Smart lighting is one of the easiest ways to upgrade your home. We’ve rounded up some of the best options, from high-end lamps and permanent fixtures to straightforward smart bulbs. Many are compatible with IFTTT.
Some require a hub, which can cost up to $100, but adds voice control with Alexa and Google Assistant, schedules and automations, and HomeKit connectivity. Others work directly with your router and don’t need a hub.
1. Philips Hue
Philips Hue has one of the most comprehensive smart light ranges, from bulbs to lightstrips, with a good mix of physical controls and great third-party integration. Its most notable feature is its wide support for smart assistants – Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are both supported, while Apple users get full HomeKit compatibility thanks to the included Bridge.
You can control Hue devices with the app or via voice if you have a smart speaker, but you’ll need a Bridge to do more advanced stuff like setting up routines and automating your lights. The Bridge also pushes firmware updates to your lights, ensuring they’re always secure and up-to-date.
Make your home feel a little more special with lights that flash and change color to the rhythm of your music, movies, games, or TV shows. Automatically turn your lights on when you’re arriving, or set them to make it look like you’re home when you’re away.
2. Lifx
The Lifx smart light range isn’t the most affordable but it offers a good combination of features that makes it a great option for anyone looking to add smart lights to their home. Unlike many of its competitors, you can control these bulbs without needing to buy a hub or bridge and they work well with most smart assistants.
The bulbs offer top-quality color and support a wide variety of scenes. This can be anything from a warm sunset to mimicking the natural daylight as you wake up.
Using the app, you can create lighting systems that control multiple bulbs and even set up custom schedules for different rooms. Other features include automatic on/off switching, music visualization and security system integration. Update: In August 2022 Feit Electric purchased (saved?) the company.
3. Cree
Cree is an American LED lighting brand that focuses on the higher segment. This means their products are usually a bit more expensive than other brands but also offer superior quality.
The brand’s LED chips are very powerful, allowing them to produce a lot of lumens per watt without the need for a reflector or lens. The most popular chip is the XM-L, which can reach up to 178 lumens per watt.
Unlike CFLs, Cree Lighting LEDs last up to 100,000 hours — that’s 23 years of continuous use – and are 50 times more energy-efficient than incandescent lamps. They also feature color modulation that makes everything look more natural. Choose from warm or cool lighting to match your décor. Plus, you’ll enjoy substantial financial benefits with low utility bills and maintenance costs.
4. Sengled
If you’re looking for a basic smart controlled lighting system at a more budget friendly price point, Sengled is an excellent choice. Their smart LED bulbs work straight out of the box and connect seamlessly with your home WiFi network, without the need for an additional hub.
They also feature a wide range of color options, from bright warm and cool tones all the way up to a stark 6500K “daylight” setting. Additionally, they offer features such as schedules, dusk to dawn settings, geofencing and vacation mode that turns lights on and off randomly while you’re away.
The one feature that stands out is party mode, which can produce a perfect disco light-mimicking illumination. Keep in mind that not every Sengled bulb supports this function, so be sure to look for one that does before making a purchase.
5. Philips Wiz
If you’re looking for a smart bulb that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, Philips Wiz is your best bet. At $13 each, these color-changing bulbs offer all the basic features of a voice-activated smart light without the hub requirement. They work with Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri Shortcuts. They’re also compatible with HomeKit if you have an existing network set up to support it.
They fit in the familiar A19 screw socket and feature millions of colors. They’re a great way to try out smart lighting or expand your current system with an extra room. The app allows you to create schedules and groups of lights with specific settings linked together as a scene that you can refer back to at any time.best smart lighting