5 Of The Best Smart Light Bulbs
If you’re looking for the best way of introducing yourself to the world of smart home technology, it doesn’t get much better than smart bulbs. The best smart light bulbs allow you to control your lights from anywhere in the world.
Best Smart Bulb
Philips Hue A19 Color
There one of the most popular on smart bulbs on the market.
 Amazon.com | $79.99 1 new from $79.99 6 used from $72.95 | Buy Now |
 Bestbuy.com | $89.99 | Buy Now |
 Ebay.com | $82.99 out of stock | Buy Now |
Runner Up
LIFX 1,100 Lumen
It was a close runner up, the bulb is bright and the colors are vivid.
| Bestbuy.com | $49.99 | Buy Now |
| Amazon.com | $99.99 1 new from $99.99 | Buy Now |
| Ebay.com | $49.99 out of stock | Buy Now |
Best Budget Option
Wyze 800 lumen
They don’t provide you with any fancy colors, but they are cheap.
| Amazon.com | $39.98 1 new from $39.98 1 used from $37.65 | Buy Now |
| Ebay.com | $64.99 out of stock | Buy Now |
Buyers Guide To The Smart Light Bulbs
Buying your first set of smart light bulbs can seem a little daunting, and that’s because of the sheer number of options you have. Check out some of the things I like to look out for before I purchase my smart bulbs:
Color Or White Light
Many smart lights don't come with the option of colored lights; instead, you get different shades of white. To avoid any disappointment, you need to think about what you want from the lights.
Hub Required
Some smart bulbs won't work unless you have a smart hub to connect them too. If you haven't got a home hub or don't want to buy one, you need to make sure the bulb will work without a hub.
Scheduling
Smart bulbs are about making your life easier, so the best smart light bulbs come with scheduling. This allows you to set your lights to turn on and off, depending on you.
Motion Sensor
Waking up in the middle of the night needing the toilet can by tiresome enough without having to find the light switch. Smart lights that have motion detectors will automatically turn on as you walk up to it.
Connectivity
Not all smart lights can connect to your smartphone the way you like. You'll need to find a smart bulb that connects to your phone in a way that suits you. The most popular are WiFi and Bluetooth connections.
Voice Controls
If your smart device doesn't have voice controls in this day and age, is it even a smart device? Not all smart bulbs come with voice commands, so if you feel it's important, make sure you double-check it has it.
Scene Programing
This allows you to set a scene depending on your preferences. This could mean getting your living room ready for a movie or dimming the lights to get ready for bed.
App
The best smart light bulbs will come with an App to control and manage your lights from anywhere in the world. You'll need to ensure the app will work with your smartphone before you make the purchase.
Table of Contents
The Best Smart Light Bulbs
Now you have an idea of what to look out for; we can start looking at the best smart light bulbs. Below I’ve created a list of smart bulbs for you to pick from. Each one offers different features, so you’re guaranteed to find something that suits you:| Philips Hue | LIFX | Wyze | Kasa | BERENNIS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Color | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, WiFi | WiFi | WiFi | WiFi | WiFi |
| Lifetime Hours | 25,000 | 25,000 | 20,000 | N/A | 20,000 |
| Hub Required | Yes (10 bulbs or more) | No | No | No | No |
| Voice Control | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Scheduling | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Scene Programming | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Motion Sensor | No | No | Yes (Optional Extra) | No | No |
| App | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Buy | Find Best Price | Find Best Price | Find Best Price | Find Best Price | Find Best Price |
#1 – Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance
BEST SMART BULB
| Amazon.com | $79.99 1 new from $79.99 6 used from $72.95 | Buy Now |
| Bestbuy.com | $89.99 | Buy Now |
| Ebay.com | $82.99 out of stock | Buy Now |
The Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance bulbs come in a pack of two bulbs and fit into A19 fittings, which is the standard fitting for most lamps.
The bulb works with Alexa/Google Assistant; it also works with Homekit, but this requires the Hue hub. This gives you a great selection of assistants to choice from.
By adding voice control, you can turn your lights on and off using your voice.
The Philips Hue colored lights allow you to choose from 16 million colors, which will instantly change your home’s feeling.
You can also set schedules and timers to use it as a wake-up light. This can all be done using the free to download Philips Hue smartphone app.
Setting up the Philips Hue device is easy; it’s a case of screwing in the bulb and configuring everything using the app.
The smart bulbs also work with IFTTT, which allows you to create actions based on over triggered events.
The bulbs claim to have a 22 year lifetime, or 25,000 lifetime hours before it needs replacing.
Key Features
- Voice control
- 800 lumens
- 22-year lifetime
- 16 million colors
- Works with HomeKit (Hub Required)
- Scheduling
What Other People Say
They felt like the Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance was an excellent purchase for their household. Setting everything up was very easy; all they had to do was screw them in and ask Alexa to pair them. They loved the fact they could change the brightness of the Philips Hue lights.
Another person had been using them for less than a week, but we’re happy with how easy it was to setup. The App worked great alongside Alexa. They were also delighted with how well it worked in conjunction with all their other Philips Hue white bulbs.
