Full Spectrum Light Bulb - ALZO 45W CFL 5500K - Case of 4 Review

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $40.99
Sale Price: $40.50
Today's Bonus: 1% Off

I am an engineer who has been completely disgusted with the home lighting situation. There are no standards and many misstatements and counterdictions at the stores. I own a Minolta flash meter which accurately measures a lights color temperature. I've tried the bulb technology at Walmart, Sams Club Home Depot and Lowes. The most glaring examples:

1) yellow light is called soft white (2700)

2) very blue light is called daylight 6000-6500)

3) 12W LED lights go for as much as $90!

4) Some bulbs are advertised as white but the chart on the back shows its yellow. Complete incompetence.

Here is not what to avoid: all (harsh washed-out blue) daylight, and (yellow) soft white. While GE Reveal offers somewhat better clarity its still overpriced and quite yellow.

Full spectrum (5000-5500) bulbs are a step-up but stores offer a very limited selection, like one! The Home Depot full 100w spectrum's beats the Lowe's Ott-Lite. The best compromise are the PAR38 indoor 23-27w 3500K reflector lights (which actually measure 4100K), especially for recessed kitchen spot lighting.

On the LED front Sam's Club carries a 520 lumen, 4100K, 9 LED PAR38 reflector which has a easily noticeable smoother light spectrum. Interesting for the one light on in the kitchen in the evening. The equivalent $70 LED lights at the hardware store are hardly a bargain, as the Sam's is $20! However its Color Retention index (CRI)is only 74.

The best of all are lights are these 5500K Alzo's. I've installed a 45w in the kitchen pantry and the color of the food boxes really pop. Food looks like it does in the magazines. The clarity is first rate (however 27w should be sufficient). They are the reference to which others are to be compared. My wife has not complained even when they are on at night-time. This is a first.

Skin tones in the bathroom look very natural. A first again.

Color temperature alone is not the sole basis to buy a bulb as a high CRI is also required. The Alzo's come in at 92, which is very high. Most manufactures do not even list this measurable figure (assume because its too low).

Well gotta go as my wife wants one in her closet now, as shes hates the other fluorescent lights which cause eye-strain. Should I install a 45w and blow her away?

Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>

After having used these bulbs on several photographic applications, I have one word for them...FABULOUS!

I have photographed real estate interiors, pets at a local animal shelter, and now food for a Pittsburgh area restaurant. The ALZO 45 watt has performed exactly "as advertised".

The 5500K provides daylight color light that can be mixed with fill-flash and natural daylight, and one white balance setting does the job. Regarding white balance; you will have to experiment with the WB to find the right setting for your camera. Don't use the auto if you want the best results. On my Nikon D-40, I use the "cloudy +3" white balance for accurate color of my subject.

The brightness of these bulbs, is as advertised, approximately equivalent to a 150 watt incandescent. I use two bulbs with reflectors and they are great for rooms up to about 20', but I may consider a pair of the higher watt ALZOs for larger rooms.

Great product guys!

Best Deals for Full Spectrum Light Bulb - ALZO 45W CFL 5500K - Case of 4

Incredible light and awesome brightness. Replaced this in the living room and the room looks so fresh and anew.

(Update April 2nd 2009): Sorry. One of the bulbs is already gone. Thought this would last much longer than 3 months. I have to check into the hassle of replacing under warranty. It was used for about 4-5 hrs per day for 3 months.

Honest reviews on Full Spectrum Light Bulb - ALZO 45W CFL 5500K - Case of 4

These bulbs do a great lighting job and I'm still using them -but in places where I don't have to be near the bulb (like in ceiling fan lights). I initially tried these in the bathroom but the buzzing was intense. I thought it might be the socket (although it never had problems before) so I tried other fixtures (admittedly only tested two of the four bulbs so far). Every one of them emits a terrible humming that, if it is in your ear's "line of sight" (like in a desk lamp or a vanity) then it will drive you mad.

Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Full Spectrum Light Bulb - ALZO 45W CFL 5500K - Case of 4

After seeing some contradictions among the reviews, I was a bit unsure about this purchase. Some said these were too bright, hummed, etc.. and others said opposite.

First impression:

As of this review I have just installed a 45w 4-pack in an overhead fixture and have spare sockets in case I want more light. I saw a lot of people say these are really bright. In my experience here, they aren't that bright, or don't SEEM that bright (as in I want more light, but my fixture won't support the 85w). However, when I turn on my alternate lighting (lower color temp incandescent) at full power, I can see the incandescents glowing, but they have so much less output that you can't tell they're on unless you look up to see. I also saw a lot of people saying that these were too blue. That is not my experience at all. I was actually hoping for these to be more blue (but they are similar to noon daylight in color) like early morning or shade. I might add some blue lights in my extra sockets or find bluer bulbs. There seems to be a discrepancy about hum and buzz, my biggest worry in purchasing them. I have these in a space that I use for recording (wanted more light, bluer light) of mostly audio, only using video sometimes. To me, the hum/buzz is too loud, loud enough that it significantly raises the noise floor of my recordings (and is completely audible). The main component is a 120hz hum, and the buzz is a mixture of harmonics that is strongest from 500hz-2000hz, a critical range for recording. In my case, the hum is exaggerated because there are several of these in a row, creating a line source, meaning the hum dissipates less the further away I get.

I might come update this in the future to give more information after I get the hum/buzz issue resolved or return them maybe even put up a video review to demonstrate them next to my alternate incandescents and the way the hum sounds.

Bottom line: Good for applications like photos, reading, utility, and other light-critical tasks where noise is not critical.

After a few months, new perspective:

UPDATED INFO These put out a lot of light, yet don't seem very bright to my eyes due to the color temperature. The perceived tint varies depending on a lot of factors, but I've seen perfectly white to a subtle cyan. The best way I can describe why I prefer higher temp light is that it gives the room a more contemporary, energetic feel.

One bulb has a soft buzz, not a problem. However, stay away from using these or any lighting of similar technology where audio will be recorded. It induces an audible degradation of the noise floor due to interference in the midrange and low 20khz. I believe LED or incandescent is more appropriate there. Audiophiles should also keep this technology away from sensitive audio reproduction systems.

I'm still experimenting with placement and usage, but these have produced the best effect so far when put in fixtures on the floor near points of interest (decorations, work area...). I also run some blue "party" bulbs for a nice blue-violet glow that fills in shadows and gives the room a great feel. There are times when brightness isn't appropriate, though, so 2700k bulbs on a dimmer are still needed for that.