How long can CFLs last?

Our focus recently has been on compact fluorescent lighting, but Consumer Reports has been analyzing lightbulbs for decades, as this photograph from 1965 shows (left). The bulbs in this vintage image were incandescents, but a primary goal of that project was the same as it is for our ongoing testing of energy-saving CFLs: to measure the life span of lightbulbs.

By the end of this month our engineers will have tested five brands of 15-watt mini-spiral CFLs, equivalent to 60-watt incandescent bubs, for about 5,000 hours each. (A typical incandescent bulb lasts 1,000 hours.) The tests will continue until more than 50 percent of the test samples for a given brand have burned out. The process is kind of like the Beckett play “Waiting for Godot," but something is going to happen--really. It might take several more months, however, for the longest-lasting bulbs to expire.

Turning CFLs on and off frequently shortens their life, so our testers, curious as they are, are now running nonstop cycles during which each CFL is on for 5 minutes and then off for the same amount of time. The purpose of the test is to see if any differences in life span exist among CFL brands and to compare the longevity of the different CFLs to that of incandescent bulbs.

(One way to help your CFLs last as long as possible is to install them in fixtures that are typically on for more than 15 minutes at a time or several hours throughout the day, according to the people who run the federal government’s Energy Star program.)

By the way, as I reported last month in this story, Wal-Mart had set a goal of selling 100 million CFLs this year in the U.S. market. The Bentonville Behemoth recently announced that it has surpassed its sales target, with stores in California, Florida  Illinois, Ohio, and Texas ringing up the highest CFL sales.—Kimberly Janeway

Essential information: Reduce home energy consumption and start saving hundreds of dollars annually with these 10 easy steps. And see more vintage Consumer Reports testing photographs in our archives.

Comments

[Sam]

I am still using some CFL bulbs my college handed out for use in personal lamps when I was a sophomore in 2002!! It's incredible.

Everyone talks about the problem that CFLs need careful disposal because of they contain some mercury, but I haven't even gotten to that problem yet.

[Patrick Fothergill]

I attended a green consumer products show about six months ago, and a representative from one manufacturer of compact fluorescents I talked to said the problem of shortened lifespans from frequent turning on and off no longer exists with newer models. I'd be interested to see Consumer Reports look into this issue.

[vivian]

I am in an e-mail war with Phillips right now over a faulty CFL bulb. It lasted 5 hours then flickered out. It was manufactured in China. Their web site "help Line" said they would reply to me within 4 business days. That was on October 9th. I have heard nothing back yet. I have since turned my business over to GE. Forget the Chinese bulbs and the service behind them. What a waste of money and a black eye to the Philips name.

[Skip]

I have found a number of people including myself that have had problems with (Phillips) CFL's (Very similar to Vivians comment) I have had no trouble with (GE) CFL's.

[Jeff Walton]

We bought (70) of the 42W spiral CFL bulbs from FEIT Electric through a local retailer. We have already had a 23% failure in only (3) months with bulbs running about 8 hours per day. Feit has advised that their bulb should not be run in a vertical orientation with the base up. Unfortunately, this type of performance gives a bad name to all CFL bulbs. Their packaging made no such exclusionary statement. Even so, the rate of failure is unacceptable for any type of bulb. Possibly Consumers Union should make sure that they test all bulbs in the vertical, base-up configuration if the extra heat load is so tough on reliability. These bulbs could still be touched and were very warm while operating but not burning hot. The base which held the electronic ballast was very hot to the touch.

We have other lower wattage CFL bulbs that have lasted for several years and are disappointed that any company would knowingly market a product with such poor life.

[martin james]

I think that this post may need updating because Consumer Reports did a new article on CFLs this month. they gave a list of the 5 top performers out of hundreds of tests, and two were by Feit and one was GE and i cant remember the other two. i personally like using CFLs for the energy savings and for the environment. As a response to a couple of prior posts, GE's bulbs are made in China.

[harry]

Phillips bulbs are bad. Lack of packing some go out in a day some broken when you buy them from wally world .They grow dimmer with age . If the break on anyting it must be thrown away.Very bad for children remove from room fast if one breaks, contact state and federal agencys to see all the bad.And our pres has made a deal with them ck it out

[Michelle gibb]

Now, as I read the postings I see that some people are pro and others cons. Now if we stop and think of all the good then maybe we would do some type research on the products how are they recommended to be used and can they be used this way Just because they claim to last up does'nt mean they will so if you want to save money they do your homework and use what ever item correctly. This is a hard lesson I learned and guess what with the assistance of the manufacture of these cfl's I am saving money and i'm creating a better future for my children and thier children. so before you bash anyone product think am I using it incorrectly or is it junk no matter where it is produced....
later haters and hello sanity.

[Ed Benevides]

I replaced most of the incandescent bulbs in my house with CFLs in early 2007. I discovered within a couple of weeks that Feit Electric/Bright Effect bulbs are a waste of money. They have a very high defective rate. Luckily I discovered this quickly and returned all of them.

I replaced them with GE and Sylvania CFL bulbs. But now the Sylvania Globe 40 bulbs are starting to go bad. The supposed 7year warranty is bogus and misleading. They should be allowed to advertise that ridiculously long life because it's not based on real consumer usage. Also, most of the CFLs I have take a long time to brighten up. MY wife often leaves them on when she leaves rooms so she doesn't have to wait for them to brighten up. When I buy more, it'll be the simple twisty cheap ones that light up quickly instead of the ones that look nicer but are more expensive and poor performers.

These are valid complaints, not comments of a "hater". People who read Consumer Reports expect quality in the products they purchase. A previous post hear saying that valid consumer complaints are by insane haters is not constructive and is immature.

[michelle gibbs]

so, as I said, quality is expected from and item that is purchased no matter where it was made or who produced. it's the way it was used and so you know the manufacture that helped me save money was not Sylvania, GE or Phillips or vene that NuVision it was Feit they listen and a young lady there actually cared enough to talk to me and lead me to how to correctly use the CFL's correctly since there really is
nt a bad way is the right way.. so Yes just because you don't have success the first time them that does'nt mean it's the product it would be the user especially since I purchased these bulbs for about 1.99 years ago and they are still workin so yes, haters use your brians not you lip and if you do make sure your not the reason for "premature failure"