My family and I try and make a conscious effort to do more to help protect our environment. We might not be 100% “green”, but we do the best we can. We’ve replaced our windows and sliding glass doors with more energy efficient ones. We’ve replaced our appliances with ones that get great Energy Star ratings. We turn off (or unplug) things when not in use and we recycle every day. These are just a few of the things we do, but we’re always on the look out for other things we can do to not only help our environment, but also to help keep a little extra $$$ in our wallets. That is what I call a win-win situation.
One thing that bothers me are light bulbs. We have four ceiling fans with lights in our condo. Each fan takes four light bulbs. I am constantly replacing light bulbs in the fans. Sadly I have yet to find energy efficient or eco-friendly light bulbs for the ceiling fans. If any light bulb company is reading this post – hurry up and create energy efficient/eco-friendly bulbs for ceiling fans – PLEASE!
It seems like we go through light bulbs a lot. I know we’re not alone in that either. I have had discussions about this with a neighbor recently. We have some light bulbs in the trunk of my husband’s car that we need to drop off at the hazardous waste site because of the Mercury. We don’t want to just toss them in the garbage.
What if I told you that there is a light bulb out there that lasts a whopping 22 years. That’s right – TWENTY TWO YEARS!!! I’m totally sold just on that alone. But wait… it gets better!
The Insignia LED Light Bulbs, which are sold at Best Buy, have A LOT of “bells and whistles” for a little light bulb. Check out all the great features;
- Lasts more than 22 years Less frequent replacements and more cost savings.
- Uses only 9 Watts of power Over 75% savings in electricity usage compared with a 40-Watt incandescent bulb.
- Instant On Lights up instantly at full brightness.
- 450 lumens of brightness Provides same amount of brightness as a 40-Watt incandescent bulb.
- Omnidirectional design Distributes light evenly.
- Dimmable bulb Adjust the brightness to a desired level using leading dimmers(not included).
- Mercury-free design Unlike CFL bulbs, this bulb uses no Mercury.
- Standard Light Bulb Shape Similar size and shape as a standard A19 incandescent bulbs, providing for easy change overs.
- Light Appearance This frosted white plastic bulb casts a warm white glow at 3000K.
- Operating Voltage 120 Volts.
The one thing you’ll notice immediately when you look at one of the Insignia LED Light Bulbs is that they are not your typical light bulbs. They are made out of a hard plastic, not a thin glass. I cannot tell you how many times we’ve purchased light bulbs only to have them get accidentally knocked around in the grocery bag and get broken. The Insignia light bulbs are very sturdy. They have some weight to them too.
We put the bulb in the lamp in our living room. We normally use a 60 watt bulb for that lamp. The Insignia is 60 watts too (it’s also available in 40 watts).
The one thing I’ve noticed is that it produces a softer glow. It’s the same brightness as the regular bulb, it’s just a bit softer and less harsh on the eyes.
These bulbs are energy efficient too and cost mere pennies per day (with average use). The average cost is around $1.57 per year per bulb.
$1.57 per year! That comes out to around .13 cents PER MONTH.
I Googled light bulbs and found that the average light bulb costs between $3.50-$4.90 per year, depending on the bulb. Incandescent bulbs cost the most to operate.
Think about how many light bulbs you have around your home. Them multiply that by $4.00 (figure that is about average) and that will give you an approximate amount you spend on energy each year just from light bulbs. Now take the total amount of bulbs you have and multiply that by $1.57 and that will give you an idea of how much you can save if you switched your bulbs over to the Insignia ones.
Light bulbs can cost a few dollars each. If you go through several light bulbs each year that just adds to the operating costs. With the Insignia bulbs you will only need to replace them once every 22 years on average. Think about that. If you have an infant and your purchased the Insignia bulbs for your home they won’t need to be replaced until your infant graduates from college! That is a crazy thought.
So far I am very impressed with the Insignia bulbs. I love the futurist look, I love the soft light it produces, it’s great for saving energy and I love that I won’t have to replace them until I’m well into my 60’s! LOL!
You can buy Insignia LED light bulbs at your nearest Best Buy store, or online. They retail for $13.99 for the 40 watt and $16.99 for the 60 watt. I know a few people gasped when they saw the price, but keep in mind the energy savings and the fact these last for 22 years far outweigh the cost to buy one.
Best Buy has a special coupon for the Insignia LED light bulbs – buy two and get one at 50% off. To print out the coupon simply click on the image (below) and take it to your nearest Best Buy store. The coupon expires November 10, 2012.
To find a Best Buy near you visit www.BestBuy.com. They are also on Facebook and Twitter.
Have you tried the new Insignia LED light bulbs yet? What did you think about them? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Kimberly
*I received free product samples from Best Buy in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and are not influenced in any way.
Richard says
Hi, Kimberly. LED bulbs really are great, especially if you use them somewhere where the light is on all the time. Also, they’re safer in places where kids may knock them over, as they do not contain mercury, unlike CFLs. Just note that the coupon is not BTGO free, but buy two, get one 50% off.
Kimberly says
Oh good golly! I’m such a dork. Thanks Richard for pointing that out to me. I appreciate that A LOT. 🙂