8 Best Philips Smart Light Bulbs and Switches: Smarten Your Home
Who would have thought…
You can now command even a light bulb to perform tasks using your voice or phone. That’s right. It seems that we’re finally living in the future. And when it comes to smart light bulbs, Philips is the go-to brand. With that, we’ve prepared some of the best Philips smart light bulbs and switches.
Best Philips Smart Light Bulbs
Best Philips Smart Switches
| Best Overall | Philips Hue Tap Light |
| Cheapest | Philips Hue Smart Button |
| Best Value | Philips Hue Smart Dimmer Switch with Remote |
What are these light bulbs and how do they differ from traditional ones?
The straight answer is this: they can be controlled using voice commands or your smartphone. Schedule when to turn them on and off, adjust the color or brightness… These are just some of the things you can do with this smart light bulb.
If you want a smart home, you definitely need these at home.
What’s the great thing about Philips light bulbs and switches?
They’re easily one of the most reliable smart bulbs in the market today. Apart from being reliable and consistent, they are remarkably easy to use and set up.
Another reason to love these bulbs is their versatility. You can opt for a color-changing bulb or a simple white bulb. Either way, these bulbs are dimmable.
No Google Home to voice command the bulbs? No problem. You can use the Hue app so you can easily control the lights using your phone anywhere you are. Anytime.
You can download the Philips Hue app here:
Related: Google Home Compatible Light Switch
5 Best Philips Smart Light Bulbs
Much has been said about Philips smart bulbs. And for good reason. They’re arguably among the best in the market.
And that’s why they’re pricier too compared with others. Nevertheless, they’re worth the price because of the convenience and reliability that they guarantee.
There are light bulbs, light strips, and other types of lighting available. But for this article, we’ll focus only on the best smart light bulbs. If you’re also curious about other lights, check out these app-controlled lights.
Now let’s proceed…
Philips offers a number of great multi-color and simple white options. Check them out below.
1. Philips Hue White & Color Ambiance Smart Bulb
There are multi-colored bulbs and there are simple white ones. Get both with this 2-pack smart bulb. The A19 LED bulb. You can use it as an ordinary white light bulb that you can adjust from warm to cool and dim it as you please. If you want to achieve a certain mood or atmosphere in your home or room, you can set the tone by choosing from the 16 million colors.
You don’t need a hub to use this bulb. Even without the hub, just as long as you have the Hue app on your tablet or phone, you can connect and control up to 10 of these. However, if you want to unlock more features and control more bulbs, it’s better if you use the Hue hub, which is sold separately.
Features
- 16 million light colors
- Easily set the mood
- Up to 10 Hue lights (with the Hue app)
- Up to 50 Hue lights (with the Hue Hub)
- 25,000 lifetime hours
Just choose from any of the pre-set light options to suit the mood depending on the time of the day.
2. Philips Hue Ambiance Decorative Candle Bulb
While the Hue smart light bulbs, like the other bulbs on the list, are great. They don’t fit in chandeliers, nightlights, and others. So if you’re looking for a decorative light to fit candelabras, you need smart candlelight.
The Hue Ambiance Candle Bulb is designed to fit lamps, chandeliers, nightlights, and others. It is great for adding an accent to your room or home. Since you can set light schedules and adjust the brightness and dimness of the light, you can use it when reading, relaxing, energizing, concentrating, and whatnot.
Features
- E12 LED Smart Light
- Designed to fit candelabra lights
- Set light schedules
- Easily adjust the lights
- 40W decorative candle
It’s no wonder why it’s named the Ambiance Candle Bulb. It sets the right ambiance to your living space. Just control it with your voice, with your phone, or a Hue switch.
3. Philips Hue Single Premium Downright Smart Bulb
Like the Hue Ambiance Smart Bulb, the Premium Downright Smart Bulb is also a color and white bulb. But the former looks more like an ordinary bulb. If you need something fancier, this downright bulb is a great option. The white color can be cool and warm and is easily dimmable.
You can also choose a particular brightness or color to focus, relax, or achieve a particular mood or atmosphere. Choose from up to 16 million colors. And you can do that using your phone (with the help of the app) or your voice (using Google Home).
Features
- Easy Installation
- 16 million light colors
- Set the lights to a particular mood
- Custom scenes
- Smart voice control (with Google Home)
4. Philips Hue White Filament Smart Vintage Bulb
If you want to add a rustic or vintage vibe to your home, you can use several of these Hue Smart Vintage Bulbs. They transport you back in time. This light bulb features a retro style, a vintage-looking Edison bulb, as you might say it. It features an inner coil that is visible from its rustic-looking transparent globe.
