Philips Hue bulbs can function as some of the best Alexa compatible devices as well as the best Google Home compatible devices. That means they’re pretty easy going when it comes to introducing them in your smart home regime. Philips Hue constantly adds more to its line up year on year, and while having more options to choose from is great, it does make it a little overwhelming to pick your favorites. That’s why we’ve pulled together this Philips Hue Lights Guide to help. Here, we will talk you through the most popular options from this brand, as well as the latest releases. We will explore the strengths of each, and help you decide which would best suit your home. Before you start, you will need a Philips Hue Bridge ($56) if you plan to correlate your smart lights. We would recommend this if you plan to have multiple lights for the best effect. Although, if you already have a Bridge, don’t forget to download the latest updates and software as and when it’s available. Malware can spread from your Bridge, which means you can get hacked through your Philips Hue system. Checking for updates is easy — just go into your settings via the Philips Hue app and download the latest software once available. Want to get more out of your Philips Hue lights? Check out these 9 things you never knew you could do with smart lights.
Philips Hue lights: Starter kits
Philips Hue starter kits include both bulbs and the bridge that’s required to connect the lights to your home Wi-Fi network. If you don’t have any Philips Hue lights yet, a starter kit is probably the best way to begin. After testing hundreds of smart home products, we believe Philips Hue Starter Kits is among the best smart home devices. The original Philips Hue Starter Pack is designed to replace traditional A19 bulbs and can change to more than 16 million colors. The starter pack includes three lights plus a Hue bridge. Philips also sells a version of this kit with four lights (opens in new tab). Philips Hue White Ambiance Kit The White Ambiance kit lets you adjust the color temperature of the bulbs, so you can go from intense blue-white to a soft yellow-white. Philips Hue Smart Bridge If you don’t buy a starter kit, which includes the smart bridge, you’ll need to purchase one separately. It plugs into your Wi-Fi router and connects with the Hue lights in your home.
Philips Hue light bulbs and light strips
You can expand your lighting options through a number of different Philips Hue bulbs. These include everything from plain white bulbs to multicolored light strips and other bulbs that fit smaller sockets. In a recent announcement, all Philips Hue smart bulbs which are available in White, White ambiance, and White and colour ambiance, will now also be available in 1100 and 1600 lumen options. Philips Hue White A21, 1600 Lumens This is one of Phillips Hue’s newest and brightest bulbs. It works without a hub, meaning you can control it via Bluetooth in your home. Philips Hue White Ambiance A19 This single Philips Hue White Ambiance bulb requires a hub, but it once it’s connected you can control its brightness. Philips Hue Filament Bulb These dimmable Edison-style bulbs have recently become available in White ambience, which means they can produce any tone of white, from cool to warm. They can self-adjust throughout the day and look great when switched off too. Philips Hue Ambiance BR30 Floodlight These LED bulbs, which can produce thousands of shades of white — from warm to cool — and color, and are designed for recessed ceiling fixtures. Philips Hue E12 Candle The Philips Hue E12 Candle is a smaller bulb, designed for chandeliers and light fixtures where a full-size A19 bulb won’t fit. Each candle light bulb is a 40W equivalent. It comes in a White Ambiance and Color Ambiance, too. Philips Hue Ambiance Gradient Light Strip This 6-foot color LED strip has an adhesive backing, which lets you affix it underneath kitchen counters or shelving — or anywhere you’d like — to provide some nice accent lighting.
Philips Hue entertainment lights
Another category of Philips Hue lights is entertainment enhancers, like the play light below. The Hue Play HDMI Sync Box is the next evolution the light bar. It syncs your smart lights to your on-screen TV content, including games and movies. Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box Surround sound makes watching movies and video games in your home a more immersive experience, but what about surround lighting? The Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box sits between your TV and your cable box and gaming console, and analyzes the content going to your TV. The Play Sync Box cues your Hue lights, changing their color to match that of what’s playing on screen. Philips Hue Play Light Bar The Philips Hue Play light bar is a 9-inch color-changing light bar that can sit horizontally or vertically next to your TV or computer monitor, or be mounted as a backlight.
