Smart Lights

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Smart Light Technology

Smart Light refers to the technology used in smart homes to save energy and promote green technology. With automated controls and smart home technology, simple lights can be smart. The smart lights perform the task according to the need of the environment and the user.

Different inbuilt sensors in the smart lights allow voice and motion control for turning on and off the lights. As per the research, lighting consumes 19% of the world’s energy and 6% of the greenhouse gas emission caused by lighting. For minimizing to some extent, smart lighting promotes energy efficiency.

Smart lights allow the user to control the devices remotely and also notifies the user if the light is on while no one is in the house. Some smart lights are more advanced and turn on or off the light by sensing the need for the light in the particular room.

Smart lights, also able to control the brightness level work automatically according to the required amount of the light in the house. Smart lights, equipped with the sensors (passive infrared, ultrasonic and hybrid), and motion detectors.

There are different types of smart lights that include Wi-Fi lights or bulb, and lifix mini lights that work smartly with the help of the hue app, and smart light apps. Philips hue lights, best smart lights in amazon and Walmart are the most sold smart lights in 2019. With the upgraded features in the lights, the smart lights of Philips are gaining popularity over the years.

Not only the Philips lights but other lights such as Sengled Smart Lights, eufy Lumos, Ring smart lights, and Cree connected lights are available with different functions of their own in the online as well as offline market.

Best Smart Lights for home and offices

1)    Sengled Smart Wi-Fi LED Multicolor

ith a compatible hub, the Sengled Smart LED work with Amazon Alexa, google home, and other smart home speakers for voice control. The setup is simple, and the user has to buy a compatible hub to pair the bulb with the hub and set the bulb in the required place.

There is over 16 million color combination along with the candle night and day-light setting. Also with light color temperature varying from 2000k to 6500k. Once the user has used the light in some setting and turns off and after some time when opening the light, the settings will be the same.

Available at $24.99 in Amazon, this multicolor light work with Wi-Fi as well as home assistants like Amazon Alexa, IFTTT, and google home. The base type is E26 and comes in the size of 4.2 by 2.3 inches in white color.

Equivalent to 60 watts by consuming only nine watts the Sengled Smart LED, equipped with different functions, allows dimming the light and scheduling the settings for dimming and brightening the light. The Sengled Smart LED also allows changing the color with the voice like “Alexa change the kitchen light to pink.”

Rated 4.5 star by editors choice in Amazon, the Sengled Smart LED is reasonably priced and does not require an additional hub providing good color quality to the user. One of the cons, this smart bulb lacks apple home kit support and less third-party apps integration.

2)   Eufy Lumos Smart Bulb White and Color

With effortless installment, user can enjoy 16 million+ colors with voice commands using Amazon Alexa, and google home. The Eufy Lumos Smart Bulb allows remote control through their connected smartphones (Android 4.3 or above and ios 8 or above with 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network support only) through EufyHome app.

The features “Functional Lighting” helps to set the schedules to turn on/off and away mode helps to stimulate non-vacant house when the user is out of the house.

Available at $34.99 in Amazon, Eufy Lumos Smart Bulb is of nine watts but is equivalent to 60 watts of regular lights. The Eufy Lumos Smart Bulb supports both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth that simplifies the user’s effort during different situations such as at home or far away. While purchasing the user get 2.6 by 5.5 inches bulb, user manual, safety instruction card, and worry-free 18 month warranty.

The Eufy Lumos Smart Bulb produces 2700k-6500k of light temperature with the output of 800 Lumens. This bulb doesn’t require any additional hub, so the setup is simple, and the user can save energy at a low price. The Eufy Lumos Smart Bulb has additional feature for dimming the light with the LED light source.

3)    Philips Hue White/Color Ambiance A19 (Starter kit)

One of the best overall smart light, Philips Hue white/color smart light comes with the starter kit. The smart pack of bulb costs $164.48 at Amazon, which consists of Hue White A19 LED bulbs, and Hue Bridge.

The Bulbs are of 10 watts but equivalent to 60 watts regular bulbs which adds plus points to the smart kit and save energy. With the support, if Wi-Fi and Zigbee network the Philips Hue White/Color Ambiance 19 starter kit also supports Amazon Alexa, Apple Home Kit, IFTTT, and Nest.

Other accessories sold separately helps to expand the lighting system where user can dim the lights using the dimmer switch. Hue Tap or Hue motion sensor allows pairing with the smart home automation system. The user experience gets better with the available Nest or smart things system.

Some easy steps to install:
  • Unpack the smart starter kit.
  • Use a screwdriver and fit the light in the desired location.
  • Download the Hue mobile app in your smartphone and connect with the Hue bridge.
  • Connect with the smart speakers Amazon Alexa or any other for voice commands.
  • Control via the Philips Hue app remotely (if necessary).

The starter kit includes three white and colored Ambiance lights (A19), one Hue bridge, one Ethernet cable, and power adapter. Besides this, there is a two-year warranty. Therefore, the starter kit is perfect for small homes with 3-4 rooms.

4)   Philips Hue Lily White & Color Ambiance Outdoor Smart Spotlight Base kit

The Philips Hue lights, available for both indoor and outdoor, is typically used by the user of the smart homes. The outdoor smart spotlight base kit is available in Amazon for only $339.99 which include different components.

Three Hue White and Color Ambiance Spot Lights, Spike x3, Three Mounting Brackets, Two Cable Connectors along with Three Cable Extention and a Power Supply. Philips Hue provides Two years warranty on every base kit bought by the user. Components don’t include batteries as the smart light runs with power supply and the user doesn’t need to buy batteries.

Made up of Aluminium the Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Spot Light is available in LED type. The Luminous Flux of 600-640lm brightness helps the user to spot even in the dark. The spotlight possesses a dimension of 4.5 by 2.6 inches producing a light temperature of 2000k to 6500k.

User can control over 16 million colors with their voice using Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, and Nest. The light is highly resistant build with weatherproof materials providing lifetime up to 25,000 hours.  There is a two years warranty on this Smart Light. The installation process is easy and simple

  • Place the smart spotlight in the desired locations.
  • Connect the spotlights with the PSU
  • Then plug and pair it with the HUE Hub.

The best distance between the Hub and the spotlights is 30Ft, but it is extendable up to 60Ft. But, the user needs to focus on metals which block the signal between the Hub and the Spotlights.

5)    Ring Smart Lightning

One of the most advanced security-minded smart light is smart ring lights available in Amazon at $24.99. This smart light works with Amazon Alexa (sold separately) for voice control and is rated four stars by Amazon (Editor choice).

Without any specific light color temperature, the output of the power is about 35 lumens. This smart light is battery powered and shines brighter wherever installed. This device is also capable of integrating with the other ring devices with the Ring app. The user can control the light by connecting to the Ring Bridge.

The installation is simple and effortless as the light is battery powered and is available with the toolkit for installation. The wire-free design makes it portable and easily accessible from distant places. The step light is whether-proof, so the user can place it outside without worrying about the climate and rain.

User can have customizable settings where s/he can adjust the brightness and motion sensitivity from the ring app. The Motion-activated Notification function of this device helps the user to get notifications in their connected phone. This smart Ring lightening system lets the user create a network of motion-based security lights outside the home.

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