With good reason. For a century, incandescents have been burning up 95 percent of their energy producing heat, and only 5 percent of their energy producing light.
Other household appliances have become more efficient. But lighting, which accounts for 15 percent of household electricity use, has lagged.
Now, by replacing the argon in an old incandescent with halogen, and making a few other tweaks, the bulb looks and acts the same but uses a quarter less energy.
Meanwhile, other bulbs - including CFLs and high-tech LEDs, which are at least 75 percent more efficient than the old incandescents - are getting better and cheaper.
Still, all the new choices are more expensive than the old incandescents.
"The lightbulb is moving from a 60-cent commodity that you throw into your grocery cart to an investment," says Terry McGowan, director of engineering for the American Lighting Association, an industry trade group.
So consumers should invest wisely. Here are some tips:
For the closest bulb to the old incandescent, choose a halogen incandescent bulb. It won't last as long as either a CFL or LED, and it won't save you as much money, but it will seem familiar.
But don't be fooled by sticker shock. Buying the cheaper halogen over an LED can be penny-wise and pound-foolish. Although an energy-efficient bulb may cost you more in the beginning, it will save you plenty - in some cases, more than $100 - over its life because it uses less energy. (The packaging of many bulbs does some of the math, but you can be more precise if you know how much you pay per kilowatt hour.)
Then again, don't buy an expensive bulb for a socket that's rarely used - such as a closet. Target your spending to lights that are often on.
For hard-to-reach areas, pick a CFL or LED, which can last for years. You won't have to get out the ladder as often.
