Replacement, or "screw-in," compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs are a direct substitution for a standard incandescent bulb. Replacement CFL bulbs integrate both a ballast and a lamp. Replacement CFL bulbs generally last about six times longer than standard incandescent bulbs and use approximately 66% less energy.
Color: Fluorescents should be specified as 80 CRI and 3000 K color temperature.
Ballasts: Virtually all replacement bulbs have electronic ballasts which give "instant on" and do not hum.
Dimming: Only very specially selected replacement CFL bulbs are suited for dimming. They are specifically noted in catalogs and on lamp packaging.
Dimensions: Be sure that replacement CFL bulbs fit the fixture as well as the incandescent that it replaces. CFL bulbs are usually a bit larger in dimension than their incandescent equivalent. Manufacturers continue to refine the size to come closer to the shape of traditional incandescent bulbs.
MR16 lamp.
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Replacement compact
fluorescent light bulb.
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A-lamp.
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PAR lamp.
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A-Lamp Replacement: The list below describes the typical CFL bulb sizes and their approximate incandescent equivalents:
| CFL | Incandescent |
| 7 W | 25 W |
| 11 W | 40 W |
| 13 W | 60 W |
| 19 W | 75 W |
| 23 W | 100 W |
| 27 W | 100+ W |
R Lamp / PAR Lamp Replacement: There are CFL replacements for incandescent R-lamps (reflector) and PAR lamps, but they are not as well developed as the standard lamp replacements described above. There are some significant shortcomings of CFL conversion reflector lamps. With poor beam control, due to the large size of the light source, the replacement R lamp may provide acceptable flood lights but they cannot replace spotlights. The lamps have slow starting characteristics, and few are currently available in the desirable 3000K color temperature.
MR Lamp Replacement: There are currently no satisfactory replacement CFL lamps to replace small accent lights such as MR11, MR16, or PAR20 incandescent lamps. Current fluorescent technology cannot offer the sharp point light source that gives these lamps their distinctive sparkle.
There is a considerable range in the cost of replacement CFL bulbs, plug-in CFL lamps, and linear fluorescent lamps. Replacement CFL bulbs range in cost from roughly $3 U.S. to $28 or more. Replacements for the standard incandescent A-lamps range from $4 to $8, and considering they last six times as long and use 1/4 of the electricity, they are an excellent economic choice. At the upper end of the cost range, a few replacement CFL bulbs are dimmable.
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