One of the easiest ways to make your home smart is with smart bulbs. They may not be the most exciting part of a good smart home, but they have a significant impact on the way it feels and looks.
Moreover, these lights let you replace your conventional incandescent bulbs with a smart variety that you can coordinate with your smartphone and voice. No more getting out of bed to hit the light switch.
And the best thing is that top rated smart bulbs are relatively inexpensive. In fact, you can build a smart lighting system with smart bulbs costing less than $10 each.
That is why for some people, smart bulbs are the starting point to transitioning into a smart home. The major issue, however, is identifying the right smart lighting for your home.
If that is the case, this article is meant for you. We will review some of the top rated smart bulbs on the market. After which, we will answer some common questions related to smart lighting. So, without further ado, let’s dive in.
Top Rated Smart Bulbs
1. Philips Hue White White Floodlight LED
Philips Hue is one of the most respectable brands when it comes to smart lighting, and for good reasons.
It is one of the top rated smart bulbs because of the quality of its software and hardware. Actually, they are unmatched. So, if you have the budget for these smart bulbs, they are worth the investment.
Pros
- Works with Alexa, HomeKit, and Google Assistant
- It is easy to set up.
- Wide array of different smart lights
Cons
- It is pricier than most incandescent bulbs.
- Need a hub to access smart features.
Price: $69.99
2. AiDot Linkind Matter Smart Light Bulb
We picked AiDot Linkind as one of the top rated smart bulbs because of its features.
First, the bulb works with Matter, meaning you can connect to any home network.
You can also control it via Google Assistant, Alexa, SmartThings, and HomeKit.
Besides this, it delivers warm and cool white on top of many rich colors. We also love it because it offers energy usage reports, so you will know where to adjust.
Pros
- It is Matter compatible.
- Rich colors
- Offers power usage reports
- Works seamlessly with multiple smart home ecosystems.
- Comes with custom and music-themed effects
Cons
- It only maxed out at 800 lumens.
Price: $14.99
3. Govee WiFi LED Bulb
These WiFi-connected bulbs from Govee might not be the smartest bulbs out there, but they excel in integration.
We ranked it as one of the top rated smart bulbs because it works perfectly with Amazon Alexa.
The bulb is also cheaper than other smart bulbs from Nanoleaf and Philips.
So, it can be a worthwhile investment for anyone looking for an Alexa-compatible bulb at a lower price point.
But note that the low price might be a compromise, as the bulb wasn’t bright when displaying other colors.
Pros
- Responsive app
- It is affordable
- Works seamlessly with Google Assistant and Alexa
Cons
- Color lack brightness
- Limited bulb selection
Price: $20.00
4. Roku Smart Bulb SE Color
If you want a smart bulb with tons of colors and white tones, then consider investing in a Roku Smart Bulb.
It boasts over 16 million colors, and a wide range of white light with temperatures ranging from 1,800K to 6,500K.
Another fascinating thing about it is that you can customize brightness, ranging from 30 to 1,100 lumens.
Other things that make it one of the top rated smart bulbs is the embedded 2.4GHz WiFi as well as Bluetooth connection.
Moreover, it supports both Google Assistant and Alexa voice controls.
Pros
- Impressive color quality
- Affordable
- Supports voice control
- Interact freely with other Roku devices
- It doesn’t require a hub
Cons
- Limited integration potential
- It doesn’t work with HomeKit, Matter and IFTTT
Price: $14.99
5. Nanoleaf Essentials Matter BR30 Smart Bulb
Nanoleaf Essentials Matter BR30 is one of the feature-rich smart bulbs for recessed fixtures.
The fact that it is compatible with Matter means that you can integrate it with popular home automation platforms.
To be specific, it can work with Alexa, SmartThings, Google Home, and HomeKit.
Besides this, it offers customizable lighting for recessed outlets with robust colors and full voice control.
