Essential info about our light bulbs
Dimmer switches
This site sells both dimmable and non-dimmable bulbs. Please be sure you buy dimmable bulbs if you want to use them with a dimmer switch.
Disposal
Compact flourescent bulbs (ie all the bulbs on this site except the LEDs and halogens) contain mercury, which can be bad for human health and the environment if not recycled or disposed of properly. So when your low-energy bulbs eventually die, don't put them in the rubbish. Recycle them wherever possible. You may find collection points at your local recycling point or municipal dump.
(Incidentally, most commentators agree that more mercury is put into the atmosphere by old-fashioned bulbs than eco bulbs, due to the coal burned in power stations to produce the extra electricity they consume.)
Heat
Low-energy light bulbs reduce heat loss by up to 90%. This makes them safer to handle and less likely to cause discolouring of fittings, walls and ceilings.
Your existing bulbs
It's much better, environmentally speaking, to replace your non-eco bulbs now – don't wait until they die. You may want to keep one or two for emergencies, but the rest are best disposed of. It may not seem very green to throw away something that's working, but they waste so much energy that it's much better to bin them than use them.
Colour
Low-energy lights are often available in more than one "colour" of white. The standard colour names are listed below. Most of the bulbs on this site are Warm White.
Colour
Name |
Colour
Temperature |
Description |
Warm white |
2700K |
Similar to light from an incandescent bulb,
distinctly yellow. |
Soft white |
3500K |
Whiter than an incandescent bulb, but still
somewhat yellow. |
Cool white |
4100K |
A more neutral white often used in offices. |
Daylight |
6400K |
A distinctly bluish white, close to the colour
of natural light. |
Fittings
Here are some details about the various light-bulb fittings mentioned on this site.
 |
Standard bayonet
(BC / B22 / B22d)
22mm
|
|
 |
Standard screw
(ES / E27 / E27d)
27mm
|
|
 |
Small screw
(SES / E14 / E14d)
14mm
|
|
|
 |
Halogen GU5.3
(12v MR18)
|
|
 |
Halogen GU10
(240v)
|
|
|
|
|
|