Philips Hue White Ambiance Starter Kit
The best smart bulb kit
The Philips Hue White Ambiance Smart Light Bulb Starter Kit is the best by far. The kit comes with four A19 LED smart bulbs that project a soft, white light, that can be warmed up or cooled down to your liking, from “warm white to cool daylight.” Up to 50 bulbs can be linked together using the Philips Hue Bridge that comes in the kit. To change the brightness, put the lights on a schedule or dim the bulbs, you can use the Hue app on iOS or Android.
While the kit works with the app, it can also be controlled with a wide range of hubs, such as Amazon Echo, Google Home, Apple HomePod and more. This means you can control the bulbs using just your voice.
Maz-Tek Plug-In LED Night Light
The best smart night light bulb
The Maz-Tek Plug-in Night Light is a back-to-basics, plug-and-play bulb with just the right amount of extra goodies to land on our list. A quick and easy option for lighting bedrooms, kitchens, and hallways, the Maz-Tek lets you choose between a white glow or panorama of cycling colors with just the flick of a single switch. You can also set and forget your own color by turning a wheel on the side of the unit. A built-in light sensor reacts to ambient light in real time, powering down the bulb during the daytime and relighting when it’s dusk and the room gets dark again.
The slim design ensures you won’t block the outlet above or below the pack, and the bulb is rated for up to 20,000 hours, making the Maz-Tek a great long-lasting option for children’s rooms or an affordable way to keep the whole house comfortably lit through the night.
Kasa Smart Wi-Fi LED Light Bulb — Tunable White
The best dimmable smart bulb
No colors or frills necessary, Kasa’s Smart Wi-Fi LED Light Bulb offers dimmable, soft white light that’s suitable for all occasions. The 800-lumen bulb also has a lifetime rating of 22.8 years and reduces energy use up to 80 percent when compared to a 60-watt incandescent, without brightness or loss of quality.
The accompanying mobile app, Kasa Smart, is arguably one of the most straightforward smart home apps out there. You can manage everything remotely via your phone or tablet, as well as Echo devices, Google Assistant, Cortana, IFTTT, and Nest, making it the most functional bulb available. Wake up with the sun while in circadian mode — which automatically matches light appearance to the time of day by adjusting brightness and warmth — or track your energy consumption using the aforementioned app. All you need is a secure Wi-Fi connection — no hub necessary.
Philips Hue Go
The best on-the-go smart bulb
If you need to take your light with you, the Philips Hue Go is the ideal choice. You can plug the device into a power outlet for a light show on your wall, or unplug it and use it as a compact centerpiece. It can also last up to three hours when fully charged, and its 300-lumen bulb can last up to 20,000 hours before needing to be replaced.
To use the light, simply press the button on the back. Philips Hue features seven different light effects, including a warm white light, energizing daylight, and five natural dynamic lights. You can even connect your Philips Hue Go with the Hue bridge (not included), giving you full control of your home lighting via your smartphone. Currently, the device works with Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant.
Sengled A19 Kit Soft White
The best budget smart bulb kit
The Element Classic A19 Kit by Sengled is an affordable all-in-one kit that includes two bulbs and one hub as well as an Ethernet cable. Emitting the power of 800 lumens on a mere 9 watts of energy, these super-efficient bulbs will last up to 25,000 hours. They also connect to Echo and Google Home devices, allowing for hands-free voice control.
The Element Home app is compatible with both iOS or Android, and the group control function lets you turn all the lights in your home on or off at the same time. You can also schedule when you want your lights to turn on, and plan your mornings with the Wake-up Time feature. The performance section shows you how much power you are using relative to the money you are saving. It’s the perfect kit for newbies.
Lifx Mini White
The best mini smart bulb
The Lifx Mini White is the perfect compact bulb for lighting your nightstand or home office, and emits 800 lumens using a mere nine watts of energy. You can control the bulb from just about anywhere using the company’s proprietary cloud technology, and the eco-friendly LED comes with a life span of 22.8 years and a two-year warranty.
Like many of the bulbs on our list, the Lifx app is compatible with both iOS and Android, and works with voice services such as Apple HomeKit, Alexa, and Google Assistant. It doesn’t require a hub, either, which makes this small ray of sunshine even more delightful.
