# Do incandescent bulb hoarders now feel like idiots with the new $2.50 LED bulbs available? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 31, 2015, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-incandescent-bulb-hoarders-now-feel-like-idiots-with-the-new-2-50-led-bulbs-available/721265 "2015-05-31T17:23:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-incandescent-bulb-hoarders-now-feel-like-idiots-with-the-new-2-50-led-bulbs-available/721265/61 "2015-06-01T18:59:21Z")
> [@Mdcastle](#): > > I’ve noticed the turn on delay of some LEDs too, I assumed it was capacitors in the power supply rather than aesthetic design choice. I believe that you are correct. I use LED bars to light some of my aquariums, and while they light up quickly when switched to a running power supply, turning the supply on and off presents a two or three second delay.4 ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-incandescent-bulb-hoarders-now-feel-like-idiots-with-the-new-2-50-led-bulbs-available/721265/62 "2015-06-01T19:23:11Z")
> [@Habeed](#): > > You’re going to have to provide a cite for that. Last I checked…in terms of A/B comparisons where the bulb is hidden, incandescents are defeated by the nicer CFL brands and the higher end Phillips LED bulbs. You can get better light and save more than the bulb costs in power. All incandescents have a perfect CRI of 100: > **[Knowledge Base](https://tiffen.com/pages/knowledge-base)** > > We Help Create the World's Greatest Images! Our business strategy for over 80 years, our strategy has always been to succeed through direct customer interaction and feedback by creating innovative products and services. The two best, highest CRI LEDs have a CRI of 90 and 93 > **[Shining a light on high-CRI LEDs](https://www.cnet.com/home/kitchen-and-household/shining-a-light-on-high-cri-led-bulbs/)** > > These bulbs promise a professional level of color accuracy -- but which one do you want? ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-incandescent-bulb-hoarders-now-feel-like-idiots-with-the-new-2-50-led-bulbs-available/721265/63 "2015-06-01T19:25:34Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > There are tube fluorescents well over 96. > > I don’t know of any light source short of the fusion-powered one on a clear day, or halogen ones of nearly equal power and heat, that hit 100. If it’s worth that last few percent to run photography monolights in your house… I don’t have a desire to put linear fluorescents in every room of my house like an office building. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-incandescent-bulb-hoarders-now-feel-like-idiots-with-the-new-2-50-led-bulbs-available/721265/64 "2015-06-01T19:26:19Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > fluorescent lamps color-shift as they age, unfortunately. Do they? It has been my experience with fluorescent aquarium lights that they produce less light with age, but that the frequency does not change. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-incandescent-bulb-hoarders-now-feel-like-idiots-with-the-new-2-50-led-bulbs-available/721265/65 "2015-06-01T20:04:58Z")
I don’t feel like an idiot at all. Quite the contrary. I still have enough to last at least another decade, maybe two. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-incandescent-bulb-hoarders-now-feel-like-idiots-with-the-new-2-50-led-bulbs-available/721265/66 "2015-06-01T23:30:16Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Do they? It has been my experience with fluorescent aquarium lights that they produce less light with age, but that the frequency does not change. it’s more subtle than, say, a metal halide lamp (which goes from bluish-white when new to pink as it ages) but yeah, they do. I regularly see used up fluorescent lights (the long tube kind) at work which have gone full-on pink. ---
**Author:** ![Noelq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/noelq/32/16438_2.png) [@Noelq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noelq)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-incandescent-bulb-hoarders-now-feel-like-idiots-with-the-new-2-50-led-bulbs-available/721265/67 "2015-06-01T23:32:35Z")
Nope. I hate fluorescent lights. Can’t stand the things. I’m very happy with my stockpile. Money was never the issue. Its the light frequency, and the color. When they’re not right, they drive me batty. Additionally, I prefer the 250-watt bulbs in my house, for reading. ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2015, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-incandescent-bulb-hoarders-now-feel-like-idiots-with-the-new-2-50-led-bulbs-available/721265/68 "2015-06-02T00:11:42Z")
I am rather surprised by the posters who say that, after shifting to something other than incandescent/halogen lights, their electricity bill didn’t significatively change. I had a lot of halogen lights in my home. I switched to LEDs (which give a light that I am perfectly happy with) and my electricity bill went down _ **quite** _ noticeably. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2015, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-incandescent-bulb-hoarders-now-feel-like-idiots-with-the-new-2-50-led-bulbs-available/721265/69 "2015-06-02T02:42:32Z")
> [@Marion\_Wormer](#): > > I stockpiled the incandescent true color bulbs because I need them when I put on make up. Ditto! Also because I didn’t like how the CFL options that I’d seen at Home Depot looked in my faux-Tiffany table lamp. (I’d only seen the twisty ones, and they looked awful, so I stocked up on 60-watt bulbs.) I also prefer a softer “pink” light for my bedside light. Easier on the eyes when I’m reading in bed. I did not see those in CFL at the time, though they’re available now. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2015, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-incandescent-bulb-hoarders-now-feel-like-idiots-with-the-new-2-50-led-bulbs-available/721265/70 "2015-06-02T03:35:05Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > I don’t feel like an idiot at all. Quite the contrary. I still have enough to last at least another decade, maybe two. Just how many bulbs are in use in your house and how many spares have you stockpiled? Because incandescent bulbs only last, typically, for a year or two. So you’d have to have five or ten replacements for every bulb in the house. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2015, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-incandescent-bulb-hoarders-now-feel-like-idiots-with-the-new-2-50-led-bulbs-available/721265/71 "2015-06-02T10:28:32Z")
I didn’t stockpile, but I am using all my replaced incandescents in my garage door opener, which doesn’t play well with any other type of bulb. mmm ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2015, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-incandescent-bulb-hoarders-now-feel-like-idiots-with-the-new-2-50-led-bulbs-available/721265/72 "2015-06-02T11:43:54Z")
> [@JoseB](#): > > I am rather surprised by the posters who say that, after shifting to something other than incandescent/halogen lights, their electricity bill didn’t significatively change. > > I had a lot of halogen lights in my home. I switched to LEDs (which give a light that I am perfectly happy with) and my electricity bill went down _ **quite** _ noticeably. I once went from IC to CF blubs and saw a small drop in the amount charged (didn’t look at the amount of power consumed), till the moment of enlightenment when I switched most back to IC. I looked and didn’t see any increase in power usage or price. I chalk it up to seasonal usage patters and price of power fluctuation. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-incandescent-bulb-hoarders-now-feel-like-idiots-with-the-new-2-50-led-bulbs-available/721265/73 "2015-06-03T19:57:20Z")
I have noticed a higher percentage of LED bulbs having bad circuitry that causes unpleasant flickering. Not massively but just enough for you to notice it off handedly. In this case I mean a larger percentage than of incandescent bulbs which would not work right out of the box. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-incandescent-bulb-hoarders-now-feel-like-idiots-with-the-new-2-50-led-bulbs-available/721265.md?page=3)