"Doc" wrote in message
...
Just got a 4-pack of the Walmart "Great Value" version of these energy-
saver style fluorescent 23w bulbs which they claim are equivalent to a
100w incandescent bulb. Not even close. It's about like a 40w bulb.

Are the name brand bulbs of this type any better?

I have noticed that some new CFLs will take 5+ minutes to reach proper
brightness on the first run even at room temperature. After this first burn
in, they come up to brightness normally (within 30 seconds or so) after
turning on from a cold start. The first time it happened to me I though the
bulb was bad, but the ones that did that have been fine ever since.

In a cold environment, they will be slower to warm up.