How to Still Get 60 Watt Incandescent Bulbs

If you thought life was over when they "banned" household incandescent bulbs, never fear ... incandescent bulbs are here. To be sure, there are good reasons in terms of energy and dollars saved to make the switch to LED replacements. But for those who love the incandescent bulb, here's what you need to know:

* The legislation that basically "banned" traditional incandescents (40 watt to 100 watt standard types) really only banned their manufacture and importation in the United States (as of January 1, 2014). You can still buy and use them if you can find them, like these 60 watt Philips bulbs.

* The legislation exempted specialty bulbs, which includes rough service bulbs. These bulbs are built with stronger filament supports, so they often last longer than standard bulbs. They're also designed for 130V. But they're still incandescent bulbs.

What does this mean for you?

Since line voltage in the United States is typically 120V, rough service bulbs (run that way) would use fewer watts than they're listed at; they'll also provide fewer lumens (less light). So when you want to replace a 60 watt standard incandescent with a rough service incandescent, you might want to choose a 75W bulb!

Another way to look at it is that a standard 60 watt incandescent bulb produces around 800 lumens, so if you want to get the same brightness from a replacement bulb, look for something that provides about that same number of lumens. We provide a few options here that start well under $1 per bulb (at the time of this writing).

However, actual voltage varies in people's homes -- sometimes less and sometimes more than 120V. So many people will simply buy a 60-watt rough service bulb to replace a 60-watt incandescent. This would typically mean producing a little less light and using a little less energy. This is entirely a personal preference based on how much light you need.

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