Hey all,
I'm putting togethather an altoids size psk for a relative who is going to be entering the military. From time to time I'll be asking questions of the brain trust here for advice and on certain items which will be included in it. This thime it's flashelights. What I'm looking for is a TINY flashlight. It must use AAA batteries so I can include the ones with a ten year shelf life. It must be LED and it must give the same amount of light or greater than the ultra inifinity light with a single alkiline A battery. Spare colored Lenses would be a welcome bonus. I saw a fenix lite in a catalog that I could possibly slim dowm and shorten a bit with my old pen lathe in a catalog but there was no mention of lumens and it was half inch diameter, the same as thier single A. Far too thick for such a small container.
A note on flashlights here. I bought a small rubber coated AAA model. On the package it clearly said IDEAL FOR EMERGENCY/SURVIVAL KITS. It also claimed 9000 lumens twice, front and back. It is manufactured by Vibe. I put batteries in it, new alkilines, and waited until it was dark and expected to light up the great room like it was daylight. "Old batteries," Bunny suggested and Tomboy rolled on the couch laughing. Three different sets of batteries later we compared it to the 5 lumen Everready head lamp I had bought anf the flashlight was barely brighter. So I strongly suggest caution when considering any VIBE product from Dollar General or any other source.
Thanks in advance for your help.

Thanks, Izzy.
There are a lot of snake docs out there since that semi amusing series aired.I had the name long before the guy wrote the book. Never have found out where he heard the name. It replaced my old nick which got a little too well known for my comfort. I'll check out the kit you made. The Vibe light was three triple A batteries. I'll try and take a pic of the package and post it. Don't know a lot about flashlights, just that I want 'em to work when I need 'em and that I can buy the batteries at 7-11 24/7.
Thanks again for all your advice. Like the new pic.
Post Script: Nice kit you made. But I couldn't get the movie to play. The E05 Is my first consideration. Smaller size, longer run time and a bit brighter would be nice.

I have little use for the brightness conversation when talking about AAA lights. It always leads to disappointment because we all have bigger lights that are way brighter.

So, if you want something that is boringly reliable and infinitely better than no light at all, then I can vouch for Fenix E01. Fenix has other AAA lights that are brighter, but this is the AAA light I have. I actually don't want my AAA light to be too bright because someone is bound to borrow the light at some point, keep it cranked on to the max, and quickly drain the battery. I just want my AAA light to work, and the E01 just works.

Thanks Ireckon. Hopefully I've instilled enough sense in her not to be opening the kit except in a emergency. (One reason I won't mention the hundred dollar bill buried way down in the bottom. LOL.

The Ultralife Lithium U9VL-J 9V battery has a 10 year storage capacity.

http://forums.equipped.org/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=176514&page=1

Pak-lite LED heads can be swapped out for Red, IR Pak-lites etc if required.

Thanks for the in fo Am_Fear. Will definently go into the consideration file.

Hey Izzy. Saw the video until it froze. Nice, compact kit. Like the capsule you used. While I like in the air tonight by Phil collins I think it might be more informative to the newbs to have the model actually explaining what he's showing. Just my humble opinion.

A Feni LD01 fits nicely in an Altoids and mine could be easily trimmed. The brightest level is something like 70 lumens (real lumens that is). Mine is on my keyring and I would not hesitate to use it on a night hike as my primary light. Two lower light levels allow me to extend battery life.


You might post your question on Candlepower Forums. You will get lots of good suggestions there, including some custom makes.

Hmmm... unless his voice is as distivtive as mine is I doubt he has to worry about speaking. The face I can understand. I myself am extremely camera shy. Some told me there's apelican type case the size of an altoids for kayakers, have you seen one?

Thanks hiker. Sounds interesting. The smaller the light the more room I'll have to work with. I never even heard of the forum you mentioned. I'll check it out. Thanks again.

That's true. I hadn't considered the interior dimensions of a plastic case. I picked up an altoids size tin at a gun show. It's two pieces with a gasket. My thought was to press it closed, sealed with a bead of silicone, then electrical tape. Possibly an over seal in a vacuum bag. I doubt she'll baby the kit like some of our customers do, so the more rugged it is, the better. I see major's surplus has a kit in a plastic box, "designed by a survialist for survivalists." Mhmm a survivalist who wastes space with a paracord bracelet instend of compressing it. Great tip Izzy. Thanks.

