The best oyster light is a slim, surface-mounted LED with enough lumens for the room, a tri-colour setting so you can choose warm or cool light, and an IP rating that suits where it goes. For a bedroom or hallway, look for around 2,000 to 2,800 lumens, and for a large living area go brighter. For bathrooms, laundries and covered patios, choose IP54 or higher. This guide explains how to choose, and lists oyster lights from our range.
Already know what you want? Browse all oyster lights. For the basics of sizing, you can also read our guide on how to choose an oyster light.
Why choose an oyster light
An oyster light sits on the ceiling surface, with no hole to cut. That is the reason to choose one over downlights: there is no ceiling void to cut into, which suits concrete ceilings and slabs, apartments, second storeys and rendered soffits. Modern LED oysters are slim, often 26 mm deep, so they sit almost flush against the ceiling, and they light the whole ceiling face evenly instead of a spot beneath each fitting.
How to choose the right oyster light
Size and brightness. Most oysters come in several sizes, and the size decides the output. For example, the Havit Slim comes as 24 W at 297 mm, 30 W at 403 mm and 40 W at 503 mm, giving roughly 2,000 to 2,200, 2,600 to 2,800 and 3,600 to 3,800 lumens. As a starting point, a 2,000 to 2,800 lumen oyster suits a bedroom or hallway, and a 3,600 lumen or brighter fitting suits a large living area. Check lumens, not watts, and see our guide to understanding lumens.
Colour temperature. Many modern oysters are tri-colour, with a selector so you can switch between warm white (3000K), natural white (4000K) and cool white (5000K or above) after installation. That removes the guesswork. Our guide to colour temperature for every room explains which suits where.
Dimming. If the oyster is your main light, dimming is worth having. Check that the model is dimmable and which dimmer it needs, because a non-dimmable fitting on a dimmer can flicker.
IP rating. For bathrooms, laundries, covered patios and alfresco areas, look for IP54 or higher, and see our IP rating guide for what the numbers mean.
Depth. On low ceilings, an ultra-thin fitting matters. Where a standard oyster drops 80 to 100 mm, the slimmest models sit almost flush.
Oyster lights worth a look from our range
- Eglo Romeo: a super-slimline tri-colour LED oyster at just 26 mm deep, 18 W and 2,800 lumens, in white or black, in 220 mm and 290 mm sizes. It is IP54 and its page lists it for bedrooms, hallways, laundries, bathrooms and undercover outdoor spaces. View the Romeo.
- Havit Slim: a 26 mm deep disc with the whole face lit, in 24 W, 30 W and 40 W sizes, dimmable, IP54, with 3000K, 4000K and 5500K options. View the Slim.
- Havit Nella: a deep-rimmed aluminium disc, 58 mm tall, in black or white, in 20 W (220 mm) and 30 W (320 mm) sizes. It is dimmable and IP54, and it reads as ceiling hardware rather than a cover plate. View the Nella.
- Domus Solar: a surface-mounted LED in black or white, in round 200, 300 or 400 mm and square 300 or 400 mm, IP54, with switchable 3000K, 4000K and 5700K. View the Solar.
- Telbix Sky 30 round: a 300 mm ultra-thin oyster with 24 W and 2,600 lumens, three colour temperatures on a hidden selector switch, dimmable and IP44, in black or white. It is built for low ceilings. View the Sky 30.
- SAL Benny tri-colour (IP65): a tri-colour oyster with selectable 3000K, 4000K and 6000K and an IP65 rating, for wetter spots. View the Benny.
Where to use an oyster light
- Bedrooms and hallways: a slim, dimmable tri-colour oyster is an easy main light.
- Bathrooms and laundries: choose IP54 or higher.
- Apartments and concrete ceilings: where cutting a hole for a downlight is not an option.
- Garages, studies and utility rooms: a bright, cool-white oyster gives plain, even light.
- Covered patios: choose a fitting whose page lists it for outdoor or undercover use.
Installation
An oyster light is fixed wiring, so installation must be done by a licensed electrician. Measure the ceiling area and the fixing points before you order, and check the size of the fitting against the room.
Frequently asked questions
What size oyster light do I need?
Match the size and output to the room. A 220 to 300 mm fitting suits a bathroom, hallway or small bedroom, and larger bodies of 400 to 500 mm suit larger rooms. Use the lumen figure on the product page as your guide.
What is the difference between an oyster light and a downlight?
An oyster sits on the ceiling surface and needs no hole, while a downlight is recessed into the ceiling. Oysters suit ceilings you cannot cut into, such as concrete.
Can I use an oyster light in a bathroom?
Yes, if it has a suitable IP rating. Choose IP54 or higher, and confirm the product page lists it for bathrooms.
Are oyster lights dimmable?
Some are. Check that the model is dimmable, and use a compatible dimmer.
What colour temperature is best for an oyster light?
A tri-colour oyster lets you choose. Warm white around 3000K suits living areas and bedrooms, and 4000K or higher suits kitchens, garages and studies.
Find your oyster light
Browse all oyster lights, or see our LED panel lights. Lights For You delivers Australia-wide, and our Ashfield showroom in Sydney is open if you would like to see the fittings in person.
