# Lightbulbs - why frosted? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 18, 2014, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lightbulbs-why-frosted/681627 "2014-02-18T16:13:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2014, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lightbulbs-why-frosted/681627/1 "2014-02-18T16:13:06Z")
With all the todo about the regulations that ended some of the production of the standard IC blub, it has brought to light a question. Why have frosted bulbs become the standard? I admit to liking clear bulbs, one where you can see the filament. To me it is almost a work of art. Halogens also come in clear and have their beauty, though a bit more cluttered. LED’s, well a few, also come in clear and are very nice ascetically. I do like the ‘point source’ of light better then a undistinguished ‘light blub’ that frosted and CF blubs produce and it the right lamp can produce a very nice crystal like light scattering effect. So what say ye, frosted or clear? ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2014, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lightbulbs-why-frosted/681627/2 "2014-02-18T16:21:54Z")
i thought there was a clear answer but upon thinking about it the answer is certainly more diffuse. ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2014, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lightbulbs-why-frosted/681627/3 "2014-02-18T16:36:29Z")
> **[clear vs. frosted lightbulbs?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=66355)** > > What’s the difference? Yes, smartass, I realize that one has clear glass and the other one had frosted glass, but is there any functional difference? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2014, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lightbulbs-why-frosted/681627/4 "2014-02-18T17:07:20Z")
Point sources of light can be painfully bright, if the fitting is one that permits a direct view of the light source - for these, I would always tend toward a frosted lamp. In fact, because that’s most of the light fittings I’ve ever had, I only kept the frosted kind in stock. (I do agree that the clear ones are beautiful though) ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2014, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lightbulbs-why-frosted/681627/5 "2014-02-18T17:08:34Z")
Diffused light is easier on the eyes. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2014, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lightbulbs-why-frosted/681627/6 "2014-02-18T23:11:31Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > . . . I admit to liking clear bulbs, one where you can see the filament. To me it is almost a work of art. Halogens also come in clear and have their beauty, though a bit more cluttered. LED’s, well a few, also come in clear and are very nice ascetically. > > I do like the ‘point source’ of light better then a undistinguished ‘light blub’ that frosted and CF blubs produce and it the right lamp can produce a very nice crystal like light scattering effect. . . . I grew up on clear, but prefer frosted. I read a lot, and like the diffuse light on the page of a book. If I had a chandelier with lots of crystal, I’d go with clear, to bring out the little rainbows. But, otherwise, frosted is my pref.