[leahjhburton]

Apparently the Government wants to phase out standard bulbs by 2011 which is a bad idea IMO.

Yeah, I'm sure they're much better for the environment and that but they have a number of problems, not least of which is that they are claimed to affect some people's health. Also they contain mercury.

On a personal note we have a couple of lights that have dimmer switches, and energy-saving bulbs don't work with them. Also the light they produce isn't as "nice" as a standard bulb.

[EliteFranceska]

I hate the length of them, or at least the lengths of the 3 different brands i've used, I can't fit them in some lighting devices I have in the home.

I also hate the way they need to warm up to produce adequate light

[SappyAppy]

Apparently the Government wants to phase out standard bulbs by 2011 which is a bad idea IMO.

By 2011, LEDs will be able to replace the current energy saving lightbulbs (ESL) and that solves the follwoing problems: Yeah, I'm sure they're much better for the environment and that but they have a number of problems, not least of which is that they are claimed to affect some people's health. Also they contain mercury. The electrical field generated by ESLs is much smaller than the one of other electrical devices. They do indeed contain Mercury, that's why you need to recycle them properly.
On a personal note we have a couple of lights that have dimmer switches, and energy-saving bulbs don't work with them. Solved by LEDs as well.
Also the light they produce isn't as "nice" as a standard bulb. there are models that produce warm light, same for LEDs

the biggest issue is that the lifetime varies a lot among different products and some simply don't last long enough

[leahjhburton]

I hate the length of them, or at least the lengths of the 3 different brands i've used, I can't fit them in some lighting devices I have in the home.

We have that trouble too. The light in our kitchen has a glass cover over it and we had enormous trouble trying to find an energy-saving lightbulb that would fit inside.

[SappyAppy]

We have that trouble too. The light in our kitchen has a glass cover over it and we had enormous trouble trying to find an energy-saving lightbulb that would fit inside.

new shapes are emerging as well:

http://www.osram.com/osram_com/Consu...mps/index.html

[Kk21pwa9]

Also they contain mercury.

I've been trying for years to get councils and retailers to appreciate the fact that energy-saving bulbs (and fluorescent tubes in general) can't simply be binned like filament bulbs; for example, Ikea were selling them for something like 50p each (a special one-day-only deal) and it had labels on their packaging stating that one cannot dump them in the bin, when they die. I asked Ikea what should be done with them; at first I got no reply, then a "don't know" and at last a "ask your council" - unfortunately, the council (at that time) didn't know what to do with them either.

No light source is environmentally friendly, even LEDs - sure they use small amounts of current and last a long time, but the manufacturing process isn't exactly organic trees-n-hippies stuff.

[leahjhburton]

Out of interest how should one dispose of energy-saving lightbulbs?

[Kk21pwa9]

If your town as a dedicated recycling centre, then contact them - they should be able to take them off you; if not, pester your local council and/or the Environment Agency like mad about it!

[Trissinas]

Just some off the cuff statements here. We have to convert in a few years as well.

- the very first compact fluorescent bulb I bought is still working, it's gotta be close to a decade old, and it's in my bathroom, probably the most turned on bulb in the place.
- There's probably more mercury in my thermostat than in all the bulbs combined.
- I've slowly converted everything I can over to EE bulbs, unfortunately that fixture with the asbestos insulation won't fit them, I need to replace it, crap $20 gone.
- there is no warm up time with current bulbs
- measly 15W'ers pwn 60W incandescents
- I've had maybe 2 die on me, seems like infanticide cause they died within days.
- When they do die, I can just change them, I don't have to wait for them to cool
- 'daylight' bulbs rule.
- they do work in the cold, neighbours across the street are using them, and it does get cold here in NS.

[soSldI4i]

and it does get cold here in NS.

Although these last few days you wouldn't know it

I love the bulbs, TBH. I wasn't a fan of the warm up time, but the new ones I have don't seem to suffer from that problem.

[Trissinas]

Although these last few days you wouldn't know it

Shut up, you'll bring back the cold... January thaws, good, winter bad.

