GE 47448 12/23/29-Watt CFL (50/100/150-Watt equivalent) Energy Smart Spiral 3-Way Light Bulb
by GE
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of GE 47448 12/23/29-Watt CFL (50/100/150-Watt equivalent) Energy Smart Spiral 3-Way Light Bulb
Customer Review: I Expected More and Got Less ....
Summary: 2 Stars
I bought these as replacements for Verilux 50-100-150 Daylight Spectrum incandescent light bulbs. The Verilux bulbs are great in the winter time, effectively warding off SAD, and they last a long time before burning out (I replaced one about every 2 or 3 years). I was enticed by the description of the CFL's as having the same light as a soft white light and that they used less electricity, so I took a chance.
The CFL bulbs are not all they're cracked up to be. Sure, they may use less electricity and thay may last a long time but they have their drawbacks. For one, they're taller than the lights they replace, about an inch to an inch-and-a-half taller. They just barely fit within my lamp's harp and since they're square at the top, they just graze the round top of the harp. On a second lamp, they're so tall they prevent the harp from fully seating on the bulb holder, so the installation does not accept any robust handling. Good thing that light is switched on from a wall switch.
Second, in spite of being advertised as having the same light as a soft white bulb, they give off a slightly greenish glow that is not as pleasant as the Verilux bulbs they replace. Is that what they mean when they say CFL bulbs are environmentally "green?" Still, the light they give off is bright enough, and there's a distinct increase in brightness as one goes from the 50 to the 100 to the 150-watt setting. All-in-all, the light they give off is OK but it's not a warm or inviting light and in viewing a Verilux bulb and the CFL bulb side-by-side one would not choose the CFL bulb.
Third, if an incandescent bulb breaks, you sweep up the pieces and throw them in the garbage. The CFL's, if I'm not mistaken, have a fine-print warning on the box saying that while they contain only trace amounts of mercury, one should use caution in how they're disposed of. Just how much caution one should use is unsaid and what disposal procedures should be followed is a mystery to me.
In sum, don't expect these bulbs to give off the same soft white light you're used to. Be cautious in handling them. Be sure you have an inch or so of extra space above the 50-100-150 bulb you're replacing.
Oh, one more thing: they take about a second to light up after they're switched on (so ignore the thought that maybe it burned out), and when they do light up they are noticeably dim for the first 15 seconds or so until they "warm" up.
Customer Review: Disappointed
Summary: 2 Stars
They don't work with light dimmers which we have in all rooms. Also don't work with three way lamps. Useless!!Customer Review: Great idea, poor design.
Summary: 1 Stars
We bought one of these about a year ago for our free-standing living room lamp. When we got it home, it would not fit due to the cradle that holds the shate being too small. I found a larger cradle and installed it along with the bulb, and everything worked fine. We used the lamp for about two hours in the early morning only. In three months, it burned out. I no longer had the receipt, so I just ate the $10 loss on that one and went to incandescent. I noticed the incandescent had a bit of a flicker when turned on, so I replaced the socket assembly and it then worked fine. Then I got thinking that maybe this flicker is what caused the short life span of the 3 way CFL, so decided to try ANOTHER $10 GE 3-wya CFL. I bought it yesterday, screwed it in and tested it - it worked fine.
This morning, I turned it on LOW and started computer work.'
It failed in about 30 minutes.
I have owned TWO of these, and the average life span of the two is six weeks at two hours a day - 84 hours.
Customer Review: Measure first!
Summary: 1 Stars
I recently bought three of these locally for my living room lamps. I liked the idea of CFLs, but wanted 3-ways for that room. I brought them home and went to install them--only to discover that they are quite a bit longer than the old incandescent bulbs, and wouldn't fit under the shade support frame. I would have had to lop off the top two or three twists, or else find some way to fold it, to be able to install it. I wound up going out again to return them, wasting time and gasoline. So much for energy savings!
So, word of warning: if you're considering buying one or several of these 3-way CFL bulbs, measure the length, top to bottom, of the old bulb you'll be replacing, and note the clearance above the top of it. Then check the length (6.3") of the CFL 3-way, to see if it's likely to fit.
Great concept, execution needs work.
Customer Review: 3 way that saves money? Not so much...
Summary: 1 Stars
I purchased these bulbs (3 of them at almost $15 a pop) to do my part and replace old incandescent 3 ways. All three worked well upon arrival. It has now been a little over 2 months and not one of the three works correctly. One bulb works when it feels like it...which is rarely- and that actually is a good thing. It's a weird flickering mess. Then the other two only turn on on the second click, so basically it is the equivalent of a one way regular bulb. These were a waste of money for sure. Since throwing them away would be wasteful, I guess I grin and bear it for the next few years...that is, if they lst that long. Probably not..hopefully??
There are better bulbs out there for the money.