COB spotlights vs panel lights — what's the difference?
Almost every false-ceiling design uses two kinds of light. COB (chip-on-board) spotlights throw a focused, punchy beam — ideal for highlighting a wall, artwork, a TV unit or a dining table. LED panel lights spread soft, even light across the room — they do the everyday "main light" job.
A good ceiling mixes both: panels for overall brightness, COBs for accents. If you can only pick one type for a bedroom, pick panels; for a living room with niches and texture walls, COBs earn their keep.
Pick the right wattage
A useful rule of thumb for Indian room sizes:
| Room | Total light needed | Typical mix |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom (10×10 ft) | 20–30 W | 2 × 10 W panels or 4 × 7 W COBs |
| Living room (12×14 ft) | 40–60 W | 2 × 15 W panels + 3–4 COBs |
| Kitchen | 25–35 W | 12–15 W panels over counters |
| Passage / foyer | 7–12 W | 1 COB every 4–5 ft |
Under-lighting a room is the most common regret — it's easier to dim or switch off extra lights than to add cutouts later.
Colour temperature: the CCT 3-in-1 shortcut
Warm white (3000 K) feels cosy, cool white (6500 K) feels bright and clinical, natural white (4000 K) sits between. If you can't decide — and most people genuinely can't before living in the room — buy CCT 3-in-1 fittings like the Orion 12W CCT 3-in-1 COB: one light, all three temperatures, switched from your regular wall switch.
Smart drivers: app-controlled ceilings
Orion's COBs are also available with a smart driver — the Orion 12W CCT COB with mobile-app control lets you change brightness and colour temperature from your phone, no rewiring. Worth the premium in bedrooms and TV rooms; skip it in passages.
Our picks
For flat panels, the Alpha 12W panel in cool white is the value pick for kitchens and utility areas, while the slim Wipro Wave Plus 10W suits shallow false ceilings. On a tight budget, the Star Param Neo 10W gets a room lit for under ₹200.
Before your electrician arrives
- Confirm the cutout size of each fitting against the ceiling design.
- Group lights into 2–3 switch circuits per room so you're not stuck with all-or-nothing.
- Use 1.0 sq mm copper wire for lighting circuits — see our house wiring guide.
Browse the full range in False Ceiling Lights and Lighting.