Lighting technology has certainly changed over the years — and no, I don’t mean the evolution of incandescent bulbs to curly fluorescent options or even LED. Today, it’s all about smart lighting and it goes way beyond bulbs, switches and plugs.
You have flexible light strips, bars, even landscaping lights (like these). And many are able to produce millions of colors, can be programmed for use in various lighting “scenes” and can be controlled using an app or your voice.
Arguably the gold standard in smart lighting right now is Philips Hue, which makes a wide range of products, including the Bloom table lamp. It has serious skills your current table lamps lack, and it doesn’t look anything like them either, but is it worth it?
Philips Hue Bloom table lamp
While the Philips Hue catalog has expanded to include lights of all shapes and sizes for indoors and out, I’m focusing on one product in particular: the Bloom table lamp. As you can see below, it has a unique shape, and that’s because it’s meant to provide indirect lighting.
Philips Hue
Check out some of Bloom’s key specs:
Casts dimmable light in white, or millions of colors
Control up to 10 lights via Bluetooth app, including schedules and routines*
Lifetime up to 25,000 hours
4.96-inches wide x 3.89-inches tall, weighs 1 pound
Retails for $69.99
If you noticed the asterisk on the second thing on the list, that’s because it’s only Bluetooth-compatible right out of the box. If you want to add additional smart control, such as Wi-Fi connectivity and the ability to use it with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, you’ll need the optional Hue Smart Hub/Bridge that costs nearly as much as the lamp itself: $59.99.
Setting up the smart table lamp (and the optional bridge)
My personal experience with smart lighting began a few years ago by adding smart plugs and wall switches to set routines and schedules for regular ol’ bulbs and fixtures. Over the past year or so, I’ve branched out into different lighting like actual smart bulbs and LED light strips.
Your home network can be hacked through a smart lightbulb - unless you do this
If you haven’t turned your house into a smart home, you’re really missing out. Just the sheer convenience that comes with Internet of Things (IoT) devices is worth the investment.
You’ll love being able to control everything from your lights to your thermostat to appliances with just the sound of your voice or the tap of an app. Don’t know where to begin? We can help. Check out our smart home starter kit. Tap or click here to find out what to do first.
You don’t need to spend an arm and a leg to make your house (and your lighting) a little smarter. I found options for any budget. Seriously, one is under $5.
High end: Wait, $29.97 for two lightbulbs? People do it gladly when it’s the Philips Hue. These top-of-the-line smart bulbs have a stellar glow. Control them with Alexa, Google Assistant or the Hue app.
Bargain: Give the smart bulb a whirl with a basic Alexa-compatible bulb from Sengled. At 61% off ($3.93), it’s a total steal.
Nightlight: The Echo Glow is a multicolor smart lamp that works with Alexa and makes a perfect nightlight. And right now, it’s 33% off ($19.99).
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