have you bought those new energy saving light bulbs?

@sandie61 (2359)
United States
April 4, 2007 10:36pm CST
I bought 2 of them. the light seems so much dimmer then the same wattage of regular light bulbs. it also looks kind of yellowish. I put them in lamps and when I turn the light on it hesitates a second before lighting up. I was wondering what anyone else thinks of those new energy saving bulbs.
8 people like this
11 responses
@mickidmw (992)
• United States
5 Apr 07
We have the twisty ones in almost every possible spot we can have them in, they are not quite as bright as the same waatt bulbs, but they are much softer. We really like them and they do save a few dollars here and there. Definately worth the extra cost. Great Question!
@sandie61 (2359)
• United States
5 Apr 07
we bought the twisty ones too. its like spiral shaped. so far I only bought 2 though. does it really make a difference on your electric bill?
• United States
17 Jan 08
It will if you use them in all of your fixtures. I use them in all of mine and I have seen a bit of a drop. It does help!
• United States
5 Apr 07
We use energy saving bulbs. We even just recently bought the coil looking kind to put in our dining room light fixture, which always blew out our regular bulbs within a couple of weeks. I've never noticed a yellowish tinge, but I do notice that it takes a few seconds for them to fully brighten after you turn them on. They do last a lot longer than regular bulbs and has really cut down on our electric bills.
@sandie61 (2359)
• United States
5 Apr 07
maybe after time I will get used to them. I only bought 2 and put them in our living room lamps. I`m glad to hear that it makes a difference on your electric bill.
2 people like this
@weemam (13372)
9 Apr 07
Hi sandie , Yes we do use them , they take a little while to get to full power but I use them in the bedrooms ,one at full power though I like them , but as you say they don't seem as bright as normal ones I like to make a saving on power where and when I can , One of the many good things about living in Scotland is , if you are a senior citizen or living on a low income you are entitled to these bulbs free , that can make quite a difference too , xx
1 person likes this
@sandie61 (2359)
• United States
10 Apr 07
I think that is great that you can get them for free. they cost a lot more then regular bulbs. I don`t think they are free for anyone in the Usa. but I sure wish they were. thanks for your response.
@applsofgld (2506)
• United States
5 Apr 07
I think they sort of are like flourescent bulbs. I do not like them as much. They are good for saving money, but for the areas where you need good lighting for reading, cooking, etc. I prefer the regular light bulbs. Good discussion.
@sandie61 (2359)
• United States
5 Apr 07
Thanks. I feel the lighting is not as good as regular bulbs. but I may buy a few more and see if we notice a difference in our bill. it said on the package that they can last up to 7 years.
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Apr 07
It could be the brand of light bulbs as we switched to the energy bulbs. they are quite bright just softer. they do save money . I just love them !
3 people like this
@sandie61 (2359)
• United States
5 Apr 07
thanks for letting me know that they save money. mine are not as bright as regular bulbs. glad you like yours.
1 person likes this
@Gumball (793)
• United States
5 Apr 07
Yeah, I had some and returned them too. They were way too dim for me. They say they get brighter after you've been using them awhile but I want my light useable right away. I don't have the patience or the time to wait for them to "brighten up" so I can see better with them. They might save money on electricity but what good is it if you end up spending it back on new glasses?
@sandie61 (2359)
• United States
5 Apr 07
I didn`t know that they brighten up after awhile. I noticed how much dimmer they are then regular bulbs too. but for now I am trying them. hopefully we will get used to them.
2 people like this
• United States
20 Apr 07
I use them. I don't have any complaints. As long as it's contributing to saving the environment.
@patootie (3592)
12 Apr 07
I've been using the energy saving bulbs for about 10 years now .. they really do make a difference on your electricity bill .. I have noticed that the cheapest bulbs aren't quite such a good light as the dearer ones .. but truthfully I haven't bought any bulbs since buying the very first lot .. you see there are always companies willing to send you a couple of free bulbs .. so whenver I see them going free I send off for them and I have about 20 or so now stashed away ready for use .. and they really DO last for ages .. I have not had to change any single bulb in at least 10 years .. the one table lamp I have that I cannot use the energy saving bulbs in (it is a touchlight with a three stage brightness) .. needs a new bulb every 6 months or so ..
• United States
6 Dec 07
I personally love them. We have several in use right now and I think they're bright. I don't see a yellow hue, but that could be because we have the 'warm color' option, or whatever it is. Those mimic the color of the regular bulbs the most. We haven't been using them long enough to tell whether or not they have any effect on the electric bill, but here's to hoping.
@sandie61 (2359)
• United States
6 Dec 07
thanks for your opinion on the light bulbs. I have since bought more of these bulbs and really like them. I guess they took some time to get used to. I also feel they do cut down on our energy bill.
@Woodpigeon (3710)
• Ireland
17 Apr 07
I have the new energy saving bulbs in most of the lamps in the house. I have found they do seem dimmer at first. The longer it is on, the brighter it becomes, until it peaks about tewnty minutes after you flip it on. I notice this aspect much more in the winter when it is very dark than I do in the summer when there is a lot of natural light.
• United States
17 Jan 08
I like them. I use them in all of my light fixtures. It has helped to save money and they last a lot longer than regular light bulbs. I read that in a few years, regular light bulbs will no longer be produced. Everyone will have to switch over to the CFL bulbs or the more energy efficient ones. I think it's a great idea. If every house in America would change one regular bulb to one CFL bulb, there would be a reduce in emissons that would be equal to taking 500,000 cars off the roads. And that is a lot of cars!