Using RGB Lights for Smart Homes
Smart lights are a great way to add color and fun settings to your home. They can be managed remotely and used to automate routines like a sunrise or sunset fade.
Philips Hue offers the best experience for smart lights, with easy set-up and a comprehensive mobile app. You can also opt for a Hue bridge-free option such as the Lifx Wiz, which connects directly to your Wi-Fi network. Color Temperatures
The color of light is affected by its temperature, which can be measured in Kelvin. Smart lighting systems often have settings that adjust the color temperature as the day goes on or to set a mood for a particular room. For example, a living room might be set to a warm tone, while a bedroom might be set to a cooler tone to promote relaxation and sleep. The variety of available colors allows you to create a unique ambience for any space in your home.
Many companies that make smart bulbs offer a wide array of color-changing options, including LED and filament versions, as well as light strips. Some offer compatibility with home assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant, which gives you voice control for your smart lights. Others provide a hub option, which can be helpful for setting up automation and scheduling features.
Most smart lights can be controlled remotely using an app, which lets you dim and change the colors of your lighting. They also work with home automation systems that let you trigger specific events or set up routines, such as turning on the lights when you arrive home or switching them off before going to bed.
Some brands, such as Philips Hue, have ecosystems that include a range of devices, including sensors, speakers and switches. This can add up to a more expensive solution, but it can also give you access to more advanced features, such as synchronized music-syncing lighting effects.
Other brands, such as Sengled and GoSund, make less expensive smart light bulbs and strips that can be controlled with an app or with a voice assistant. Their bulbs are easy to install and offer a good selection of preset scenes, including ones for relaxing or energizing your space. Their strip products come in 16- and 32.8-foot lengths that can be trimmed for the perfect fit, and they are Wi-Fi and Bluetooth compatible so you can use them with your smart home system. They don't support Apple HomeKit or Amazon Alexa, however, which is a drawback for some people. Scenes
The best smart lights allow you to set scenes to gradually wake up your home or put it to sleep with sunset-mimicking hues, turn on the living room lights before guests arrive and dim them when it's time to watch a movie, or light the dining room for an elegant dinner. You can also set a scene to make your room appear more energized, turn on the bedroom lights to go to sleep and have them automatically turn off in the morning, or create a party scene for birthday celebrations and Halloween get-togethers.
Most color-changing smart bulbs and strips are RGB, meaning they can display combinations of red, green, and blue colors, offering 16 million options. Some can also display variations of white, however most of these are a little dimmer than the RGB options we tested. For a truer white light, consider an RGBW strip, which has dedicated white LEDs alternating with the RGB diodes. Some options, such as the Govee lights(link is external), can show different colors in various patterns and create a snake-like or jumping effect that's great for a dorm room, teen hangout space, or a home bar.
Many of the best-performing smart lighting products integrate with one or more virtual assistants, allowing you to control them using voice commands or an app. For example, you can use Philips Hue light bulbs with an Echo or Apple HomeKit-enabled device and create automations to wake up your home at sunrise and turn off its lights at night. Similarly, you can use a LIFX bulb with a Google Assistant-compatible device to access a variety of preset scenes like Energizing and Movie Mode. rgb lights
If you're looking for a smart light that doesn't require an extra hub, the best options include CYNC bulbs from C by GE(link is external), which are easy to set up and feature out-of-the-box functionality. They're a bit dimmer than the other options we've reviewed, but they provide an inexpensive entry point into the smart lighting world. Another option is a hub-less option from Cree(link is external), which has an easy-to-use app and works with the Google Assistant. Dimming
Smart lights work with a variety of home automation accessories and can be used in place of or alongside existing light switches, motion sensors and more. Some can even be paired with smart home hubs to turn on or off when other devices like your phone or voice assistant are activated.
The most popular and well-known smart light brand is Philips Hue, which offers a wide range of color options, a simple app to control your lighting and plenty of other unique features. This includes the ability to group bulbs into rooms within your app, so you can say things like “Hey Google, turn on the kitchen lights,” or “Alexa, set the bedroom to a cozy reading light.” Philips Hue also integrates with a number of other services and apps, including IFTTT, Apple HomeKit, Alexa and Nest.
Another option is LIFX, which offers a similar experience but doesn't require a hub to access all of its features. These bulbs connect directly to your Wi-Fi, making them easy to set up and use. They can also be used with the LIFX app, as well as with HomeKit, Alexa and other systems. They're a little more expensive than other smart bulbs, however.
Other smart light brands offer different types of LED bulbs, along with strips and illuminating panels that can be stuck on your walls as part of your decor. Some of these can be used outside, while others are designed to replace or sit alongside existing light switches. It's important to pick a bulb or strip that works with your current light switch, as well as the accessories you have in mind.
Smart lighting can save money, as well as help the environment. Many of these bulbs can be programmed to turn off when you leave the house, rather than leaving them on and wasting electricity. Some are even able to sense when you're close by and will turn off automatically. Others can be linked to a variety of home security sensors, so they'll trigger when something goes wrong or if you haven't been home for a while. Automation
Smart lighting is one of the easiest ways to integrate a connected home. Whether you choose a smart bulb or strip that works with your voice assistant or smartphone, you'll be able to set automations so your lights come on at sunset or switch to a festive scene when it's time for Halloween. Many of the best smart lights can also be integrated into other devices in your home like the thermostat, plugs, cameras and more.
Philips' Hue lights are a top choice, with a vast ecosystem and compatibility with HomeKit, Alexa and Google Assistant. The Hue Starter Kit includes a hub for setup and enough white and color lights to light up your rooms, plus the ability to add other devices like dimmers and motion sensors.
If you prefer to have a single ecosystem with which to work, Hive Active Lights offer simple integration with other devices in the Hive line, including a smart thermostat, Hive Active plugs and motion sensors. All these devices can be controlled in the same easy-to-use app as the lights, making it a great option for those who want to simplify their device lineup and control process.
LIFX smart bulbs are a budget-friendly choice that's compatible with Apple HomeKit and Amazon Alexa. They don't require a hub to use, are easy to set up and operate, and provide vibrant colors.
Nanoleaf Essentials smart lights are an affordable option that can be used with your existing wired switches and work with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. They support Thread, a new technology that offers more stable connections and puts an end to laggy connections.
The Cree Connected Max lights are an inexpensive alternative to the Hue ecosystem that offers a lot of features, including out-of-home control and scheduled automations. They're also compatible with Google Assistant and have a wide range of pre-set scenes. Govee RGBIC Pro smart LED strip lights are affordable and simple to install, offering vivid colors and a flexible layout that allows you to create custom lighting effects. They also work over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (no hub required) and sync to music for a more immersive experience.
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