Aside from its vintage look and feel, everything else is modern and innovative. It’s easy to set up anywhere inside your home. You can use it with the other bulbs using the Hue app or the Hue Hub (sold separately). Set the right mood with just a touch of a button or your phone. Or your voice, if you have Google Home.
Features
- Retro style with visible inner coil
- 25,000 lifetime hours
- Easy 2-step installation
- Bluetooth and Hub compatible
Bring a vintage feel to your living space, a nice way to keep things retro and romantic in an otherwise smart home.
5. Philips Hue White Outdoor Smart Bulb
No one’s stopping you from using the other Philips Hue light bulbs outdoors. But just have in mind that they’re designed for indoor use. If you’re looking for outdoor bulbs that are built to last outdoors despite harsh weather conditions, check out the Philips Hue White Outdoor Smart Bulb.
It’s a Par38 outdoor floodlight that flashes off powerful, bright light that you can adjust and control remotely. It’s a great light “welcoming” light or to set the mood of your outdoor space or front yard. Just dim the lights whenever you want it.
Features
- Power bright white light
- For outdoor use
- High-quality weatherproof material
- 25,000 lifetime hours
- -20°C to 45°C operational temperature
More importantly, this outdoor smart light is resistant to various temperatures and elements and is made of premium weatherproof materials. It’s built to last for up to 25,000 lifetime hours.
3 Best Philips Smart Light Switches
Unlock the capacities of your Philips smart light bulbs with these light switches. And when you use them with the Philips Hue Bridge, then you can control any appliance compatible with HomeKit.
1. Philips Hue Tap Light
While you can control your Hue light bulbs using Google Home or your phone through the app, you can do more with the Hue Tap light switch. This wireless and portable light switch allows you to program up to 4 buttons to your light scenes and preferences. No batteries are needed.
Key Features
- No batteries required
- Remote control
- Wireless installation
- Easy light access
- 4 pre-set light scenes
You can mount this switch at home or you can carry it with you to adjust and control the lights, and set the right mood of the day.
2. Philips Hue Smart Button
Switching to a smart light bulb doesn’t mean you’d have to say goodbye to using switches. It’s always great to have another portable remote controller just in case you don’t have Google Home or you’re phone’s not with you. With this Hue Smart Button, you can easily turn on or off the lights, brighten or dim them, or set the mood depending on the time of day.
Features
- Portable and battery-powered
- Magnetic button, mini-mount, and wall plate
- Set the light and mood
- Works with the Hue Hub
3. Philips Hue Smart Dimmer Switch with Remote
If you just want a simple smart light switch, check out the Hue Smart Dimmer. As its name suggests, it’s best used for dimming or adjusting the brightness of the light. Suffice it to say, you can use it to switch smart light bulbs on and off too wherever you are in the house. It’s because it works wirelessly and is portable.
Features
- Installation-free
- Use as a remote control
- Place the switch anywhere
- Control up to 10 lights simultaneously
What People Ask
How do smart light bulbs work?
Smart light bulbs work, in most cases, with the help of a home automation hub. With this, you can connect your light bulb via WiFi, Bluetooth and in some manufacturers, ZigBee, to your smartphone or tablet.
Which smart bulbs work with Google Home?
All Philips Hue smart bulbs, as well as most smart bulbs from other manufacturers, work with Google Home.
Can smart bulbs be used outside?
Yes, you can use smart light bulbs outside. Just make sure that it’s installed in a sheltered light fixture to protect it from hail, snow, rain, and other elements. However, it’s better if you use the smart bulb designed for outdoors, like the Philips Hue White Outdoor Smart Bulb.
Smarten Your Home with these Lights
Now that you have checked out the best Philips smart light bulbs and switches, it’s time to decide if you want any of these at home.
If you’re looking to set up and maintain a smart home, you definitely need more than just a smart TV and speaker. To truly smarten your home, use smart doorbells, cameras, lighting systems, and more.
While you can purchase 1 or 2 of these Philips light bulbs, you can do better when you combine and integrate. You can do that better with a Philips Hue Hub. Sticking to just 1 or 2 of these smart light bulbs is still fine though.
Your home, your call.
Which of these smart light bulbs and switches did you find best? Let us know in your thoughts in the comment section below.
