Lighting

Plumen’s Chic CFL Light Bulbs: Available Soon To U.S.

They’ve been called everything from curly bulbs to squirrel bulbs to pigtail bulbs, but one thing CFL light bulbs have never been called is beautiful. Until now. A British company by the name of Plumen creates CFL bulbs with an attractive design, one that is meant to be on display. Last month the Plumen 001 [...]

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New Luminescent Bulbs May Outshine LEDs and Fluorescents

Retailers are gearing up to meet deadlines for the incandescent light bulb ban. Ikea has already stopped selling the inefficient bulbs. And California has pulled the plug and is letting current supplies run down. Many incandescent lovers are shedding tears and hating on the mercury-containing CFLs and the more expensive (though infinitely more efficient) LEDs. [...]

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Best LED Christmas Lights

LED Christmas lights have come a long way since they first hit the market. Now you can get just about any shape, size, and color to please the most die hard of holiday decorators. Most agree they are even more brilliant than the traditional incandescent Christmas lights, but perhaps the greatest benefit is that they [...]

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Efficient LED Light Bulbs For The Home

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LED light bulbs have some huge advantages over incandescent and compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs. But they perform differently, so here’s your guide to understanding LED bulbs so you can enjoy their benefits and play to their strengths.

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SmartSwitch Takes Human Error Out Of The Energy Efficiency Equation

The quest for low-impact, efficient living is often at odds with the human flaws of sheer laziness and absentmindedness. This couldn’t be more poignantly-illustrated than in an average American home. Much electricity is wasted each and every day by very simple, avoidable behavior. One of the most common examples is the vast amounts of electricity that are [...]

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The Best LED Desk Lamps For 2011

LED desk lamps have a lot going for them. Besides being energy efficient, LED lamps run much cooler than conventional desk lamps, and you can expect the LEDs to last for 10-15 years. Watch out for poorly made LED lamps though — I have an Adesso Lamp that lost 7 of its 20 LEDs in [...]

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New LED Light Bulbs Can Replace 100W Incandescents

Update: See our latest post on LED Light Bulbs For The Home. I recently had the chance to test two state-of-the-art LED light bulbs from EarthLED. LED bulbs have many advantages over incandescents and compact fluorescent: they use very little power, they last 10 years or more, and they contain no hazardous substances. They are [...]

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The Best Electric Scooters Of 2009: A Review

Today, electric scooters or electric mopeds are just as powerful as their gasoline-powered counterparts, with the added advantage of being virtually silent, clean machines that can plug into a standard electrical socket to recharge. Typically, a charge will give you enough juice to travel 20-60 miles, depending on the scooter and battery system. Most scooter [...]

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Review: The Best Flashlights (2008 Update)

Update: See our newer post The Best Flashlights Of 2009 What are the most efficient flashlights available today? We think LED-based flashlights are the only ones worthy of consideration. LEDs will shine longer than other bulbs, and can withstand shocks and temperature extremes. The best LED flashlights incorporate bright, high-quality LEDs with regulatory circuits that [...]

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U.S. To Phase Out Incandescent Light Bulbs

Photo credit: USA today After being passed by Congress, Bush just signed into law a massive energy bill that will, among other things, spell the end of traditional light bulb. USA Today reports that the bill will phase out the venerable (but power-hungry) incandescent bulb over the next dozen years in favor more efficient fluorescent, [...]

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