Smart lighting is an area of the smart home that almost anyone can tackle. This requires little explaining, setup, and fiddling, and before you know it, you're enjoying the pretty hues of your new smart bulbs, controlling them with your phone or your voice. Smart lighting is great because of the options you have – you can control it with your phone or your voice. You can change the hue, brightness, and even the color. There are so many options with smart lights, you may be wondering what took you so long to make the switch. Even if you don't pay much attention to smart lighting, you've probably heard of Philips Hue. He's certainly the biggest name in the smart lighting game, but that doesn't mean he's the only horse in the race, far from it. There are great deals from companies like Lifx if you're looking for more discussion; Hive if you are on a budget; or Nanoleaf if you prefer your lighting to be part of your home décor. Each system has its pros and cons, so here we'll tell you about the brands you should know about, as well as the smart lighting solution that's right for you.
The best smart bulbs at a glance:
1. Philips Hue color environment
The biggest name, and for good reason.Power: 10W | Colour: +16 million colors | Color temperature: 2,000-6,500K | Light power: 806 | Lifespan: 25,000 hours | Height: 109,2mm | Diameter: 62 mm Easy to install Good integration with other services. Requires expensive hub to operate There's a very good reason why Philips Hue is the biggest name in the smart lighting scene: it's certainly one of the biggest offerings on the market. The lights produce the most natural tones of any smart lighting we've used, the app is easy to use, and installation is a breeze. That said, you can't use Hue lights without the hub, which means the only way to start is with a starter kit that will set you back considerably more than just a bulb. It should also be noted that there are a variety of different lighting kits and bulbs available in the Hue range, so you can choose between White (which only produces white light), Color (which offers over 16 million colours) and variants. ambient of the two (giving you the option of dimming, softer tones). They all operate from the same hub, so you don't need a new hub for every lighting set, but it's worth doing your research and really thinking about what you need before investing.
2.LIFX A19
Funky, cool and dressed to impress.Power: 11W | Colour: 16 million colors | Color temperature: 2.500 to 9.000 K | Light power: 1100 | Lifespan: 25,000 hours | Height: 114,8mm | Diameter: 62mm Affordable bulb configuration Vibrant color options. There are no natural lighting options. Large form factor Lifx is an interesting proposition in the smart lighting market. It's not trying to reproduce the standard warm glow of a filament bulb, but instead is focused on bright, vibrant colors. If you're looking for a feature light, something to bathe your room in a warm red or dark purple glow, this is the one for you. With a fun color wheel and brightness settings from 1 to 100%, the customization options are so varied they can be overwhelming at times. But it's not a brilliant contraption. While turning it on for the first time may be a bit of a shock, the light it emits is actually very warm and a real joy to sit on. Like Hue, there are a number of options with Lifx bulbs, including a `` + & # 39; & # 39; of its bulbs, which include a night mode that improves the night vision of indoor security cameras by emitting light at a low frequency.
- Read the full review: Lifx
3. Nanoleaf light panels
Adapt your lighting to your mood or your music.Power: 60W | Colour: 16,7 million colors | Color temperature: 1200-6500K | Light output: 100 LM / panel | Lifespan: 25,000 hours | Height: 210mm | Width: 240mm Makes lighting fun Easy to install Difficult to remove once mounted Slightly flawed application You like light but hate light bulbs. We got you. They are so bulbous. So maybe Nanoleaf will be more on your street. Nanoleaf Light Panels (formerly known as Aurora) take the concept of lighting and turn it from the bottom up. Using a collection of triangular panels, create a dynamic shape on your wall (or ceiling, or both) that can move through more than 16 million different colors. Plus, with the separate rhythm module, the Nanoleaf can even respond to audio signals from the room it's in, so it can respond to music, putting you right in the center of your own clip. If you prefer to decide what the light panels will do in advance, you can choose from a large repository of user-created scenes that cross over different aesthetic configurations. The original set comes with nine panels, but you have the option to add more, and there are even corner clips to let you create designs that fit around corners, crawling around walls, and even on the ceiling if desired.
