On January 1, 2014 traditional 40W and 60W incandescent or traditional light bulbs will cease being made in the USA. This is the last step of a staggered phase-out of inefficient lights. Warehouses and stores are allowed to sell out of their stock, so you may see them around for a while longer. Phase-outs of 100W and 75W incandescents took place over the past 2 years.
The replacements for the phased-out incandescent bulbs are CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lights), LED (Light-Emitting Diodes) and efficient halogens.
Examples of General Purpose Light Bulbs
Examples of Indoor Floodlights
The WATT is a measure of the amount of energy per unit time used by a light bulb, whereas the LUMEN is the measure of brightness emitted by a bulb. The more lumens, the brighter the bulb. Consider the lumen a measure of brightness; the watt, however, is a measure of power consumption or emission.
When you buy one of the new bulbs, see how many LUMENS it offers so you can determine its brightness:
