E12 Base
A smaller 12mm Edison screw base used in decorative fixtures like chandeliers, wall sconces, and night lights.
E12 is the small screw-in base used in chandeliers, wall sconces, candelabras, and night lights. At 12mm diameter, it's roughly half the size of the standard E26, and the bulbs that use it are correspondingly smaller — flame tips, torpedo shapes, and small globes.
Finding good LED replacements for E12 chandeliers used to be difficult because the small base limited the space for LED drivers and heat sinks. Modern E12 LEDs have solved this with miniaturized components — you can now get dimmable, high-CRI, filament-style E12 bulbs that look indistinguishable from the incandescent originals.
One common confusion: B11 and E12 are often used interchangeably in product listings. B11 refers to the bulb shape (a torpedo or blunt-tip candle), while E12 refers to the base. A "B11 E12" bulb is a candle-shaped bulb with a candelabra screw base — the most common combination for chandeliers.
Specifications
| Diameter | 12mm |
| Type | Edison screw (candelabra) |
| Common fixtures | Chandeliers, sconces, night lights |
Related Terms
- E26 / E27 Base
The standard Edison screw base used in most household lamps and fixtures. E26 (26mm) is the North American version, E27 (27mm) is the European equivalent.
- Chandelier
A decorative branched ceiling fixture with multiple light sources. Ranges from traditional crystal designs to modern minimalist styles. Usually the visual focal point of a room.
Mentioned in
Are B11 And E12 Bulbs Interchangeable? Bulb Picker
B11 and E12 aren't rivals — they describe different parts of the same bulb. One codes the base diameter, the other the glass body shape.
What Light Bulbs Are Best For Chandeliers?
Chandeliers use a smaller E12 candelabra screw base, not the E26 in your floor lamp — and buying the wrong size is the single most common chandelier bulb mistake.