Top Picks

TL;DR: The Linkind Smart Bulbs come in a variety of options and because they’re Matter-compatible, they’re the easiest to connect with your smart home setup.

Why We Recommend It

Smart home devices should be smart, and the Linkind smart bulbs are. They’re Matter-enabled (a new smart home standard), so connecting them is as easy as scanning a QR code or entering an associated number.

These smart bulbs are available in color or white, and there are a variety of sizes from standard A19 bulbs to BR30s (for canned lighting) and light strips. And they work with all the major smart home platforms, so you stick with whatever service is your favorite.

During hands-on testing, we added the AiDot Linkind Smart Bulbs to several different smart home platforms and put them through numerous tests for color changing, smart controls (both in the app and voice controls), and scheduling.

They performed better than you would expect for an affordable smart bulb option. They were easy to connect to the AiDot app as well as other smart home platforms, and the controls are intuitive to use. The light from these gets plenty bright enough to lighten up any space, and the variety of available options make them an easy choice for whole-home lighting scenes.

• Who else recommends it? PCWorld also gives these smart bulbs high marks, particularly for their Matter support, price, and energy management features.
• What do buyers say? The AiDot Linkind smart bulbs have a 4.3-star overall rating based on more than 2,200 Amazon reviews, and 71 percent of customers rate it 5 out of 5 stars.

TL;DR: The Philips Hue Smart Bulb starter kit doesn’t seem like it would be easy to use, but getting connected and controlling your bulbs really is, and there are plenty of features, too.

Why We Recommend It

Philips Hue is a well-known name in smart lighting, and there’s good reason for that. These bulbs are easy to install, and the Philips Hue app gives you complete control over the bulbs, and you can even set up schedules for on/off or color changing routines.

The Philips Hue color-changing bulbs also work with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit, so you have plenty of options for smart home platforms, though, it would be nice if they were Matter-compatible.

If you’ve looked at smart bulbs at all, you know that Philips Hue is the best-known name in smart lighting. Philips was the first to release smart bulbs, so has more experience in this area, and that comes through in the usability of the bulbs and the Philips Hue app.

Unfortunately, the hub requirement might be a deal-breaker for some users, as it has to be attached to your network router via an ethernet cable, and you can’t use the bulbs without the hub. The upside of that hub, however, is stability. If you’ve ever had bulbs that won’t stay connected, you know this is a real issue.

Ultimately, the Philips Hue color-changing bulbs have the same benefits as the other bulbs on this list, and the quality of the bulbs and the app make them a great choice for anyone who values quality and reliability.

• Who else recommends it? Reviewed also gives this smart light starter kit a good review, particularly for its ease of setup and adjustable color temperatures.
• What do buyers say? The Philips Hue starter kit has a 4.6-star overall rating based on more than 1,100 Amazon reviews, and 83 percent of customers rate it 5 out of 5 stars.

TL;DR: If you want smart, color-changing light bulbs on a budget, these will fit the bill, plus they have some good features.

Why We Recommend It

Roku is a well-known name in streaming, but you might not know that you can also get Roku smart bulbs. These bulbs are easy to use and more affordable than many other brands.

The Roku smart bulbs offer 16 million color options, and you can connect them with the Roku operating system to control them through your Roku streaming stick. For some people, that makes these the perfect smart home companion.

However, when it comes to compatibility, the Roku smart bulbs are not Matter compatible, which means they won’t work with every smart home platform. They do work with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, though, so if either of those is your preferred control platform, you’re good to go.

Aside from controls, these bulbs are super easy to connect, and have one of the best features of all—you can connect multiple bulbs at one time, which makes them a winner for anyone who is setting up a smart lighting scene from scratch.

• Who else recommends it? PCMag favors Roku smart bulbs for Roku device owners for their interactions with other Roku smart home products and affordability.
• What do buyers say? More than 900 Amazon customers have reviewed the Roku bulbs, giving them an average 4.1-star rating overall, with more than 60 percent of those reviewers giving these bulbs a perfect 5-star rating.

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