There are different options to choose from when you want to add smart lighting to your home. Here they are (you can click on the titles to see the products):
Smart Bulbs
A smart bulb is a type of light bulb that can connect to your home Wi-Fi network or a smart home hub, allowing you to control it remotely using a mobile app, voice commands, or automation. Overall, smart bulbs offer flexibility, convenience, and energy efficiency, allowing you to customize your lighting experience and create a smarter and more comfortable home environment.
PROS: Setup is relatively simple with the bulb approach, and it’s easy to move a bulb to a new fixture if needed.
CONS: The bulbs won’t work if the light is switched off. Most smart bulbs fit in the common E27 light socket (lamba barem), and will not fit in other smaller sockets
Smart Switches and Relays
Smart switches are devices that replace traditional light switches in your home, offering enhanced control and automation capabilities. Smart switches provide an alternative to smart bulbs, offering control and automation at the switch level rather than individual bulbs. This can be beneficial if you have multiple bulbs connected to a single switch or prefer the convenience of controlling all the lights in a room through one switch.
- If you want to keep your wall switch and want to put a small smart relay inside the existing wall switch and
- your wall switch contains one button, then check out the Sonoff MINI R4.
- your wall switch contains two buttons, then check out the Sonoff DUAL R3.
- If you want to replace your wall switch by a smart one:
- you’re looking for a 1-2 or 3 buttons, check the Sonoff TX Ultimate Touch Wall Switch, Sonoff SwitchMan M5 Matter Smart Light Switch.
- you’re looking for an all-in-one solution with touch screen and two buttons, check the Sonoff NSPanel.
PROS: With a smart switch, you’re free to use whatever bulb you want — perfect if you’re picky about light quality, or if your fixture requires bulbs of a particular size, shape, or style that’s incompatible with smart bulbs. In many cases, your scheduled lighting changes will still run even when the switch is turned off.
CONS: Installation requires DIY skills and is more difficult than smart bulbs, because wiring is needed, and you do not have control over the brightness and colors of the light bulb
You can combine smart switch & smart bulb to get the best of both worlds!
There are other types of smart lightning, that are more use-case-specific.
Smart LED Strips
Smart LED strips are flexible strips with built-in LEDs that can be controlled and customized using a mobile app or a smart home hub. Smart LED strips are a versatile lighting solution that can add vibrant and dynamic lighting effects to your space. They are often used for accent lighting, creating ambiance, or highlighting architectural features. When choosing smart LED strips, consider factors like length, connectivity options, color accuracy, and compatibility with your preferred smart home platform or ecosystem.
Smart Outdoor Lights
Smart outdoor lights, also known as smart outdoor lighting systems, provide advanced control and automation features for your outdoor lighting. Smart outdoor lights provide convenience, security, and energy efficiency by allowing you to control and automate your outdoor lighting according to your preferences and needs. When selecting smart outdoor lights, ensure they are suitable for outdoor use and compatible with your preferred smart home platform or ecosystem.
Smart Gaming Lights
Smart gaming lights are specialized lighting systems designed to enhance the gaming experience by providing dynamic and immersive lighting effects. Smart gaming lights are designed to add visual flair and immersion to your gaming environment, making the gaming experience more engaging and enjoyable. When choosing smart gaming lights, consider compatibility with your gaming platform, the available customization options, ease of integration, and the overall aesthetics and design that align with your gaming setup.