Incandescent bulbs
The original electric light bulb. A tungsten filament is heated to incandescence by electric current inside a glass envelope filled with inert gas (argon or nitrogen). Nearly all energy is emitted as heat, making it the least efficient common bulb type.
Key specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Efficacy | 10–15 lm/W |
| Lifespan | 750–1,000 hours |
| CRI | ~100 (the reference standard) |
| Color temperature | ~2,700 K (warm white) |
| Warm-up time | Instant |
| Heat output | ~90% of input energy emitted as heat |
| Mercury | None |
| Dimmable | Yes — standard incandescent dimmers |
Phase-out status by region
| Region | Status |
|---|---|
| United States | 45 lm/W minimum effective 2023 — standard 40/60/75/100 W A-shape bulbs no longer manufactured or imported |
| European Union | Banned for general service since 2012 |
| United Kingdom | Banned for general service since 2009 |
| Canada | Banned for most general service since 2014 |
| Australia | Banned for most general service since 2010 |
Specialty forms still available
- Appliance bulbs — oven bulbs (T8/E26, rated to 300 °C), refrigerator (A15)
- Rough-service bulbs — vibration-resistant for garage doors, power tools
- Decorative / vintage Edison filament — allowed in many regions for decorative shapes and specialty applications
- Infrared heat lamps — food service warming, bathroom heat
For any general-purpose application, replace incandescent with LED. An 8–10 W LED produces the same ~800 lumens as a 60 W incandescent, lasts 15–25× longer, and costs far less to operate.