[fameintatenly]

Shut up, you'll bring back the cold... January thaws, good, winter bad.

My entire apartment uses the current energy saver bulbs with the exception of one single light which won't fit a ES bulb. Its not instant on, but there isn't a warm up time either. The light is as bright after its turned on as it would be after hours of use. They flicker once or twice when I turn them on.

[lYVgWWcP]

I like the dimmer switches at home, so until someone comes out with a CFL that can be used with the dimmers that we have installed, I'll stick with halogens. I also don't like the fact that I can't just toss them when I'm done with them because of the mercury. Wouldn't there be certain applications (i.e. lava lamps and appliances that require an appliance bulb) that a CFL would NOT work with?

[Mmccqrtb]

I like the dimmer switches at home, so until someone comes out with a CFL that can be used with the dimmers that we have installed, I'll stick with halogens. I also don't like the fact that I can't just toss them when I'm done with them because of the mercury. Wouldn't there be certain applications (i.e. lava lamps and appliances that require an appliance bulb) that a CFL would NOT work with?

finally, someone using the correct acronym! lol

more and more CFL's are coming out to replace other bulbs, we have them all different sizes, ones for bugs, spot lights, 3-ways, flood lights, even murcury lights have CFL replacements. im not sure about the appliance ones and stuff, good question.

- There's probably more mercury in my thermostat than in all the bulbs combined. which is why i throw them right in the bin, see if i care

[sportlife]

Out of interest how should one dispose of energy-saving lightbulbs?

Official advice from the Department of the Environment states that if a low-energy bulb is smashed, the room needs to be vacated for at least 15 minutes.

A vacuum cleaner should not be used to clear up the debris, and care should be taken not to inhale the dust.

Instead, rubber gloves should be used, and the broken bulb put into a sealed plastic bag - which should be taken to the local council for disposal.

Unbroken used bulbs can be taken back to the retailer if the owner is a member of the Distributor Takeback Scheme.

Otherwise, many local waste disposal sites now have the facilities to safely collect and dispose of old bulbs.

However, this advice is not printed on the packaging that low-energy bulbs are sold in.

Toxicologist Dr David Ray, from the University of Nottingham, said about 6-8mg of mercury was present in a typical low-energy bulb, which he described as a "pretty small amount".

"Mercury accumulates in the body - especially the brain," he said. "The biggest danger is repeated exposure - a one off exposure is not as potentially dangerous compared to working in a light bulb factory.

"If you smash one bulb then that is not too much of a hazard. However, if you broke five bulbs in a small unventilated room then you might be in short term danger."

[tLO0hFNy]

FYI Neeyick, here in the US, when one of these bulbs burns out, you can bring it to IKEA (even if you didn't originally buy it there) to have it recycled.

[Tauntenue]

My house utilises some of these EE bulbs (Philips) as well, but then my father seems to like the orangey bulbs while the rest of the family prefers the pure white bulb.

[forexsoft]

Ill buy whatever lightbulb is cheapest and works with my lights so thats pretty much my view.

[Buincchotourb]

I hate the length of them, or at least the lengths of the 3 different brands i've used, I can't fit them in some lighting devices I have in the home.

I also hate the way they need to warm up to produce adequate light

You only have the option of one kind (or one length) energy efficient light-bulb. wow[shocked].

Here in Australia they come in loads of different shapes and sizes. Almost every house I've been to lately have them installed (housing commission is installing them in all rented properties). even where i live we have energy efficient light bulbs that are actually smaller than the old light bulbs.

I also like them cause they are slightly brighter, last considerably longer and well, saves on the energy bill. Sucks that they are a little more expensive though.

EDIT: Energy efficient light bulbs are apparently becoming compulsory here. Something to do with the new government and climate change or some **** to reduce green house gases by using less power.

[ToifvT5S]

I love the bulbs. Especially when i got about 20 of them for free. Some guy knocked on our door was handing them out for free and asked how many did we need for our house. All of them have been going strong for quite some time now.