Philips Hue standalone lamps
Standalone lights can be placed anywhere in your room, and are generally used to help create accent lighting, rather than as a primary light source. None of these come with a bridge, so you’ll need that to sync, too. Philips Hue Bloom This accent light measures about 5 inches in diameter, and can change to millions of colors. It’s best used to bounce light off a wall behind fixtures like a TV or plant to help set the mood. Philips Hue White Ambiance Wellness Inside this lamp is a single Philips Hue white ambiance bulbs, which can be changed from cool white to warm white. You can also replace the bulb with a color bulb if you like. Philips Hue Go Light The Go is a splendid accent-lighting piece, and glows from both its circular 4.7-inch base and its flat top. The 300-lumen Go has a built-in rechargeable battery that lasts up to 3 hours while unplugged.
Philips Hue light fixtures
While limited to a few options, Philips light fixtures have the bulbs built directly into them. That means that when the LEDs burn out—which should be at least 10 years, if not more—you’ll have to replace the entire fixture. These also require a bridge (sold separately) to control them via Philips’ app. Philips Hue White Ambiance Fair This ceiling light can either be flush-mounted, or purchased with a small or large extension to drop it down a few inches. It has a brushed aluminum finish, and the LEDs can be tuned to a cool or warm white light. Philips Hue White Ambiance Being The Being is similar to the Fair, but has a clear panel running around its midsection. It also can only be flush-mounted with the ceiling.
Philips Hue outdoor lights
Philips has several large, weather-resistant outdoor lights for illuminating your garden, lawn, patio, and driveway. Philips Hue Single PAR38 Outdoor These aren’t just for Philips Hue products; you can screw them into any outdoor fixture that fits a PAR38 bulb and make it a “smart light.” You’ can control and schedule the bulb remotely. Philips Hue Calla Outdoor Pathway Place this LED-integrated bollard along your driveway or front walk to light your guests’ way. The base pack includes one bollard and a power supply, and extension kits are $129 (opens in new tab). Philips Hue Inara White Outdoor Lantern The Philips Hue Inara is a traditional wall lantern for lighting your porch or the area outside your door. It uses a white bulb, meaning you can’t change its color, but you can control it remotely. Philips Hue Lucca Outdoor Wall Lantern The Lucca wall lantern is very similar to the Inara, but it has a smaller, more modern design, and is $10 more expensive. Philips Hue Ludere Outdoor Security Light This floodlight contains two bulbs and is perfect for lighting your driveway or the area outside your garage. Like the Lucca and Inara, it doesn’t change color, but it does deliver 1,350 lumens.
Philips Hue smart lights accessories
Philips also sells accessories which allow you to control your Hue lights without using the app. The Philips Hue Smart Dimmer Switch with Remote is one such accessory and is one of the best smart light switches for Philips Hue owners. Having said that, if you want routines and timers, everything will still need connecting through the Philips Hue Bridge. Philips Hue Smart Dimmer Switch with Remote This product looks like a typical wall switch, but it connects directly to the Hue lights, meaning you don’t need to rewire. The switch can even be removed so it doubles up as a remote. Philips Hue Smart Tap Switch This device can be preprogrammed to remember three different light settings. You can then activate each at the touch of a button, which is great for movie nights or entertaining guests. Philips Hue Smart Motion Sensor This turns the lights on in a room when it senses movement. It detects varying levels of sensitivity, keeps lights on for a period after a person exits, and alters brightness based on the time of day. Philips Hue Dusk-to-Dawn Outdoor Motion Sensor The Philips Hue Dusk-to-Dawn Outdoor Motion Sensor is a wireless, battery-operated motion sensor light. It also keeps track of the light outside, and makes sure your inside lights don’t switch on until nighttime.
