Light Bulb: EcoSmart soft white compact fluorescent 40 w equivalent
Price: $10 for four at Amazon.com
Household Use: Ambient light
Light Appearance: 2700 K
Incandescent It Replaces: Sylvania Decor Globe 40w
Overall Rating: Weak Recommend*

The EcoSmart soft white compact fluorescent lived up to its description as soft white. But compared to the 40 watt incandescent control bulb, this bulb was down right dim.
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Light Bulb:
Price: $24.97 at Home Depot
Household Use: Table and floor lamps, overhead, pendants, ambient
Light Appearance: Soft white, 2700k
Incandescent It Replaces: 60-watt
Overall Rating: Strong Recommend*

I've spent a fair amount of time writing about LEDs and specifying them for clients, but using them in my own home — not until now. I was super excited to try one out, and very pleased with the results. More

You know what the label says, but how do energy-efficient bulbs really compare to their incandescent counterparts in terms of brightness and color temperature? Welcome to Episode III in our Lightbulb Wars video series. In this video Maxwell visually tests three lightbulbs—a Philips LED, an EcoSmart CFL, and a Philips High-Efficiency Incandescent— against their high-energy incandescent counterparts. Watch the video to see how they stack up!

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Light Bulb:
Price: $29.95 at Plumen Shop US
Household Use: General reading lamp, overhead, pendant
Light Appearance: Warm white light, 2700k
Incandescent It Replaces: 60-watt equivalent
Overall Rating: Recommend*

The PLUMEN 001 is not your run-of-the mill compact fluorescent — according to its company it's 'the world's first designer low energy light bulb'. So, we were pretty stoked when we found out we'd be testing this crazy looking award-winning bulb — find out if it lives up to the accolades, after the jump. More

Watts, Lumens, Kelvins, oh my! Welcome to Episode II in our Lightbulb Wars video series. In this video Maxwell heads to Green Depot to get the scoop on energy-efficient lightbulbs from store manager, Ana. He also shares how to read a lightbulb label so you get the exact bulb you're looking for.

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While we are finishing up with the Light Bulb Wars where we test drive the CFL and LED bulbs on the market today, designers from all over the world are dreaming up the eco friendly light bulbs of the future. Here we take a look at what tomorrow might bring, including light bulbs made of paper, powered by wind, and disguised as incandescents. More

A little more than a year ago we reviewed the Pharox60 6 Watt Dimmable LED Bulb, a bulb that's still working fine in our apartment hallway (meaning it's almost always on) and sipping power where once an incandescent burned through more watts and had to be replaced often. And now it looks like the very same manufacturer will be supplying IKEA with their bulbs, making this one of the most notable pushes toward an LED bulb future for the masses... More

Vintage wire decor is simple, lightweight and often cheap. This style was "trendy" around the turn of the century (19th), when practicality and function took precedent over form. More

Light Bulb:
Price: $10 for eight bulbs at Amazon.com
Household Use: Overhead lamp or high detail task light
Light Appearance: Cooler than incandescent, 2700K
Incandescent It Replaces: General Electric Soft White 60W
Overall Rating: Recommend

I used two of these bulbs as task lights at a table in my kitchen. At first the light seemed much dimmer but I became aware that the Energy Smart bulb illuminated the whole room better than the incandescent bulb.

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Light Bulb: Philips Ambient LED Indoor Flood BR30
Price: $39.95 at Green Supply
Household Use: spot lighting, track lighting, recessed lighting
Light Appearance: warm white light, 3000 K
Incandescent It Replaces: 65-watt equivalent
Overall Rating: Recommend*

This LED bulb provides a clean, bright light for overhead recessed or track fixtures. It promises incredible efficiency. It looks cool. It's pretty pricey. All this considered, I was excited to swap this sexy new thing out with my dusty old incandescent. Here's how it went: More