CFL's - the rebound bulb

Incandescent bulbs are being phased out. We will all have compact fluorescents in all our homes and offices. All good, right? Well, I am not sure.

First off, they are more expensive. Second, they are slow to get up to brightness and color. Third, they are not efficient when you turn them on and off. They are best when left on for long periods of time. Also, they don’t work with timers or dimmers. Last, they contain mercury. So, they are a hazard if disposed in regular garbage and they could be dangerous if they break indoors.

CFL’s won’t be with us for long. Certainly not as long as old time Edison’s burning filament bulb. That is because of the reasons I listed above and more.

My guess is they will be replaced by LED’s. We are a couple innovations away from an amazing revolution in lighting. Their long life, cool light, compact size, and energy efficiency all make them better than either CFL’s with only a few drawbacks versus the old fashioned bulbs.