beds, which have 4.2 percent and 5 percent UVB.

There is often a debate over which color lamps are better than others. The truth is that it doesn’t matter what color the lamp is, it is the strength of the UV light that makes the difference.

Tanning bed light bulbs also come in various wattages, and it is best to use the ones recommended by the manufacturer of your specific bed. Be aware that the higher the bulb wattage, the more often the bulbs will need to be replaced. The most top rated tanning bed bulbs are high pressure ones that can produce enough heat for quick melanin production.

Bulbs with this kind of strength reach somewhere between 100 to 160 watts, depending on how dark you want to become or how much heat you want your tanning bed to produce. These types are also usually F71 up to F73 types. Just to give you an idea, the number represents the size of the bulb in inches. So, if you were to buy an F71 bulb, it will be a 71-inch light tub.

Things to Consider When Buying Tanning Bed Bulbs

It is not enough that you know which tanning bed bulbs are the best. You also need to know which of the best tanning bed replacement bulbs are best for your own needs since you will most likely need only one of these. In buying the right tanning bed bulbs, here are the things you need to consider:

1. Tanning Effect

If the intention is to get tanned, you should first know your skin tone and skin type. What level of tanning do you want to achieve? Do you have any skin irritations and allergies? You can search for bed bulbs with a certain level of FR emission.

Some bulbs can darken the skin tone in a few minutes, while some would take a while. Keep in mind that the tan you want to achieve won’t always turn out as expected. It would still depend on your skin’s ability to cope and its current tone.

2. Size

Have it in mind that different bulbs usually come in different sizes, but they will usually either come in F or T sizes. For the F size, the most common sized bulbs are the F71 and F72. F73 is also pretty common but not as common as the two previously mentioned ones.

As for the T size, these usually follow standard fluorescent light sizes such as T12. In order to know what size you’re tanning bed needs, simply look at the label and follow what it says.

3. Life

Just like acquiring any other appliance—you have to make sure that it has an economic quality. Make sure that its quality justifies its cost, most especially if it is bought online. For a start, you may choose bulbs with a rated life of 1,000 to 1,200 hours. Most of the time, these are bulbs that would not need a replacement quickly and have a higher degree of tanning effect.

4. Session length

You can choose a tanning bed bulb based on its session length. The session length is the time it would take to give you a nice, fair tan. However, note that this feature will depend both on the rated life of the bulb and also on its level of FR emission.

Frequent sessions can last for about 20-30 minutes on a single laying. But for pale skin tones, courses may take longer and could last for about 35 minutes maximum. When looking for the right bed bulb, ask for its ray emission level and make sure that it can make your skin tone as tan as you would want it to be.

5. Wattage

In terms of wattage, you don’t want a bulb that’s too strong if you’re only after bronzing. But if you’re after a real tan, you will definitely need something strong. For the best bronzing tanning bed bulbs, it is advisable you seek 100 watts as that’s enough to give you color.

If you want a darker tan though, you will need something that’s higher than 100. The wattage of around 120 to 140 watts is enough. You can go as high as 160 watts if you really want some color, but we won’t recommend anything beyond that as too much power can be dangerous.