What to Know About Smart Lightbulbs

Move over, LED bulbs – smart light bulbs are the newest trend in home lighting. They add a convenience factor by being able to control them from your phone as well as better energy conservation. Here’s everything you need to know before shopping for smart bulbs for your home: 

Hub or No Hub

A hub is a device that connects to your wireless router at home. Some smart lights require this connection to be able to control them from your phone or smart device. An easy key to know if the bulbs need a hub would be if you see “Zigbee” or “Z-Wave” on the packaging. 

If you purchase bulbs that don’t require a hub, you’ll just need to connect them to your Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Wi-Fi bulbs tend to be a bit more reliable whereas Bluetooth would only work from your phone within a specific range. If your house is larger, a Wi-Fi connected set may be better. 

White or Color-Changing

Classic white smart bulbs still come with the ability to dim at different levels, but color-changing lights supply some extra mood lighting if you want more. They can amplify a themed party or be used for notifications with alarms. 

How Smart Are Smart Bulbs? 

By controlling your lightbulbs from your phone, you can create a setting for the light by your door to be a certain color depending on the weather. For example, you can set it to turn blue if you’ll need a raincoat. You can also configure the lights to turn on automatically when you get home so that you’re not fumbling in the dark to find a light switch. Not a morning person? Set the lights in your bedroom to gradually increase, simulating a natural sunrise for easier waking. 

The possibilities can be endless when you make the switch to smart light bulbs and discover everything you can do right from your phone. 

Not only do smart bulbs help save energy, they can be fun to use and cost-efficient as well. Decide what will work best for your home and enjoy your new smart light bulbs!