Customer Reviews

GE 21709 - FLE15/2/DV/R30 Dimmable Compact Fluorescent Light Bulb

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As far as I can tell, this GE 21709 bulb is pretty much the same flood light as the GE 21710 15 Watt (65W equivalent) Energy Smart Floodlight Dimmable R30 Light Bulb. You can buy a 2-pack (2-pk GE R30 Dimmable CFL Compact Fluorescent) or 3-pack (GE 21710 15-Watt (65W Equivalent) Energy Smart Floodlight Dimmable R30 Light Bulb, 3-Count) of the bulb at Amazon.com. It has a descriptor "FLE15/2/DV/R30" on the cardboard box, and the UPC is 4316821709. My experience is similar to what other reviewers have written:

PLUSES: (1) Like other compact fluorescent lights, it saves energy compared with incandescent floodlights. This bulb uses 15 watts but produces the same amount of light as a 65W incandescent bulb, if not a little more. (2) It's cooler than incandescents. (3) Its claimed life is 6000 hours (as opposed to, say, the incandescent GE Longlife Indoor Reflector Floodlight Bulb, R-30, 45 Watts at 2500 hours).* (4) It's at least advertised to work with dimmer switches (but see below). (5) Unlike some brands which reportedly buzz/flicker a lot when dimmed, it has only slight buzzing and flickering when dimmed.

MINUSES: (1) It's initially more expensive than an incandescent. (Over time, due to energy savings and longevity, it should be less expensive.) (2) About 1/2 second elapses between your flicking the switch and the light coming on. (3) The bulb starts at about 75% output and needs a couple minutes to "warm up" to 100%. (4) Like other CFLs it contains a small amount of mercury and is heavier than an incandescent. Thus, people with high ceilings are going to be nervous about installing it or removing it with (for example) the Bayco LBC-600C Deluxe Light Bulb Changer Kit and a long pole. (5) Most disappointingly, the bulb does not dim very much. An incandescent bulb can dim to about 5% of maximum; this bulb dims to only about 75% of maximum. If you try to dim it too much, it simply goes out entirely. To produce low lighting in my room, I'll now need to use a low-wattage table lamp, which isn't quite as "romantic." Sigh.

* UPDATE SEPTEMBER 26, 2009: After about 200 days of use at no more than 10 hours per day (i.e., 2000 hours), one of four bulbs has failed. Therefore, I've added "& May Not Last As Long As Advertised" to the title of this review.

I WANT to use CFLs, but tried a LOT from local hardware warehouses (and took them back),and found them too bright or light changed natural colors, and if you want to put a dimmer on them - it's twice the price for special bulbs.
Anyway, these were the closest I could find that didn't turn my house into a laboratory.
Three to a box, BUT only TWO provided the same color quality. The other is much whiter.
Hope they last a while until the technology gets better.
Also, thought these were dimmable...but package says nothing about that.