HomeGearThe 8 Best Smart Bulbs (2023): Ambient Lighting, Kits, Color, and More

The 8 Best Smart Bulbs (2023): Ambient Lighting, Kits, Color, and More

June 26, 2023

The 8 Best Smart Bulbs (2023): Ambient Lighting, Kits, Color, and More

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A Word on Smart Light Bulbs

Lighting Tips

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Best Smart Bulb

Cync Full Color Direct Connect Smart Bulb

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$13 at Amazon

Runner-Up

Nooie Aurora

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$20 at Nooie (2 Pack)

An Upgrade Kit

Philips Hue White and Color Starter Kit

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$180 at Amazon (2 Pack)
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4 / 11

Remember the allure of the Clapper? No more getting out of bed to hit the light switch! It seemed cutting edge at the time (you can still buy it), but technology has come a long way since then. Now you can control the lights, set timers and schedules, and change colors with your smartphone or your voice if you have a voice assistant—no clapping required.

If you want to make your home a little smarter, smart bulbs are a great place to start. Most options are relatively cheap, and they’re easy to install. Plus, there are no cameras or door locks for someone to hack into, and no wiring to mess with. Do you want to try voice controls? Consider getting a smart speaker or smart display, but you can always use the smart bulb's app. Of the dozens we've tested over the years, these are the best smart bulbs.

Updated June 2023: We've added the Cync Reveal HD+ bulb.

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  • Image may contain Room Living Room Indoors Furniture Couch Chair Interior Design Flooring Floor and Bedroom
    Photograph: Philips

    A Word on Smart Light Bulbs

    Lighting Tips

    You'll typically see smart bulbs categorized by full color, dimmable white, and tunable white (bright white and warm tone options). All the color bulbs we tried have multiple white and warm settings, so if there's any chance you might want to try out colors occasionally, we recommend sticking with them. If you're buying lighting for an office or other professional space where pink or blue shades would be frowned upon (or you just want the most affordable bulb), we have basic options listed below. The lights we recommend below are not meant to be used outdoors.

    Setting up a smart bulb is simple. Usually, you only need to replace a bulb and download an app. Make sure to leave the power switch or the wall switch turned on so the corresponding app can control the power instead. You might have to occasionally reconnect the bulb to the app. Most bulbs can be set up separately, but some companies require you to connect a hub to your router. It's not the worst thing, but it can be a nuisance. It's worth noting that you might run into issues using smart bulbs with dimmer switches.

  • Photograph: Cync

    Best Smart Bulb

    Cync Full Color Direct Connect Smart Bulb

    It's hard to pick the absolute best smart bulb because they're all quite similar, but the Full Color Direct Connect from Cync was the easiest to set up—it took less than a minute in the Cync app from start to finish. Controlling the bulb is easy, as the app has a straightforward way to switch colors, activate Light Shows, and control power. You can also set up scenes and schedules within the app. Cync's Direct Connect lineup pairs easily with most voice assistants (except Siri) and you can control them remotely away from home without the need for a hub. You can also get a two-pack of bulbs for less than $25.

    Cync is formerly C by GE, so you may still find products under the latter name. All of those products, aside from the Sol lamp, will continue to work through the new app and get updates as usual.

    Works with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa

    ★ An alternative: If you want even brighter colors, the Cync Reveal HD+ bulbs ($15) are just as easy to use and install but are a little more vibrant.

    $13 at Amazon
    $11 at Target

  • Photograph: Nooie

    Runner-Up

    Nooie Aurora

    I'm a big Nooie fan. The Aurora offers a range of nice hues, with preset themes and the ability to make your own. Its white spectrum could stand to be broader and brighter, but it's enough to satisfy most people's needs. It has regular on/off schedule options, as well as wake-up and bedtime schedules that can dim or brighten the bulb. It's also designed to not overheat, thanks to "special cooling materials," according to Nooie's website. I touched the bulb after it had been on for a while—no burned fingers here.

    Amazon reviews from around 2019 for both the bulb and the plug (which I also like) note issues with the app. It has been updated since then, and I had no problems pairing or controlling either device. Nooie says app permissions mentioned in reviews have also been tweaked, and the app no longer requires permission to make calls. (The company says the requirement was there to determine the country the device was in for geo-specific services.) The problem? The Aurora is more expensive per bulb than the Cync.

    Works with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa

    $20 at Nooie (2 Pack)
    $48 at Nooie (4 Pack)

  • Photograph: Amazon

    An Upgrade Kit

    Philips Hue White and Color Starter Kit

    The Philips kit is more expensive than the Ikea one, but it's available at a variety of retailers and is compatible with most assistants. It comes with three or four bulbs and a Hue Bridge hub that lets you connect the bulbs to your phone or voice assistant. You can choose many colors and brightness levels, as well as preset scenes to set the mood (or you can make your own). The app includes helpful how-to videos that explain the bulb's extra functions, like using one as a timer (it blinks!).

    The hub lets you connect older Philips bulbs as well as other first- or third-party accessories, like the outdoor motion sensor. The three-pack now comes with a smart button that we haven't tried, but it seems similar to Ikea's remote. WIRED contributing writer Boone Ashworth says he's had issues connecting some of the bulbs, but I haven't run into any problems. Go with this if you want to use one system for all your smart home devices.