I'm standing with ireckon wrt AAA lights. The purpose of the light is to give you a little light in a small package. I want a simple light with moderate lumen output that has some staying power. A Fenix E01 would fill this niche nicely.

No, it's a silverish color wit seperate lid and an off white gasket. No manufactuers marking of any type, Kind of generic. I also bought some survival stickers with tips like signaling and personal info etc.

The Fenix E01 is an awesome little light in my opinion. I use one for EDC on my keychain (a role where I can't tolerate anything bigger). It's not super potent but it's sufficient to change a tire, unlock a door, etc. The INOVA keychain lights are also very nice, as is the Photon, but I'm not a huge fan of squeeze lights for EDC. The ones that don't have a constant-on are useless to me most of the ones that do are liable to activate while in my pocket, rendering the batteries dead when I need them.

Certainly 9000 lumens is optimistic for a small light! I have a two hundred dollar Surefire weapon light and it's "only" 500 lumens! I can't imagine how any small light could put out that kind of light with present technology and within the known laws of physics.

I wonder -- was this the flashlight you might be referring to? A 9 LED light?

http://www.gearxs.com/Vibe-Essentials-2-Flashlights-Ultra-Bright-9LED-Assorted-Aluminum-Flashlights

I have a number of 1xAAA lights, and as you might imagine, I have opinions about them.

• Fenix E01 -- Very inexpensive, bulletproof, long runtime. Output isn't bad, beam tint varies from poor to awful. I have them practically everywhere.
• ThruNite Ti -- Same price point as the E01 and same runtime on low (or even more with the Moonlight version) but also has the capacity for significantly more output if needed. I'd rather have the Ti over the E01 for the beam tint even if I don't need the multiple output levels. It's a bit hard to get it to turn on in low (or moonlight) mode without accidentally overrunning it and going to high, which can have a negative impact on your night vision.
• Preon ReVO -- Other than the fact that it isn't made any more and has a much higher price point, for me it's the perfect AAA light. All the runtime of the E01 and Ti but with several output modes. It's also noticeably smaller, has "hidden" disco modes if you want those, has the best keyring attachment point I've ever seen on a AAA. If you can find one, get it.
• Preon 1 -- Not quite as small as the ReVO, but with similar runtime and output options. It's also less expensive and in current production. I like mine a heck of a lot.
• Fenix E05 -- I don't have one of these. Everyone seems to like them a lot, and at the price point difference between this and the E01 I would definitely get the E05. Between the E05 and the Ti, for myself I'd rather have two output levels than one. If you want a single level, inexpensive AAA with a nice tint, I'd say it can't be beat.
• Klarus Mi series -- I don't have any of these. I hear good things about them, and if you're looking for a high-performance AAA very much like what the ReVO was, I'd suggest you look into it.

A light I almost forgot is the Peak AAA LED. I have an earlier version and it's very much like the Arc LED lights. This is the light I keep in my Mission Wallet.

Just for comparison, I recently bought one of the new Philips brand 75 watt-equivalent LED lightbulbs and that claims an output of 1,100 lumens.

(I'm very satisfied with the Philips LED lights they have come out with lately, by the way, starting with the Philips 423244 60W-equivalent bulb.)

Are they really 75 watt equiv bulbs,and price you paid? How are they on eyes,fixtures you use them in?

Thanks,subject dear to my heart,would love to hear your experiences.
---------------------
Looks like Peaks tech might make it into other lights?

Thanks Izzy.I noticed same when I went from incandescent to CFL.Dropped my ceiling fan with four bulbs from 400 watts to 108,thats a noticeable savings.

Im going to have to look at the Phillips I see.How many watts are they?

In the Philips line, the specific 60W model I mentioned earlier is their top of the line model. It has a very high 92 CRI (color rendering index) and is a warm white (2700K, I believe). They are not cheap, though (close to $50 a year ago but they are gradually getting cheaper). Philips does have similar but cheaper models that are not as high CRI, and not quite as energy efficient, but still very good.

I do not like "daylight" color lights for inside the house because I don't like really bright illumination in most situations and warm white look best to my eyes at lower light levels. So 2700K is just fine for me. My 75W-equivalent is also 2700K. Sounds like Izzy has maybe 5000K bulbs.

To me, the biggest recent improvent is that these LED bulbs actually send light out in all directions. Early LED bulbs tended to be highly directional and really were only suitable as floodlights or accent lights. I use one in a reading lamp next to my bed, sometimes pointed at my lap, sometimes pointed at the ceiling for ambient light. Excellent for reading, no flicker or hum. Very easy on the eyes. The other LED is the ceiling light in the bathroom.

