By gail
Smart bulbs are an affordable addition to your house to make it look smarter. Additionally, they lack cameras or door locks that could be compromised, and there’s no need to deal with wiring.
Besides, if you’re interested in voice commands, you can just get a smart speaker or smart display, although the smart bulb’s app is always an option. Among the many we’ve assessed over time, these stand out as the top-tier smart bulbs:
Best Overall
Selecting the absolute best smart bulb can be challenging due to their similar features, yet the Full Color Direct Connect model by Cync stands out. Its setup is incredibly simple—it took less than a minute within the Cync app from start to finish.
Managing the bulb is effortless, with the app providing a straightforward means to switch colors, activate Light Shows, and control its power. You can also establish scenes and schedules right within the app.
Runner-up
The Nooie Aurora offers a pleasing variety of hues, featuring both preset themes and the option to customize your own. While its white spectrum could be broader and brighter, it generally suffices for most users’ requirements.
It presents regular on/off schedule choices, along with wake-up and bedtime schedules that allow for dimming or brightening the bulb. Additionally, it’s engineered to prevent overheating, thanks to “special cooling materials,” as indicated on Nooie’s website.
Best Choice for an Upgrade
The Philips kit is more expensive than the Ikea one, but it’s available at a variety of retailers and is compatible with most assistants. It comes with three or four bulbs and a Hue Bridge hub that lets you connect the bulbs to your phone or voice assistant.
You can choose many colors and brightness levels, as well as preset scenes to set the mood (or you can make your own). The app includes helpful how-to videos that explain the bulb’s extra functions, like using one as a timer.
Budget Option
Wyze consistently competes with major smart-home brands by offering budget-friendly yet user-friendly devices. We admire their security cameras and smart plugs, and their bulbs maintain this trend.
While the price has increased slightly since our initial test, it remains one of the most cost-effective methods to introduce smart lighting into your home, especially if color isn’t a requirement.
Best Choice for Light Strips
Enhancing any living space with a futuristic touch is easily achieved by placing light strips behind furniture or beneath cabinets, and it doesn’t even have to cost a lot. Thanks to creative TikTok users reintroducing LED strips, a multitude of choices is available. However, according to WIRED writer Simon Hill, Govee’s light strips come highly recommended.
The control box is straightforward, allowing you to manage power, color cycling, and music mode. Meanwhile, the accompanying app provides more in-depth control, including color temperature, brightness adjustments, scheduling, preset scenes, and the ability to generate effects.
Hill advises proper area preparation and cautious application of the adhesive backing. He also expresses appreciation for Govee’s Immersion TV Backlights and Flow Pro light bars.
Smart Lamp Option
Govee also provides a smart lamp that simplifies the process of creating your desired ambiance. Its sleek, slender design possesses a modern aesthetic without being obtrusive—it seamlessly blends into its surroundings when not illuminated.
Featuring a light strip on one side, positioning it toward the wall is recommended, allowing the colors to disperse softly in a diffused manner.
Through the Govee app, the lamp can sync with music — utilizing either your phone’s microphone with app permissions or the lamp’s own mic. Sensitivity adjustments enable reactions to movie dialogue, and you can select colors from an extensive list, encompassing gradients.