I still won't like them. Every light fixture in my house is on a dimmer and I have installed the ones made for LEDs but they still don't work right.

They still don't work right. The levels jerk up and down and don't work at all on the low setting.

Have you tried one of these?
http://www.usa.lighting.philips.com/lightcommunity/trends/l-prize/home.wpd

They are just not ready for prime time so I will be patient.

I see people complain about the short lives of CFL’s and LED’s on this list all the time, but I just have never experienced it.

I have a stock of CFL’s. I may be dead long before I run out, because they seldom die. We now have one (Phillips) LED. We’ve only had it about a year, so, I guess it’s too early to judge, but so far, so good!

As I say, you can buy cheap crap in just about any product line.

I'm sure there's a short in the socket somewhere, not all the sockets in each fixture.

The last CFL I had burn out was one of the original $10+, double U tube, 7" long lights which had lasted for well over fifteen years.

First you have to understand how "DIMMER" switches works, they cut down the wattage to the bulb. The "base" rate of wattage is set for 60 watt or higher bulbs, then is reduced from that level. CFL and LED start at much LOWER wattage usage, thus dimmers that cut 60 watts to 30 watts is still exceeding the wattage used by the CFL or LED light. In most cases 10 watts is all the wattage such bulbs need to provide full power.

Thus if you want to have the EFFECT of dimmer with LEDs the obvious choice is a series of LED lights that turn on or off as you want them to. i.e. for example 10 one watt LEDs, each one on its own line, thus turned on or off as needed. Now you can still have one "Switch" but it has to cut power to more and more LEDs as you "dim" the switch.

Thus the "solution" is to re-wire your house. If you want reduced lighting with CFLs or LEDs (LEDs preferred) you have to change your present dimmer switch AND the line between it and the light. It can be done, a good electrician could do it in a day, through a cheaper solution is buy a package of LED lighting with its own control and a plug into a wall socket. Convert the present Dimmer to an on-off switch, turn on the LED dimmer line and turn off the main light.

The problem is NOT the CFL and LED lights, but HOW dimmer switches were designed to WORK. Thus it is impossible to do a proper conversion to LEDs or CFLs WITHOUT bypassing or replacing the present Dimmer switch. The problem is NOT the bulbs but the switch.

That is a really practical solution. 21 light fixtures; no problem

7 led bulbs. I'm happy just knowing they are in. I don't care if they are dimable or not. If I want mood lighting I can light candles or use one of my weaker solar led lanterns.