Which is better for a bathroom vanity?

The 22W T5. At 82 CRI it renders skin tones and makeup colors far more accurately than the 52 CRI T9, and 1900 lumens is plenty over a vanity.

Is the 32W T9 worth it for the extra brightness?

Only if your fixture takes a T9 and you need the light. It adds 250 lumens but drops from 82 to 52 CRI and uses 10 more watts.

Will the 22W T5 fit my fixture?

Only if the socket is 2GX13 4-pin and the fixture accepts a T5 circline. The T9 uses a different, larger tube and base, so check the old tube before ordering.

They are rated the same: 12,000 hours each, with a 3-year warranty on both. Life is not a reason to pick one over the other.

Can either be dimmed?

No. Both are non-dimmable, so use them on a standard on/off switch.

Which costs less to run?

The 22W T5. It uses about 10 fewer watts per hour and delivers more lumens per watt, so it is cheaper over its 12,000-hour life.

22 Watt - T5 - Circline Fluorescent - 3000K Warm White - 82 CRI - 2GX13 (4-Pin) base vs 32 Watt - T9 - Circline Fluorescent - 3000K Warm White - 52 CRI - 4-Pin base

Buy the 22W T5 if color quality matters: its 82 CRI makes skin tones and fabrics look natural, and it draws 10 fewer watts. Buy the 32W T9 only if you need the extra 250 lumens and your fixture takes a T9 tube. Both are non-dimmable, rated 12,000 hours, and carry a 3-year warranty, so the real split is color rendering versus brightness.

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