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Get the Facts on Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs

By now, most of us are familiar with the benefits of using LED or CFL light bulbs over traditional incandescent ones. First and foremost, they last longer— in fact years longer than traditional ones, which not only saves energy, but also money.

By Charles Zimmerman, VP International Design and Construction, Walmart

Jan. 12, 2015

Image reads: "Discover a better bulb"

Walmart offers a number of different options, including our Great Value LED bulbs. Not only do we sell these items— we’re using them in our stores around the world as well, installing LED bulbs on the sales floor, parking lot, freezer cases and virtually all other areas in most new stores. But what are the real differences between LED, CFL, and incandescent bulbs?

Here we break it down by the numbers for you so you can make an informed decision before you buy.

With a lifespan of only 1,000 hours, the performance of incandescent bulbs is outshined by CFL bulbs, which last nearly 10 times longer, and LEDs, which can last up to 50 times longer than incandescents for a lifespan of 50,000 hours.

LED and CFL bulbs are more efficient than incandescents. In the 50,000-hour lifespan of an LED bulb, it will only use 500 kWh of electricity at a total cost of $50 in energy bills.