If you’ve never tried a connected internet of things (IoT) device before – aka something that’s part of a ‘smart home’ setup – and are curious to try, then the easiest place to start would be with smart lights.
So, what makes a light smart? Simply put, it will connect to your home’s Wi-Fi network or to your phone via Bluetooth (in some cases, both) so you can control it via a companion app or voice commands using popular virtual assistants such as Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant. You can dim them, brighten them, get many of them to change color and add some ambience to your home. If you’ve got multiple smart lights set up from different brands, you can often use a hub to control them all from one place.
Smart lights come in all shapes and sizes – there are the basics like bulbs and light strips, or you can design your own setup with light panels too. You can even get table and floor lamps that are smart. Popular brands include Philips Hue, Nanoleaf, LIFX, TP-Link and Lenovo.
Latest about Smart Lights
The Philips Hue Black Friday sale is here, with 30% off heaps of bulbs and lights
Mix and match a huge array of Philips Hue products and save serious cash.
With 60% off, this Philips Hue bundle is one of Amazon's best early Black Friday deals ever
Get two Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) smart speakers and a Philips Hue bulb for under £50.
Philips Hue vs Govee: choose the right smart lights for you
If you can't decide which smart bulbs would be best for your home, we're here to help.
New 24-hour scenes for your Philips Hue lights will set the mood all day long
You'll soon be able to choose either Golden Hours or Nature's Colors.
Philips Hue smart lights are going cheap with these epic early Black Friday deals
Huge savings on smart lighting for every room in your home.
Try before you buy: you can now use AR to preview how Philips Hue lights will look in your home
The Philips Hue app has received a 3D mapping update to help you decide whether to invest in more smart lights.
Govee Floor Lamp Pro review: stunning smart lighting for any occasion
The Govee Floor Lamp Pro is an intensely versatile and bright smart lamp with a built-in speaker, but it lacks the build quality of more expensive rivals.
Govee Floor Lamp 2 review: a fantastic lighting package for your Matter smart home
Govee's Floor Lamp 2 is cheaper than its Pro model and offers better compatibility thanks to Matter.
