From my experience with compact fluerescent bulbs, they are best suitable for lights that are to be left on for some period of time. For very cold and very short term "on" periods, the ones I have had experience with are not the best choice.
However, cfl bulbs have proven to be much longer lasting and cheaper to operate in some applications. My daughter owns a hair salon where a lot of lights are employed. Before the cfl bulbs were available, we were replacing incandescents about every other week and we used full spectrum bulbs, so they weren't cheap. We switched over to the cfl bulbs because of the longer life. We use the less expensive standard light (soft light) cfl bulbs in locations that are not critical for light spectrum. Some of these lights are left on 24-7 and very rarely need to be replaced. In critical areas around the work stations, we use full spectrum 6500 K daylight cfl bulbs. They provide much brighter light, last many times longer (months, or years vs weeks), and use a fraction of the power of comparable incondescents. Do they pay for themselves--maybe.
So far, our experience has shown that there are various degrees of quality in cfl bulbs. We have had very good luck with G.E. bulbs. Not so much with some of the cut-rate brands. Price is sort of an indicator of how long the bulbs might last. Some stores will replace cfl bulbs that burn out before their stated guarantee if you keep your receipt. I have returned bulbs to Home Depot and they were replaced with higher quality bulbs that lasted for years.
Lately, we have been buying the full spectrum bulbs at Walmart (G.E. 100 watt equivalent) and I was told that even when these bulbs are used in a commercial venue, if they don't live up to their guarantee, they will replace them for free. The only problem is that who keeps receipts for years? If it were my business I would, but my daughter isn't as thrifty as I am.
