IN A HURRY? CHECK OUT Philips Hue A19 smart bulb TOP PROS:
- Easy to setup
- Compatible with home assistants
- You can create light schedule
A good lighting system in the home contributes significantly to the beauty and the elegance of a home. With the advancement of technology, long gone are the days of manually changing light switches. With the emergence of smart home lighting systems, life got a bit easier!
There are varieties of lighting systems today, choosing the best product for your home might be a little bit tricky. When picking a smart light bulb, quality should be at the top of your priority list. The best smart light bulbs are not difficult to set up, they are bright and also compatible with other smart home systems.
A quality smart light bulb would also consume less energy than regular halogen light bulbs. This doesn’t automatically mean that every smart light bulb in the market is worth buying. We are here to help you to make the smartest choice.
Our top pick for smart bulbs is the Philips Hue A19 smart bulb. This is a high-quality smart bulb that lights up your home. What sets this product apart from others is that it seamlessly integrates with smart devices like Amazon Alexa and Apple Homekit. It is quite expensive at $198 but it provides great value for money. With this device, you can control your home’s lighting system whether you’re home or not.
Our runner-up product is the Lifx smart lighting system. The unique feature of this product is the level of brightness and its ability to support invisible infrared.
In this article, we’ll provide detailed descriptions of the best smart bulbs that are available in the market. We will also guide you on how to make the best choice for your home.
CONTENTS:
- Before you buy: 4 things you have to consider before buying a smart bulb
- The 4 best smart bulbs
- 5 Creative uses for smart light bulbs
- What we considered in choosing the 5 listed products
- Conclusion
Quick Summary
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | DETAILS | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Our #1 Choice
Philips Hue A19 smart bulb |
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Check on Amazon |
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LIFX A19 smart bulb |
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Check on Amazon |
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Sengled Smart LED with motion sensor |
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Check on Amazon |
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Govee Smart LED Strip Lights |
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Check on Amazon |
Before you buy: 4 things you have to consider before buying a smart bulb
There are some important factors to consider before buying a smart home bulb. These factors about smart home bulbs would help you in selecting the right lighting system for your home. These 4 factors are:
- Compatibility with other smart devices.
- The number of colors.
- Light programming and control
- Price
Compatibility with other smart devices
When planning to install a smart home system, it’s crucial to consider whether the product you are planning to purchase is compatible with other smart devices in your home. Some smart home bulbs are very choosy, they’ll work with some products and not work with others.
To get the best out of a smart home bulb, the smart bulb needs to be compatible with other smart devices. Before buying a smart LED bulb, we recommend checking if the product has an independent app or it can be synced into a smart ecosystem.
Number of colors
Smart LED bulbs are truly beautiful and they have a unique way of adding glamour to the home. LEDs can produce an array of colors and different shades of light. You should consider the number of colors that a smart LED bulb can produce before buying.
It would be a great mismatch if your smart bulb can’t produce your favorite colors. The two popular colors produced by LEDs are soft white and bright white. The soft white is also known as warm white; while the bright white is known as daylight.
We recommend doing a proper check before buying. LED bulbs might be expensive to buy initially, but using them saves you a lot of money in the long run.
Light programming and control
Smart LED bulbs give you a measure of control of the lighting system in your home. It permits you to control color shade, dimming, run period, brightness, and many more. Before buying a smart bulb, it is important to know that almost all LED bulbs can be blurred regardless of the type of socket they are fixed in. Some need a dimmer socket.
For any model, make sure you check the app support and features before buying. This would provide insight into the type of smart bulb you are buying.
Price
There are varieties of smart bulbs available for purchase, made by different manufacturers. They also come at different prices. Smart bulbs are generally more expensive than incandescent bulbs. One thing you should know is that the cost of smart LED bulbs is way higher than normal LED bulbs. So before making a purchase, we recommend you check your budget before doling out cash.
