For the 10 years that we have lived in our house, we had functional, but not very stylish troffer lights in our kitchen. They are great for work spaces and schools, but not always the first choice in homes.
However, when they both started to come loose and need repairs and new bulbs, we figured it was time to update to track lighting.
While the fixture looked great, the five 35W halogen lights gave off no where near the brightness of the fluorescent tubes. It created a nice ambiance, but it made food preparation difficult. Also, the bulbs gave off a lot of heat and I was worried that the 175 watts were using too much energy throughout the day.
Our problems were solved when I found the TCP 7W, 4100K, 50W halogen replacement bulb.
After turning the halogen bulbs counter clockwise, they slipped out easily and then the new ones clicked right in. The 4100K color temperature brought out more of a white light which works better in kitchens. Because it was a 50W equivalent rather than 35W, it was also brighter, but used only a fraction of the energy. We went from 175W to 35W total, and improved the quality and brightness of light.
As you can see from the pictures, the new TCP bulbs brighten up the space and reach into the corners so there are no more shadows.
Switching to energy efficient lighting is not a sacrifice; it is a win-win in terms of both quality and long-term savings.