1. Incandescent   The most common bulb used in lamps today because they are inexpensive and widely available. Incandescent bulbs vary from 7 to 300 watts and produce a soft yellow-white light, emitted in all directions. They are generally available in clear, frosted, or colored. Incandescent bulbs are great for standard ambient lighting and higher wattages are good for task lighting. (Never exceed the maximum wattage recommended for your lamp!)