SYLVANIA 13 Watt 120 Volt Compact Fluorescent MiniTwist Lamp with Medium Base, Warm White, 12 Pack #CF13ELMTWSTCVP

Customer Reviews

"green is good"-with a cautionary note or two, that is...

2008-06-02
Sylvania makes these 13-watt (120-Volt) Compact Fluorescent light bulbs; and they do work pretty well! I changed over as many light fixtures as I could a few days ago; and I'm saving money on my electric bill as well as enjoying the fact that these light bulbs last much, much longer than conventional "incandescent" light bulbs.

One thing is very positive: for most lighting fixtures, you will not have to worry about the compact fluorescent light bulb fitting into the electrical bulb socket. They fit in very easily; I even compared the two metallic ends in the store to make sure they really were the same width and length! This truly manages to omit just as much light as a conventional 60 watt light bulb while only using 13 watts of energy. I'm no physicist; but the math looks good to me!

These light bulbs come in packs (you may be able to buy them individually) and just make sure that you hold onto your receipt before you install them. Every so often a bulb just won't light up all the way; I got a few that didn't light up for the very furthest "spiral" part of the bulb away from the socket. Amazon or any company will almost certainly take it back if you keep your receipt.

There is one change, however, that I will have to get used to: these bulks don't exactly function the same way incandescent bulbs do. First, when you turn on the light, the bulb will flicker for about 15 seconds before turning on all the way. Actually, this isn't too bad. The second "feature" does bother me, at least for now--the light from the bulb isn't quite the same intensity that you would get from an incandescent bulb. The light is slightly less intense; and it also might be just slightly on the yellowish side. This may be because I have frosted ceiling light fixtures in my kitchen; I am not sure. I didn't notice it so much in the hallway of my home where the new bulbs were also installed; so maybe the yellowish "color" of the light was because of the fixtures in which I used these bulbs.

Overall, these bulbs DO save money and they fit most lighting fixtures. Do NOT choose these if you have a "dimmer" feature on your lighting fixture; they make special fluorescent bulbs just for that type of lighting fixture. I predict that you will definitely save money on your electric bill; and I really like that these bulbs last for years at a time. That's incredible; most of not all incandescent bulbs would have to be replaced much, much sooner than these bulbs will need to be replaced. I recommend this light bulbs for people like me who want to go as "green" as possible.

I've made the conversion.

2008-06-02
Amazon offered us a great insentive to go green. I have replaced all my lightbulbs with these. After you get used to the few second delay when you turn these on then you will be very happy with the more true light they give off.

You will also love the fact that your electric bill will go down.

They come packed very well with each bulb in its own sturdy little box in a larger box and then in a big box with airbags. Arrives in perfect condition.

Look Closely at Comparable Wattage

2008-05-29
I grew up in the "house of dark." My parents were immigrants who also suffered through the depression so electricity and phone bills (luxuries!)were closely watched. In response I have always desired a very bright environment. I have 7 lamps and track lighting in a 12x18 living room + eating el. Maybe I didn't read closely but I somehow thought these bulbs were equivalent to 100 watts which is my absolute lowest. The basic message is that if you want to go green but maintain a high level of artifical light closely read the comparable wattage. My son and DIL have inherited "light deprivation decorating" so they will be the recipients of this order.

Good for the environment

2008-05-26
These 13 watt bulbs will save you a few bucks each year ,and will give you good light, but not as bright compared to a traditional 60 W bulb.. There is a slight delay when you turn them on, and they are not compatible with a dimmer. These are not the brightest CF light bulbs on the market, but are great deals for everyday uses, like placing them in the bathroom, or hallways. I would suggest using CF bulbs for places where you do not need super bright light, and will leave the light on for extended periods of time. These will save you on energy costs and help the environment.

shipping problems

2008-05-14
Ordered a 12-pack and three of them were shattered when they arrived. I know that it is not Sylvania's fault but I guess buying light bulbs online is not the best idea. I got them at a store and they work great. Much better than the GE bulbs.

Caution about these bulbs

2008-07-05
Just a little caution on CFL's in general. They are made using the element Mercury. If one of these bulbs breaks, it's going to cost you a small fortune to get the mercury cleaned out of your house. If you have small children, don't put these bulbs in any place that might be in danger of being broken. Sure they'll save you money on your light bill and the companies make you think you're saving the planet, but you're hurting it really. In 5 years, when these bulbs start to burn out, our landfills will be full of mercury. I wonder what the autism rates will be by then?

Energy saver

2008-06-29
This is a great energy saver and a great package price. The light from these lights a satisfactory.

Gives a nice warm light and a warm fuzzy feeling

2008-06-13
I bought the 12 pack of these bulbs and replaced every incandescent bulb I could with them. They give off a nice warm light, not harsh at all. There is a brief pause between flipping the switch and the light coming on but that's the way life is in the non-incandescent world. At least you get a warm fuzzy feeling knowing you're being a bit kinder to the environment... and you're saving money on the power bill.

No complaints here.

A cost-saving and long-lasting product

2008-06-09
I recommend this product highly. It not only is cheap at Amazon but is a good quality product to gain the best energy saving advantages.

Almost enough for the whole house!

2008-06-07
We use a lot of natural light in our home, so this 12-pack was perfect for replacing bulbs in the few fixtures that we use often. The warm white is especially wonderful in the living room and kitchen areas. I haven't noticed an 'on' delay when turning the lights on, but I do notice that there's a few-second warm up period before they brighten. The only lamp that we couldn't use these bulbs in is our 3-level dimmer lamp. My husband immediately noticed that it was "not as bright" in our hallway after we installed them, but we noticed our utility bill was a few dollars less. We freecycled our incandescent bulbs and are greatly enjoying our energy-saving lighting.