

While it isn’t color changing or as well supported by third-party developers as some of the other picks on this list, it’s also dramatically cheaper, while retaining the same level of smart home interoperability with other connected gadgets as the rest of our picks. It’s also a great option for the budget conscious too. Using a clear glass bulb, it makes use of a warm, retro-styled filament bulb, making it a great match for those looking to add connected smarts to a vintage-look decor. TP-Link’s Kasa Filament Smart Bulb is a perfect fit for this situation.

This is particularly true when used in a light fitting that doesn’t include a shade, where a dull glass bulb can be a bit of an eyesore. The vast majority of smart bulbs may look great when powered up and glowing every color of the rainbow, but switch them off and their bulky, industrial globes can be a bit of an eyesore. TP-Link Kasa Filament Smart Bulb (KL50): Best budget smart light bulbs But its unique form factor makes it another good choice for those looking to add some flair to a connected home.ĥ. It’s not the best suited for reading by or illuminating a room without the support of other bulbs, and it can be a bit unstable in terms of connectivity with the rest of your smart home devices. With the potential to arrange them in a line, T or L shape configuration, the Beam is a great option if you want to highlight the edge of a door or picture frame, or want to add a splash of color to a wall without dominating a room. But whereas the Tile is a relatively-large selection of, well, LED tiles, the Beam is instead a set of thin strips that can act as accent lighting for your walls. It follows the same principles as the Tile, but does so in a more subtle form factor.Īll the connectivity and color changing options of the Tile are present in the Beam, and it too affixes to a wall with damage-free Command Strips. Is the LIFX Tile a little too in-your-face for your liking? Then try the LIFX Beam. LIFX Beam: Best smart light bulbs for arty accent lighting Add to this luxurious pre-programmed patterns and special effects to spice up a party, and it’s our favorite smart lighting statement piece.Ĥ. You can literally paint any pattern, with a selection of millions of colors, using your fingers on representations of the Tile in the app. But where it comes into its own is in how customizable it is. Like the Hue options, the LIFX Tile can be made to work with smart assistants and all manner of other connected gadgetry around your home. They can be arranged in any pattern that you like, and once connected to the LIFX app, can be programmed into any color configuration you choose. Sometimes, it’s more about how stylish it can make your home look, and the LIFX Tile might be the most stylish option of the bunch laid out here.Īffixing to your home’s walls with safe-to-remove stick Command Strips, the LIFX Tile is a pack of illuminating squares that can be stuck directly onto your walls. Sometimes, it’s not all about how well a smart lighting kit illuminates a room. LIFX Tile: Best smart light bulbs as design-led statement lighting There need not be a dark corner of your home ever again.ģ.

Need a soft glow to read by at night? Stick it to your bed’s headboard. Want to give your home cinema some mood lighting? Tuck it around the back of your TV. Got a dark cupboard that needs illuminating? Let there be light. The Philips Hue Lightstrip then opens up all sort of unexpected lighting options. Coming in a long, sticky strip, you can place the Philips Hue Lightstrip almost anywhere, sticking even to the underside of surfaces – provided you keep it in range of a wall power outlet, of course. What sets it apart however is its form factor. In terms of connectivity and app support, it’s pretty much identical to the other Philips Hue Color Ambiance bulbs on this list – it’ll display millions of colors, work with voice assistants, and can be integrated into your wider smart home ecosystem. If you want that smart lighting experience, but can’t get a light fitting or lamp in the area you want to illuminate, the Philips Hue Lightstrip is an excellent option.