LED is perfect for the bathroom since that light gets turned off and on more than any other light in the house and LED is basically immune to frequent cycling on and off. There is a slight but noticeable delay in turning on when you hit the switch, but it's not a big deal. The 75W packaging says that it is not suitable for enclosed fixtures, but I have it in a fairly voluminous frosted glass fixture. I don't think it throws off enough heat to shorten its lifespan from overheating inside this fixture, but I'm prepared to see what happens. The 60W only gets warms to the touch while the 75W bulb does have small metal cooling fins built into the "stem" of the bulb and they get fairly hot.

Cree brand also has a new line of LED bulbs that I would like to try out, too, but haven't seen them in any stores yet. I believe they're close to the $10-15 range, so manufacturers are steadily reducing the price. Cree is a major LED manufacturer and their LED emitters are in most high powered LED flashlights that people talk about but I think this is their first foray into a consumer lightbulb.

If you want very bright light, though, LED is still not quite there. It might be more subjective than an absolute difference, but I don't think a "75W equivalent" LED looks as bright as an incandescent bulb to the eye. Then again, it only uses 13W of power.

Thanks Russ. The Fenix seems to be getting plenty of support the group here. That makes me give it serious consideration.

Not sure who made it Izzy. The guy at the show had a box of leftover supplies from a scout troop making kits. Got a firesteel, a little razor knife, a tiny saw amd a button compass I wouldn't risk her life on. There's no clamping device to keep it closed, just some tiny bumps to hook under the rim of the lid. I never trust anything that says waterproof unless I test thoroughly. Thats whu I had considered the plastic one with a rubber seal.

Hey Phadreus. Thanks for the info. Like I said, I'm not a big flashlight guy. I was doubtful about the 9000 lumens, thinking they meant 900 or even 90. But I estimate a screaming 7 lumens. I'll slam it and Dollar General on my site.

Nope roarmiester. It's a small 3 led model. At dollar Tree I bout a strange little one with three filament looking 3 AAA battery model that's not only slimmer but much brighter. Thanks for the link!

Thanks Chaos. Very informative and very mush appreciated. I'll check them out.

That looks very interesting Russ. I like the design there but diameter could be an issue. Thanks for the link, I'll add it to the file of possibles.

I've thought of led bulbs for my moms house. She kicked and screamed when I gave her CFL's. Now that's all she wants.

Well, some of us are pretty bad flashlight junkies! You need to check out Candlepower forums sometime...

Nice site to kll time on,they know their business.
==============================
Dont slam Dollar General in toto,you can get some real bargains on products delivered free to your door.Great for many household items.

Do be sure to post here if you start seeing them on Amazon or in stores.



Vision is always subjective. My experience, like yours, has been that the lightbulb manufacturers are not quite comparing apples to apples when they claim their equivalence values.

http://gigaom.com/2013/03/05/cree-launches-an-led-bulb-for-under-10/
--------------------------
http://www.startribune.com/business/201357281.html?refer=y

In March Home Depot started a promotion with Cree and local utilities in which a 40-watt equivalent LED bulb is $9.97, and 60-watt bulbs are $12.97 and $13.97.

“As long as the new bulb gives off light like a traditional one, I’m fine with it,”

The new bulbs from Cree look and light more like an incandescent than LEDs of old. And unlike nearly every other LED bulb, they can be placed in enclosed fixtures.

After only 10 days, Home Depot’s online supplies were sold out twice, local stores have had to reorder and the retailer asked Cree to increase its production, said Mark Voykovic, Home Depot’s national light bulb merchant.
---------------
A CFL puts out 65-69 lumens per watt,a 27 watt puts out 1863 lumens,close to a 100 watt incandescent at 1550 lumens.
------------------
http://www.theverge.com/2013/3/5/4068174/cree-10-dollar-led-light-bulb-incandescent

LED at Home Depot....

$12.97 for a "warm white" 60-watt equivalent, providing 800 lumens of light for 9.5W of electricity, at a warm color temperature of 2,700K
$13.97 for a "day light" 60-watt equivalent, with 800 lumens of light at a cost of 9W of electricity, at a cooler color temperature of 5,000K
$9.97 for a "warm white" 40-watt equivalent, with 450 lumens of light for 6W of electricity, again at a warmer 2,700K.

