How to Make CFLs More Like Incandescents

Look at the color temperature on the box. It may be hard to find, but all CFLs have the information printed on the packaging. Pick a color temperature that is closest to the look you want from your lighting. The temperature is given on the Kelvin scale. The higher the temperature, the bluer the light. Lower temperatures produce yellowish light. Most incandescent bulbs have color temperatures around 3,000 degrees Kelvin, so look for a CFL in that range for the closest approximation to your previous bulbs.

Mix and match lamps. Buy CFLs in different temperatures to produce a wider spectrum of light when they're used in the same room. Coordinate lamp temperature with the room in which the CFL will be used. For the bathroom you may want to simulate sunlight, so use a CFL with a temperature of 6,000 degrees Kelvin. Use lamps around 4,000 degrees Kelvin in the kitchen for a bright white light.

Step up your lumens. Most light fixtures were designed for incandescent bulbs. When you use a CFL, the light produced may not be the same. If you are replacing a 60-watt incandescent (about 800 lumens), instead of buying a 15-watt CFL, try buying a 25-watt CFL that is equivalent to a 75-watt incandescent (1,100 lumens).

Buy new light fixtures that were made specifically for CFLs. To get the most light output from your CFL, you can upgrade your fixtures to ones that have been made for the CFL technology. This will give you the most accurate light output based on the color temperature and wattage of the lamp.