Smart lights
If you’ve never tried a connected internet of things (IoT) device before – aka something that’s part of a ‘smart home’ setup – and are curious to try, then the easiest place to start would be with smart lights.
So, what makes a light smart? Simply put, it will connect to your home’s Wi-Fi network or to your phone via Bluetooth (in some cases, both) so you can control it via a companion app or voice commands using popular virtual assistants such as Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant. You can dim them, brighten them, get many of them to change color and add some ambience to your home. If you’ve got multiple smart lights set up from different brands, you can often use a hub to control them all from one place.
Smart lights come in all shapes and sizes – there are the basics like bulbs and light strips, or you can design your own setup with light panels too. You can even get table and floor lamps that are smart. Popular brands include Philips Hue, Nanoleaf, LIFX, TP-Link and Lenovo.
Latest about Smart Lights

The 5 best gadgets IKEA announced at CES 2026 – including a smart version of my favorite lamp
By Rowan Davies published
CES 2026 The Varmblixt smart lamp was just the start - here are the 5 best things IKEA unveiled at CES 2026.

I love the new Philips Hue Essential smart bulbs, but how do the new Lifx Everyday lights compare?
By Cat Ellis published
CES 2026 Lifx has followed in Hue's footsteps with a new line of cheap and very cheerful bulbs, but which ones should be brightening your home?

IKEA just revealed a new donut-shaped smart light – and it'll look sweet on your tables or walls
By Cat Ellis published
CES 2026 The lights can be controlled using a remote, or connected to IKEA's Wi-Fi hub and linked to your smart home system.

The Philips Hue app can now customize lighting scenes so they suit the layout of your rooms
By Cat Ellis published
Hue SpatialAware is a new augmented reality feature that considers the location of your bulbs and lamps when applying a scene.

Govee unveils 3 new smart lights, plus a host of new features to help you create the perfect mood
By Rowan Davies published
CES 2026 There are three new smart lights joining the Govee family, and they're looking to be serious Philips Hue competitors.

Philips Hue Essential lights are spectacular value, but the originals outshine them in one key way
By Cat Ellis published
Hue Essential bulbs are just as good as the originals in most situations, provided you don't need to dial the brightness right down.

There's a big Philips Hue sale at Best Buy from $11.99 — these are the smart bulb deals I recommend buying
By Paul Hatton published
A big shout-out to the A19 3-pack, which are part of the big Philips Hue sale at Best Buy

Are smart string lights for you? Here are my top tips to help you decide
By Cesci Angell published
Get that lightbulb moment with my guide on what to look out for when choosing your smart string lights.
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