If there’s one thing home automation has made us thankful for, it’s never having to leave the sofa again… and we mean never! Whether it’s controlling the TV, switching on the kettle (yes, it’s a thing) or turning off that damn garage light, it can all be done with a press of your finger. In fact, you can even do most of it with voice commands, thanks to the likes of Amazon’s Alexa, Google’s home hub or Apple’s Siri.
Of course, there are so many aspects of your home you can now automate, thanks to smart plugs, cameras and even switches. However, the most spectacular, fun and probably useful of these is definitely the smart lightbulb. They’re quick and easy to setup, connect to your home Wi-Fi and can be switched on/off, dimmed and some even change colour. If you really want that extra boost of old-school grandiose, we suggest naming your bedroom smart bulb ‘Let There Be Light’… trust us, it’s a great ego boost when you get out of bed on a cold dark morning.
One final reminder, many of these bulbs will require a compatible smart hub to access all the coolest features, such as voice recognition and creating groups. You may also require a smart device to install any respective apps – essential if you want to change the colour of your Phillips Smart Hue!
The most useful smart lightbulbs on sale today
1 of 5Hive Light Cool to Warm White B22
Hive is a known and trusted supplier of home automation, including this colour warmth changing bulb. You can switch between cool and warm tinted colours, that's blue and orange to the layman, set it up on a schedule or even connect it to your Hive home sensors. It does require the Hive home hub, but once installed, you can control through your smartphone via the free app and unlock features such as Mimic mode, where you can set it to automatically turn on and off, and link to IFTTT. This is perfect to deter any would be robber while you're gallivanting on your summer hols. It boasts a 25,000 hour life, which is too many days for us to count in our heads, and is the perfect way to feel like you're waking up to sun in the winter months!
2 of 5Nanoleaf 9 Panel Smarter Kit
It's finally happened! Yes, we now live in the future! And this future is just like the movies from the 80s told us. Ok, so it may not be a major scientific breakthrough, but this innovative range of modular smart light panels can instantly turn any drab wall into a fab wall. This kit includes 9 panels (though if you want more, check out The Big Love-owski, and can be wall-mounted and arranged to suit. It doesn't require a hub, just a smart device to download the free app, and it can display over 16-million colours or different colour warmths. This version also includes the rhythm syncing kit, which makes the panels dance with colour in time to your rhythm, be that music or a good old fashioned impromptu bongo freak-out – groovy man!
3 of 5TP-Link Smart Wi-Fi LED Bulb LB100
Sometimes simple is just better. Sure, the TP-Link doesn't boast millions of colour ranges, or variable kelvin tints, but it works, it doesn't require a hub and it won't break the bank. Connecting directly to your Wi-Fi and using the free app lets you turn it on and off, as well as dim to set the mood or schedule activations when you're out. However, you can still take it a step further and hook it up to your Amazon Echo, or Google Home Hub to take advantage of voice control. It's 13.7 year lifespan is also pretty respectable, and it also works with IFTTT - bonus!
4 of 5Phillips Hue White and colour ambiance Lightstrip Plus 2m
Hear us out, it's time for one of our world-famous wildcards! So, technically not a lightbulb, more a series of lightbulbs, in a strip, that change colour… what's not to love?! This 2m flexible strip light is perfect for under cabinets, bed frames or anywhere else you can think of. It can display 50,000 shades of white, 16 million colours – mind blown – and even sync up to your tv or music for the ultimate 80's disco vibe. It will even allow you to choose a colour based on one of your phone-based photos! You will need a Philips Hue bridge, a plug socket and the free HUE app, but it's also compatible with all the usual home assistants, such as the Amazon Echo, Google Home and Apple HomeKit etc.
5 of 5LIFX A19
So you like the idea of a smart lightbulb, and the gateway to laziness… sorry, convenience… is an appealing one, but you don't want to fork out on a hub? Simple, this bulb from LIFX is everything you need to setup a smart home. Just download the app and connect the bulb to your Wi-Fi and sorted! It boasts 1100 lumens, a choice of over 16 million colours and you can set the colour temperature from a cool 2500K to a so warm it's blistering 9000K. You can even setup an automated routine, including using IFTTT for custom functions, right from your smart device. You can even enable voice control by pairing it with the usual suspects, such as Alexa, Google Home and even Microsoft Cortana. Sure, it's a bit on the pricey side for a bulb, but if you're only after one or two, this may save you in the long run, especially considering the claimed 22.8-year lifespan… or 2.4 family pets to put that into perspective.