Edge-lit mirrors buying guide
Our best-selling 360° Edge-lit mirrors have a clean, crisp style and come in a range of shapes and sizes.
With such an expansive range of options (and additional features) to choose from, we understand that it can be a little daunting when it comes to selecting the right mirror for your bathroom.
Therefore, we have created a guide to help you navigate this product category and find the perfect mirror for your needs and requirements.
- What is a 360° edge-lit mirror?
- Frosted edge-lit
- Acrylic edge-lit
- 50mm acrylic edge
- Considerations before making your purchase
What is a 360° edge-lit mirror?
A 360° edge lit mirror is a bathroom mirror with an LED light border around the perimeter of the mirror front.
Our 360° edge-lit mirrors use high quality LED strip fixed to the aluminium rear frame, and a frosted edge to give you the `light border` around your mirror, perfectly framing your viewing area.
In terms of the light that is output, these mirrors include both warm (3,000°K) and daylight/cool (5,000°K) light temperatures. This gives you an incredibly versatile mirror with flexible lighting to suit your needs.
What are the different types of edge-lit mirror?
Frosted edge-lit
Our frosted edge mirrors use a 30mm frosted area along each edge of the mirror front. This allows for a good proportion of light to shine through the mirror while at the same time allowing a similar amount of light to remain as ambient backlighting.
If we diffuse the LEDs with a diffuser cover, you lose 20-25% light. For light to shine through the front frosted mirror edge and put a decent amount of light on the wall, we prefer to keep the LEDs exposed in this scenario. The LED's are not covered and if you do open the door onto the side view of the mirror you will see the LED's. As the mirrors are thin if you don't then we recommend this is fine as you will never see the side and you wont be sacrificing any light. If you are concerned about the look of the exposed LED strip in this scenario, then don't worry, hit our bespoke link and we can add some diffuser for a small cost.
Pros
- A good balance of light both back and front.
- Aesthetically beautiful.
Cons
- Function light for applying make-up or shaving not as strong as the acrylic edge version.
Our Experts Summary
If functionality is paramount go for the acrylic edge. If you have downlighters or an abundance of light in your bathroom these mirrors are for you.
Acrylic edge-lit
The acrylic edge mirrors use a 30mm frosted area, coupled with an acrylic frame `backing` that encapsulates the light and allows for more light to be focused to the front – with a lower proportion of ambient backlighting.
You get a brighter illuminated edge, but at this comes at the expense of the ambient backlighting which is less so. Don’t be put off by the word “Acrylic”. The Acrylic is hidden from the front view and from the side it looks like sand blasted glass. The quality look of these mirror is exceptional.
Our range of acrylic edge-lit mirrors also include slimline options, with an overall depth of only 39mm. This cements them as some of the lowest profile illuminated mirrors on the market today, however, this is achieved only by removing the shaver socket. So, if you’re looking for a super sleek mirror and aren’t too fussed about having a shaver socket; these could be the perfect option for you.
Pros
- A good supply of light for forward facing work.
- Ultra-fashionable Halo lighting.
Cons
- Some but limited back-lighting.
Our Experts Summary
If functionality is paramount go for the acrylic edge. These are ultra-modern and ultra in vogue for bathroom trends.
50mm acrylic edge
Our 50mm acrylic edge mirrors are the pinnacle of functional bathroom lighting and use a wider frosted edge to ensure that you get much more front-facing light than has been possible with our standard frosted or acrylic edge mirrors.
This wider frosting coupled with a larger acrylic rear frame means that the light is held and focused forward to give you the perfect lighting for the application of makeup. See everything, true colour and in the best light possible with a CRI > 90.
We have meticulously tested a range of frosting options, sizes, and acrylic specifications to arrive at this position and can unequivocally say that these offer the best bathroom lighting out our Edge mirror range for the application of makeup, shaving, and seeing all the details required to ensure you’re always looking your best.
Pros
- Designed for function, perfect lighting for enhancing your reflection.
- Luxury mirror style especially in large sizes.
Cons
- Some, but limited back-lighting .
Considerations before making your purchase
1. Are you fitting in an alcove/recess?
If you're fitting the mirror into an alcove or recess in the wall, please be mindful of the space around your mirror. If you choose a mirror size that is close to that of your recessed area, you won’t be able to see any of the ambient backlighting. If you are only concerned with the amount of front-facing light, then this is not an issue.
