Buyer’s Guide: the 411 on Light Bulbs

Do you think back when Thomas Edison invented that light bulb that he could have imagined all the light bulb choices there are today? CFLs, LEDs, incandescents – seriously what’s the deal and which one is best for you to use?

Here’s the lighting rundown according to EnergyStar. A 60-watt incandescent light bulb is the traditional light bulb most of us probably grew up using and the baseline for which all other lighting types are compared. Take, for example, the 43-watt incandescent bulb; it uses 25 percent less energy than the 60-watt bulb.

Then there’s the CFL (compact fluorescent light), known mostly for its signature swirled structure. A 15-watt CFL uses 75 percent less energy than the 60-watt bulb.

Halogen lights, which at one point were the energy-efficient lighting of the future, do use 20 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs. But they burn hotter than other bulbs, which can increase your summer indoor cooling costs.

And then there’s the new kid on the block, the LED (light emitting diode). This technology, which was in part discovered and developed by then NC State researchers, uses about 80 percent less energy. But here’s the real savings: at an estimated usage of 25,000 hours, it has twice the life of a CFL bulb (10,000 hours) and significantly more than an incandescent bulb (1,000 hours).

Cost-wise, LEDs are the priciest – a more  long-term investment for long-term energy savings.  CFLs cost less, and incandescents are on their way out so in the future you won’t be able to buy those in your local store.

Ultimately, energy-efficient lighting should become more affordable as technology advances. And think of the difference that could make. According to EnergyStar, if every American household replaced just one standard light bulb with a high-efficiency version, the United States would save about $600 million in annual energy costs and prevent 9 billion pounds of annual greenhouse gas emissions. That’s like taking 800,000 cars of the road.

Choose well and choose wisely the light bulb that’s best for you.

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