When getting started with outfitting your home to be a “smart home” one of the common places to start is with the lights. It’s something everyone uses – even apartments where you can’t just yank out the thermostat or mount cameras outside – and they are easy to install. There are many smart lighting systems out there, as well as different bulbs and much more. So let’s take a look at some of the best available.
GE Link A19 Smart Connected LED Light Bulb
GE or General Electric, is pretty popular, especially for Light bulbs. Here are their A19 sized light bulbs that are “Smart”. This is compatible with the Wink app, so you will need to invest in the Wink hub. But it’s also compatible with the Amazon Echo. With the Wink app, you can control these lights to have turned off when you aren’t even home. As well as schedule them to turn on at certain times of the day.
Buy the GE Link A19 Smart Connected LED Light Bulb
Philips Hue Starter Kit
Philips Hue is one of the more popular lighting systems and probably the most expensive. This start kit includes the Bridge – which you’ll need to connect all the bulbs and lighting fixtures together – as well as two white light bulbs. There’s a second starter kit that brings in two LED bulbs that can be a multitude of colors. Both are compatible with the Amazon Echo as well.
Buy the Philips Hue Starter Kit (White Bulbs)
Buy the Philips Hue Starter Kit (Colored Bulbs)
Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus
LED Lightstrips are also a cool way to light up your room, especially an entertainment system. You can change the mood by making the background behind your TV a variety of colors. And sometimes, you are able to have the colors change based on the show you’re watching. Making a really cool scene. These, of course, will need the Philips Hue Bridge to work correctly. So you will need the starter kit listed above.
Buy the Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus
Philips Hue Go Personal Wireless Lighting
This last lighting fixture from Philips Hue is a wireless one, and is sorta like a bowl light. It can also change to a multitude of colors, based on what you decide with the Hue app. The light can be set in a corner and light up an entire room. It also works with Amazon Echo and can be controlled with other Hue lights or independently.
Buy the Philips Hue Go Personal Wireless Lighting
Belkin WeMo Wi-Fi Enabled Light Switch
If you are just looking to have the ability to turn on/off the lights from your phone, this Light Switch from Belkin will work just fine. It allows you to use the Belkin app to control the lights in your home. It’s pretty simple, and also works with the Amazon Echo. Once more, it works with the entire lineup of WeMo products from Belkin.
Buy the Belkin WeMo Wi-Fi Enabled Light Switch
LIFX Color A19 WiFi Light Bulb
LIFX is a lesser-known brand, but also provides a great experience when it comes to smart lighting in your home. This is their color A19 bulbs, which can be used all around the house. Once more, because they all work over WiFi, you can use the app to control your entire house. No matter how many bulbs you are using.
Buy the LIFX Color A19 WiFi Light Bulb
Buy the LIFX A19 WiFi Enabled Light Bulb (White)
LIFX BR30 WiFi Enabled Light Bulb
LIFX also offers up their WiFi enabled light bulbs in a BR30 size. These are a bit brighter and larger. They are mostly meant for larger sized rooms, and you can use them in conjunction with the A19 bulbs that are listed above. These also come with color variants.