The Curmudgeon Speaks

Just about every home handyman has a shop light. It's a useful extension cord and throws light right where it's needed.

Shop lights have two drawbacks - heat and bulb life. The light bulb can heat up a tight workspace, and it's easy to brush against it and get burned. And because the light is subject to knocks and vibration, the bulb's filament has a short life and often burns out right in the middle of a job.

The fix is to use a compact fluorescent bulb instead. It's cool to the touch, and vibration won't hurt it. Voila - a smarter shop light.