In previous posts we've stressed the importance of lighting and the impact it can have on the end results of a project. Sure, we were talking about recessed lights, lamps, and chandeliers, but mid project lighting is just as essential, often overlooked, and can't be seen by those looking at a project's end result.

Since we've been working on our house we've gone through just about every major type of work light imaginable. From the shadeless lamp with 100 watt bulb to the two headed 500 watt halogen tripod based job light, they all do a job of lighting your work area, just some do a better job than others.

I was using the large halogen style lights for some time. It gave warm and bright light that could easily light just about any work area, making it far easier to see the details I would have otherwise missed. But there were two pretty major problems with these high wattage halogen monsters. With extended use, the fragile and no-so-cheap bulbs tend to burn out quickly, and the lamps generated so much heat that it would make a small summertime project feel like I was working on the equator (though it did help warm the room in winter projects). The combination of these two issues made the lamp quite costly to operate, though still very effective.

About a year and a half ago, after one of my halogen work lights was knocked over and ended up broken (I'm not placing blame here, but I'm sure it couldn't have been me...ok, it was me), I had to find a replacement. In the amount of time since I had purchased the halogen lights, lighting technology had come a long way. CFLs are all over the marketplace, LEDs are the new hotness, and apparently only eco-unfriendly earth haters use halogen lights anymore. I started to look into the various options for a replacement light, and I actually found one that has been absolutely perfect for me.

I purchased a 300 watt equivalent fluorescent work light. Consisting of several bright and short halogen tubes, this light has worked wonderfully for everything I've needed it for. The light is clean, bright, and has no noticeable flicker. When I switch it on it takes about 2-3 seconds to warm up before flicking on, then it's almost immediately at full brightness, whereas the halogen would usually take about a minute to get fully bright. But the best part is that it doesn't heat up like the halogen lights, so you don't end up burning you arm by bumping into the light, and you room doesn't end up like you're working in the Sahara.