Lights out for incandescent bulbs

[StanleyB]

After more than a century lighting up the world, the switch will be flicked off across the EU for the final time on incandescent bulbs on Saturday as the phased ban on their sale is completed.

From 1 September, an EU directive aimed at reducing the energy use of lighting means that retailers will no longer be allowed to sell 40W and 25W incandescent bulbs. Similar bans came into effect for 60W and 100W incandescent bulbs over the past three years.

I switched to CFL and then to mainly LED in the last 5 years. It was an expensive operation but I have not had to climb up any ladder to replace a single bulb in the last three years. Long may that continue.

[Beobloke]

I am still using proper light bulbs and intend to continue doing so for as long as I can. Our new house that we moved into in April has quite a few of these energy saving abominations fitted, but I'm gradually replacing them!

[prestonchipfryer]

The ''energy saving'' bulbs don't give a very good light in my experience. Bring back PROPER bulbs!

[Martinh]

We're fitting mostly LED lights in our new bathroom installations now. If you buy the decent ones, they give very good light output and are very reliable.

Not so good for lounges, but perfect for bathrooms and kitchens.

[tannoy man]

The ''energy saving'' bulbs don't give a very good light in my experience. Bring back PROPER bulbs!

+1

[prestonchipfryer]

We're fitting mostly LED lights in our new bathroom installations now. If you buy the decent ones, they give very good light output and are very reliable.

Not so good for lounges, but perfect for bathrooms and kitchens.

Are LED lights brighter than the equivalent ''energy saver'' bulbs? And how much are they for, say, a 60 watt bulb.

[Covenant]

I am with Stan on this one. Tungsten lamps are grossly inefficient and should have gone years ago. I use a mixture of compact fluorescent and LED bulbs. Pick the correct temperature rating and think about the fitting. For example, in my living room I don't have a ceiling pendant but have six wall lights plus table lamps.

[sq225917]

Yeh, but incandescent bulbs spit virtually nothing back into the mains, the same cannot be said of CF.

[Mike]

Just use thoriated tungsten valves... sorted!

[Reid Malenfant]

Rough service bulbs will still be available, those have not been banned

Personally I still use incandescents at a few critical points in the house where full illumination is needed immediately. Such as on the stairs