Key Points:
- Our top choice for the best overall smart bulbs that work with Alexa is the Wyze Bulb White.
- Most of the best smart bulbs with Alexa are affordable, priced at about $15.
- The principal features to consider when picking the best smart bulb compatible with Alexa include connectivity type (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or Hub), compatibility, your budget, multi-color option, brightness, smart features, app integration, and wireless range.
- Apart from the Wyze Bulb white, we’ve also covered other top competitors with exceptional features such as low prices, outstanding durability, and vivid colors.
Smart bulbs that have Alexa voice assistants can make your life easier and improve your home’s security. Alexa enables you to regulate brightness, change hues, and power on/off via voice commands. The best smart bulbs that work with Alexa have been selected based on their remarkable performance, blended with durability, brightness, and scheduling. These bulbs are all aimed at lowering energy and light consumption while improving your home in many ways. Remember that not all bulbs are similar or have the same features. Consider whether the bulb you choose requires a hub, their type of connectivity, and compatibility of voice assistants for easy control.
Today, we’ll look at the 5 best smart bulbs that work with Alexa, from affordable to feature-packed. We’ll help you choose the best bulb for your needs and budget. So, let’s get started!
$22.98Buy Now on Amazon- Brightness: 800lm
- Voice control through Google assistant and Alexa
- Power: 9.5W (60W)
- Color: White (tunable temperature)
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12/09/2023 08:13 am GMT
$134.99 ($45.00 / Count)Buy Now on Amazon- Kit includes: 2 smart bulbs, 1 Hue bridge from Philips, 1 smart button
- Power: 10.5W (75W)
- Color: 16 million changing colors
- Voice control available through /homeKit, Google Assistant, Alexa
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12/09/2023 08:13 am GMT
$9.99Buy Now on Amazon- Wi-Fi connectivity available
- Voice control through Google and Alexa
- Color: 16 million tunable
- Power: 8W (65W)
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12/09/2023 08:13 am GMT
$24.98Buy Now on Amazon- Brightness: 800lm
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- Voice control through Siri, Google, Alexa
- Color: 550 billion
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12/09/2023 08:13 am GMT
$9.99Buy Now on Amazon- Only costs $5
- Power: 8.7W (60W)
- Brightness: 800lm
- Voice control enabled through Alexa
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12/09/2023 08:13 am GMT
History Computer’s Top Picks for 5 Best Smart Bulbs That Work With Alexa
Best Overall: Wyze Bulb White
- Brightness: 800lm
- Voice control through Google assistant and Alexa
- Power: 9.5W (60W)
- Color: White (tunable temperature)
The Wyze Bulb White is the Best Overall under the top 5 smart bulbs that work with Alexa category. It is our top pick because of its bright, accurate, and vivid colors that are programmable and it sells at only $22 for a 2-pack. This 9.5 watts bulb can display up to 16 million colors and has an output of about 800 lumens.
The Wyze Bulb is an excellent choice for anyone looking for an Alexa-controlled bulb that can help set the mood, whether it’s for an evening colleagues’ party, game night, or when you’re working from home. It’s an inexpensive, easy-to-install light bulb with a simple setup process that offers various smart features such as custom scenes, scheduling, and automation. With the Wyze Bulb, you can easily control the color, temperature, and brightness of your lights using Alexa commands.
Besides, you can also create custom lighting schedules, dim the lights, or set timers to help your home light up, dim, or go off, even when you are away on vacation or at work. This makes it look like someone is home, keeping away intruders. The Wyze Bulb is also compatible with Android and iOS devices and has a durable lifespan of up to 25,000 hours (18 years). Additionally, it doesn’t require a hub, and you can connect several bulbs via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and use the Wyze App to control your bulbs from a distance.
Wyze Bulb White Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It doesn’t require any hub or a single connection point for all bulbs; hence, each bulb can be controlled separately | It does not support Apple HomeKit |
| This is a budget-friendly option | |
| Its innovative grouping feature enables you to opt for individual or group connection setup depending on whether you’d like to control the bulb(s) individually or separately | |
| This bulb is compatible with Alexa, IFTTT, Vera, and Google Assistant |
Best for Durability/Quality: Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance
- Kit includes: 2 smart bulbs, 1 Hue bridge from Philips, 1 smart button
- Power: 10.5W (75W)
- Color: 16 million changing colors
- Voice control available through /homeKit, Google Assistant, Alexa
The Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance is often the go-to bulb for excellent quality and durable smart bulbs that can serve you for up to 25 years. This Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance value pack features three bulbs, a bridge, cables, and a smart button. The bulbs come with 1100-lumen warm white light and multi-color lighting (up to 16 million colors) ambiance that creates a cozy atmosphere.
