These bulbs are small, but very bright, so they're often used in flashlights and optical instruments such as projectors and microscopes. Brightness is measured in lumens; the higher the lumens, the brighter the bulb.

Halogen bulbs are slightly more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs, but they generate more heat.

Often used in recessed can fixtures and track lighting, these bulbs produce a focused beam of light. Brightness is measured in lumens; the higher the lumens, the brighter the bulb. Bulbs with a warm light appearance have yellow tones. Bulbs with a neutral light appearance are commonly used in workspaces. A bulb’s estimated yearly energy cost is based on 3 hours of usage per day at $0.11 per kWh.

LED bulbs last longer and are more efficient than other technologies. They generate little heat and withstand vibration. Plastic LED bulbs are shatterproof.

Halogen bulbs are slightly more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs, but they generate more heat.

Brightness is measured in lumens; the higher the lumens, the brighter the bulb. Color rendering index (CRI) is a measurement on a scale of 0-100 of how accurately the light from a bulb represents an object's true colors; the higher the number, the more natural the colors appear. Any CRI value over 80 will show colors true to life. Bulbs with a warm light appearance have yellow tones. Bulbs with a neutral light appearance are often used in workspaces. Bulbs with a cool or daylight appearance have white/blue tones and are good for inspecting. A bulb’s estimated yearly cost is based on 3 hours of usage per day at $0.11 per kWh.

Fluorescent bulbs are energy efficient, but they contain small amounts of mercury (for disposal information, visit www.epa.gov/cfl).