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Suzanne Humphries was a Commerce Editor for Review Geek. She has over seven years of experience across multiple publications researching and testing products, as well as writing and editing news, reviews, and how-to articles covering software, hardware, entertainment, networking, electronics, gaming, apps, security, finance, and small business. Read more...

Odds are, you’ve heard us talk about smart lights at some point. And with millions of color and style options, smart assistant integration, and automation abilities, how could we not? If you’re looking to introduce a few smart lighting products into your home, we’ve gathered up tons of useful and exciting picks for every room in your home.

Whether you’re looking to start building your smart home, or you’re simply wondering which smart light products to buy, there are two things you’ll need to think about first: smart home ecosystems and hubs. You’ll need to choose a smart home ecosystem before you proceed, and the three most common ecosystems are Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa. Every one of the products we’ve listed below will be compatible with at least one of these three ecosystems, which give you the ability to control the lights with only a simple voice command. Many people choose an ecosystem based on the smartphone or smart speakers they already own, like an Apple iPhone or Google Nest Hub.

Also, keep in mind that not every smart light is compatible with every ecosystem, and that some ecosystems are compatible with fewer products than others. For example, Apple HomeKit doesn’t support nearly as many devices as Google Assistant or Alexa. Likewise, some products only work with Amazon Alexa, while some offer a more agnostic approach and work with all three ecosystems.

Additionally, pay attention to whether a device needs a hub. A hub system serves as the brain of your smart home setup. It’s where you’ll connect each of your smart devices and manage things like routines and so on. Some products (like the Philips Hue line) require a hub to work, while others (like LIFX) don’t. Opting for products that use a hub can affect things like product reliability and pricing. Ultimately, though it all comes down to your preferences and budget.

As with any smart device, smart lights have a variety of fun and convenient features that their “dumb” counterparts lack. First, you can control them with your voice or with an app. Depending on the device, you’ll have control over things like power, dimming, color, and routines. Second, you can control them even when you aren’t at home—say, when you’re away on vacation but still want to make it look like someone’s home.

Most of these functions can be accessed with voice commands, which is perfect if you’re just walking through the door and your arms are full of groceries. Smart lights also conserve energy. What’s not to like about that?

While most people are already familiar with smart bulbs, it’s worth noting that there are multiple other types of smart lighting products out there. You’ve got smart switches, table lamps, atmospheric lighting, and even lights for your garage and yard. There are tons of amazing ways to smarten up your home’s lighting and add a splash of exciting ambiance.

There are also a ton of options to choose from and it’s easy to feel a little overwhelmed if you’re brand new to smart lighting, or even smart home technology in general. So we’ve broken the products down into different categories and suggested which rooms are the best places to put them in to make things a little easier for you.

You’ll also want to consider what your budget will be for your smart lights in addition to choosing the right ones for your ecosystem. In most cases, there are options across all budgets but buying multiple products for each room in your house can add up. If you don’t want to spend all that money up front (which is totally understandable), you can just add a few at a time.

If you’re just getting into smart lights, the best place to begin is with individual bulbs, sold either individually or in starter kit packs. Single bulbs make for a great starting place as they’re already something your familiar with. They work in nearly any lighting fixture, and are just as easy to install and use as regular light bulbs. With the fun colors and functionality these bulbs offer, they make for an easy way to step into the world of smart lighting without much risk.

You can keep things simple and just start with a single smart bulb. They work well in any room, but they’re especially nice to have in garages and basements where your hands might be too full to flip on a switch. Keep in mind that while some offer standalone functionality, others have to be connected to a hub in order to work. Here are our favorite smart bulbs:

Starter kits are the perfect way to get a feel for smart bulbs, which are, in turn, the best type of smart lighting product to start off with in general. The bulbs work via a centralized hub. You can put them in any room in your house, but we recommend putting your first few in your living room and home office to start with.

If you’ve already got a few smart bulbs and are enjoying them, you’re probably ready to start adding even more smart lighting products to your home setup. We recommend looking at smart switches for your bathroom, external lights for your backyard or front porch, and even a few options for bright lights to put in your basement or garage.

If you’re looking to automate a hardwired light or “smarten up” a fixture that uses multiple lights without also paying for multiple new smart bulbs, a smart switch is a great alternative. We recommend using smart switches in bathrooms or any other room where you have multiple lights you want to automate.

Smart lights aren’t just for the inside of your home—you can add them to your patio, porch, and yard as well ! Though smart floodlights and pathlights might seem like a ridiculous spendy upgrade, they offer convenience that’s hard to argue with. You can use voice commands to turn them on or set them to run on a schedule, and they can make it easier to find your keys when you’re at your door or even scare away potential intruders.

If you’ve already got everything we’ve listed above, you’ve got an incredibly solid smart lighting setup in your home. However, we’ve got a few fun extras you perhaps haven’t thought of yet that we think you’ll like. Most of these are for your living room, but you may find use for them around the rest of your home, as well.

Okay so these aren’t lights, per se, but they can make your smart lights even smarter! With a sensor, you don’t have to use voice commands or open the companion app on your smartphone to get your light (or multiple lights in a room) to turn on. Plus they’ll help you save on your power bills and can even deter thieves. They’re oh-so convenient and make for a welcome addition to bathrooms, kitchen, garages, and basements.

If you’re wanting to create a unique vibe in your living room or den, these products are perfect for the job. They help create a more exciting and immersive TV-watching experience, and what’s not to like about that?

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