Best and brightest energy-saving lightbulbs

  Standing in a store's lightbulb aisle, facing rows of LED, CFL, and halogen bulbs, with terms such as lumens, color rendering, and Kelvin temperature, is enough to make you long for the days of good old incandescents. With no sales associate in sight, you're reduced to hoping you get lucky and another shopper who happens to be an electrical engineer or a rocket scientist will amble by. But usually it's just you and a bunch of bulbs.

Once you crack the code, though, it's not so intimidating and you'll be able to focus on what really matters: how much you're willing to spend and how bright a bulb you need.

LEDs get most of the attention these days—as well as all of the top spots in our lightbulb Ratings. Manufacturers continue to invest in LED development, and those lightbulbs have become sophisticated electronic devices. But they're expensive. For the price, though, you can expect a bulb that lasts 23 years or longer.

CFLs have improved, too. The best of them are quick to fully brighten, and they provide bright light. They're also less impaired by frequently turning them on and off than earlier versions were. CFLs are a lot cheaper than LEDs and can last seven to 10 years. Yet even though CFLs are much better than they were a decade ago, the best aren't as good as the top-rated LEDs.

There is a third choice: halogen bulbs. A type of incandescent, they instantly brighten, they're dimmable, and some cost less than $2. But they use a lot more energy than LEDs and CFLs. Some have a color filter that improves the light's color, but it also reduces light output. And they usually last only about a year or two—so you'll be back in the lightbulb aisle a whole lot sooner.

If you can live without instant brightness, also consider these other well-performing CFLs from our tests: Feit Electric Ecobulb Plus 60W, $2.50, a CR Best Buy, and the even brighter Feit Electric Ecobulb Plus 100W, $2.30.

1) When used 3 hours per day. 2) Based on electricity savings, using the national average energy rate, and bulb savings when compared with a 60-watt incandescent.

Although they don't look the same, all of these LEDs are for use in lamps and replace a 60- or 75-watt incandescent. Manufacturers are introducing various shapes to improve efficiency and light distribution, help manage heat, and lower costs. The Feit Electric and Philips Slimstyle did well in our tests; the Nanoleaf did not. The others are being tested.