heres some info i found here: shahine.com/omar/ - More on CFLs
My Testing Results
So, here is what I think of the CFLs that I've tried.
Sylvania Soft White
no instant on
color temperature is about 3000k
I found the color to be a bit industrial looking
grade: B
GE General Purpose Soft White
no instant on
color temperature is about 2700k
color was a bit yellowish but acceptable
grade: B+
Philips Duramax
instant on
color temperature is about 2700k
color was a bit yellowish but acceptable
grade: A-
Commercial Electric
instant on
color temperature is about 2700k
color too yellowish
grade: B
n:vision Soft White
instant on
color temperature is a bit cooler than 2700k
color was just right (a bit whiter than incandescent). Nice for general purpose, hallways, sconces etc.
grade: A
n:vision Bright White
instant on
color temperature cooler, 3500k
color is bright white . Nice for a bathroom or office.
grade: A
n:vision Daylight
instant on
color temperature cooler, 5500k
color is bluish white. Not sure where I'd use a light like this. Looked very weird to me. Maybe in a garage? Hanselman likes these, I have no idea why.
grade: n/a
and this is part of an article i found here: Compact Fluorescent Lamp Recommendations
Some compact fluorescent bulbs have color codes. A color code is a 2 or 4 digit number that refers to the bulb's color temperature in degrees (or hundreds of degrees) Kelvin. On many Osram and Sylvania bulbs, a 2-digit abbreviation of the color temperature may be immediately preceded by "D8". On GE ones it may be preceded by SPX. Some others may be immediately preceded by an "8". The "8" or "D8" or "SPX" indicates a claimed color rendering index in the 80's, generally 82-86, usually 82 for compact fluorescents.
Examples:
F13TT/27K (this is 2700 Kelvin.)
PLC*15/28/28 (The second-last number here is wattage, the last means 2800 K)
F40T12/D835 (The D835 means 3500 Kelvin)
Now, here is what these numbers mean to you.
Numbers from 27 to 30 or 2700 to 3000 represent generally incandescent colors. Sometimes, the color may be a bit less yellow and slightly more pink/purple, but it is a basically incandescent color.
Numbers around 35 or 3500 represent a whitish incandescent color, similar to that of projector bulbs, some photographic lamps, and the whitest halogen lamps. Unless you are using enough of these bulbs to make your home as bright as a classroom, the color may seem slightly greenish or slightly generally "off". If you have a lot of this light, then this color is generally pleasing.
Numbers around 41 represent colors generally like that of "cool white" fluorescent lamps. A few of these are also very slightly on the purple side. They generally don't make colors look dull like standard cool whites do, since they have a different spectrum from use of different phosphors. However, unless you have classroom-bright light levels, this color often has a "dreary gray" effect.
Avoid buying any "Abco" brand bulbs unless the color code is visible and desirable. I have (in the 1990's) seen some with the 41 color code marketed as "warm white".
There is also a 50 or 5000 color. It is an icy cold pure white that sometimes looks slightly bluish. Like the 41 color, they can cause a dreary gray effect unless you have very bright lighting levels - despite this being a close approximation to the color of noontime tropical sunlight!
anyway, as far as i can tell, those GE general purpose bulbs are around 2700K or 'warm' light
hope this helps
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