The best smart light bulbs: Philips, LIFX, and more

Lights are often the first thing people choose to upgrade for a smart home, since they’re both a daily necessity and pretty spectacular when done right. What should you actually consider buying though? We’ve curated a list of some of the best smart light bulbs to help.

With smart lighting, it’s less about specific models and more about the brands and ecosystems you prefer. In that regard, two of the most prominent names in the industry are Philips Hue and LIFX, but there are certainly other valid options.

The best smart light bulbs:

1. Philips Hue
2. LIFX
3. Wyze
4. Nanoleaf
5. TP-Link Kasa

Editor’s note: We’ll be updating this list of the best smart light bulbs regularly as new ones launch.

1. Philips Hue

With few exceptions, Philips Hue is the best choice for people wanting to upgrade their home’s lighting en masse. Hue bulbs are high-quality and reliable, the latter mostly because of the hub you connect them to. Each Hue Smart Hub (a.k.a. Hue Bridge) supports up to 50 lights, reducing the burden on your Wi-Fi network while enabling functions like remote access. You can alternately add Hue lights to a third-party Zigbee hub, but you’ll lose out on some features.

Through the Hub, Hue bulbs are compatible with all three major smart home platforms: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit. You can also find varieties to suit just about any budget or fixture, from basic white A19/E26 bulbs to outdoor, candle, and filament designs.

You’ll want to begin with a Starter Kit, which includes a Hub and at least two bulbs. We’d recommend going with White and Color Ambiance bulbs if you can afford them. Should those be too expensive, White Ambiance bulbs produce “shades” of white from a warm orange to a slight blue tint.

2. LIFX

LIFX’s smart light bulbs are superficially similar to those from Philips Hue, including compatibility with Alexa, HomeKit, and Google Home. A key difference is that each LIFX bulb connects directly to Wi-Fi, eliminating the need for a hub — just be sure your router isn’t overloaded with other device connections. You’ll want Wi-Fi 6 or 6E to prevent dropouts. You’ll also want reliable internet to ensure automations work.

Beyond being hub-free, another perk is color saturation. As nice as Hue bulbs are, LIFX is typically better at bathing a room in color, which can be preferable for things like gaming setups.

We’ve linked a more affordable 800-lumen bulb below, but LIFX’s flagship model (in the picture above) is rated up to 1,100 lumens. The company even offers bulbs intended to improve night vision on security cameras, or reduce bacteria using HEV (high-energy visible) light. Those are overkill for most people.

3. Wyze

Should you want a 1,100-lumen option that doesn’t break the bank like LIFX or Philips Hue can, go with Wyze. In fact you can get a 4-pack of Wyze bulbs for about the same price as one from LIFX, which may make the former an instant buy for some people.

What are you sacrificing to get that price? Well, while Wyze’s bulbs still support Wi-Fi, they’re only compatible with Alexa and Google Home, not HomeKit. LIFX also offers more effects options than Wyze, and its ecosystem is broader, with a longer track record to boot. Wyze is best known for its security cameras.

4. Nanoleaf

Nanoleaf’s updated Essentials bulbs support both Matter and Thread. The former expands support beyond HomeKit and the Nanoleaf app to Alexa, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings, whereas Thread is an ultra-quick wireless mesh technology poised to replace Zigbee. The company sells A19, BR30, GU10, and downlight models, all of which get pretty bright, up to 1,100 lumens on the A19. They’re also pretty affordable — you can get a 3-pack of the A19s, BR30s, or GU10s for $50.

The catch is that to make them work, you’ll need both a Matter controller and at least one nearby Thread border router. Thankfully, Matter controllers include many existing smart speakers and displays, and Thread border routers include everything from HomePods, Eero routers and Nest Hubs to Nanoleaf’s own light panels. The more Thread devices in your home, the more reliable the bulbs become. 

5. TP-Link Kasa

Kasa’s smart light bulbs strike a nice balance between quality and affordability. Think of them as a workhorse — although they can’t compete with Philips Hue or LIFX, they’ll get the job done. Platform support includes Alexa and Google Home.

You should probably stick with Kasa’s 1,000-lumen color Wi-Fi bulbs (linked below), but you can also get white, filament, and 850-lumen models. Harder to track down is a “warm amber” filament, which looks like it belongs at a patio bar in Austin or Brooklyn.