The Best Smart Home Lighting
Electricity isn’t cheap, and with the number of devices we use, it can be hard to cut down on how much we use. But one common way people reduce their power consumption is by automatically turning lights off when they’re not in use. Smart home lighting can give you more control and flexibility for your home and allow you to turn off your lights from your phone. Check out our list of the best lighting options below to find one that is best for you.
What to Look For
When choosing our favorite smart home lighting options, we looked for ones that are easy to set up and control, provide solid light for your room or home, and are a great value for their price. GE’s Cync smart bulbs take the top of our list with their cool RGB capabilities and easy adjustability. If you’re looking to light up several rooms, Sengled’s four-pack of bulbs gives you the brightness and control you need. Keep on reading to learn more about our favorite lighting options.
GE Cync Smart LED Light Bulbs
If you’re new to the smart home space, you may want to start slowly before trying to convert your whole house. GE’s Cync LED bulbs are a great way to kick things off, allowing you to convert two of your fixtures into smart devices. They’re controllable through an app or smart hub, giving you access to them remotely. Best yet, they can be set to millions of different color combinations so you can create entertaining effects for your home or room.
Pros:
- Works well with Alexa and Google Assistant
- Doesn’t require a separate smart hub
- Capable of lasting up to 15 times longer than other bulbs
Cons:
- Aren’t the cheapest option, but bright and reliable
Sengled RGB Smart Bulb Pack
The more the merrier
Converting your house into a smart home takes multiple bulbs, and Sengled’s four-pack helps make it shine. They work even if you don’t have a smart hub, so you don’t need to purchase one if you don’t want to. They can be dimmed to your desired level and set to any color you’d like using your phone. You can even set them to wake and sleep modes, helping automate your life even further for your convenience.
Pros:
- Bulbs produce bright and vibrant colors.
- The app is easy to use to control your bulbs’ brightness and colors
- WiFi connection is strong, even if bulbs are further away from your router.
Cons:
- Each bulb needs to be added individually on the mobile app.
Sengled Alexa WiFi Smart Bulb Pack
Voice control
If you have Alexa or Google Assistant, you already have what you need to make full use of Sengled’s pack of WiFi smart bulbs. They pair perfectly with your phone or Echo Dot, allowing you to turn them on and off with just your voice. They can be dimmed to a specific brightness as well, simply by telling them your desired percentage. And to help you get ready for bed, these bulbs can be set to dim automatically over time.
Pros:
- Easily pairs with a smart hub over WiFi
- White tone brightens up rooms nicely
- Capable of lasting for 25,000 hours
Cons:
- Only supports 2.4GHz WiFi and not 5GHz
Echo Dot 5th Gen with Philips Hue White Smart Bulb
At your service
While smart bulbs don’t require a smart hub, having one can make your life a lot easier. This Echo Dot and Philips smart bulb bundle ensures you can control your lighting even when your phone isn’t handy. In fact, with this smart hub, you don’t even need to download a separate app to turn lights on and off or dim them using your voice. The bulb has different preset scenes for quick brightness adjustments and offers 1,100 lumens for your room.
Pros:
- Scene presets make it even easier to change brightness levels
- 1,100 lumens provide a good amount of light
- Setup with Alexa is quick and easy
Cons:
- Only has Bluetooth and not WiFi, so a hub is required for remote access
Govee Smart LED Strip Lights
Lighting doesn’t have to come from a floor lamp or nightstand. Govee’s smart LED strips can be run around the ceiling, underneath cabinets, or along your floor to create the perfect ambiance. They can be easily paired with a smart hub, Alexa, or Google Assistant for voice control and have their own built-in microphones for music sync. Each roll has 16.4 feet of lights and can be cut shorter if needed.
Pros:
- LED lights are bright and provide a fantastic glow
- Music sync is a great feature for parties
- Has over 64 different lighting scenes you can choose from
Cons:
- The adhesive backing can lose its stickiness if you try to reposition the strip
Frequently Asked Questions
Are WiFi smart bulbs better than Bluetooth ones?
Whether you need WiFi or Bluetooth, smart bulbs depend on how you plan on using them. If you expect to use a smart hub to control your lights, then you only need bulbs that have Bluetooth to pair them with your hub. If you want remote control without one, however, then you’ll want lights that can connect to your WiFi.
Should I try to buy all my smart lighting from the same company?
If you plan on only using your smart hub to control your lighting, then it can be okay to mix and match bulbs from different companies. However, if you plan on using your phone to control them remotely, it would be easier to stick to just one, so you don’t have to download multiple apps for each bulb.
About the Author
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