When compact fluorescent light bulbs started becoming popular, lighting companies took note of the different color temperatures and light qualities. They had to find some way to get whiter light out of incandescent light bulbs. GE unveiled a line of incandescents called Reveal®, which used a special coating on the glass to filter out the dominant yellow color tones and provide cleaner, whiter light. Now GE has revealed compact fluorescent additions to the Reveal® line; specifically 9-watt, 15-watt, and 20-watt iterations which provide light across a spectrum of color temperatures.
GE Reveal® compact fluorescent light bulbs use a glass cover to mimic the appearance of an incandescent light bulb. The glass cover extends to the mini-ballast which helps the disguise; these are definitely the most incandescent-looking compact fluorescent light bulbs that I’ve seen. That is the only real similarity between incandescents and Reveal® CFLs when you consider the energy efficiency and variety of light available from the CFLs. The amount of money saved over the lifetime of the bulb varies depending on wattage, but you can expect to save between and over a lifetime of 8000 hours. An 8000 hour lifetime translates to five years if you’re using the light bulbs four hours a day.
It’s great when benefits like 75% increased energy efficiency can be combined with cool design. The inside of Reveal® compact fluorescent light bulbs is similar to any other CFL, but the outside is quite different. Reveal® CFLs have a glass cover starting at the ballast and going to the top of the compact fluorescent tube. The glass cover is frosted, so at a glance or at a distance it appears to be a frosted incandescent light bulb! This is great for people who don’t like the aesthetics of compact fluorescent light bulbs. These light bulbs will most likely appeal particularly to homeowners who want the light tones, energy efficiency, and long-life of compact fluorescent light bulbs with the shape, size, and fit of a regular incandescent.
This is most likely one of GE’s approaches to the EPACT lighting legislation of 2007 which bans inefficient incandescent light bulbs very soon. Three out of four consumers have not even heard of this legislation, so GE is trying to get the word out and offer education on the subject while offering the very alternatives we will need.