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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 still the best ones you can buy because they
are reliable, consistent, easy to use, and work
remotely.
If you're looking to smarten up
your home, there are two things you can buy to get started. The
first is a smart speaker with a smart assistant, like Amazon
Alexa or Google Assistant. The second is a set of smart light
bulbs. These two are the easiest and most affordable entryways
into building a smart home, and a gateway to future smart devices
like smart plugs, security cameras and sensors, door locks, etc.
When it comes to smart light
bulbs, there are lots of different options available, with the
most recognized ones being the Philips Hue bulbs. But before you
settle on any particular brand, there are a number of things you should think
about beforehand, especially if you plan on outfitting 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. The nice thing about
either is they're dimmable.
Connectivity: Most smart bulbs "talk" to a central hub
(using a technology called Zigbee), which is then connected to
a home's network via Wi-Fi (wireless) or Ethernet (wired). But
some smart bulbs use other routes: The C by GE bulbs work
through Bluetooth, for example. So, what are the pros and
cons?
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
with your phone even if you're miles away. But as mentioned,
you'll need a separate hub, and each brand will require its own
dedicated hub. Bluetooth bulbs can only connect to a phone
within a certain range (approximately up to 33 feet), but the
trade-off is that Bluetooth bulbs don't require a hub and use
less energy. Hub-based bulbs can work independently or as a
collective and can be controlled by multiple users, while a
Bluetooth bulb can only talk to one phone at a time.
Smart home compatibility: Looking to integrate the bulbs with smart
home platforms like Google Home, Amazon Alexa, or Apple
HomeKit? 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 best normal light bulbs 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 11/27/2019 by Caitlin Petreycik: Updated prices,
links, and formatting. Added related guides.
The best smart light bulbs overall
The Philips Hue light
bulbs are easy to use and set up, and they are the most
reliable bulbs we've tested.
Philips is arguably the most
famous smart light bulb manufacturer, and for good reason. In our
testing, not only were the Philips Hue light
bulbs extremely easy to set up, but they were also easy to
use and very consistent.
Perhaps the best thing about the
Philips Hue bulbs is their versatility. You could go for the
color-changing
bulbs, which are a little more expensive, but there's also
the option for the simple white bulbs,
which are cheaper and could offer a better option for those
looking to set up their entire home. No matter which set you buy,
all Hue bulbs are dimmable and can be controlled remotely with
the Hue app.
The light bulbs themselves output
800 lumens, which is more than enough for most small to
medium-sized rooms, and while larger rooms could benefit from
multiple bulbs, that's also true of your standard 60W light bulbs
that your home may already be using. On top of that, they're
relatively small, unlike bulbs from the likes of LIFX, so they'll
be able to fit into most places that your average light bulbs
fit.
There are a few downsides to
using Philips Hue bulbs, including the fact that you'll have to
use the Hue Bridge (Zigbee) hub and that they're more expensive
to own than Bluetooth bulbs when you factor in the price of the
hub (the white bulbs are the most affordable, costing around $15
each). Also, the Hue Bridge hub will not support other brands'
bulbs, even if they use Zigbee, but some Zigbee-certified hubs
will support Hue bulbs. Of course, the upside to that is
reliability and the ability to remotely control your lights, so
it is well worth it.
You can also control the bulbs
with your voice if you have Google Home, Apple HomeKit, or Amazon
Alexa. It's extremely convenient when you don't want to go get
your phone or your hands are busy. You can also control the
lights using the respective apps for the aforementioned
platforms.
We weren't the only ones who
liked the Philips Hue smart bulbs - both CNET and Trusted Reviews rated them
highly . Experts and buyers
alike agree that these bulbs are the best ones you can buy.
Having purchased and tested various smart bulbs, Guides Editor
Les Shu eventually settled on Philips Hue for his home, citing
the easy set-up and operation with both HomeKit and Alexa.
Note: In 2019, Philips
introduced new bulbs that support both Bluetooth and Zigbee,
which means you can use them with or without a Hue Bridge hub. A
two-pack of new white bulbs
costs about the equivalent of standard Hue white bulbs, while a
two-pack of new color bulbs
will set you back a bit more. The white-bulb set is priced
in-line with the C by GE Bluetooth set we mention in this list,
but since we haven't tested the new Hue bulbs yet, for now, our
pick for Bluetooth bulbs remain the C by GE. Based on our
experience with Hue bulbs, we think these will perform just as
well, but now with the option of using Bluetooth.
