You might remember two years ago, and for several years before that, there was a big battle about the humble incandescent light bulb. The U.S. government was trying to phase Edison's big invention out in favor of more efficient, but more costly, options, and consumers weren't happy about it.
While the rule the government passed ended up being defunded, most manufacturers had already switched their focus to incandescent alternatives, so most types of traditional incandescent options are no longer being manufactured. You can still find some on the store shelves, especially specialty and 3-way bulbs, but standard 40/60/100 watt A19s are no longer available.
Now that its two years later, and you're more likely to be buying new bulbs, we're taking another look. Here's what you need to know before you head to the store.
1. Know the options
The alternatives to incandescent haven't changed in the last two years. You'll still find three major options: halogen, CFL and LED.Halogen
Halogen bulbs are a more efficient version of incandescent. In many stores, they're even labeled as "eco-incandescent." They managed to eke out an improvement of 28%, which puts them over the 25% limit needed to avoid the bulb ban.
So, the energy savings aren't too great, and they only last as long as standard incandescent. They also put out more heat than older incandescent, although many have an inner layer that reflects that heat back toward the filament for improved efficiency. In terms of cost, they're the cheapest alternative, and they have the traditional color temperature of incandescent.
If you want a no-fuss replacement for your existing bulbs, this is still a good choice. In four years, however, the second stage of the lighting efficiency rules go into effect and halogen bulbs will probably disappear as well.
CFL
CFL or compact fluorescent bulbs have been around for a while, and have improved since they were introduced. You can see up to 75% energy savings and they last around 10 times longer than incandescent. Price-wise, they're only a few dollars more than halogen.
One concern with CFLs is that they contain trace amounts of mercury. This does make cleanup of broken bulbs and disposal of old bulbs a bit more complicated. Read the EPA's recommended disposal steps.
Like larger fluorescent lights, CFLs also can take a second to turn on and a little time to warm up to full brightness. Manufacturers have improved on this, but there might still be a delay. Also, like any other fluorescent lights, CFLs can flicker, which might be a strain for some users.
LED
LED or light-emitting diode technology is the newest addition to the home lighting market. However, you've already seen LED lights in LCD TV and monitor backlights, car headlamps, Christmas lights, municipal lighting and other places.
LEDs save even more energy than CFLs, and they last up to 25 times longer than halogen (at 3 hours a day usage, they can supposedly last 20 years). Of course, they can cost six times more than halogen bulbs, so it's a bit more of an investment up front. But you should see big savings down the road.
Also note that not all LED lights are dimmable, so if you have dimmer switches at home, be sure to check before buying.
2. Watts vs. Lumens
When you used to buy an incandescent bulb, you knew to look for a 40-, 60- or 100-watt bulb to tell you how bright it is going to be. However, a watt is actually a unit of energy not brightness.Watt is named after the inventor James Watt, who also invented the copy machine back in 1780! Click here to learn about other modern innovations that are older than you think.
With newer, more efficient lights, a watt goes a bit further. That means a 10-watt CFL might give you the same light as a 60-watt incandescent. Fortunately, most lighting packages will say "60-watt equivalent" so you know.
But that measurement won't be around forever, and it isn't always right. You might get a 60-watt equivalent CFL but find that due to the shape or color it's not as bright as you were hoping.
That's why you should start looking at the bulb's lumens rating, which is the measure of brightness. When you buy a new bulb, try it out and make a note of the lumens. That will help you find the sweet spot for your rooms. And no matter what type of bulb you buy in the future, you know the brightness will be right.
3. Color temperature
Color temperature is something many people don't think about. It's what makes the difference between a warm homey lamp and sharp white daylight. Any bulb that you buy is set to a specific color temperature.The lower the number, the warmer the light will be. Warm light is good for area lights and bedrooms a night. The reason many people didn't like LED lights at first was because the only available color temperature was on the high side and seemed too bright and harsh for most space. However, you can now find LED lights, and CFLs, in the full color temperature range.
So, what color temperatures should you consider?
2700K to 3300K will give you a warmer light like an incandescent bulb. Many manufacturers call it "soft white." Just for reference, a candle is around 1900K.
3500K to 5000K is usually called "bright white." It isn't as warm, but provides more detail in the room.
5500K and higher gives an effect like white sunlight and some manufacturers label it "daylight." This is better for reading lights or work lamps because it helps you pick out text and detail. Just be aware that it will trick your brain into thinking it's daytime, which can affect your sleep schedule.
As a side note, staring at an LCD screen before bed can cause the same problem. A program like F.lux changes your monitor's tint throughout the day to better match the color temperature of the outside light. It can help reduce eye strain and improve your sleep cycle.
Bonus: Special Features
Lighting up a room isn't all lights can do anymore. Lighting manufacturers have started building special features in their bulbs, specifically LED bulbs.For example, Philips makes the Hue "personal wireless lighting" system. The Hue bulbs hook up to your Wi-Fi network so you can control your lights using a smartphone or tablet. You can put the lighting on a schedule or hook it into a full home automation setup.
Philips also makes Hue bulbs that can display up to 16 million colors, so you can choose a color that matches your mood or time of day. It has these in standard A-19 form, or as part of units like the Hue Go, Hue iris or Hue bloom.
Other manufactures like Cree make connected lights as well that can link up with home automation systems. However, you will pay a premium for these types of bulbs.
You might also run into some security concerns. Wi-Fi connected bulbs often don't have the security they should. The original Philips Hue bulb let anyone connect to it, so a neighbor could take control of your light if they wanted. And once someone connected, there was no way to disconnect them.
While Philips fixed the problem, it's still something to think about as you bring high-tech connected appliances into your home. Some manufacturers take the time to put in a good security, but many don't. Learn more about how the Internet of Things is opening your home to hackers.
