I have some halogen spotlights in the dining room and I like the light they provide. But yes, they are hot.

bummer. do you think they get hotter than a regular bulb? I don't like projecting more heat around here in the summer for sure!

Yes, halogen lights burn much hotter than traditional incandescent bulbs .

thx dekeoboe, then I think I should stay away from them.

LED bulbs are coming down in price and MUCH better. Always prefer the warm bulbs to the cold bulbs. Easier on the eyes!

Steph, I don't like halogen because they are so hot. If you use several, they make the room much hotter, and that increases your cooling bill. In most cases, you can find LED bulbs that can fit/work as replacements for halogens. I forget what the "number" is for the socket mounts, something like G-10 is what I recall. I prefer LED warm white bulbs where possible.

About kitchen florescent. If you can get a full spectrum bulb, that should help with winter blahs. I used them for my parrots. I think GE or Phillips (?) made a tubular full spectrum or daylight bulb that was not too expensive. The Ott bulbs are fairly expensive. Or they were last I checked.

thx jakkum and ML. a few lites I've looked at say GU10 - I think halogen. So I could change it out to LED? and that's better for my eyeballs? I have trouble with my eyes.

so a GU10 LED would replace a GU10 halogen? sound right? i'll have to study up on this stuff...

I think that is how it works, Steph. So long as the socket fits it. Like the CFL will work in the typical incandescent light bulb sockets. With CFL, if you have a dimmer on the lamp you must make sure the CFL says "dimmable." Picking a bulb these days is no picnic!

I'm with you on that one, Steph! I have a plastic box full of all these light bulbs, and cannot find one among the bunch to put in my lamp on the sun porch. They are all too tall or too fat, or the bottom is too small. By the time I get to the store, I've forgotten what size the screw-in part is, and HAHA about knowing what NUMBER the base size is. It used to be regular and candelabra (which worked with the 4watt Christmas tree or night light bulbs.)... bummer!

agree that halogens put out too much heat.
I've been in new homes with halogens in kitchen, baths etc
that needed 1/2 ton more a/c to overcome heat from
halogens.

cfl's or led's would be my two choices.

best of luck

Just saw this and wanted to share my experience. Upgraded to halogen spotlights about 8 years ago. They were hot and the breaker would pop when vacuum cleaner was plugged in. This year we switched to led with cute , smaller cannisters. They are much cooler. Also changed downlighting in the kitchen to led with dimmers (approp to led lights). I like them but my adult sons say they buzz. I wonder if my age prevents me from noticing it. Good luck.