Cheap GE Lighting 20708 Energy Smart CFL 15-Watt (65-watt replacement)

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List Price: $4.66
Sale Price: $1.90
Today's Bonus: 59% Off

This is as good as it gets for CFL bulbs. I don't know if it's the glass enclosure or the bulb itself, but you can barely tell that this is a CFL when you look at it compared to the other incandescent bulbs that are still on my ceiling. GE really does a good job of taking the complaints about CFL bulbs (too bright, too cold, etc.) and making them go away. That said, it is still a CFL. When I first turned it on it took a second or two to warm up. But it wasn't that noticeable, and in the dark my eyes could use the time to adjust anyway. With Amazon Prime's free shipping, it will be even easier for me to grab these one at a time as I need them to replace my original bulbs, and it's great that I'll be able to use one-fourth the energy with something nearly as good.

Among GE R30 floodlight CFL bulbs, this is the one you want if you want the shortest warm-up time. It's not dimmable, but for recessed lights attached to regular switches, it does its job well. If you want something dimmable, check out the 21710. If you want to go even greener, check out the 47478. It's not dimmable, but it uses half the mercury and lasts about 50 percent longer.

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Welcome to the world of CFL ("compact fluorescent lighting") bulbs. Great lighting, great energy savings, but you have to deal with that darned warm-up time! But, if you want energy savings AND instant-on, you pretty much have to go with LED ("light emitting diode") bulbs. I have tried LED floods (at least I did 2 years ago I understand that they have improved quite a bit since then see more on this below), but at the time I decided to live with the warm-up time of the CFL floods because: (1) the LED floods had too narrow of a beam; (2) the LED floods have too "cold" of a light (they typically have a light temperature of close to 5000K, which is well into the blue range of the spectrum, whereas the CLFs can be had in the "warm" 2700K light-yellow spectrum, which pretty much mimics the incandescent bulbs most of us have grown up with and become accustomed to); and (3) the LED floods cost a LOT more.

I now understand that you can get a 12W 60 degree LED flood with a "warm light" temperature spectrum near the 2700K range, so two out of my three problems with LED bulbs have been solved (i.e., 60 degree flood angle is great, and 2700K light spectrum is great). However, there is still the problem of cost. An LED flood bulb (a 30PAR LED 60 degree flood bulb with an output equivalent to a 75W incandescent bulb) costs an amazing $71! (By comparison, I can buy a 3-year CFL 15W 30PAR flood bulb (equivalent to about a 65W incandescent flood) for about $6 each.) Of note, the LED bulb should have a life of 50,000 hours, as compared to a life of about 6000 hours for the CFL bulb. So maybe over 30 years the LED bulb will prove to be more "economical", but I'm guessing that in the next 5-10 years there will be more improvements in technology such that the cost of the LED bulbs will decrease significantly. So, my recommendation is to go with the CFL bulbs at this time, save your money, and wait for the next "revolution" in energy-efficient lighting.

To be honest, if you are concerned about the "war on incandescent bulbs" (as I am), your best approach is as follows: (1) stock-up on those standard incandescent bulbs that are of odd shapes and the like (which may be required to fit antique lighting fixtures, or even certain lighting fixtures put in place in the last 20 years, including chandelier lighting) in order to ensure that you will have an inventory of incandescent bulbs to fit your needs for at least the next 10 years (i.e., time enough for the next evolution of lighting to come along); (2) look for (and purchase) "long-life" (e.g., 10 year) incandescent bulbs (including those with krypton gas filling) while they are still available; (3) replace incandescent bulbs with CFL bulbs in those locations where warm-up time is not a concern (such as kitchen lighting); and (4) if you can, invest in at least one LED light (perhaps something along the lines of a $50 6W LED (equivalent to a 60W incandescent table lamp bulb) just so that you can evaluate for yourself how well an LED stacks up to a CFL and/or an incandescent bulb.

As for outdoor lighting, and in particular safety lighting (which typically requires "instant-on" illumination in response to a motion sensor), you MUST stick with incandescent, LED or halogen bulbs at this time (so stock-up on them while you can) the "wait time" for a outdoor CFL in this application is just too long (and particularly in cold weather environments).

(As an aside, in addition to stocking up on incandescent light bulbs, consider stocking up on halogen light bulbs while they are still available they offer great illumination and relatively long life, but no energy efficiency.)

In the end, the best approach is to think about your current lighting needs (indoor vs. outdoor, room by room, and lighting-fixture by lighting-fixture), and to anticipate your lighting needs in each application. Replace old incandescent bulbs with high efficiency CLF or LED bulbs where you can (and where you are willing to), but in the end it might be best to stock-up on bulbs that cannot currently be replaced (at least within the next 10 years). If you have a 10-year stock of light bulbs to meet your current needs, it is most likely that something new will come along within that time such that any inventory of bulbs you have beyond that point will be obsolete. There will always be a need for light bulbs, and any new technology will ultimately replace current technology over a period of time all you need to do is provide yourself with a stock of your currently most favorable light bulbs to see you through any 10 year transition period (or 20 years, if you are paranoid like I am).

Best Deals for GE Lighting 20708 Energy Smart CFL 15-Watt (65-watt replacement)

This bulb takes a couple seconds to come on, then up to a couple minutes to come to full brightness. I replaced three can lights near each other in the kitchen, and all three bulbs take the same time to come to full brightness. Other manufacturer's CFL products come on immediately.

There are some R30 CFL bulbs that are 14W and some 15W. When you make a purchase, make sure to check two specifications for the bulb (in GE's words) Light Appearance and Brightness. Look for the temperature in degrees Kelvin. The lower the number, the more yellow the light. And the higher the wattage, usually the light output goes up, measured in lumens. Match these two specifications when purchasing bulbs from different manufacturers.

GE has recently changed the packaging to all cardboard for UPC# 043168729840. They are easier to open than the plastic blister packaging. Check pricing at other sources like Wal-Mart three 2-packs (6 bulbs) for $25.11 in a single case.

Honest reviews on GE Lighting 20708 Energy Smart CFL 15-Watt (65-watt replacement)

It's worth starting out the review stating that these lights take a couple minutes to fully warm up. They shouldn't be used in a bathroom or any other room that you need quick access to lighting. You should know that going in. I would add that I've used them in my living room and office and it hasn't bothered me at all. Usually once the lights go on in those rooms they stay on for awhile.

As for performance, I was surprised at just how close these mimic traditional floodlights. I'd be surprised if you could tell a difference once they've warmed up. The rest of the benefits you probably already know about. It will lower your electric bill and it does help keep rooms cooler as the bulb doesn't emit as much heat. This is particularly nice in the Summer if you want to save a little extra on the AC bill.

Overall, I'd highly recommend these to anyone who has a room that the lights are typically not going on or off a lot. A living room or home office works for me, and I'll probably get around to swapping out the lights in my kitchen at some point too. I'd stay away from using these in the bathroom or hallways, but otherwise they are a great and cost effective addition to the home.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for GE Lighting 20708 Energy Smart CFL 15-Watt (65-watt replacement)

Good replacement to the normal bulbs. This bulb does not generate a lot of heat which is what I was looking for.