CFL Bulbs

This is a new "green" technology that to me hasn't even come close to being useable yet. This weekend I had another one of these bulbs literally go up in smoke. This is about the third one to do that. I was in the bathroom and noticed a slight flickering of the lights. At first I thought the power was about to go out. Then I noticed the bulb brightened for a couple of seconds and then went out. A few seconds later, there was an slight yet aubible whoosh and smoke started coming out of the base of the bulb. I quickly shut off the lights and unscrewed the bulb. If I remember correctly all three of the bulbs that went up in smoke were in the bathroom fixtures. Other CFLs I've used have just gone out within months of first turning them on. This bulb lasted less than a year - next to incandescents that have been working since before we moved into the house.

I also tried an even more expensive (very expensive compared to the old-fashioned bulb) LED bulb. Not only was it very dim - much dimmer that the incandescent is supposedly replaced, but its lifetime was even shorter - only a matter of months. I don't mind doing my bit for the environment - like buying more expensive and supposedly more efficient bulbs and appliances - but I'd really like them to be even somewhat comparable to what they are replacing. I seen no way a $12 LED bulb that burns out in a couple of months will ever be more economical than an incandescent that costs $1.25 and lasts for a year or more.