Pros

• Compact fluorescent bulbs are significantly less expensive to use than incandescent bulbs because they use 75 percent less electricity to produce the same amount of light. These bulbs also last longer than incandescent bulbs, which makes them especially useful for hard-to-reach light sockets. They also don't generate as much heat as incandescent bulbs.
  
  

Cons

• Many people don't like the quality of light produced by compact fluorescent bulbs, because it's brighter and less warm in tone. The bulbs themselves are more expensive, up to $16 each, and do not immediately produce full light when switched on. According to Trent University, some compact fluorescent bulbs generate radio-frequency radiation that may cause eyestrain and headaches and also interfere with wireless devices such as cell phones and computers.
  
  

Potential Dangers

• Compact fluorescent bulbs contain mercury, a toxic metal, in each lightbulb. If they break, they shed mercury into your house and into the environment. Proper cleanup involves using rubber gloves and proper disposal of any vacuum bag that holds remnants of a broken bulb. Used or broken compact fluorescent bulbs require special disposal because of the hazard of the mercury.