Quality of CFLs

... really varies a lot from my experience. Some are just solid "as advertised", but others can disappoint. I particularly had bad experience with Meijer store brand ones. There're 3 or 4 of them going bad on me in a few short years, and none of them were heavily used. CFLs are promised to have longer lifespan, which is needed to realize energy cost savings. If they don't even last as long as regular bulbs, you actually end up spending more on lighting, even though the carbon footprint may still be smaller. So, go with the proven brands - as always I guess.