Pros: Reliable,
versatile, easy to use, easy to set up, consistent, voice
control, dimmable
Cons: Require
Hue Bridge hub, a little pricey
The best smart light bulbs without a hub
LIFX's bulbs are
easy to use and offer a ton of customization in the awesome app,
but best of all, they work without a hub.
Interested in setting up your
home with smart lighting but don't necessarily want to deal with
a hub and the cost associated with one? LIFX' bulbs are
probably your best bet.
LIFX has been
around for a while now, and the company makes some excellent
bulbs that can be set up completely hub-free. Simply screw the
bulb in and follow the instructions in the app. The app is pretty
easy to use, and it allows you to control bulbs individually or
in groups to set scenes, schedule the lights to turn on and off,
and even turn on effects like a strobe light for parties.
There are also a few different
bulbs available, including the standard A19 bulb and the BR30
model, so you should be able to find the right bulb for most
situations.
There are a few downsides to
these bulbs. For starters, they're somewhat large, and because
there's so much tech packed into each individual bulb, the cost
for a bulb is a little higher than Philips' Hue, though these
LIFX bulbs don't require a hub. We also found in our testing that
at times the app could be a little buggy and not recognize when
bulbs were on, though that was rare.
Budget alternative: We
like the LIFX bulbs because they support Amazon Alexa, Google
Assistant, and Apple HomeKit platforms. If you don't need HomeKit
support, we recommend the Kasa smart light bulbs from TP-Link.
We've had great success with Kasa bulbs, which work similarly to
LIFX bulbs - no hub needed. A dimmable white bulb and a multicolor variant are both
great affordable options. A dimmable soft white bulb and tunable white bulb (adjustable
from soft white to bright white) are also available.
Pros: Excellent
app, very bright, easy to set up, no hub required
Cons: Somewhat
large, can sometimes have trouble connecting
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The best Bluetooth smart light bulbs
The C by GE Bluetooth
smart bulbs are easy to set up and use in the app, and they cost
far less than Wi-Fi bulbs.
Looking for a bulb that connects
through Bluetooth? GE has the solution for you: C by GE light
bulbs. This starter pack comes with two bulbs, called C-Life
and C-Sleep, and each is designed for different uses. The C-Life
is for everyday use, and the C-Sleep is for use in the
bedroom.
What's the difference between the
bulbs? C-Life is really only a white color (if white can be a
color), while C-Sleep offers three different settings: a cold
light, to energize you in the morning, a normal white light, and
a warm light to promote sleep at night.
Because the bulbs connect through
Bluetooth and don't require Wi-Fi, they're pretty small and also
relatively cheap, because you don't need to factor in a hub -
great for homeowners who are just stepping into the smart
lighting world and aren't yet ready to commit to a full lighting
system. This two-pack is also less expensive than our hub-less
Wi-Fi options, the LIFX and TP-Link Kasa bulbs.
The trade-off is that you have to
be within Bluetooth range - 10 meters or 33 feet - to use the
bulbs, so forget about using them while you're out of the house
or even at the other end of the home. That can be a real problem
for some users, especially those who want to really turn their
home into a smart home. You may also run into connectivity
issues.
Still, that doesn't mean you
shouldn't go for these bulbs. The app is quite easy to use -
although perhaps not as easy as Philips and LIFX - and the C By
GE bulbs represent a great introduction to smart lighting.
Note: The C by GE Life
and Sleep bulbs now support Google Assistant, no hub necessary.
With a device like a Google Nest Mini, you can
control the bulbs with your voice or remotely. If you're looking
to expand the C by GE bulbs' capabilities, connect them to the
C by GE smart plug, which adds
support for Amazon Alexa and Google Home, as well as
away-from-home control.
Pros: Cheap,
easy to connect
Cons: Limited
color options, app could be more user-friendly
Looking for some smart lighting
that bucks the trend of standard screw-in light bulbs? The
Nanoleaf Light Panel
kit not only serves as a great way to bring some light into
your home, but it can be configured to suit your home's color
scheme and set up in shapes to really accent the room.
The Nanoleaf lights are
flat triangles, and you essentially connect a series of them
together to create fun shapes on your wall or any other surface.
