The best smart lights: smart lightbulbs for your home

published 2 February 2021

You can buy all the throw cushions you like, change the curtains or even rearrange your furniture, but there’s one thing and one thing only that really impacts the mood of a room – the lighting.

If you've never thought about investing in smart lighting before, then taking a look at the best smart lights and lightbulbs to illuminate your home might be a good idea.

Whether you’re trying to concentrate on work or dimming the lights for a night of romance (or, more realistically, Netflix), lighting means everything – and with the advent of smart technology, setting the mood has never been easier.

It's now possible to pick the perfect hue, set timers, add effects and anything else you can imagine, all from an app on your phone.

Here’s our guide to the best smart lights on the market

Best smart lights and lightbulbs

There are plenty of smart bulbs on the market, but if you're looking for something a little bit different, then check out the range of smart lighting systems – or smart lighting art – from Nanoleaf.Nanoleaf's Light Panels make up a modular lighting system, which means you can build it however you want to – no expert installation required. Once you've decided on a light pattern, which you can change at any time, you can then play with more than 16 million colours and change the lights intensity at any time – there's also a cool music sync feature.

If you are looking for a low-cost option to 'smarten' up your home, then head straight to the Nanoleaf Essentials range. We have tried out both the light bulb and LED strip and they are really easy to install. If you have Nanoleaf already, then you can control both through the app - they also work with Thread, the smart home open standard. There is no Alexa functionality, which would have been handy, but we are utterly impressed with this range and it should mean that Nanoleaf will be available in more homes as the price is a great entry level tease.

Philips Hue is the smart lighting market leader. It’s easy to see why. One central "Bridge", the hub of the system, allows you to connect up to fifty lights. It can also connect to your Alexa, your Apple Watch or any number of other wearable devices or smart assistants.Hue bulbs are incredibly easy to install. There's no need to get an electrician in to elevate your lighting to god-tier good.And as for the options? You can choose from over 16 million colour combinations. No chance of running out of options, then.

LIFX smart bulbs are pretty impressive. Just how easy they are to set up and install is their standout feature.Unlike Hue and Hive, LIFX bulbs don’t require a central hub. All you have to do is download an app, screw in the bulb as you would any other analogue lightbulb and connect to Wi-Fi. It’s really as easy as that.It also offers a broad range of utilities – you can connect it it to your Echo, your Nest Thermostat and more. A great addition to any smart home, and they are among the brightest around too.

You probably know Hive for its smart heating system. It's a hi-tech way to save money on your heating bills and customise the feel of your home.What you might not know is that the company also offers a range of smart lights as part of a fully integrated smart home system. The system is not unlike the Philips Hue range. A central hub controls a set of lights in your home.Again, the range isn’t as large as that offered by Hue. But with a range of colours and various options for warmth and brightness, Hive gives it a pretty good run for its money.

The Sengled Element kit has all you need to get going with smart lighting: two bulbs, a hub and an Ethernet cable.Its most notable feature is its longevity – you won’t be changing your lightbulb any time soon, because each bulb can last up to 25,000 hours. Pretty impressive stuff.If you’re concerned about power and money-saving, this is also a good choice. One section of its app shows you how the bulbs are performing, comparing power used with money saved. Perfect for the more frugal of us.

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As Content Director of Shortlist, Marc likes nothing more than to compile endless lists of an evening by candlelight. He started out life as a movie writer for numerous (now defunct) magazines and soon found himself online - editing a gaggle of gadget sites, including TechRadar, Digital Camera World and Tom's Guide UK. At Shortlist you'll find him mostly writing about movies and tech, so no change there then.

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The best smart lights 2021: smart lightbulbs for your home

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