GE Lighting isn't what you think it is
Everything I'd read about GE Lighting said it was a 130-year-old industrial giant. A brand you could trust because it had been around since before your grandparents were born. In practice, if you've been specifying GE for commercial projects based on that assumption, you're working with outdated information.
Here's what changed: In 2020, GE sold its lighting business to Savant Systems—a smart home company. Then in 2023, Savant acquired the remaining GE current lighting assets. So who owns GE lighting today? Savant Systems. Not General Electric. The GE name is licensed, not owned.
Does that matter? Depends entirely on what you're buying.
Three scenarios, three different answers
There's no universal answer to "is GE lighting still good?" It depends on which product line you're looking at, what you're using it for, and how much the ownership change actually affects your specific need. Let me break it down.
Scenario A: You're specifying GE for a commercial LED retrofit
What you're probably looking at: LED panel lights, downlight LEDs, or high-bay fixtures for an office or warehouse.
My take: GE's commercial LED line is still solid for standard applications. The engineering didn't disappear with the sale—most of the same people, same factories, same specs. We specified GE LED downlights for a 15,000 sq ft office renovation last year. They performed exactly as expected. Color consistency was good, the drivers held up, and we didn't have a single DOA unit out of 240.
That said, I have mixed feelings about their warranty support post-acquisition. On one hand, they still honor the 5-year warranty. On the other, I've heard from two contractors that RMA processing slowed down in 2024 compared to pre-sale. Nothing catastrophic, but if your project timeline is tight, factor in a 2-3 week buffer for any warranty claims.
When to go with GE: You need reliable, spec-grade LED downlights or panels at a competitive price point, and you're not doing anything unusual with controls or dimming.
When to look elsewhere: You need deep integration with building management systems, or you're specifying for a project that requires hands-on factory support. The Savant team is smaller than GE's was.
Scenario B: You're considering a smart chandelier for a hospitality project
This is where things get interesting—and where the ownership change matters most.
A smart chandelier isn't just a light fixture. It's a lighting system that integrates with smart controls: dimming, color temperature adjustment, scene setting, sometimes even audio. Under Savant, GE has been pushing into this space. Their C by GE line and newer Savant-branded fixtures are genuinely good products. I've specified a Savant-controlled chandelier for a boutique hotel lobby. The client wanted a single fixture that could shift from warm ambient in the evening to bright cool light for daytime events. It worked flawlessly.
But—and this is a big one—Savant's ecosystem is not as open as some competitors. If you're planning to use a smart chandelier with third-party controls (Lutron, Control4, etc.), check compatibility before you spec. We nearly had to re-engineer a lighting control scheme because the Savant fixture didn't play nice with the existing Lutron system. Cost us two weeks and a change order.
When a smart chandelier makes sense: You're building a new installation with a unified control system, and the design requires a statement fixture with integrated smart capabilities.
When it doesn't: You're retrofitting into an existing smart home or building system, or you want maximum flexibility for future control upgrades.
Scenario C: You're shopping for GE premium under cabinet lighting
This is the one area where I've changed my mind completely after the acquisition. And not in the way I expected.
GE's under cabinet lighting—particularly their premium LED tape and bar systems—used to be a safe choice. Good color rendering, easy installation, reasonable pricing. Post-acquisition, the GE premium under cabinet lighting line actually improved. Savant brought their smart home expertise into the product design. The newer tape lights have better dimming curves (no flicker down to 5%), and the control options are more flexible than the old GE designs.
One example: We installed a Savant-controlled under cabinet system in a high-end kitchen last month. The client wanted individual zone control for three separate counter areas. The old GE system would have required a separate controller per zone (adds cost and complexity). The new system handled it with one controller and a software config—saved about $400 in hardware.
Verdict on GE under cabinet: It's better than it was before. Not perfect—the installation guides are still needlessly complicated—but the product itself is solid.
How to remove light cover from ceiling: the thing nobody tells you
If you're working with GE or any brand's ceiling fixtures, you'll eventually need to remove the light cover. And if you're using standard LED downlights or flush-mount fixtures, here's the trick that took me three years and about 60 removals to figure out.
Most ceiling light covers use one of four mechanisms:
- Spring clips (most common for LED downlights) — Pull straight down firmly. The clips will release. If they don't, you're dealing with...
- Twist-lock — Rotate the cover 1/4 turn counter-clockwise. If it won't budge, you're probably turning the wrong direction.
- Set screws — Usually three tiny screws around the rim. Look for them before you start pulling.
- Friction fit with gasket — Common in bathrooms. Wiggle gently while pulling. If the gasket is old, it'll feel like it's glued in place. It's not—it's just compressed rubber.
Pro tip: If you can't figure out how to remove light cover from ceiling, take a photo with your phone and zoom in on the edge. The mechanism is almost always visible at the seam. I've wasted way too much time guessing when a 5-second photo would have answered the question.
So who owns GE lighting—and should you care?
Recap of facts: As of 2025, GE Lighting is owned by Savant Systems. The brand name is licensed. The company headquarters moved from Cleveland to Massachusetts. The product lines have been partially integrated into Savant's ecosystem.
Should you care? It depends on which scenario you fall into:
- Commercial LED specifiers: You're safe with standard products. Check warranty support timelines if that matters to your project.
- Smart lighting buyers: This is where the acquisition is actually an advantage—Savant brings legit smart home expertise.
- Under cabinet shoppers: The premium line improved. Worth a look if you haven't considered it recently.
- Anyone needing a light cover removed: Take the photo. Trust me.
The bottom line: GE Lighting isn't what it was. But "different" isn't automatically "worse." For most commercial and residential applications, the products are still competitive. Just make sure you're buying based on the current company, not the old reputation.