Final Verdict
It’s one of the best, if not the best smart light bulb on the market. The Philips Hue bulbs come with a vast range of colors for you to take a pick from. This made the bulbs feel very customizable at all times and gave a fantastic user experience.
The Philips Hue app was great to use and made it easy to set schedules, dim the lights, and set the scene. Overall this is a great smart light bulb with fantastic capabilities. It also has an exceptional lifetime lasting over 22 years or 25,000 hours.
What We Liked
- Easy to use
- Simple setup
- Great color range
- Alexa, HomeKit, Google, IFTTT
What We Didn’t Like
- Expensive
- Requires hub for all features
#2 – LIFX 1100-Lumen
RUNNER UP
| Bestbuy.com | $49.99 | Buy Now |
| Amazon.com | $99.99 1 new from $99.99 | Buy Now |
| Ebay.com | $49.99 out of stock | Buy Now |
The smart light bulbs are available in a pack of four or by itself; you also have the choice of A19 or BR30 fittings.
The LIFX bulb supports dimming and color changes; it has 16 million colors for you to choose from.
The bulbs provided 1,100 lumens (Equivalent to 75W), which is one of the brightest on the list.
They claim that the bulb will last 22.8 years before it will need replacing. That’s around 25,000 lifetime hours of color for you to enjoy.
The bulb is super easy to set up and requires no home hub to get things running.
It comes with WiFi built-in making it super easy to set-up and control from anywhere. All you need is the App which allows to set colors and schedules at your leisure.
You can control the bulbs using Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Homekit, so you have a great selection of voice assistants to choose from.
You can create schedules using your voice assistants so the lights will turn or off based on your routine.
Key Features
- Available in a multipack
- 16 million colors in one light
- Built-in WiFi
- Voice commands
- Day & Dusk automation
- Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, and Nest integration
What Other People Say
They had previously tried a Philips Hue bulb, but they were utterly blown away by how well LIFX performed. The smart lighting had a great color variety, which made it easier to find something to match their mood. All the colors felt brighter and more vibrant, and the app made it easier to select colors.
Another customer had previously owned a LIFX bulb but decided they wanted more after moving apartments. They loved that there was no need for an additional hub; it all worked from wifi. The most significant buying factor for them was how bright the light bulbs were.
Final Verdict
LIFX bulbs provide a vast range of colors; this allows you to find something to fit your mood quickly. Everything was straightforward to use, which I put down to the App; it made everything very easy to navigate. Setting up can be a little tricky if you don’t know how to set up a 2.4 GHz connection, but a quick google search will set you in the right direction.
One of the best things about these bulbs is how integratable it is. It worked seamlessly with all of the significant assistants, including Alexa /Google Assistant. Overall this is fantastic smart lighting that allows you to schedule your lights and select from an array of colors.
What We Liked
- Great mood lighting
- Let’s you make and save your own themes
- Rich colors
- No hub needed
What We Didn’t Like
- Pricey
- Can be tricky to set up (set-up 2.4 GHz)
#3 – Wyze Bulb 800 Lumens
BEST BUDGET OPTION
| Amazon.com | $39.98 1 new from $39.98 1 used from $37.65 | Buy Now |
| Ebay.com | $64.99 out of stock | Buy Now |
The Wyze bulbs come in a pack of one, two, or four, which is great if you’re looking to fit out your house.
Each bulb fits into an A19 housing. The bulbs allow you to set the mood with the turnable white color temperature feature, which ranges from a warm white to daylight mode.
The bulbs can produce 800 lumens, which is equivalent to a 60-Watt bulb.
They work with Alexa, which means you can turn them on and off with voice commands.
It also comes with the Wyze app, which allows you to control the lights with a WiFi connection.
Everything is straightforward to set up and is completed using the app.
The lights can be integrated with various devices, including Wyze sense, which turns on the light when motions are sensed.
You can also take advantage of vacation mode, which will replicate someone being at home by turning the lights on and off.
Key Features
- 800 lumens
- Works with Alexa
- Integrate with IFTTT
- No hub required
- Dimmable
- Temperature control
What Other People Say
The bulb worked fantastically, so far they had no issues which impressed them greatly. Unlike some people, they had no trouble with the light’s disconnecting from the WiFi. The one thing they’d like to see added to the app is a widget to turn the bulbs on and off.
Another customer had brought the pack of four bulbs; they couldn’t believe how good they were for the low price. They loved how easy everything was to set up and how simple it was to set up schedules. The coolest feature for them was able to dim the lights.
Final Verdict
It’s one of the most affordable white smart LED bulbs on the market. The best thing is it comes with plenty of features to get involved with. The whole thing was straightforward to set up; it only took a couple of minutes before everything was up and running.
Another great thing about these bulbs is you don’t need a hub to connect all the bulbs too, all you need is a WiFi connection. Overall they are straightforward smart lights but comes with all the features you need and more.
What We Liked
- Cheap
- Turnable white
- Works with Alexa and Google Assistant
- Wide temperature range
What We Didn’t Like
- No Homekit support
- Limited dimming level
#4 – Kasa Smart Light Bulb
| Amazon.com | $14.99 5 new from $14.99 18 used from $8.78 | Buy Now |
| Ebay.com | $25.99 out of stock | Buy Now |
It comes in a pack one and will fit A19 light fittings, which is the standard light fitting.