    Compatible with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit (via Hue Bridge), Samsung SmartThings

    $180 at Amazon (2 Pack)
    $199 at Home Depot (4 Pack)

  • Photograph: Wyze

    A Great Budget Bulb

    Wyze Bulb White

    Wyze consistently rivals larger smart-home brands with affordable but easy-to-use devices—we love its security cameras and smart plugs—and its bulbs are no different. The price has gone up a few dollars since we first tried it, but it's still one of the cheapest ways to smarten up the lighting in your home if you don't want any colors. The company has since released a color bulb ($23 for two) that we haven't tried but are confident will work just as well.

    Compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa

    $23 at Amazon (2 Pack)
    $17 at Wyze (2 Pack)

  • Photograph: Philips 

    Let’s Talk About Philips

    Philips Smart Bulb Collections

    The Philips Lighting brand—now owned by Signify—offers a lot of different smart bulbs, and it can be confusing to figure out what you want. Here's a short breakdown. Try to stick with one type, as they are (confusingly) controlled by different apps, but we like and recommend all of these.

    • There’s the Philips Hue kit we recommend above. It's expensive, and it needs a hub that connects to your router, but they're good bulbs powered by a comprehensive system. These are controlled via the Philips Hue app (on iOS and Android).
    • The Philips Hue A21 bulbs are less expensive at about $22 each. You can integrate these into the hub if you already have one, but if not, you'll need the same Philips Hue app (on iOS and Android) to control a room. You can also connect it to Alexa or Google Assistant.
    • Then there's the budget Wiz-Connected bulbs, our favorite of the bunch. They also don't need a hub and cost around $11 each. You can set them to a circadian rhythm (bright white during the day and warmer as it gets closer to bedtime). Some of their features, such as a flickering candle, aren't that impressive, but these work fine as simple bulbs. You'll need to download the Wiz app (iOS and Android) to control them, and they also work with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts.
    $180 at Amazon (Hub-Connected Kits)
    $22 at Best Buy (Bluetooth-Controlled Bulbs)
    $11 at Home Depot (Wiz Bulbs)

  • Photograph: Govee

    Best Light Strips

    Govee RGBIC Pro LED Light Strips

    Light strips on the back of furniture or underneath cabinets bring a futuristic feel to any living space, and adding them to your setup doesn't have to be expensive. Thanks to cool TikTok teens putting LED strips back on the map, you can find a ton of options, but WIRED writer Simon Hill highly recommends Govee's light strips.

    There’s a simple control box for power, color cycling, and music mode, while the app digs deeper with color temperature, brightness, scheduling, preset scenes, and the option to create effects. Hill says to prep the area properly and be careful when applying the adhesive backing. He likes Govee’s Immersion TV Backlights and Flow Pro light bars, too.

    Compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa

    $37 at Amazon
    $37 at Target
Most Popular

  • Photograph: Govee

    A Smart Lamp

    Govee Lyra Floor Lamp

    Govee also offers a smart lamp that makes it easy to create whatever vibe you prefer. Its tall, skinny body is modern without being an eyesore—it blends in when the light isn't on. There's a light strip on one side, and you should actually face it toward the wall so the colors can bounce off it in a diffused way.

    Through the Govee app, it can sync to music (using either the mic on your phone if you give the app permission or the actual lamp). You can also adjust the sensitivity so it can react to movie chatter, or you can choose colors from a long list, including gradients. The strip breaks into eight different sections that can be controlled separately or together. In the app's scene section, you can opt for basic white and warm lighting for studying, work, and a night light, or go for effects like breathing and fireworks. There's a remote control too if you don't want to use your phone all the time.

    Compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa

    $150 at Amazon
    $150 at Govee

  • Photograph: Nanoleaf

    Best Ambient Lighting Kit

    Nanoleaf Hexagons Smarter Kit

    Nanoleaf's Hexagon lights aren't the best for brightening up rooms, but they're a fun way to add ambient lighting and set a mood. Each hexagon is an individual light that connects to the others, and you can set them up in various patterns. Through the app, you control the color scheme, make it change to music, and set schedules. You can also get help designing a layout. These lights attach to the wall with adhesives; it's possible to remove them without taking the paint off, but you have to be careful. I recommend deciding on a design before installing them (use a level to make sure they're straight!).

    These lights work almost anywhere, even in a kid's room, where they can double as a fancy nightlight. The set isn't cheap, though. The seven-piece starter kit is $200. You can add more pieces if you have a particular design in mind. I also like the company's LED strips, which you add as bias lighting behind the TV or computer monitor, or as accents in any room.

    Compatible with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings

    $200 at Amazon
    $200 at Nanoleaf
    $200 at Home Depot
  • Photograph: Nanoleaf

    Honorable Mentions

    More Smart Bulbs

    There are a lot of good smart bulbs that work perfectly well but don't outshine our top picks. We've tested the bulbs below and like them, so if nothing above caught your eye, maybe one of these will.

Most Popular

  • Photograph: Wyze

    If You Can't Swap Bulbs

    Wyze Plug

    If you want the pros of using a smart bulb without switching out all your lights—maybe you use fancy bulbs, are already stocked up and don't want to let them go to waste, or just can't change the lights in your home or apartment for some reason—consider a smart plug. They use your home's Wi-Fi network to let you remotely control the power to the bulb. Using the corresponding app, you can control your lights and schedule on and off times, or you can connect to a voice assistant for voice control. We've tested a bunch of smart plugs, and the TP-Link Kasa Plugs are our favorite.

    You can also replace your light switches with smart ones, but that requires a little more work. We haven't tested these, but Lutron and TP-Link's options come with solid recommendations.

    Compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa

    $17 at Wyze (Two-Pack)
    $20 at Amazon (Two-Pack)

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