However, if you are purchasing a model that radiates more ambient backlighting – such as a frosted edge mirror - then we suggest purchasing a mirror that is 200mm smaller than the width and height of the recessed area. This gives you an 100mm clear perimeter on each side of your mirror for the ambient lighting to fill.
If your recess is 1000mm x 800mm, this would mean selecting a mirror that is around the 800mm x 600mm size.
2. Infrared Sensor
The standard on/off operation for our mirrors is an infrared sensor. This means that you can turn your mirror lights on or off with a simple wave of your hand, but there is a potential issue regarding access to this sensor.
You will require space between the bottom-right edge of the mirror and your sink/basin unit to be able to trigger the sensor with your hand. If there is a shelf between the bottom edge of your mirror and the wash basin, or if you intend to mount your mirror in such a way that the bottom edge sits almost flush with the basin/wash area – you may experience issues with triggering the sensor. This is especially true when fitting your mirror in a recess. The sensor has a range of 150mm and sites on the rear frame which is 50mm offset from the mirror front. Therefore, we advise ensuring that you have around 100mm space/clearance directly below the bottom edge of your mirror.
3. Additional On/Off options
If access to the infrared sensor is an issue for you and your bathroom space (after all, bathrooms do come in all shapes and sizes, as do our mirrors!) we do have a range of alternative options that can be used.
For example, if the desired fitting placement of your mirror means that you would not have the required 150mm clearance required to trigger the infrared sensor, we would typically advise going down the bespoke mirror route and fitting a Diamond X Touch sensor instead. This is an illuminated touch button on the mirror surface that removes the need for the 150mm clearance that our infrared sensor requires. The touch sensor can be set up to not only control the on/off operation of your mirror, but also to select between warm/cool lighting and even turn the heated demister pad on or off.
Another option is to use a simple push button (fixed to the mirrors rear frame) to switch your lights on/off. Unlike the IR sensor, you need not worry about having enough clearance for the sensor's range. Instead, you simply need to ensure that you have enough space to reach around the edge of the mirror curl a finger around and press the on/off button on the rear frame. This is 50mm inset from the edge of the mirror.
4. Electric shaver/ toothbrush socket
As with much of our illuminated mirror range, edge-lit mirrors come with a built-in shaver socket which can be used to charge either an electric shaver or toothbrush. This is fitted on the bottom-right edge of the mirrors rear frame alongside the infrared sensor and requires enough access to be able to use the socket to charge your devices.
Much like when using a `push button` to turn your mirror on/off, the shaver socket requires you to have enough space (below the bottom-edge of the mirror front) to curl your finger around and press the button.
5. Dual White Light
Our 360° edge-lit mirrors are equipped with our Dual White Lighting technology which means that you will have the ability to easily switch between warm and cool lighting – as standard.
This is controlled via a small push button on the rear frame of the mirror which is positioned alongside the Infrared sensor (on/off operation of the backlighting) and shaver socket (to charge your electric shaver or toothbrush).
Dual White Lighting is a powerful feature that elevates our edge-lit mirror range as one of our most versatile. With a simple press of a button, you can switch between a cool/daylight 5,000K that is perfect for the application of makeup (and seeing `true colour`) and a warmer 3,000K light that is a softer light, giving your reflection a warmer glow.
6. Shaped mirrors
Here at Illuminated Mirrors, we pride ourselves on developing product options that align with the current (and evolving) bathroom and interior design trends. From reviewing trends in the last 12-months we have now launched a range of shaped backlit mirrors. This includes round, oval, radius corners and capsule-shaped designs.
In terms of our edge range, mirrors that are shaped or feature radius corners follow the same rules/guidelines as our standard rectangular and square mirrors. However, when considering the circular, oval or capsule mirrors, there are a few differences to note.
With our more standard rectangular and square mirrors, the integrated shaver socket and sensor are positioned on the bottom-right edge of the mirror (machined into the aluminium rear frame), whereas, with our shaped mirrors, we instead position these bottom-centre. This means that you must be sure to have enough clearance space centrally (below the mirror) to be able to access the shaver socket, sensor (around 150mm for the infrared sensor) and push button.