It's available in a starter kit with nine lights, as well as an
expansion pack with three more lights. Simply attach the lights
to the wall, boot up the app, and go through setup. Then, you can
set each light to a different color, all to the same color, or
set effects. You can even control them with Amazon Alexa, Google
Assistant, or Apple HomeKit.
Of course, as cool as these
lights are, they may not be as practical as standard smart light
bulbs, and they won't necessarily fit in every home as standard
light bulbs will. In our testing, we found that the app could
also only connect with the lights when on the same network, which
might be a problem for some. Still, those things don't make these
lights any less cool when they're mounted on the wall.
In our testing, the Nanoleaf lights were extremely easy to
use, and while it often took a few seconds to connect, once they
were connected, the app was a pleasure to use. CNET and TechHive both gave the lights 4 out of 5 stars.
Pros: Unique,
great decorations, easy to use
Cons: Requires a
home network, not as practical as standard light bulbs
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The best portable smart light
The Philips Hue Go
offers all the advantages of a standard Philips light, but it
also adds portability, too.
This is the second Philips light to show up on this list, but for
good reason. Philips' Hue lighting system is arguably the best
smart lighting system out there, but if you go for Philips you
don't have to stick with stuck-in-place lights. Philips also
offers the Hue Go light, which
is a light you can take with you around the house, rather than
keeping it in one spot.
The light itself plugs in through a standard power outlet, but it
also has a built-in battery that can power the lamp for up to
three hours, so if you want to unplug it and take it to the
living room for a few hours, you can do so. That battery life
isn't long, and you'll probably want to recharge it after each
use, but if you're good at charging things up, you shouldn't have
too much of an issue.
Like other Hue products, the Hue Go is easily
set up in the app, where you can tweak things like colors,
brightness, and so on.
It's important to note that this light isn't necessarily meant to
be taken on a camping trip. It still connects through Wi-Fi via
the Hue Bridge hub, so it's really aimed at being an in-home
light - one that can quickly and easily be taken anywhere in the
home.
Pros: Portable, easy to use, not overly
expensive
Cons: Requires home network
The best Zigbee smart light bulbs
The Cree smart bulbs connect to
your smart home hub through Zigbee, and the best thing about that
is that they're inexpensive.
Cree's smart light bulbs are
not as well-known as the likes of Philips or LIFX, but its bulbs
have a lot to offer. Why? Well, the bulbs connect through Zigbee
- so if you have a compatible smart hub, you could set up your
home with these smart bulbs at a fraction of the cost.
The reason the bulbs are so
inexpensive is that they don't need Wi-Fi radios built into them,
and the technology they do need is much more basic. So long as
you have a Zigbee hub like the ones from Wink, WeMo, and Samsung's SmartThings, the
bulbs will connect to it and you'll be able to control the bulbs
from your phone.
Note that not all Zigbee hubs are
compatible. The Philips Hue Bridge is a Zigbee-compliant product
but it only supports Philips Hue bulbs.
The Cree bulbs are also dimmable,
which is great for those of you who want to set different scenes
and lighting profiles. The companion app is relatively simple,
and if you already have a Zigbee-friendly hub, these bulbs are a
very cost-effective alternative to our top pick, the Philips
Hue.
Pros: Inexpensive, work with SmartThings and Wink,
Zigbee compatible, affordable
Cons: White
only, needs hub
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Having a good router at home is becoming increasingly important.
It's not just about connecting your phone and your computer to
Wi-Fi anymore. Nowadays, you need a good router to maximize your
internet speeds and connect all your smart home devices and other
connected things. Here are the best routers you can buy:
A media streaming device can transform your so-called dumb TV
into a smart one that plays shows and movies from Netflix, Hulu,
HBO Now, Prime Video, and other streaming services. Here are the
best streaming sticks and devices you can buy:
Amazon's Echo was the first smart speaker to find its way into
millions of people's homes. Since the original Echo launched in
2014, Amazon has launched several new versions of the original
speaker as well as a host of other Echo devices that have Alexa
voice control built in. There are so many different Echos now
that we've put together this guide to help you find the best one
for your needs. Here are the best Echo devices you can buy:
A USB Type-C hub or dock is a great way to add more ports on your
laptop or tablet, especially if you have a laptop that only has
one or two USB-C ports - whether it's a Mac, PC, or Chromebook,
as well as newer iPad Pros and even select Android smartphones.
Here are the best USB-C hubs you can buy:
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