If the ease of changing a light bulb once spawned a generation of punch lines, recent regulatory changes and technological developments have made it increasingly complicated to know which new light bulb to use. Cnet.com’s “Light Bulb Buying Guide” helps explain all of the different options and variables consumers face as they replace their obsolete incandescent bulbs (which will include 40-watt and 60-watt bulbs starting in 2014).
The guide explains the differences between LED (light emitting diode), CFL (compact fluorescent light), and halogen light bulbs and how they compare to the traditional incandescent bulbs. It explains how to convert watts to lumens so that a consumer can replace a 60 watt incandescent bulb with a 12 watt LED bulb that’s just as bright. It also discusses color temperature, the color rendering index, and “smart” lighting options for automated lighting control.