Philips Hue Sync app
Finally, Philips has an app, Philips Hue Sync, which allows users to synchronize their smart bulbs with multimedia content on their Mac or Windows PC. For example, you can set your lights to flash and change color in time with music, video, and movies being played on your computer. Hue Sync, which runs on your notebook or desktop, connects with the Hue app on your smartphone. Users can also modify the color schemes, brightness, and themes to suit their tastes.
title: “Philips Hue Lights A Guide To What Each Bulb Does And Costs " ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-24” author: “Michael Kraus”
Philips Hue bulbs can function as some of the best Alexa compatible devices as well as the best Google Home compatible devices. That means they’re pretty easy going when it comes to introducing them in your smart home regime. Philips Hue constantly adds more to its line up year on year, and while having more options to choose from is great, it does make it a little overwhelming to pick your favorites. That’s why we’ve pulled together this Philips Hue Lights Guide to help. Here, we will talk you through the most popular options from this brand, as well as the latest releases. We will explore the strengths of each, and help you decide which would best suit your home. Before you start, you will need a Philips Hue Bridge ($56) if you plan to correlate your smart lights. We would recommend this if you plan to have multiple lights for the best effect. Although, if you already have a Bridge, don’t forget to download the latest updates and software as and when it’s available. Malware can spread from your Bridge, which means you can get hacked through your Philips Hue system. Checking for updates is easy — just go into your settings via the Philips Hue app and download the latest software once available. Want to get more out of your Philips Hue lights? Check out these 9 things you never knew you could do with smart lights.
Philips Hue lights: Starter kits
Philips Hue starter kits include both bulbs and the bridge that’s required to connect the lights to your home Wi-Fi network. If you don’t have any Philips Hue lights yet, a starter kit is probably the best way to begin. After testing hundreds of smart home products, we believe Philips Hue Starter Kits is among the best smart home devices. The original Philips Hue Starter Pack is designed to replace traditional A19 bulbs and can change to more than 16 million colors. The starter pack includes three lights plus a Hue bridge. Philips also sells a version of this kit with four lights (opens in new tab). Philips Hue White Ambiance Kit The White Ambiance kit lets you adjust the color temperature of the bulbs, so you can go from intense blue-white to a soft yellow-white. Philips Hue Smart Bridge If you don’t buy a starter kit, which includes the smart bridge, you’ll need to purchase one separately. It plugs into your Wi-Fi router and connects with the Hue lights in your home.
Philips Hue light bulbs and light strips
You can expand your lighting options through a number of different Philips Hue bulbs. These include everything from plain white bulbs to multicolored light strips and other bulbs that fit smaller sockets. In a recent announcement, all Philips Hue smart bulbs which are available in White, White ambiance, and White and colour ambiance, will now also be available in 1100 and 1600 lumen options. Philips Hue White A21, 1600 Lumens This is one of Phillips Hue’s newest and brightest bulbs. It works without a hub, meaning you can control it via Bluetooth in your home. Philips Hue White Ambiance A19 This single Philips Hue White Ambiance bulb requires a hub, but it once it’s connected you can control its brightness. Philips Hue Filament Bulb These dimmable Edison-style bulbs have recently become available in White ambience, which means they can produce any tone of white, from cool to warm. They can self-adjust throughout the day and look great when switched off too. Philips Hue Ambiance BR30 Floodlight These LED bulbs, which can produce thousands of shades of white — from warm to cool — and color, and are designed for recessed ceiling fixtures. Philips Hue E12 Candle The Philips Hue E12 Candle is a smaller bulb, designed for chandeliers and light fixtures where a full-size A19 bulb won’t fit. Each candle light bulb is a 40W equivalent. It comes in a White Ambiance and Color Ambiance, too. Philips Hue Ambiance Gradient Light Strip This 6-foot color LED strip has an adhesive backing, which lets you affix it underneath kitchen counters or shelving — or anywhere you’d like — to provide some nice accent lighting.
Philips Hue entertainment lights
Another category of Philips Hue lights is entertainment enhancers, like the play light below. The Hue Play HDMI Sync Box is the next evolution the light bar. It syncs your smart lights to your on-screen TV content, including games and movies. Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box Surround sound makes watching movies and video games in your home a more immersive experience, but what about surround lighting? The Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box sits between your TV and your cable box and gaming console, and analyzes the content going to your TV. The Play Sync Box cues your Hue lights, changing their color to match that of what’s playing on screen. Philips Hue Play Light Bar The Philips Hue Play light bar is a 9-inch color-changing light bar that can sit horizontally or vertically next to your TV or computer monitor, or be mounted as a backlight.