We can easily connect the bulb via the Philips Hue Bridge hub, which supports up to 50 bulbs without troubling your Wi-Fi. This bulb has an excellent connection range that covers your entire house, outdoors included, when connected via Wi-Fi. Besides, you can use the smart button or the Philips Hue app, which allows you to dim lights, control lights from away, switch on or off, or set scenes that match your mood using voice commands. Plus, with its long lifespan of up to 25,000 hours (25 years), you won’t have to worry about replacing the bulbs anytime soon. Finally, this bulb is compatible with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Samsung’s SmartThings, and Google Nest, making it an excellent choice for a comprehensive smart home solution.
Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It has a long-lasting build that guarantees up to 25,000 hours | The bulb is one of the pricier smart bulb models on the market |
| It’s compatible with both Google Assistant and Alexa | |
| It has many dimming settings and programmable warm-to-cool settings for mood settings | |
| It features the best color combinations, with 16 million possible colors | |
| Its hub enables control of up to 50 bulbs |
Best for Indoor Use: Cree Lighting Connected
- Wi-Fi connectivity available
- Voice control through Google and Alexa
- Color: 16 million tunable
- Power: 8W (65W)
Cree Lighting Connected is a reliable and affordable indoor smart bulb that uses Zigbee and a control hub rather than Wi-Fi to connect with Alexa. This LED bulb boasts bright lighting, smooth, durable performance, and seamless connectivity with Alexa. Cree Lighting Connected has a range of lighting options, and are ideal for creating a perfect atmosphere for any room in the house. You can adjust the brightness and color temperature of the bulb to suit your mood or create the perfect ambiance for entertainment.
It is easy to install and requires no additional hardware to set up. Once connected, you can control the bulb with your voice via Alexa-enabled devices. The setup process is simple. The Cree LED is energy efficient at 65 watts. It also includes a 3-year warranty, so you can be sure it will be durable and serve you for at least 25,000 hours. It’s also compatible with a dimmer switch that allows smart dimming mechanisms.
Cree Lighting Connected Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| The bulb is capable of mimicking natural sunlight brightness | It is only designed and suitable for indoor use |
| The bulbs are easy to install and use | |
| It guarantees at least 22 years of service, exceeding the minimum requirement |
Best Multi Color: LIFX Color A19
- Brightness: 800lm
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- Voice control through Siri, Google, Alexa
- Color: 550 billion
LIFX bulbs are famous for being reliable, consistent, and top-notch quality. The LIFX Color A19 offers up to 550 billion color steps which range from 1500K to 9000K. The bulb’s white hue is very bright, at 800 lumens but also offers an option to dim via a simple voice command.
The bulb offers up to 550 billion multiple-color steps, thus making it the best choice for ambiance and mood creation. Besides, it offers a unique build that adjusts its brightness from dusk to dawn. The bulb pairs with Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, and Apple HomeKit for voice controls. Moreover, the 25,000-hours (22.8 years) durability guarantee is a plus. Your lights can flicker when your Uber comes, adjust when the weather changes, and more, through partnerships with IFTTT or home assistants.
LIFX Color A19 Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It’s easy to set up and control via your smartphone | A pack of one bulb costs $24; hence, it can be expensive, especially if you’re buying many bulbs |
| Has the most color combination options, with up to 550 billion color steps | |
| It doesn’t require any hub or bridge to control, only Wi-Fi | |
| It can be set to adjust brightness from dusk to dawn |
Best Budget: Sengled Smart Bulb
- Only costs $5
- Power: 8.7W (60W)
- Brightness: 800lm
- Voice control enabled through Alexa
The Sengled Smart Bulb is our pick today for those working with a limited budget, or if you’d like to buy smart bulbs that work with Alexa at a lower price. They are hassle-free to install and come with a remote or voice control option.
At only $5, this 800-lumen bulb has a long life span of up to 25,000 hours, which means it will last up to 22.8 years if used for an average of 3 hours a day. This LED light is also dimmable. Hence, you can easily adjust the brightness to create the perfect ambiance. It produces a soft white light with a color temperature of 2700K and is equivalent to a 60W traditional incandescent bulb.
The bulb also comes with Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology, allowing you to connect limited lights with just one device. It has an Energy Star certification and can connect with Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit, making it easy to control with voice commands. Its Bluetooth 5.0 Mesh connectivity system allows you to control multiple bulbs with a single voice command, even when other bulbs are not close to the Alexa Echo gadget.
