You may be surprised to find news about a classic children’s toy on our lighting blog.
We were just as surprised when we found out that the heating mechanism inside today’s Easy Bake Ovens is actually a 100-watt light bulb! With the upcoming legislation changes that will phase out traditional incandescent bulbs, Hasbro has to rethink that feature.
We are aware that the 100-watt incandescent light bulb will no longer be available in 2012. In fall 2011, Hasbro will launch the Easy-Bake Ultimate Oven, introducing a new way to bake for the next generation of chefs.
It’s a well-known fact that incandescents are the least efficient light source, primarily because 90% of the power they consume is given off as heat. That means that only 10% of the energy you pay for is available as light. The rest is simply radiating unneeded heat: apparently enough heat to bake mini-desserts!
Under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, the light bulb rolling phaseout will begin January 1, 2012. The standard 100-watt incandescents are the first to go off the shelves, as they do not meet the new efficiency standards. By 2014, 75-watt, 60-watt, and 40-watt incandescents will also be phased out.
Isn’t it strange to think about heating desserts with a light bulb?