Philips 40-Watt BR30 Halogena Energy Saver Reflector Flood Light

Comment: I think these bulbs are a great, no compromise alternative to a 65W incandescent indoor flood light. They are rated at a few lumens more than a standard light and when I mixed and matched these with standard 65W bulbs (in a room with multiple recessed lights) neither me nor my wife could see a difference at any dimming level.

I'm seeing a lot of odd reviews claiming these have mercury (they don't), aren't bright (they are), and take time to warm up (absolutely not true) -- which make me think that people are confused about the bulb they are reviewing. There are also reviews stating that these burned out quickly -- which I can't speak to (having only put them in recently) but they are rated as having long lives, and all bulb lifetimes are statistical averages.

It's fair to say that these bulbs are not nearly as efficient as CFLs. But if you are unsatisfied with the latter, these bulbs offer a significant energy savings (almost 40% less or, looking at it the other way, a 65W bulb uses 63% more electricity than one of these).

My biggest complaint about this product is that I can't buy it in bulk. I'm sure the cost/bulb could be lower if they were packaged in cartons of 10 or more but that doesn't seem to be available.

Comment: These bulbs are a good option for a very specific use, as long as you're clear about what it can actually do. I use it in a very visible location, where the premium cost is worth it to me. For the most part, though, an incandescent bulb is a better value as they are a fraction of the price of these.

The main claims to fame are that these are whiter and more energy efficient than regular bulbs. If so, they are only marginally better:

- The bulb is not especially energy efficient. They claim in big letters on package is the equivalent of 65 watts, but uses only 40 watts. Well, these bulbs are rated at 600 lumens, which may be close to that of a less-efficient BR30 bulb - but a standard Philips Duramax 60 watt bulb is rated at 830 lumens. These are not compellingly energy efficient in a way that justifies the price, as CFLs often are.

- The light is whiter, but not all that white, compared to other halogen bulbs in the same room in similar fixtures. That's OK for my use, but people expecting the promised "Crisp, Bright Halogen Light" may be disappointed.

These Halogena bulbs are a poor alternative to CFLs, as they are not that energy efficient - a CFL would use 1/3 the wattage these do. Those who want a dimmable bulb may be tempted to use the Halogena, but keep in mind that dimming an incandescent bulb is a way to reduce the energy used and to extend its life.

Given the price, these are a good option only in the few locations where the marginal benefits justify the high price multiple. I don't think I'd buy more until the price comes down substantially.

Comment: This bulb works as well as standard incandescent, but uses a bit less energy -- it's main claim to fame is that it is dimmable. In all other cases, modern, high quality CFLs are a far better choice -- a CFL of this brightness would use 14 Watts compared to this bulb with uses 45W. So CFL is 3x more efficient than this bulb. But people have legitimate complaints about dimmable CFLs, so if you need dimming, this bulbs it a good bet. A full review can be found on my blog at [....]

Comment: This bulb only last me about a month with 4-6 hours a use a day. That is completely unacceptable, especially for the cost of this bulb. I am using the bulb in a open bottom trim 5" recessed lighting can. I have standard incandescent and CFL's in adjacent cans that have been lasting their normal life spans.

The bulb light quality is much better then CFL's but not as good as a standard filament incandescent. I am giving this product a 1 star rating for now due to the ridiculously short life span. I bought two lights at the time of purchase and replaced the burn out bulb with a new Philips Halogena bulb, if the new bulbs lasts as long as it should then I will change my rating.

Update:
It's official these bulbs are total junk, the second bulb burnt out a few weeks ago, that's only a little over 3 mouths of life! WARNING, DO NOT BUY!

Comment: As I've posted before, I love these (halogena energy saver) bulbs. I've got a variety of these throughout my home and am completely satisfied with the light quality and dimming performance (especially compared to compact fluorescent bulbs). Another bonus is that they do not have mercury. In any case, I'm hooked and will buy these again when the need arises.