Wish your compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) worked better with dimmer switches? Your wish has been granted thanks to a product launched this week at the International Builders' Show.

The Decora CFL Slide Dimmer --hitting stores next month -- is made by Leviton Manufacturing, a 104-year-old company based in New York.

Until now, even specially designed dimmable CFLs used with dimmer switches either did not dim at all, flickered at lower light levels, or had a limited dimming range.

This new dimmer automatically detects whether your bulb is incandescent or a dimmable CFL and adjusts the dimming range accordingly. This means it will work with both the old-fashioned, heat-generating, energy-sucking incandescent bulbs that Thomas Edison invented in the late 1800s (am I being too subtle?), as well as the newest energy-efficient CFLs on the market.

This is good news for advocates of energy efficiency in the home, as well for CFL manufacturers. A far cry from their early counterparts, today's CFL bulbs give off warm tones, come in a wide variety of sizes, and can be very cost-effective (disgruntled early adopters, take note!). In fact, according to ENERGY STAR, an ENERGY STAR-qualified CFL uses 75 percent less energy than a plain old incandescent and lasts about 10 times longer. The new Decor CFL Slide dimmer for CFLs helps make this green technology that much more user-friendly.

The Decora CFL Slide Dimmer is expected to be available at Home Depot stores beginning in February.