For comparison, a typical 60-watt incandescent provides about 860 lumens, and you can get 900 lumens out of a 14-watt fluorescent, so they stack up pretty well there.
--------------------
So by my muddy math a 60 watt incandescent uses 60 watt
A 60 watt equivalent CFL uses 14 watts
A 60 watt LED equivalent uses 9 watts or so.

Big +1 to Arney and Izzy's endorsement of the latest LED bulbs from Philips. They are EXCELLENT. The LED bulb folks have finally got their act together.

I bought a two-pack of Philips LED bulbs from Home Depot for $30. After using them in my office for a week, I went and bought a second pack. The colour is perfect, and they don't have that horrible harsh glare that bugs me with the older LED bulbs.

10.5W, 800 lumens, 3000K. Philips model number for the 2-pack is 9290002204. Each bulb has that model number and UL listing "3PM5" stenciled on it.

WOW! Thanks for the LED reviews,I REALLY need to get down to HD next week and have a look!

I have 2 lights on 24/7,those 6 watts sound awesome for that.I wonder if on photo-eyes off at dawn switches how they work,then again 10 year warranty who cares?

Is cycling supposed to be an issue with longevity on these,from my experience it certainly is with CFL's
------------------------
From HD,a 4 pack

Philips 10.5-Watt (60W) A19 Bright White (3000K) LED Light Bulb (4-Pack)
Model #420240
Internet #203667330
4.8 / 5

$56.97 /CA-Case
-------------------
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/catalog/...tgry=Search+All
$74.82
Cree 9.5-Watt (60W) A19 Warm White (2700K) LED Light Bulb (6-Pack)
Model # BA19-08027OMF-12DE26-1U100
(11)
Free Shipping
--------------------------
9.5-Watt (60W) A19 Warm White (2700K) LED Light Bulb (1-Pack)$12.97
Cree 9.5-Watt (60W) A19 Warm White (2700K) LED Light Bulb (1-Pack)
Model # BA19-08027OMF-12DE26-1U100
(27)
------------------------
9-Watt (60W) A19 Daylight (5000K) LED Light Bulb (1-Pack)$13.97
Cree 9-Watt (60W) A19 Daylight (5000K) LED Light Bulb (1-Pack)
Model # BA19-08050OMF-12DE26-1U100
(2)
-------------------------
6-Watt (40W) A19 Warm White (2700K) LED Light Bulb (1-Pack)$9.97
Cree 6-Watt (40W) A19 Warm White (2700K) LED Light Bulb (1-Pack)
Model # BA19-04527OMF-12DE26-1U100
(6)
-----------------------------
9-Watt (60W) A19 Daylight (5000K) LED Light Bulb (6-Pack)$79.82
Cree 9-Watt (60W) A19 Daylight (5000K) LED Light Bulb (6-Pack)
Model # BA19-08050OMF-12DE26-1U100
(1)
Free Shipping
-------------------------
6-Watt (40W) A19 Warm White (2700K) LED Light Bulb (6-Pack)$56.82
Cree 6-Watt (40W) A19 Warm White (2700K) LED Light Bulb (6-Pack)
Model # BA19-04527OMF-12DE26-1U100
(3)
Free Shipping

I have a few rather spendy LED bulbs from Philips and the EcoSmart which I think is a HD trademark. They work okay but the prices need to come down in price before I'll jump in.

OTOH, at the low end of power out I found a Sylvania Candelabra LED bulb that I recently started using in night lights. 0.6 Watts and enough light to make it safe to walk. Not cheap for a low watt candelabra, but in small numbers they won't break the bank and should last longer than the typical incandescent. FWIW.

Nice find, Spuds. I should've mentioned that HD carries them but I've never seen them at my local HD stores yet. But that's where I buy my Philips LED bulbs.

On-off cycling is not an issue like it is for CFL lights.

Note that the packaging on my Philips bulbs did say that they are not suitable for photocell or timer use.

I don't think a timer should pose any problem, and I did use the 75W one on a lamp with a timer for a few days before moving it into the bathroom ceiling fixture. Perhaps that flickering phase on some photocell adapters just as it is getting dark may not agree with the electronics in an LED bulb.

For the latest generation of true incandescent lightbulb replacements, the 60W equivalent seems to be the sweet spot for most LED bulb manufacturers, and that's not bright enough for many applications. But my new Philips 75W is great, so we should start seeing more 75W versions in the near future.

