Incandescent bulbs were first invented in 1820. The original version had a carbon filament and a very short lifespan. It was not until 1879 when Thomas Edison invented a version that had a tungsten filament, that incandescent bulbs became practical. The tungsten version of the incandescent bulb lasted for up to 1,000 hours.
Incandescent lighting dominates the lighting market. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, "It has traditionally delivered about 85% of household illumination." This is mostly due to its long history and migration into all areas of the world.
Incandescent lighting is considered the most inefficient type of lighting that is available. It burns up to 80 percent of the energy used in the form of heat, rather than light. Other types of indoor lighting, such as fluorescent lighting are 25 to 35 percent more efficient.
The incandescent bulb still operates off of a version of the tungsten filament---which was first introduced by Thomas Edison in 1879. The technology for basic incandescent bulbs has not changed a lot over the past 130 years and standard bulbs still have roughly the same lifespan as the original bulbs---around 1,000 hours. Today, there are versions that have a thicker tungsten filament, which can last for up to 2,500 hours---a far cry from fluorescent bulbs, some of which can last up to 25,000 hours.
The initial cost of incandescent bulbs is very cheap---it is the least expensive type of lighting that can be purchased, which is one reason for its continued popularity. Although this initial expense is less, incandescent bulbs cost more over time as they last for a short duration---meaning that they must be replaced frequently.
They are also not energy efficient. This lack of energy efficiency means that they are slightly more expensive to operate; therefore, other types of lighting, such as fluorescent, will result in lower electricity bills.