Buying a light bulb used to be easy. And it used to be something you did several times a year.
But now, “a lot of people are starting to look at light bulbs as an investment,” said Jaclyn Pardini, a spokeswoman for Lowe’s Home Improvement stores.
The incandescent bulbs in wide use ever since Thomas Edison received a patent for his version in 1880 are being phased out.
A federal law passed in 2007 ends incandescent manufacturing and importing in the U.S. by the end of 2014, though stores will be allowed to keep them on shelves until they’re sold out.
In their place are more energy-efficient replacements that come in a dizzying array of hues and shapes.
But you’ll want to choose carefully.
Those CFLs might be with you for the next nine years or so.
And if you spring for an LED bulb, you’re really in it for the long haul.
“From the time a child enters kindergarten to the time that they graduate from college, that bulb will still work,” Pardini said of LEDs.
So as those last incandescents flicker out in your lamps and light fixtures, how do you decide what will replace them?
Read on:
HALOGEN
Cost (one bulb): $2-$3; (to run for one year): $5.18
Life: 1,000-3,000 hours
Pros: The closest still-legal thing to the soft glow of an incandescent light.
They’re now “the designer’s choice in bulbs,” Pardini said.
Cons: You’re not gaining much in life span or efficiency over incandescents.
CFL (COMPACT FLUORESCENT LAMP)
Cost (one bulb): $1-$2.50; (one year): $1.57
Life: 10,000 hours
Pros: Here’s where energy efficiency really steps up. CFLs use one half less energy than incandescents.
Cons: Early CFLs got a bad rap for being slow to warm up and casting harsh light. But they’ve improved a lot. Still, you reduce the life span a bit if you turn the light on and off a lot (less than 15 minutes of on time). Using CFLs in an enclosed fixture can also reduce their life span, but some newer models have overcome this. Disposal can be a hassle. Each CFL contains a small amount of mercury, so you need to recycle old bulbs. Several retailers offer this service, and many municipalities allow drop-off at their household hazardous waste facilities. (Check search.earth911.com for listings.)
LED (LIGHT-EMITTING DIODE)
Cost (see note) (one bulb): $10-$30; (one year): $1.50
Life: 20,000-50,000 hours
Pros: Extremely long life. Cutting-edge technology.
Cons: Much higher up-front cost than other bulb types. But, Pardini said, “the potential return in energy savings and your time in changing out light bulbs is far greater over time. So it’s more of a longer-term investment.” Like CFLs, some LED bulbs can deteriorate in the heat of an enclosed fixture, so consult the packaging.
(Note: Cost figures are averages and based on 60W-equivalent single bulbs. Annual cost and life span based on three hours of use daily.)
INCANDESCENT
Cost: (one bulb): Less than $1; (to run for one year): $7.32
Life: 1,000 hours
Pros: It’s the warm, soft light you grew up with.
Cons: A hot-blooded energy hog. Federal law is phasing them out after 2014.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT HUE
CFL and LED bulbs come in a variety of colors (“color temperature” is the correct term) that will affect the room you’re illuminating.
Soft white/Warm white
Where to use: Living areas, bedrooms, dining spaces. This is the most common color temperature, and closest in color to the traditional incandescent bulb. Works well with earth tones like brown and tan.
Cool white/Neutral/Bright white
Where to use: Office and work areas. Fine for general lighting. Works well with neutral tones like gray and beige.
Natural/Daylight
Where to use: Reading areas or for display lighting. Complements bold colors like blues, greens and purples.
CONVERSION CHART
With the phaseout of incandescent bulbs, the term “watts” is fading from importance. Now the word to know is “lumens” – a unit of measure for the brightness of light that a bulb produces. This watt conversion chart will make shopping easier. The wattage equivalent is still listed on the packaging of newfangled bulbs, but can be hard to find sometimes.
150W: 2,600 lumens
100W: 1,600 lumens
75W: 1,100 lumens
60W: 800 lumens
40W: 450 lumens
SOURCES: Lowe’s Home Improvement, Home Depot, energystar.gov, eartheasy.com, Consumer Reports SOURCE: Federal Trade Commission
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.