Comparing Watts
Comparable Wattage of
Incandescent
and CFL Bulbs
| Incandescent Bulb | CFL Bulb |
| 25-watt | 5-watt |
| 50-watt | 9-watt |
| 60-watt | 15-watt |
| 75-watt | 20-watt |
| 100-watt | 25-watt |
| 150-watt | 32-watt |
| 200-watt | 42-watt |
It is best to install CFLs in fixtures that are used at least 15 minutes at a time or several hours per day in the living room, kitchen, dining room and bedroom, for example. Outdoor fixtures are also a great place to use CFLs.
Since CFLs use less energy than their incandescent equivalent, the wattage listed on the package will be lower than what see on traditional bulb packages. If you use a 60-watt incandescent in a lamp, you will need a 15-watt CFL. A CFL’s package will list its incandescent equivalent. Use the following as a guideline:
CFLs are also available in three-way and dimmable models.
Some information for this feature was provided by the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy program and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.