Best Smart Light Bulbs
The team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.Philips/Business InsiderThe Insider Pick:.
Smart light bulbs bring your home into the 21st century, allowing you to control your lights straight from your phone or with your voice. After much testing, it's clear that the are the best ones you can buy because they are reliable, consistent, easy to use, and work remotely.The home is getting smarter, and it seems like one of the first ways to introduce some smarts into your home is by buying smart light bulbs. There are a ton of different smart light bulbs out there, and while perhaps the most famous ones are the Philips Hue bulbs, there are still some advantages to other bulbs, too.Of course, there are a number of things you should think about before you decide which smart bulbs to buy, especially if you plan on setting up your entire home. Here’s a quick rundown of things to consider:.
Color or white: Smart light bulbs generally come in two flavors — color bulbs or white bulbs. White bulbs, as you might assume, really only turn on and off like your standard light bulb, while color bulbs can change colors. Of course, white bulbs are also generally cheaper than color bulbs because they are less technically complex to create. Connectivity: Most smart bulbs connect to your phone through Wi-Fi, but some use other routes. The C by GE bulbs work through Bluetooth, for example. Wi-Fi connectivity means that you can control your bulbs anywhere you have an internet connection, so you can turn them on or off remotely.
Bluetooth bulbs can only be used in Bluetooth range, but the trade-off is that Bluetooth bulbs are a lot cheaper. Wi-Fi bulbs tend to be more stable, while Bluetooth bulbs suffer from connection problems. Smart home compatibility: Looking to integrate the bulbs with other smart devices like Google Home or Amazon Alexa? You might want to check that your bulbs are compatible before you buy them.
That way, you can control your bulbs with your voice, and your bulbs can interact with other smart devices in your home.We tested several smart light bulbs to find the best ones you can buy. We picked bulbs at various price points and included some that don't need a hub. The lights that have hubs do work better and more consistently. The hub also enables you to control your lights remotely, so we think it's worth the price if you're really serious about building a smart home.You can also check out our guide to the if you're not convinced that smart bulbs are for you. Read on to learn all about our top picks for the best smart light bulbs.Updated on by Christian de Looper: Added the Cree Connected bulbs and updated prices. Read on in the slides below to learn why the is our top pick and why you should also consider the, the, the, the, and the.
The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.The Insider Pick:Smart light bulbs bring your home into the 21st century, allowing you to control your lights straight from your phone or with your voice.After much testing, it's clear that the Philips Hue light bulbs are the best ones you can buy because they are reliable, consistent, easy to use, and work remotely.The home is getting smarter, and it seems like one of the first ways to introduce some smarts into your home is by buying smart light bulbs.
There are a ton of different smart light bulbs out there, and while perhaps the most famous ones are the Philips Hue bulbs, there are still some advantages to other bulbs, too.Of course, there are a number of things you should think about before you decide which smart bulbs to buy, especially if you plan on setting up your entire home. Here’s a quick rundown of things to consider:Color or white: Smart light bulbs generally come in two flavors — color bulbs or white bulbs. White bulbs, as you might assume, really only turn on and off like your standard light bulb, while color bulbs can change colors. Of course, white bulbs are also generally cheaper than color bulbs because they are less technically complex to create.Connectivity: Most smart bulbs connect to your phone through Wi-Fi, but some use other routes. The C by GE bulbs work through Bluetooth, for example.
Wi-Fi connectivity means that you can control your bulbs anywhere you have an internet connection, so you can turn them on or off remotely. Bluetooth bulbs can only be used in Bluetooth range, but the trade-off is that Bluetooth bulbs are a lot cheaper.
Wi-Fi bulbs tend to be more stable, while Bluetooth bulbs suffer from connection problems.Smart home compatibility: Looking to integrate the bulbs with other smart devices like Google Home or Amazon Alexa? You might want to check that your bulbs are compatible before you buy them. That way, you can control your bulbs with your voice, and your bulbs can interact with other smart devices in your home.We tested several smart light bulbs to find the best ones you can buy. We picked bulbs at various price points and included some that don't need a hub. The lights that have hubs do work better and more consistently. The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like.
Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.The Insider Pick:Smart light bulbs bring your home into the 21st century, allowing you to control your lights straight from your phone or with your voice.After much testing, it's clear that the Philips Hue light bulbs are the best ones you can buy because they are reliable, consistent, easy to use, and work remotely.The home is getting smarter, and it seems like one of the first ways to introduce some smarts into your home is by buying smart light bulbs. There are a ton of different smart light bulbs out there, and while perhaps the most famous ones are the Philips Hue bulbs, there are still some advantages to other bulbs, too.Of course, there are a number of things you should think about before you decide which smart bulbs to buy, especially if you plan on setting up your entire home. Here’s a quick rundown of things to consider:Color or white: Smart light bulbs generally come in two flavors — color bulbs or white bulbs. White bulbs, as you might assume, really only turn on and off like your standard light bulb, while color bulbs can change colors. Of course, white bulbs are also generally cheaper than color bulbs because they are less technically complex to create.Connectivity: Most smart bulbs connect to your phone through Wi-Fi, but some use other routes. The C by GE bulbs work through Bluetooth, for example. Wi-Fi connectivity means that you can control your bulbs anywhere you have an internet connection, so you can turn them on or off remotely.
Bluetooth bulbs can only be used in Bluetooth range, but the trade-off is that Bluetooth bulbs are a lot cheaper. Wi-Fi bulbs tend to be more stable, while Bluetooth bulbs suffer from connection problems.Smart home compatibility: Looking to integrate the bulbs with other smart devices like Google Home or Amazon Alexa? You might want to check that your bulbs are compatible before you buy them. That way, you can control your bulbs with your voice, and your bulbs can interact with other smart devices in your home.We tested several smart light bulbs to find the best ones you can buy. We picked bulbs at various price points and included some that don't need a hub. The lights that have hubs do work better and more consistently.
Philips Hue systems are best if you plan on using multiple smart bulbs throughout different rooms. You’ll have to connect the Hue Bridge to your router using both an Ethernet cable and a power cord to allow the Bridge to work as a hub. From there you can sync all the Hue bulbs easily over your Wi-Fi network.The Philips Hue app gives you all the important features like creating groups, setting timers, controlling dynamic color and brightness, and scheduling lighting events (like having all your lights come on when you get home). That’s helpful when you come home with two armfuls of groceries or a pair of newborn twins.ASecureLife recommends: We recommend the system if you plan to use more than one smart bulb. If you’re adding only one or two smart colored light bulbs to your home, we’d recommend the LIFX A19. LIFX systems are groupable in the LIFX app, but we think they thrive as standalone lights.The app gives you all kinds of effects from a subtle, spooky flicker to a full-on strobe.
Best Smart Light Bulbs Google Home
You can also sync your LIFX bulbs to your music and they’ll change to the beat. At the very least, this bulb could serve as a fun party trick when you have guests over.
Best Smart Light Bulbs For Alexa
And at most it’s a really solid smart light bulb with the widest range of color and brightness options.ASecureLife recommends: The is our favorite standalone smart bulb. It offers bright color and a boatload of fun features in the app. C by GE smart bulbs don’t come with all the same party tricks or features as the LIFX and Philips Hue colored lights, but they hold their own as practical smart white lights. We recommend these lights to anyone who wants a simple and functional smart light system.These lights also work well with Google Home and Apple HomeKit, or you can download an Alexa skill to control your lights with an Echo product.ASecureLife recommends: They’re not the flashiest or most feature-rich option, but we really like the simplicity and affordability of these smart bulbs. The smart light bulb market is saturated by different brands trying to offer their own smart lighting solutions.
Smart Bulb Comparison
We looked into smart lights by Ikea, Cree, Illumi, and a few other brands.While all seemed to offer viable smart bulbs and systems, we didn’t see any features that set these brands apart from those leading the pack––like Philips.You can also find cheaper light bulb options, like Sengled colored lights, but they don’t hold up to brands like Philips or LIFX in the colored light realm, which offer a broader spectrum of color options and higher-quality bulbs. Our recommendationUnless you’re looking for a single smart bulb, we’d recommend the for managing multiple smart lights throughout your home.
The Philips bridge feels a little outdated, but it is more reliable when you’re using multiple smart bulbs in your home.If you just want to add a color light or two, we like smart bulbs for their easy setup, bright colored lighting, and a feature-rich app.If you want to control your smart lighting with a smart assistant, take a look at our recommended.Ready for a smart lighting system? Buy the. Automate your home. Learn more about the.