If you complain about CFL warmup time, light output, or color temperature, you're buying the wrong CFLs. They come in ones that warm up instantly, same color temp as incandescent, and put out as much light, if not more, as you can put a higher wattage (equivelant) CFL in the same fixture.

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Can you please post a link to said correct CFLs?

I don't mean to be a jerk, but I've tried most every brand and model of CFL and read lots of reviews looking for an incand. replacement, and it's just not in the stars.

I finally settled on Halogena, which has a modicum of energy savings and better light than an incandescent (IMO, of course).

CFLs do last a very long time, though. I have a few in my house that were installed by the previous homeowners when they remodeled -- in 2002.

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Seriously though, everyone suddenly being up in arms over a bit of mercury in CFLs is absurd. We've had fluorescent bulbs for DECADES. Now that they're miniaturized they're more dangerous?

I should point out that my dad was no idiot, and would break the bulbs in a garbage bag, with the garage door open for ventilation, and move away from it right after breaking. Because he knew 25 years ago that mercury was bad if it got into your system. But he never called hazmat on our garage.

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"If mercury is such a pain in the ass"

you mean Freddie Mercury?

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