The bulb is multicolored, so you get to pick from a selection of colors.
It can also dim the lights according to how you like it; this allows you to create a scene for any mood.
The smart lighting bulb works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Cortana, so you have a good selection of voice assistants to choose from.
You can connect the bulb directly to WiFi without the need for an additional hub; this allows you to control the bulb from anywhere in the world.
You use the App for just about everything; once you screw the bulbs into the fitting, you’ll use it to configure the WiFi.
After that, the easy to use App will allow you to choose the color that suits you. You can also schedule the light t come on and off depending on your routine.
Key Features
- Voice control
- Scheduling ability
- Energy monitoring
- No hub required
- Multicolored lighting
- Control from anywhere
What Other People Say
They found the whole thing very easy to set up but could see why some people found it challenging; both of their bulbs connected the first time. They also mentioned that the bulbs stayed connected at all times, but felt this could be down to their strong wifi connection.
Another customer had brought three of them, and so far, they loved them. They had great color options, which were easy to control through the app. It was super easy to install and paired quickly with Alexa. They didn’t need to use a hub, and they loved being able to control the lights with their voice.
Final Verdict
The smart lighting had a vast range of colors for you to choose from, which was excellent for setting the mood. It also worked very well with Alexa/Google Assistant. The app made everything easy to use and control due to simple design and layout.
The biggest problem was getting everything connected. You had to update the app, then connect the bulb and update the firmware. From there, you’d have to turn the bulb on and off a few times before being able to reconnect to the bulb.
What We Liked
- Can be dimmed
- Great app
- Wide range of colors
What We Didn’t Like
- Hard to set up
#5 – BERENNIS Smart Light Bulb
| Amazon.com | $23.99 1 new from $23.99 | Buy Now |
| Ebay.com | $42.36 | Buy Now |
The multicolored bulbs come in a pack of three and are compatible with A19 fittings.
The smart lighting allows you to adjust the brightness and change the color from the App.
It has a lifetime usage of 20,000 hours and can save you up to 80% of your energy bill when you compare it to 60 Watt bulbs.
Their smart lights can be controlled using the free to download App and a WiFi connection.
By using WiFi it enables you to manage your lights from anywhere in the world.
The App is compatible with Android and iOS, so you’ll have no troubles with compatibility. No hub is required to set the bulbs up, or for any of the features.
It works with Google Assistant and Alexa, so you get to choose which assistant is better for you. The bulb comes with a 12-month warranty, so if it breaks in that time, you’ll be able to get a refund.
Key Features
- Set schedules
- Alexa and Google Assistant
- 16 million colors
- Sunrise and Sunset modes
- 20,000 hour lifetime
- Saves up to 80% compared to 60 Watt bulbs
What Other People Say
They loved the light bulbs they worked fantastically. They used them in the living room, at the front door, and in the kid’s room. They couldn’t believe how easy it was to set up all the bulbs. They had them working with Alexa in a couple of minutes.
After hours of reading through reviews, they had decided to give this bulb a try. They chose this bulb because they wanted a white bulb that could be controlled from their smartphone. The smart bulb arrived quickly and was even quicker to install.
Final Verdict
Considering the bulbs’ price is so low, you might be expecting a shoddy piece of kit. But that can’t be further from the truth. They provided a vast range of colors to select from, which was made easy with the app. It also took no time at all to install.
I loved how well it worked with Alexa and Google Assistant, as always, it’s nice to have a choice of a voice assistant. Overall the colors were bright, and the bulb was small enough to fit in any fixture. If you’re on a budget, this is an excellent option for you.
What We Liked
- Nice price
- Works well with Alexa
- Very bright
- App worked well
What We Didn’t Like
- Takes a while to set up
But This Is The Best Smart Light Bulb
When you’re looking for the very best smart light bulbs, it doesn’t get much better than the Philips Hue white and color smart bulb.
The bulbs are bright and have an excellent range of colors to pick from. All the bulbs are dimmable and work well in conjunction with the app.
The biggest downside of the Philips Hue white and color bulb is needing a hub if you’re controlling 10 or more bulbs.
It worked with all the major assistants including Alexa, Google Assistant, and HomeKit. By using the voice commands you can turn lights on and off in groups or set schedules for them to turn off.
If you have any questions about smart light bulbs feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you. In the meantime why not check out which is the best smart dimmer switch for smart lighting.
Frequently Asked Questions
In short, yes, smart light bulbs are worth it. They can save energy and money; this is down to the low energy usage of smart LED bulbs. They also last a lot longer than traditional lights, again this is down to the smart LED.
Other reasons include adding security to your home while your away using vacation mode. Or being able to set the mood for a film with your voice.
Yes and no. All smart bulbs come in different shapes and sizes, and while the fittings might be the same, you still need to check the bulb will fit.
In all honesty, how long a smart light bulb will last vary between manufacturers. On average, they will last up to 15,000 hours, but bulbs like Philips Hue and LIFX can last up to 25,000 hours.