Most people use regular incandescent light bulbs to light their homes. But, come January, 100-watt regular incandescents will no longer be made or imported because they are the first to be phased out under new government regulations.
So, Consumer Reports tested replacement options, including compact fluorescents, halogens and a combination bulb from GE.
The combo bulb had burnout trouble in tests whwere the light was turned on and off every two minutes.
They also tested seven regular CFLs advertised to last at least 10,000 hours and produce light equivalent to a 100-watt incandescent.
After burning 3,000 hours, the brightness dropped in all of them. However, when reading, testers did not necessarily prefer the brighter light.
Among the 100-watt equivalent CFLs, Consumer Reports said the best choices are the the Ecobulb Plus from Feit Electric at about $2 each.
For even less money, they recommend the Utilitech Soft White from Lowe's and Ecosmart Soft White from Home Depot.
Halogen bulbs do not last as long as CFLs, so they are not money savers. They did keep their brightness in the tests.
The recommended halogen is the Philips Halogena Energy Saver at $5.50 a bulb. Halogens can be dimmed and reach full brightness immediately.