Pros
- Voice control
- Works with several platforms
- Thread and Matter support
- Rich colors
- Mood lighting effect
Cons
- No WiFi
- Requires a Thread border router to be able to control it remotely
Price: $49.99
6. Philips Hue Twilight
The Twilight is among the best wake-up lights we tested.
We were particularly impressed with the realistic sunrise effect that begins with a very dim blue light and increases brightness gradually.
Its downward-pointing design also makes it ideal for a reading lamp.
Another impressive thing about it is the nighttime scenes, which help you wind down as you rest.
Pros
- Two LED sources
- Features a stylish modern design
- Just bright and beautiful.
- Comes with two buttons for automatic light control.
Cons
- Its functionality is limited if you don’t have Philips Hue Bridge.
- It is pricier than other similar models.
Price: $279
7. Cync Full Color Direct Connect Smart Bulb
The Full Color Direct Connect from Cync is among the easiest to set up and use.
In fact, it took us less than a minute to put everything together, thanks to the intuitive Cync app.
This app has a straightforward way to switch between colors, control power, and activate light shows.
Like some of the above smart bulbs, you can also set up scenes and schedules within the app. Besides this, the Full Color Direct Connect can pair with most smart assistants, except Siri.
Pros
- It is easy to set up.
- Color-changing
- Works with various voice assistants
- Offer scenes and schedules
Cons
- App reliability is questionable.
- Connectivity issues reported
Price: $53.92
8. Wiz Tunable White LED Smart Bulb
If you have all along believed that you need to spend a lot of money to find the best smart bulb, then this might change your mind.
Wiz Tunable is not only among the top rated smart bulbs but also affordable.
Sure, the brand might not ring a bell for most people, but this color-changing bulb is worth considering.
Pros
- Affordable
- It is Matter-compatible.
- Can act as a motion sensor.
- Offer a good range of tunable whites.
Cons
- Its Matter connection is a hit and miss.
- Motion setup can be tricky.
Price : $20
9. Wyze Bulb White
Wyze consistently challenges bigger smart home brands with its ease of use and affordability. Just like its smart plugs and security cameras, smart bulbs are not superb.
While the price has increased slightly, it is still one of the cheapest smart bulbs. This Wyze bulb might be ideal if you want to lighten up your smart home without the fancy colors.
Pros
- It has a long lifespan.
- Very affordable
- Comes with lots of smart features.
- Impressive range of colors
Cons
- Lacks support for Apple HomeKit
Price: $16.99
10. Sengled Smart LED with Motion Sensor
This smart LED bulb is ideal for outdoor use and comes with a motion sensor built in.
It is brighter than most smart bulbs with over 1,000 lumens.
And the best thing is that it comes with a motion sensor built in.
The only challenge is that you have to purchase a Sengled Smart Hub to be able to control it.
Pros
- Comes with an integrated daylight sensor.
- Built-in motion sensor
- It is weatherproof.
Cons
- It doesn’t support HomeKit.
Price: $25.25
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Smart light bulbs used LEDs and other technologies to bring out the best light. So, they are typically pricier than traditional bulbs.
The good thing with these bulbs is that they can upgrade your ordinary home to a smart one.
They also allow you to control them remotely using mobile apps or voice.
Above all, they use less energy and are more durable than ordinary bulbs.
Yes, some of them do. Most of the top rated smart bulbs can take any color of the rainbow.
This allows you to add atmosphere to your home. Unfortunately, they tend to be more expensive than the ones that produce only white light.
Some smart bulbs can connect directly to your smartphone or tablet via WiFi, while others connect via Bluetooth.
The sad thing with the latter is that you can only control lights when you are within range.
There are also smart bulbs that need a home automation hub in order to connect to your smartphone.
These bulbs tend to be pricier and might need an extra step in the installation process.
Final Thoughts
One thing that we have noted with all these top rated smart bulbs is that they are quite similar in many ways. This made our work difficult to pick the best one.
But of course, there are some like Philips Hue, which stand out, especially in terms of setup, ease of use, and colors it produces.
Also Read:
