When we mention the word "home automation" these days, it's rare to find someone who doesn't understand what we're talking about. Controlling lights, appliances, vacuum cleaners, and various other devices has become a much more accessible possibility, one that, thanks to technological advances, we can do simply with our voice or even from our own phones. Today we're going to tell you everything you need to know to choose the simplest and most affordable gadget to get started in this world. It's time to talk about smart bulbs.
What are smart bulbs?
This accessory is simply a regular light bulb with the added ability to be controlled via voice commands using a smart speaker or your own phone , and depending on the option you choose, it will have more or fewer functions that you can control.
But, the most important question is how do you connect with these devices? There are different forms and each one has certain peculiarities:
- Bluetooth connection: This is the simplest method, since we will only have to locate them among the devices with said connectivity to manage it through your application. The positive point of these bulbs is that, if we have a WiFi connection cut at home, we can continue to manage them without problems. However, the negative point is that their radius of action is much smaller, so do not intend to get too far away from them to be able to use them.
- WiFi connectivity: As its name indicates, the luminaires in this group are connected directly to our router. This provides the advantage of being able to use it from anywhere in our home, enabling the relevant functions, from outside it as long as we have an internet connection. And, as you can imagine, if our WiFi network has problems, it will be impossible for us to manage these bulbs remotely.
- Connection via Zigbee: There are protocols such as Zigbee or Z-wabe -although the first is the most used- that allow us to manage our smart lights. This protocol serves as a bridge between the luminaire and our router to make the connection and has characteristics very similar to WiFi connectivity. Although it is not the subject of this article, the Zigbee protocol can also be applied to other home automation devices such as smart plugs. In that case, if we had a cut in our WiFi signal, we could control the light bulb from said socket, since the connection is direct in that specific case.
What can you do with smart bulbs?
Now that we've covered what these types of smart home gadgets are, you're probably wondering about all their uses. This topic is difficult to cover completely, but below we'll show you some of the fundamental uses of these lights:
- Turn off/on the light remotely.
- Vary the light intensity if you have this option.
- Modify the color if it is an RGB bulb, or failing that, the color temperature between warm and cold light.
- Schedule the on / off in a specific time range.
- Other Conditional Functions: Mainly known from the IFTTT or “If This Then That” app, these types of functions represent actions that trigger other actions. For example: we can program that, when our phone detects that we are getting closer to home, either because of our location or because it automatically connects to the WiFi network, it sends a signal to the light bulbs so that they turn on before you get home. .
What should you consider before buying a smart bulb?
Of course, not all the options have 100% of the possibilities that I have just mentioned. Even depending on where you live, there are features of these gadgets that may not be supported in your region.
The main details to consider before buying one of these home automation accessories are:
- thread type: although it is a detail that we always have to take into account before buying a new light bulb, in the smart lighting sector it is just as important. Depending on your home, you may have some of these threads on your light sockets:
- Light power: depending on the characteristics of the room or the environment that we want to create, we must choose a luminaire with more or less light power, which is represented in watts (W) or lumens (lm). And while it may seem obvious, the higher the number in W or lm, the more “light” the bulb will provide.
- Operation by voice commands: if we want to manage the luminaire through voice commands, we can do it with Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri, but it is essential that compatibility with assistants is reflected in the box. Look for it on the front or on the side. If you want to make this task easier, we already told you about a list of the best Alexa-compatible light bulbs.
- Need or not a connection jumper: Although most smart bulbs do not need it, there are models that require an external bridge to be able to be managed. It is something that is usually reflected in the item's description when purchasing it, but if it is not specified, remember to consult it before purchasing it.
- Opening angle: Although it is a "minor" fact, one of the problems we have with LED lighting is the angle of light opening, that is, the angle with which the light comes out of each bulb. The "normal" luminaires that we have in our homes are usually 120º, while the LED spotlights that are recessed into the ceiling of the rooms usually have a more closed angle and, therefore, illuminate less area than the rest of the bulbs.
It is time to select the best option
Now that you've seen everything about smart bulbs, you're in the perfect position to choose the best option for you . Just think about what you want to do with it, and by reviewing all these details, you'll buy the best option and avoid wasting money or making a poor choice.
Our recommendation is that, if you're just starting out, you avoid buying lights that require connection bridges to make things easier. Furthermore, if you want to make things even simpler, try purchasing lights from well-known brands like Philips Hue, which no longer require a bridge , TP-Link, or Xiaomi's own Yeelight. And, of course, if you buy RGB bulbs, you'll have a wider range of options than if you only buy a white light model where you can adjust the color temperature.
Here are some of the best-known models in case you are interested.
Philips bulbs
They are perhaps the most well-known company for smart lighting and, in turn, one of the most expensive. In its catalog we can find a wide range of lights that are also compatible with the 3 best-known voice assistants: Siri, Google Assistant and Alexa. This is one of the smart lights that you can buy from the company, but we leave you with a selection of the best Philips bulbs that you can buy.
See offer on AmazonTP-Link luminaires
Another alternative is TP-Link lights. A company well known for many details related to technology and, among them, smart lights. Among its options you will find RGB bulbs or with adjustable temperature. They are cheaper but, yes, they are compatible with Alexa and Assistant, not with Siri.
See offer on AmazonYEELIGHT bulbs
One option may be the YEELIGHT from Xiaomi. The most economical option of all whether you opt for multicolor bulbs or dimmable white lighting. In addition, now you have the possibility to use it with HomeKit in addition to the rest of the assistants.
See offer on Amazon