Are compact fluorescent bulbs really more efficient than traditional light bulbs?

Yes!

Really, that's the answer.

Well, this would be a boring post if there wasn't an explanation. So, here goes . . .

First off, a typical compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) designed to be equivalent to a 60 W incandescent bulb, only uses 13 W. That is an immediate 25% saving on the electricity required to power the light! But, what about the upfront purchase price? Typically, incandescent bulbs are about $0.25 each, while a CFL can be anywhere from about $1.33 at IKEA to upwards of $5 depending on where you buy it! So, then how long will it take to break even?

Let's start with an average price for the CFL, about $2.50. The incandescent is 10 times cheaper. How long will it take to break even? Using local electric utility prices ($0.07/kWh), it turns out that the break even point is about 2000 hours of use. Over that time, two traditional bulbs will be required, while the original CFL will continue to run for about 6000 more hours.

The final cost break down means that over the life of one CFL, you would have gone through about 8 tungsten bulbs, and by using the CFL, you would save about 2 dollars in electricity! Now multiply that by the total number of bulbs in your house, and that adds up to night out for dinner.

P.S. In order to save that kind of money, you would have to be a person who leaves their lights on all day and all night for an entire year, I'm just sayin' . . . .