4. Active light hive
An affordable addition to the Hive ecosystemPower: 9.5W | Colour: 16 million colors | Color temperature: 2700K-6500K | Light power: 806 | Lifespan: 25,000 hours | Height: 130mm | Diameter: 60mm Affordable bulbs Easy to use app Needs a Hive hub Light flickers when activated with a switch Unlike the other lights on this tour, the Hive Active Light is the one we specifically recommend if you're already in the Hive ecosystem . If you're the proud owner of a Hive thermostat, outlet, motion sensor or Hive View camera, you know that all Hive devices can all be controlled from a single app, streamlining the process of smart home control. Because every device in the Hive ecosystem needs a hub to operate (you can get a basic hub or the Hub 360, which doubles as a security system and is so much nicer), you won't need a separate hub for your lighting. . An added bonus is that Hive recently announced that Philips Hue bulbs can be integrated into the Hive ecosystem, so if you're this far down the list but still thinking about the Hue range, you can buy them again. Now. Like the other ranges, Hive has a variety of bulbs, some that change colour, and some that just turn white. The light from them is very pleasant, although the bulbs `` pulsate '' & # 39; & # 39; slightly if you turn them on using a light switch, so you have to leave the switch in the ``on'' position and turn the lights on and off using the app.
5. Singled Element Classic Starter Kit
Smart Basic Lighting for Affordable BuyersPower: 9.0W | Colour: White | Color temperature: 2700K | Light power: 800 | Lifespan: 25,000 hours | Height: 130mm | Diameter: 60mm Cheap! Google Home and Alexa compatibility Basic white color Not as fancy as Philips Hue If you're looking for the cheapest way to use smart lights, you should check out the Sengled Element Classic series of bulbs. These bulbs should cost you less than $20 / $20 once you buy the kit and, while they're only available in a basic white color, they're all you need to get started. world of smart lights and includes compatibility with most major smart home systems - Amazon Alexa and Echo Plus, Google Assistant and IFTTT included. That said, Sengled bulbs are a bit cheap and the app itself isn't the easiest to use or most robust we've ever come across. There's a huge disparity between Philips Hue and LIFX bulbs and Sengled bulbs, but, for a tenth of the cost, it's one of the best basic bulbs money can buy.
6.LIFX Mini Color
A cheap alternative to full size bulbsPower: 9.0W | Colour: 16 million colors | Color temperature: 2700K-9000K | Light power: 800 | Lifespan: 25,000 hours | Height: 104mm | Diameter: 60mm Lights with changing colors! Relatively inexpensive Often on sale Semi-confusing setup Although we're talking about cheap and versatile smart lamps, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention the LIFX Mini. It's the smallest member of the LIFX family, but also the most affordable starting point for smart new home owners. What separates the mini from full-size fixtures is, of course, the size of the bulb and the amount of light it can put out. However, if you're not looking to light up a large living room and install them in, say, your bathroom, it should do the trick. Each bulb can produce 16 million colors, choose from a scroll wheel in the LIFX app, or, if you want to control your lights hands-free, the Mini is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, and IFTTT. The LIFX is well balanced, relatively good for the price, and inexpensive.
7. IKEA Tradfri LED bulb
Simple, minimal and reliable, like everything else IKEAPower: 8.9W | Color temperature: 2700K | Light power: 806 | Lifespan: 25,000 hours | Height: 11cm | Diameter: 60mm Very simple Different affordable accessories No color options. You need a separate device for advanced functionality IKEA has entered the smart home market with the Tradfri range of smart bulbs. Sure, they may not have as many features and colors as the big brands, like Philips and LIFX, but they do provide a simple, easy-to-use system that will sit well with IKEA furniture. You can get white and color options and they fit E14 and E27 fixtures. There are also panels and spotlights in the range and you can select those that fit directly into IKEA cabinets, sideboards and other panels. We like this range because it is affordable, simple and easy to use. To take advantage of some of the more advanced features, you'll need to pair the bulb with a separate device so it can access your router, but there are plenty of options available, including support for ; Alexa.