Sengled Smart Bulb Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It offers an easy plug-and-play installation setup | It doesn’t support Apple’s HomeKit |
| This is the most budget-friendly smart bulb compatible with Alexa, at only $5 | |
| You can choose between voice and remote control options | |
| It has a Bluetooth mesh for connecting up to 64 bulbs that helps you control these bulbs simultaneously |
How to Pick the Best Smart Bulbs That Work With Alexa: Step by Step
Smart bulbs are becoming increasingly popular due to their convenience and energy efficiency. However, before splurging on smart bulbs, it would be best to consider these handy tips that will help you find the best fit for your home, budget, and needs.
- Connection type
- Sockets type and compatibility
- Budget
- App integration and wireless range
- Change color, dim, or change temperature
Let’s dive in for a more detailed discussion of these factors.
Connection Type
Smart bulbs offer various connections to enable smart control features through voice commands. Some will allow only a hub connection, while others can connect via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Certain bulbs come with physical controllers such as smart remotes or buttons.
Wi-Fi bulbs are often the easiest to connect, but if there are too many connections to one network, there’s a risk of buffering/dropouts. Hub connectivity helps your bulb to remain connected even when the Wi-Fi is down. However, you should avoid combining smart bulbs and switches for one fixture since this may lead to overlapping and confusion during labeling and control. Additionally, avoid Bluetooth-only bulbs because they can’t be controlled if you are not in proximity to your bulbs.
Sockets Type and Compatibility
Your smart bulb should be compatible with your wattage, socket, and brightness needs. The bulb’s wattage should correspond to what your socket can support. For instance, some sockets cannot support more than a 60 watt bulb. Therefore, it’s essential to consider the type of sockets you have in your space before committing to buying a smart bulb. Most smart light bulbs are manufactured to work well with the standard E26 and E27 sockets. However, some smart bulb models work with all sockets, such as the GU10 and E12.
Regarding brightness, the best bulbs are those rated above 800 lumens. Also, remember that the bulb’s brightness dims if it’s displaying a color other than white.
Budget
There are bulbs out there for every budget. On average, a smart bulb costs about $15 and offers outstanding performance, but some high-end models may cost about $50 or more. Then again, some smart bulbs are cheaper than $15. However, it’s essential to know that some lighting companies offer huge discounts for bulk purchases, especially if the lighting system requires a hub.
App Integration and Wireless Range
We often connect smart bulbs that work with Alexa to apps, devices, appliances, or remotes through Wi-Fi. However, if your home has spotty connectivity, go for a bulb that connects via Zigbee and a hub. Generally, home Wi-Fi reaches 150 feet (45m) indoors or 300 feet (90m) outdoors. For Bluetooth, most devices only reach about 30 feet (10m).
Further, you should confirm that each bulb you buy supports your installed smart home network platform/protocol, whether it’s Alexa, Homekit, Siri, or Google Assistant. It would be best to choose a bulb with multiple platform compatibility. In addition to voice activation, consider the bulbs that can be programmed from anywhere. You can also set the time for the smart bulbs to be turned on according to your daily routines, giving you more control of your lighting system.
Change Color, Dim, or Change Temperature
Unlike white bulbs, multi-color bulbs can be programmed to emit millions of hues (up to 16 million) for various moods. Most white types can change hue temperatures to warm or cool, usually denoted as Kelvin (K) or degrees (°C). Lastly, these smart bulbs can be color tuned to change the light intensity and temperature to imitate the characteristics of natural light changes from dusk to dawn.
What to Know Before Buying the Best Smart Bulbs That Work With Alexa
Smart bulbs are designed to help you automatically control them through your phone, voice commands, smart buttons, or a remote. Additionally, smart lights have built-in motion sensors, which are ideal for energy preservation because they turn lights on only when they detect motion.
Lastly, for convenience, you can always pair your lighting system with other gadgets, such as smart thermostats and security systems. Besides, you can set timers or enable energy-saving modes to lower energy consumption if you are away.
Using the Best Smart Bulbs That Work With Alexa: What It’s Like
Smart bulbs are convenient, sustainable, and reliable lighting systems. Most smart bulbs have sensors that let you adjust the hues based on your mood. Some bulbs feature pre-set themes, such as “evening” or “sunset,” while others allow you to design your own lighting sets to the best of your imagination.
Some smart bulb control apps also help you to schedule lighting depending on your daily routine, group lights for easier control, set the mood for different activities, and allow lights to adapt to the weather, all via a simple voice command.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©RossHelen/Shutterstock.com.