The 4 best smart bulbs
1. Philips Hue A19 smart bulb
The starter kit of this product contains two to four dimmable colored bulbs and a hub. These smart, energy-efficient bulbs are among the very best in the market. These light bulbs can connect to virtually every smart home gadget. They integrate easily with your favorite smart devices like Amazon Alexa, Apple Homekit, and Google Assistant. With this product, you can make it look as if you are at home when you’re away by creating a schedule for your smart bulbs.
It’s also possible to create a light schedule to put you in sleep mode and also to help you wake up early in the morning. The Hue Hub supports a lighting experience with up to 50 light points both indoor and outdoor. You can control your Philips Hue Smart light with a single touch on your mobile device or voice assistant.
It has about 16 million colors and shades of white you can choose from to turn your everyday lighting experience into an impressive one. With these smart bulbs, you can unleash your powerful creative attribute. To get the best out of this product, we recommend setting a timer to automate your entire smart home lighting setup.
Pros
- Easy to set up: very easy to set up, you can set it up all by yourself without a technician.
- Comprehensive third-party integration: They integrate easily with your favorite smart devices like Amazon Alexa, Apple Homekit, and Google Assistant.
- Automated home lighting set up.
Cons
- Not budget-friendly
Bottom line
One of the standout features of this product is the depth of its app, the app is loaded with many features. It is the best smart light bulb based on our findings. The only caveat that we discovered that the Hue systems have some security flaws. You have to carry out firmware updates to protect your system from malware. Overall, it is highly recommended.
2. LIFX A19 smart bulb
This product is easily among the best smart bulbs you would find. It works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Homekit. It has some cool features like candle flicker and a strobe. You can also synchronize your music playlist with it. These smart bulbs are also directly connected to Wifi, it doesn’t need a hub to function.
It’s easy to set up, you can install these smart bulbs just like the regular ones. After installing, download the app, connect to Wi-Fi and you’re good to go! This smart bulb puts you in charge. This product allows you to control light individually or as a group. With your mobile device, it’s possible to create beautiful themes and custom scenes.
LIFX smart bulb has an output of 800 lumens, which’s the equivalent of a 60W regular incandescent bulb. This smart bulb consumes just 9W of energy use. It is bright and at the same time efficient.
Pros
- Bright and efficient: the smart bulb makes use of 800 lumens and consumes just 9W of energy use.
- Easy installation: download the Lifx app, follow the instructions and enjoy!
- Advanced automation system.
Cons
- It’s quite pricey.
Bottom line
Lifx is an excellent smart bulb if you consider buying a smart home light bulb. Although it is quite pricey, some mini Lifx models are quite affordable. This smart bulb lets you control color temperature. We did our homework about this smart light bulb, it is highly recommended.
3. Sengled Smart LED with motion sensor
Sengled smart LED bulbs have a built-in sensor that detects motion. These sensors ensure that these smart bulbs remain off during the day. This feature saves you some money in the long term by reducing energy costs. This smart bulb automatically on itself when it detects motion within 30 feet of the smart sensor.
This smart LED bulb produces 1200 lumens of light, saves more than 80% of electricity bills compared to other traditional bulbs. This light bulb gives off a soft white glow (3000 Kelvin) often appearing yellow in appearance. This kind of lighting is mostly suited for the dining room and bedroom including outdoor spaces. This smart light bulb has a lifespan of 22.8 years based on 3hrs per day use.
This smart LED bulb is UL wet listed certified. It means the smart bulb can be successfully used in wet locations without it being damaged. You can install this product where it will come in direct contact with water. It is designed with waterproof materials to protect the internal elements.
Pros
- Motion sensor: it can detect motion within 30 feet with a smart sensor.
- Waterproof LED light: it can be used in wet and damp areas.
- Bright and efficient.
Cons
- The smart bulbs are not dimmable.
Bottom line
If you’re looking for a motion-sensitive bulb, this is one of the best that can be found. It is easy to set up and doesn’t require any technical knowledge to install. This product is hugely popular with users because of its quality. It is highly recommended.