Philips Hue standalone lamps
Standalone lights can be placed anywhere in your room, and are generally used to help create accent lighting, rather than as a primary light source. None of these come with a bridge, so you’ll need that to sync, too. Philips Hue Bloom This accent light measures about 5 inches in diameter, and can change to millions of colors. It’s best used to bounce light off a wall behind fixtures like a TV or plant to help set the mood. Philips Hue White Ambiance Wellness Inside this lamp is a single Philips Hue white ambiance bulbs, which can be changed from cool white to warm white. You can also replace the bulb with a color bulb if you like. Philips Hue Go Light The Go is a splendid accent-lighting piece, and glows from both its circular 4.7-inch base and its flat top. The 300-lumen Go has a built-in rechargeable battery that lasts up to 3 hours while unplugged.
Philips Hue light fixtures
While limited to a few options, Philips light fixtures have the bulbs built directly into them. That means that when the LEDs burn out—which should be at least 10 years, if not more—you’ll have to replace the entire fixture. These also require a bridge (sold separately) to control them via Philips’ app. Philips Hue White Ambiance Fair This ceiling light can either be flush-mounted, or purchased with a small or large extension to drop it down a few inches. It has a brushed aluminum finish, and the LEDs can be tuned to a cool or warm white light. Philips Hue White Ambiance Being The Being is similar to the Fair, but has a clear panel running around its midsection. It also can only be flush-mounted with the ceiling.
Philips Hue outdoor lights
Philips has several large, weather-resistant outdoor lights for illuminating your garden, lawn, patio, and driveway. Philips Hue Single PAR38 Outdoor These aren’t just for Philips Hue products; you can screw them into any outdoor fixture that fits a PAR38 bulb and make it a “smart light.” You’ can control and schedule the bulb remotely. Philips Hue Calla Outdoor Pathway Place this LED-integrated bollard along your driveway or front walk to light your guests’ way. The base pack includes one bollard and a power supply, and extension kits are $129 (opens in new tab). Philips Hue Inara White Outdoor Lantern The Philips Hue Inara is a traditional wall lantern for lighting your porch or the area outside your door. It uses a white bulb, meaning you can’t change its color, but you can control it remotely. Philips Hue Lucca Outdoor Wall Lantern The Lucca wall lantern is very similar to the Inara, but it has a smaller, more modern design, and is $10 more expensive. Philips Hue Ludere Outdoor Security Light This floodlight contains two bulbs and is perfect for lighting your driveway or the area outside your garage. Like the Lucca and Inara, it doesn’t change color, but it does deliver 1,350 lumens.
Philips Hue smart lights accessories
Philips also sells accessories which allow you to control your Hue lights without using the app. The Philips Hue Smart Dimmer Switch with Remote is one such accessory and is one of the best smart light switches for Philips Hue owners. Having said that, if you want routines and timers, everything will still need connecting through the Philips Hue Bridge. Philips Hue Smart Dimmer Switch with Remote This product looks like a typical wall switch, but it connects directly to the Hue lights, meaning you don’t need to rewire. The switch can even be removed so it doubles up as a remote. Philips Hue Smart Tap Switch This device can be preprogrammed to remember three different light settings. You can then activate each at the touch of a button, which is great for movie nights or entertaining guests. Philips Hue Smart Motion Sensor This turns the lights on in a room when it senses movement. It detects varying levels of sensitivity, keeps lights on for a period after a person exits, and alters brightness based on the time of day. Philips Hue Dusk-to-Dawn Outdoor Motion Sensor The Philips Hue Dusk-to-Dawn Outdoor Motion Sensor is a wireless, battery-operated motion sensor light. It also keeps track of the light outside, and makes sure your inside lights don’t switch on until nighttime.
Philips Hue Sync app
Finally, Philips has an app, Philips Hue Sync, which allows users to synchronize their smart bulbs with multimedia content on their Mac or Windows PC. For example, you can set your lights to flash and change color in time with music, video, and movies being played on your computer. Hue Sync, which runs on your notebook or desktop, connects with the Hue app on your smartphone. Users can also modify the color schemes, brightness, and themes to suit their tastes.