LEDs vs CFLs: Lighting Up the Truth

 


LEDs vs CFLs: Lighting Up the Truth

What I learned while upgrading my father-in-law’s house — and why LEDs are the clear winner.

💡 A Tale of Two Bulbs

I’ve been upgrading the lighting in my father-in-law’s old house lately — and it’s been a journey through lightbulb history.
From dusty compact fluorescents (CFLs) to those weird “low-energy” swirly bulbs of the 90s, I’ve replaced them all with modern, efficient LEDs.

And let me tell you: not all “energy-saving” bulbs are created equal.

🥊 CFL vs LED: The Showdown

FeatureCFLLED
Energy use~60–80% less than incandescent~85–90% less than incandescent
Lifespan6,000–10,000 hours15,000–50,000 hours
Warm-up timeSlow (can take up to 1 min)Instant-on
DurabilityFragile glassTough plastic casing
Dimmable?RarelyCommon (check label)
Mercury contentYes ☠️None ✅
DisposalHazardous waste onlyStandard electronics recycling

🧠 What I Noticed First-Hand

  • CFLs are annoying. They hum. They flicker. They take their sweet time to get bright.

  • Some rooms had 5 different shades of light thanks to old mismatched CFLs. It felt like a disco.

  • I had to replace broken CFLs carefully due to mercury concerns (seriously, who thought that was a good idea?).

  • LEDs fixed it all — brighter, consistent, instant, and efficient.

💷 The Money Side

Yes, LEDs used to be expensive, but now?

  • A decent LED costs £2–£5, lasts for years, and saves you around £3–£5 per bulb per year in electricity

  • Multiply that by 20+ bulbs in a house and you’re looking at £60–£100+ in savings per year

And you don’t need to change them every 18 months like we used to with CFLs. Less faff. More glow.

♻️ Environmental Bonus

  • CFLs contain mercury and require special disposal (and many end up in landfill)

  • LEDs are mercury-free, longer-lasting, and use half the energy of CFLs

  • Less waste. Less power. Fewer ladder climbs.

Final Thought

CFLs were a step in the right direction — for the early 2000s.
But we’ve moved on. And if you’re still clinging to flickery, slow-to-glow bulbs, it’s time for a brighter idea.

Make the switch to LEDs.
Your eyes, your wallet, and the planet will thank you.

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