If you want to transform your bedroom from a drab, personality-less rental into something like a rave cave, a couple of smart light bulbs can go a long way. Not only are they a fun way to revamp your living space, but from a more practical side, they’ll immerse you in the neon-lit, sci-fi movies of your wildest dreams.
Smart lighting will allow you to control it using either an app or voice command (if you have a virtual assistant device set up, that is). You’ll never have to flip a light switch again. If you’re chucking on a movie, you can dim your lights without leaving your couch. Throw in some multicolour bulbs and you can change the entire vibe of a room, or tone it to suit.
If you’re looking to make some smart lighting choices, we’ve put together a list of bulbs that’ll let you give your home some extra colour.
This article has been updated since its original publication.
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Check your fixture connections
One thing you should do before committing to any of these lighting options is to ensure that you can plug them into your chosen fixture. Most bulbs come in two-socket styles — an E27/Edison screw or a B22/bayonet mount – so keep that in mind before running along to checkout.
The smart light bulbs you can buy
Meross Smart LED Bulb
If you’re after a budget-friendly option, then these Meross smart bulbs could be the answer you’re looking for. These LED bulbs use 9W of energy and include a range of 16 million colours with adjustable white temperatures between 2,700K and 6,500K.
As far as smart home ecosystems go, these bulbs are compatible with the virtual assistants from Apple, Google and Amazon, along with Samsung’s SmartThings. The Meross app will let you schedule various automatic sequences, and you can also control these bulbs if your Wi-Fi goes offline. In fact, you don’t even need to be in your home to control them.
Here’s where you can buy the Meross Smart LED Bulb (2-pack):
Nanoleaf Essentials Matter A60 Smart Bulb
Nanoleaf is pretty well known for its range of modular LED light panels, which, while they do look great, they’re also quite expensive.
However, Nanoleaf also has its Essentials line, which includes a smart bulb and a light strip. The Essentials line aims to combine the quality of Nanoleaf’s high-end smart lighting with more affordable prices – and the results are impressive.
You control your Nanoleaf bulbs via an app, allowing you to set a schedule for your lighting and download new designs and lighting modes. With a max brightness of 1,100 lumens, the bulb uses over 16 million colours, so you’re bound to find something that suits your mood.
Outside of the app, you can control these with your voice through Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Samsung SmartThings, provided you use a Matter-compatible smart home hub.
You can check out Gizmodo Australia’s full review of the Essentials bulb here.
Here’s where you can buy the Nanoleaf Essentials Matter A60 Smart Bulb:
TP-Link L530 Smart Wi-Fi Light Bulb
If you’re after a smart bulb with a wide variety of colour customisation, this is the bulb for you. With 16 million different hues to pick from, this TP-Link Smart Bulb will provide more than enough aesthetic choices. These come with all of the features you want with a smart bulb: you can schedule routines, customise colour settings and can be controlled via an app and voice commands (Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant).
Here’s where you can buy the TP-Link L530 Smart Wi-Fi Light Bulb (2-pack):
LIFX Colour A60 Smart Bulb
In terms of competitors, LIFX’s A60 smart bulbs are the ones that give Philips a run for their money. The A60 shines at a bright 1,200 lumens with access to “billions of colours, ” including adjustable cool and warm whites. Controlling a group of lights via the LIFX app is pretty simple, and you can easily set up an automated routine.
You don’t need a bridge or hub to run these light bulbs – however if you have a smart speaker on hand already, you’ll be able to pair it with the LIFX A60, allowing you to control it with your voice. It’s compatible with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa and Google Home.
Here’s where you can buy the LIFX Colour A60 Smart Bulb:
Philips Hue White & Colour Ambiance Smart Bulb
If you’ve done any research into smart bulbs, you’ve most likely seen Philips Hue pop up. These smart bulbs connect to your phone via Bluetooth and tout an impressive 16 million colours. With a peak brightness of 1,055 lumens, they also offer a white temperature range of 2,000K to 6,500K and a lifespan of around 25,000 hours.
However, there are some things to consider before picking up a Hue bulb. As far as price goes, a Philips Hue smart bulb is usually more expensive than anything its competitors are offering. You also need to buy a Philips Hue Bridge if you want to unlock the full range of smart features, which include voice control, automated sequences and the ability to control it when not at home.
A Bridge also lets you control up to 50 lights at a time, while a standard Bluetooth connection tops out at 10 (we imagine this wouldn’t be a huge issue for most unless you’re reading this article because you plan to fit out a hotel).
Here’s where you can buy the Philips Hue White & Colour Ambiance Smart Bulb (2-pack):
Image: Nanoleaf/Philips