Though initially more expensive to purchase, they last far longer than incandescent bulbs and produce many more lumen of light per watt of electricity consumed. Halogen bulbs are also more compact, permitting installation in smaller fixtures. Some of the new compact fluorescents contain the lamp, ballast, and socket all in one unit and will easily replace conventional 40 watt to 75 watt incandescent lamps. They're fine for a basement or a workshop, but their light is too unpleasant for bathroom use. Their bright white light is ideal for highlighting colors and architectural details. Forget about the old tube type fluorescent lamps, though.

Tungsten halogen incandescent lamps are another energy efficient alternative to standard incandescent lamps, providing 25% more lumens per watt and having more than twice the average life span. Other compacts require an adapter base or clip directly into a fixture designed to hold fluorescent lamps. The increasing use of fluorescent lamps in residential settings is a direct response to the increasing cost of energy. A drawback to fluorescents is that they can't be easily dimmed.

Quite simply, fluorescent lamps save energy and money.