4. Govee Smart LED Strip Lights
Govee LED strip lights are perfect for various room ambiances. It works with Alexa and Google Assistant. A simple voice command can start conversations that can turn light on and off, make them brighter, and even change them to your favorite color.
A built-in mic also allows the led light to sync with any music type. The strip lights dance to your favorite songs. The Govee app has plenty of scene features you can choose from. The app also offers you advanced control of the led light and it gives you the freedom of a DIY mode and a convenient timer function.
It’s also quite easy to install. The light kit comes with an ETL-listed adapter and five strong support clips. All you have to do is simply attach the light bulb to any clean surface and bolster it with the clips.
Pros
- Cool music sync feature: built-in mic allows the led light to sync with any music type.
- Hands-free voice control: the led strip light works with both Alexa and Google Assistant.
- Budget-friendly.
Cons
- The led light strips are not waterproof.
Bottom line
These light strips are simply great to have at home. It makes your home come to life. Another strong point for this product is the price, it’s not as expensive as its competitors in the marketplace. It offers great value for money. It offers great value for money.
5 Creative uses for smart light bulbs
Smart light bulbs are quite expensive in comparison to normal incandescent bulbs. We’ll discuss 5 creative ways in which you can get the best out of your smart light bulbs:
Check if your doors are locked
One of the most disgusting feelings a person can have is not to be sure if the doors are securely locked after leaving home. If you invest in smart light bulbs and your house is fully automated, you may not have to deal with this feeling anymore. Smart light bulbs can be programmed to change color when the doors are securely locked!
Be prepared for the weather
Weather is one of the few things we always have to adapt to in life. One of the ways we respond to changes in the weather is by putting on the appropriate clothes. A smart light bulb can be of help in this regard. You can set up the IFTTT command that activates your light bulbs to turn blue when it’s cold, and it turns red when it is hot.
Know who’s entering the house with light alerts
If you’ve got yourself some Hue Smart light bulbs, it can send an alert to your mobile device when someone enters through a door or the light bulbs change color when someone enters a given part of the house. Smart bulbs can also help you to keep an eye on your kid’s movement around the house. This improves the overall security in your home.
Schedule lights for better control
One good way to get the best from smart light bulbs is to group them by room or location. You can schedule the lights in a particular part of your home to go off at a specific time of the day. One easy way to go about this is to use an installed app on your device to carry out these controls. Alternatively, smart speakers like Amazon Echo or Google Home can also be used.
Improve your sleep habits
One of the most difficult things is to stick to a bedtime schedule, with so many distractions around. Smart lights can be creatively used to reset your sleeping pattern. When it’s time for bed, smart light bulbs can be programmed to change color to aid you to get quality sleep. The green color is known to be soothing at bedtime.
What we considered in choosing the 5 listed products
Choosing the 5 listed products wasn’t an easy task for our team. Since we have an array of smart light bulbs in the marketplace. We made sure all the products we selected are trustworthy and we can vouch for each one of them. We understand the fact that there are plenty of smart bulbs, but we know that not every one of them is worth buying.
We also painstakingly read the customer’s reviews for each product, we were not carried away by the manufacturer’s description of the product. We did objective analysis for these products to make sure they have the required quality of what we want.
Smart light bulbs are quite pricey, this factor played a significant role in our selection. We made sure to include a few budget-friendly products in our list. We understand the fact that some are on a tight budget.
Conclusion
If you are interested in building a fully automated home, investing in smart lighting is a good way to start. They are way better than non-smart bulbs, they are simple to install and save more energy. Since technology keeps making giant strides, we are pretty sure smart light bulbs will get better.
We are sure you’ve been able to learn something tangible in this article, we are quite confident you can now make some informed decisions about a good lighting system for your home. It’s not just about buying a smart bulb but buying the one that suits your style and taste.
Are you already using smart light bulbs in your home? What have been your experiences so far? We can’t wait to read about your experiences in the comments section below!