Yes,I'd for sure want some 75 watt.I have dark wood in my house that sucks up light.

Cant wait to go look at some bulbs!

OK,decided to start with 2 of these Cree 9.5-Watt....
http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/203991774?c...74#BVRRWidgetID




Cree 9.5-Watt (60W) A19 Warm White (2700K) LED Light Bulb (1-Pack)
Model #BA19-08027OMF-12DE26-1U100
Internet #203991774
Store SKU #1000003071
4.6 / 5
(33)

$12.97 /EA-Each
==================================

And 2 of these L Prize Award Winners.....

http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/203285540?c...ustomer_reviews



Philips 10-Watt (60W) LED A19 Soft White (2700K) Light Bulb (E)* (L Prize Award Winner)
Model #423244
Store SKU #643430
4.6 / 5
(26)

$14.97 /EA-Each

Store Only
Buy Online, Pick Up In Store Today
=========================

Sound like a worthy start? Prices sure seem good enough and available at my local store

Inside the Cree....
http://ext.homedepot.com/video/?bcpid=207606409001&bctid=2205099086001


Inside the Phillips
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9T96vOBGQc

Got the bulbs,Cree 800 lumens,Phillips 940 lumens.

Home Depot has a great selection with the Cree's on an end cap of aisle.

I think I like the Phillips better,it does indeed seem brighter,I understand the praise for the 75 watt equivalent.

I like the Cree too,and its conventional lightbulb form is nice.

Price IMO has reached a viable level.

Light output seems like an incandescent to me.IMO the LED bulb has arrived with these.

Neither is suitable for unshaded fixtures,you will be seeing rings for quite a while if you look into them directly .

Mrs impressed,says "Im Impressed"! From a woman not excited by lightbulbs thats high praise.

Bottom line,Im buying more.Cant wait for the 75 and 100 watt output at the 12 dollar level.

EDIT-Saw a youtube with Cree claiming over 150 lumens per watt on a bulb July of 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWx_2fqhzOQ

LED lightbulbs pass the missus test--what more needs to be said?!

Glad you like them. I'll be happy when I can get around to replacing all of the CFL lights in my house. Some will have to wait for technology to catch up and provide 100W equivalent LED's at a reasonable price.

Have you tried them on the photocell light, too?

No,havent tried photocell.

Mrs going today to get 6 more Phillips,and 2 Cree at 5000 Kelvin Daylight for the fixtures in kitchen.Cant use in my bathroom though,they protrude longer than the glass shades. But since a BR remodel is going on,I will get fixtures they will work in.

Amazing,she got up and first words were "Thats a Great lightbulb!"

Thanks all for setting me on the path,what a winner for sure!

Agreed,75 and 100 watts will be nice going forward.

LOL,Ive got probably 30-40 CFLs in storage.We get sales of 75 cents to a 1.50 so stocked up.

Hey Roarmiester.
My bad. The so called 9000 lumen light is indeed a 9 LED, Not 3 LED as I had thought.
Thenumber on the back of the package is VE-329-DG if that helps.
My apologies for the mistake.

OK,I see it listed elsewhere.Looks like the typical Chinese junk 9 LED light.

http://www.microcenter.com/product/364967/Ultra_Bright_Flashlight

VIBE Ultra Bright Flashlight
$2.99

Features Powerful 9 LED flashlight lasts up to 100,000 hours; Brightness of 9,000 LUMENS; Water resistant for extreme durability
Bulb Type LED Bulb

Wish I had stocked up a few years ago when Wal-mart had 100 watt CFLs for a buck each. I did find 6 60 watt CFL's for 96 cents last year. Only bought three boxes. I know, I'm dumb.

OK,got the 5000 Kelvin Cree's in the kitchen.They have a slightly blueish tinge looking at bulb,one in a ceiling fixture,one in a fan.they are really bright,1 bulb lights our kitchen well.But color rendering no great shakes.

Added a Phillips L Prize to bedroom ceiling light.Its excellent,I think its a better bulb than Cree.

Get this....2 Phillips in LR,one torch light,one table-lamp.One on in kitchen and 1 on in bedroom.Lighting 3 rooms for 39 watts,now thats efficient!!

Had a look at the Crees at Home Depot last night. They had the warm and the cool lit up. Can't say I liked either; just didn't look right. It's Phillips for me, at least for the office where it's critical.

