One thing to think about as you’re choosing light bulbs is what color light they provide. Most lights will provide a warm white light, while other lights can shine in several different colors. As with everything else, you’ll have full control of the color of your lights from your voice assistant or the app on your phone.
Another thing to look out for is the dimmability offered by your lights. Many people choose dimmable lights for the wide range of functionality they offer. They can be set at dimmer settings for times when kids are getting ready for bed (or while they are sleeping) and at brighter settings for more active times during the day.
Many smart lights can be set on automatic timers. Most commonly, this means that your lights will turn on or off at certain times during the day. Smart lights can also be turned on and off while you’re away from home by using the app on your phone. If you’ve ever worried while away from home that you forgot to turn out the lights when leaving for an overnight trip, you’ll worry no more, as you’ll simply open the app to turn your lights off or ensure that you’ve already shut them down.
Lastly, you might want to think about the power your lights can put out. This is measured both in watts and lumens. The lumen numbers will tell you how bright your lights can shine at the highest settings, while the wattage will give you an idea of what sort of energy level your lights might require to function. Also, keep in mind that some newer lights are designed to be more energy-efficient than past options, which can help you save on your utility bills.
These lights offer you the easiest way to get started with smart lighting. You can set the mood instantly with these bulbs and the Hue Bluetooth app.
These lights are dimmable and give you increased control over setting the mood in your home.
These lights are certified for humans and meet strict guidelines for a struggle-free, tinker-free, and stress-free experience with smart lighting control.
These lights are equipped with Bluetooth low-energy mesh 5.0 wireless technology to allow for a farther reach, enabling whole-home installation.
You can screw these lights into your desired indoor or covered outdoor fixture to get light where you need it the most.
These lights will need to be used with a compatible Echo device or Ring Bridge to get the full range of functionalities featured in the app, such as customizable settings, schedules, and the ability to connect to other compatible Ring devices.
These lights enable you to set the right mood and brightness for any activity. They can be set brighter for kids to get up in the morning, or dimmed so that they can more easily fall asleep.
The typical lumen output of these lightbulbs is 800lm.
Need to get bulbs for your entire house? This purchase will make sure that you have plenty of light in each room, and you’ll love how easy they are to control with your Alexa or Google Home assistant.
These lights are easy to install and require no hub or subscription to get up them and running.
These brilliantly colored lights allow you to set up the perfect illumination for any occasion.
These lights only consume around 9W of energy and can help you save money on your utility costs each year.
A: As a general rule, you’ll need to have WiFi to control your lights. You’ll likely also need to download an app on your phone to access the full range of features made possible by your smart lights. Some lights will also require a base, like a Ring or Echo, which can handle multiple light bulbs at once.
A: Most lights on this list will work with Amazon Echo. Some lights will also work with Google Home or Microsoft Cortana. If you don’t have a smart speaker yet but are interested in getting one, you might study your smart bulbs to see what assistants they will work with, and make a choice accordingly about which one you’ll buy. If you already have a smart speaker, you’ll want to make sure the lights you buy are compatible with the speaker that you already own.