Over the past 2 1/2 years our family has used compact fluorescent (CFL) light bulbs in our home. We converted all of our light bulbs to CFL in hopes that we would be able to save money on our electric bill, which can be very high in the summer months in Las Vegas. At the time, CFL bulbs were relatively expensive selling for anywhere from $3.99 to $5.99 each. The manufacturer claimed that the bulb would last 10 years, so when I did the math it would save us money in the long run. On the Energy Star website it claims that CFL’s last 10x longer than regular light bulbs. However, this is not the case.
Since we converted to CFL bulbs, the lifespan of each bulb has been far less than 10 years. I’m lucky if a light bulb lasts 1 year. I have to replace these stupid bulbs all the time, which is really frustrating. When I had regular light bulbs in my old house, I think I might have replaced 3 to 5 bulbs in the 14 years that I lived there. In our new house, which has all CFL bulbs in it, I’ve replaced at least 20+ bulbs in the past 2 1/2 years!
Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb
I know the price of CFL bulbs has come down dramatically over the past 3 years, but I’m not sure it’s worth it. It’s a pain the ass to change light bulbs all the time. What happened to lasting 10x longer than regular light bulbs?
Am I the only one who is experiencing this? Did I happen to purchase a defective batch? I doubt it because I purchased different brands over the years. It seems like they over-promised & under-delivered on this product. How about you?
Peter's Perspective 
While the claim that these bulbs will last 10 times longer than traditional bulbs seems difficult to prove or disprove, the only CFL bulb I can remember replacing (twice in seven years) is in our garage. That lights stays on 24x7x365. Clearly my results are not scientific either.
Brian – I wish there was a way to test them or my electrical sockets to determine what the problem is. I could call an electrician, but I don’t want to pay an arm and a leg to have the issue diagnosed.