(Though I should qualify this statement by saying: a couple of years ago, my local WallyWorld was clearing out second-gen "Lights of America" LED bulbs. Warm and cold, 2W to 13W, multiple form factors, at $2.00 apiece. Naturally, I got a cart and cleaned them out. So I'm good for utility LEDs for quite a while. I'm even hacking some to find out what the direct DC operating voltage is. I have solar panels looking for gainful employment ... )

Anybody close to an Ikea? They have gone into LEDs in a serious way. They've dropped down their price to $9.99 for the 800 lumen LED bulbs (2700K if I remember). None lit up, so I can't comment on colour. Two versions, one frosted and the other with a curious diffuser lens arrangement. They also have a $35 3-LED tracklight setup, 12W, chrome/stainless finish, that would look pretty darn good in any room. Hmm.

Agree,Cree only for where the form factor/enclosed fixture/damp usage is needed....The Phillips' excellent color rendering and well dispersed light output is just a World Beater IMO.

So spectacular,the next couple years....can only imagine.
-----------------------------
I'm even hacking some to find out what the direct DC operating voltage is. I have solar panels looking for gainful employment ... cool )
----------------------------
Ditto,keep us informed and pics if you can for us not so great electricians?

This is why I love ets. Great thread! Thanks guys!

IIRC, most of the modern LEDs are being driven with about 3.3 to 5 vDC. Occasionally, they will overdrive them to get a brighter output. That comes at a cost - lower life cycle.

Thanks Roarmiester. I had the feeling the ets'rs thought I was making up the whole 9000 lumens thing.

Good quality CFL's aren't bad, especially in a situation where you turn them on and leave them on, and not have to turn them off and on repeatedly, like in a bathroom. But cheap CFL's tend to burn out rather quickly, so people get disillusioned and wonder about the claims of thousands of hours of use. In fact, cheap CFL's often burn out faster than an incandescent does.

In many cases, however, it can be the user's fault. CFL's need air to cool and people put them in fixtures that cause them to overheat.

I find that it's tough to evaluate how much I like the color of a light source side by side with different lights since it unnaturally accentuates the differences. A cool light looks a lot bluer and a warm light looks a lot more orange when you're looking at them side by side at the same time, regardless of whether we're talking LED, CFL, or incandescent.

I find that I usually just have to take one home and use it to see how well I like it. When you're just using one color in a room, your eyes adjust to it and it's a very different effect from what you see in the store.

Yeah, now that's the kind of longevity that we were promised when CFL's were first touted to us. And if they all lasted at least that long, I think people would be much happier with CFL's.

My mom burns out CFLs in record time. In fact, the same bulbs that are still running for me 3 years later she can burn out in her lamp in three months or less. And I've bought her several lamps from different sources so it's not a short doing it. She also kills TVs fans, radios, vcrs, dvds, vacuums and anything else that uses power in a fraction of thier designed lifetimes.

Could it be another electrical problem or a voltage fluctuation?

Jeanette Isabelle

That's a good thought Jeaneette, but no. When I was having a rental re-wired I sent the electricians to her house and everything is up to code. She's been doing this since I was a kid, lo those many years ago.

True for individual LEDs, but a lot of LED bulbs are an array of multiple LEDs. The actual DC operating voltage depends on how they are wired together. So a little careful testing is worthwhile. Otherwise, poof!

Dropped by my local Home Depot after work today to get some new work gloves, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that they finally had these new Cree LED bulbs on display near the entrance. And in the lighting section, they also had many new Philips LED floodlights that I don't recall seeing before.

I bought a warm white Cree "60W" bulb. I have only used it a short time so far, but I like it. Very compact, good light distribution, and a nice warm light that is easy on the eyes. Well worth the $12 price. And they even come with this rubbery "safety coating" in case you drop it. But even if you did break one, there's no poisonous mercury vapor in them like CFL's.

I also picked up a Philips "60W" floodlight. They have a number of floodlight models. This one is part of their AmbientLED line, although I don't know what that is supposed to mean. It's advertised as a warm white (3000K), but the light is very crisp and seems cooler than 3000K to me. Good if you want bright illumination but it's a tad harsh for my taste. Rather hefty, beefy build, so I think the LED's are heatsinked well and this floodlight should last a good long time, I think.

I think I'll be picking up more of these Cree bulbs for other lamps around the house. Personally, I'll take these Cree or Philips bulbs over CFL's any day. A big thumbs up from me!