Why is it that sometimes the most seemingly insignificant replacement parts cost more than they should? I have a rather nice lamp that sits over my desk at home. Nothing fancy, but it’s one of those flexible “bendy” lamps that you can contort and twist into any direction that you’d like. It has holes in the top, so I keep it pointing upward to direct most of the light towards the ceiling and have just a small amount shine directly onto my desk — sort of like recess lighting, in reverse. (I guess?)
Anyways, it’s not very heavy and I accidentally knocked it off while cleaning my desk and broke the bulb. I didn’t think too much about it as it had a small bulb and thought, “No biggie, I’ll just swing by Wal-mart and pick up another one!” So last weekend I am in ‘Wally World’ and strolling my way back to the home lighting section and find myself staring at a whole aisle of bulbs — none of which look like the one which came out of my lamp (or what was left of it!). Luckily, I had jotted down the make and model of the lamp and looked it up on my Helio. (Hooray for Google!)
A quick query gave me the “type” of bulb I needed which narrowed down the search greatly … to the one bulb which Wal-mart currently carried. They were $3 … each … for a little freakin’ one inch bulb!
WTF? :shock:
Every other light bulb on the aisle — even those 10 times larger were over a buck or two cheaper!
Yeah, that teaches me … next time I’ll buy a lamp that takes a REGULAR 40 watt bulb!
Somebody Named Me
I was surfing around while riding out a rough storm outside and came across your site. When I read this, I had to comment.
I bought one of those lamps at the local resale store for a buck. I about choked at the price of the bulb (they’re actually another 12-25 percent more at Lowe’s and Home Depot!) But, WTF, I figured, I got it for a buck, it won’t kill me. So I bought the bulb, took it home, had it in for about a day and a half before my neighbor’s dog came to visit, caught a paw on the power cord while romping around, and sent the lamp crashing to the floor. You guessed it -scratch on $3.59 bulb.
I figured it was still worth one more bulb to break even with a new halogen lamp, (and man, those bulbs get HOT) but then I happened upon a close-out sale on a normal incandescent lamp – with shade – for $3, so the same $4 investment got me a new lamp and 4 bulbs.
Like you, I have no earthly clue why that bulb is so expensive. Other bulbs get hot without costing that much. But I know I’m not paying it… and I now know why I found it for a buck in that resale store.
I pondered giving it back to the resale shop. Then I thought on the cost and short life of the bulb and decided the next guy didn’t deserve the same surprise, so… I did what I’ve only done once before (with Umberto Eco’s “Foucault’s Pendulum”) – I destroyed it, so no one else would ever have to suffer it again.
Good of ya to get the word out. Maybe post a pic of that bulb, so people know what to look for?
All the best to you and your betrothed. I wish you a long, happy life together.