Energy Saver Light Bulbs for Inside & Outside the Home

Replacing your standard bulbs with energy saver light bulbs will save the average household a minimum of $340 per year, probably more…

• How much money will YOU save?
• Available types of energy-efficient light bulbs
• Wrap Up: Applying the advice to your home

Savings from Energy Saver Light Bulbs

According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE), compact fluorescent bulbs save about $7.55 per bulb per year versus an incandescent with a similar light level. The DoE also commissioned a study which found that the average U.S. home uses 45 light bulbs.

So what's the total annual savings for switching all 45 bulbs from incandescents to CFLs? $340

Not good enough for ya? With the continuing drop in price of LED's, they're projected to save as much if not more than CFLs over the long-term.

Types of Energy Saver Light Bulbs for the Home

Five types of energy saver light bulbs are appropriate for most homes, but there are two clear leaders in terms of long-term savings and energy efficiency...

• Long-Life A
• Tungsten halogen
• Fluorescent light bulbs (2nd best choice)
• Light-emitting diodes (LED) (best choice)

“Long-life” “A” incandescent bulb

Even the “longer-life” standard A bulbs are far less efficient than the fluorescent and LED lights we’ll discuss in a moment, but they're worth a brief mention as they are still more efficient than the Standard A bulbs. If you have a choice between standard A's and long-life A's, go with the long-life.

Tungsten halogen lamps

Tungsten halogens justify their higher price tag versus standard A bulbs by being more efficient and by lasting up to twice as long… still not as good as the types of light bulbs discussed below, but probably the best you can do in the Incandescent class of bulbs.

Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Fluorescent light bulbs are the most commonly used form of energy saver light bulbs and come in three main varieties for the home:

• Standard & dimmable compact fluorescent light bulbs (on a separate page)
• Fluorescent tubes (standard)
• Circline fluorescent tubes

Standard & Dimmable Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs)

Compact fluorescent lamps are step one of the “best of both worlds” energy saver light bulbs. They marry the efficiency of fluorescent tubes with the space-saving functionality of standard A bulbs.

See our Standard & Dimmable Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs page for more information.

Fluorescent tubes (standard) - Energy Saver Light Bulbs

Fluorescent tubes are second in popularity only to the “A” bulbs but are much more efficient and are especially useful in larger rooms. They require special ballasts and will not fit standard incandescent fixtures.

Circline fluorescent tubes - Energy Saver Light Bulbs

Circline tubes work just like standard fluorescent tubes but are bent into a circular shape. They allow the efficiency of a standard tube to be used in smaller spaces such as home lamps.

Light-Emitting Diodes (LED) - Best Choice for Energy Saver Light Bulbs

Dimmable Standard Household
Base 50 Watt Incandescent
Light Bulb Replacement
with a 6 Watt LED, Warm White

Light-emitting diodes, more commonly known as LED lights, are the star of the energy saver light bulbs show and represent the future of artificial lighting; They are more efficient than any other type of light bulb.

Until recently, LEDs had a limited number of home applications, including kitchen under-cabinet lighting, portable desk and task lighting, recessed downlights and holiday lights. This was largely due to a few inherent problems, including not being as bright and only emitting light in one direction. They were also very expensive, especially when compared to the standard A incandescents.

Fortunately, all of those problems have been solved. “Super-bright” and “high power” LEDs solve the old problem of low brightness, newer bulbs distribute light in all directions and improvements in technology and production of LEDs have brought their price down considerably.

LED 60 Watt Incandescent
Replacement: Cree Super
Bright LED Light Bulb - Natural White

Standard LEDs come in either cool white or warm white colors (in addition to multicolored options depending on the casing), which refers to the color of light that is emitted.

Cool white (also called “daylight”) is a more “bluish” white light, while warm white (also called “soft white”) is brighter and more yellowish…similar to the color given off by a standard incandescent light bulb.

In addition, LEDs now come in all shapes and sizes... from A-shaped (like the old incandescents) to G-Shaped (round) to Flame Twist Shaped to "PAR" shaped and virtually everywhere in between.

In other words, for most home applications both inside and out (we’ll explain which below) you should purchase LEDs. They’ll cost more up front, but their much longer life, higher durability and more efficient use of electricity make them a virtual no-brainer.

The two bulbs pictured in this section are great choices for your standard incandescent fixtures (the first option being dimmable, the second being brighter depending on your needs). If neither of these fits your application, below is a "pre-set" Amazon.com search box that allows you to browse the various types of LED bulbs available.

Wrap Up: The Right Types of Energy Saver Light Bulbs for the Right Situation

Now that you have a general understanding about each bulb type along with how they stack up in terms of efficiency, let’s boil it down to which you should use inside and outside your home for maximum efficiency and highest cost savings.

We've also included a few additional savings tips to push your dollar even further...

• Inside your home
• Outside your home

Energy Saver Light Bulbs Inside Your Home

1. Use LEDs whenever possible, choosing between “soft white” (closest to incandescent lighting) and “daylight” lighting (for a more bluish white light) depending on your preference. Newer designs will fit into your standard incandescent fixtures and lamps.
2. Install special LED dimmers to improve efficiency even further.
3. For more subtle light that’s easier on the eyes, purchase LEDs with lower wattage (special CFL reading lamps are your second best option).
4. Consider upgrading to Energy Star qualified light fixtures. According to Energy Star, replacing the five most frequently used fixtures with Energy Star fixtures will save you $70 per year.
5. For night lights, go with the LED versions rather than the standard incandescent ones. Osram Sylvania's is an inexpensive and attractive option.
6. If you like to put up holiday/christmas lights inside or out, use LED holiday lights instead of standard holiday lights.
7. If you must use lights other than LEDs anywhere, choose standard or dimmable compact fluorescent light bulbs, and be sure to use them with a dimmer, 3-way lamp and/or motion controls or timers.

Energy Saver Light Bulbs Outside Your Home

A few of the following recommendations are covered on other pages, but we wanted to make sure you didn't make any purchases "out of order". Follow the links to learn more...

1. Install solar powered lights outside for any light that has direct and continual access to the sun throughout the day.
2. Maximize the light given off by flood lights by choosing lights with reflectors (designated by ER or PAR on the label).
3. For flood lights, use super bright or high power LEDs such as the Brightest PAR38 42 Warm White SMD LED Flood Light Bulb. Since they are brighter than their incandescent and fluorescent counterparts, you may be able to get by with fewer lights (and therefore even more electricity savings) than you currently use.
4. For additional savings, upgrade your light fixtures to ones that are Energy Star compliant.
5. For all outside lights that are permanently on when it’s dark, install photosensors to automatically turn your lights off and on with the rising and setting of the sun.
6. For all outside lights used for security that are not left on all night, install motion sensors.
7. For areas outside that you use for leisure (porches, patios, around your doors, around the pool or hot tub, etc), install solar-powered lights.
8. Use LED holiday lights instead of standard holiday lights.

For the biggest bang for your lighting buck, next learn how to stop wasting electricity.

Also see...

Incandescent bulb image licensed via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

*Minimum Savings amount is average for the United States calculated over the life of the average U.S. home and assumes that you apply all recommendations on this page. Actual savings could vary based on region-specific factors.