Pick the right bulb. Know who you're funding.
Two questions for the same trip: what bulb do I actually buy, and where does my money go when I buy it. Both answered straight, with sources you can check. Not sponsored by anyone; no affiliate links; verify the figures yourself.
Choosing a light bulb (the 30-second version)
Watts measure energy used; lumens measure brightness. LEDs make the same light on far fewer watts, so shop by lumens. Rough swaps: ~450 lm ≈ 40W, ~800 lm ≈ 60W, ~1100 lm ≈ 75W, ~1600 lm ≈ 100W.
Lower K = warmer/yellower, higher K = whiter/bluer. 2700–3000K (soft/warm white) for bedrooms & living rooms; 3500–4100K for kitchens & baths; 5000K+ (daylight) for workspaces & garages.
An ENERGY STAR-certified LED has met standards for color, brightness & lifespan — fewer surprises. LEDs run cool, last years, and cut the power bill. Check the base/shape fits (e.g., A19, E26) and whether you need dimmable.
Source: Lowe's Choosing the Best LED Lights buying guide (the specifics are theirs; the swaps above are standard LED-equivalent ranges).
Who funds the store — the receipts
Federal PAC giving, 2023–2024 cycle (corporate political action committees):
Corporate PACs at both chains give to candidates of both parties — usually tracking committee chairs and business interests, not pure ideology. So "what party does the store support?" rarely has a clean answer at the PAC level. Check the live recipient split yourself — it shifts cycle to cycle.
The sharpest, best-documented distinction isn't the corporate PAC — it's a person. Home Depot's co-founder, Bernie Marcus, was for years one of the most prominent Republican / conservative megadonors in the country (his personal giving, not the company's). Lowe's has no comparably famous founder-donor. So the "Home Depot = conservative" reputation traces mostly to a founder's personal politics — which is real, but is not the same as the company's or its employees'.
Verify: OpenSecrets org pages and reputable reporting on Bernie Marcus's donations — Home Depot org profile (OpenSecrets).