On our most recent IoT Podcast, Aaron called in with a question about smart lighting. His question is for HomeKit but really applies to smart homes on any platform. He’s looking for advice on which reliable smart bulbs to buy. And Aaron wants to know what HomeKit devices offer the most stability as he gets started with Apple’s ecosystem.
For nearly ten years, I’ve preferred using smart bulbs and would have offered up a number of brands that I think are best. But last year, I finally gave in to Stacey’s decade-long prodding to consider smart switches. And I see why they’re a better option than going with bulbs.
During a recent kitchen remodel, I added a few Lutron switches and the bridge needed to integrate them into a smart home platform. And I don’t regret the decision at all, even though I could have bought a dozen white smart bulbs for the cost of my three switches. The Lutron gear is completely rock solid and “just works.” Plus, with the bridge, you not only get support for HomeKit but also for Amazon Alexa and Google Home.
And unlike a smart bulb solution, you don’t have to worry about what happens when someone flips the switch. If that happens with a smart bulb implementation, the lights won’t work until you turn the manual switch back on.
So I’d suggest Aaron first look at Lutron switches as opposed to smart bulbs. However, if the decision is to go with bulbs, we recommend Philips Hue as our first choice. These too will require a bridge, but they’re the closest bulb solution when it comes to always working. Stacey has also found that Ikea’s Tradfri bulbs are also quite reliable, but they don’t work directly with HomeKit. While we’ve had good luck with other bulbs from Cync (formerly known as C by GE), and even Wyze, they don’t work with HomeKit either.
As far as Aaron’s question about what other HomeKit devices are stable, that’s an easy one: By and large, they all are in my experience.
I’ve transitioned to HomeKit products over the past year and have experienced far fewer stability issues with them as compared to those supported by Amazon and Google.
Much of this is due to the simplified nature of HomeKit devices: They only use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and they all run locally. Removing the cloud from the equation adds stability, not to mention reduced response times from smart devices.
I have the Logitech CircleView Doorbell, a Meross Garage Door opener, a Meross smart outlet, and various Eve sensors all running in my home on HomeKit. Oh, and various LED bulbs on the aforementioned Lutron system. It’s been very rare that I have any problems with these. And even when I have, the solution is usually a quick and painless removal and reconnection of the device.
Simply put: I’ve spent more time in the last year enjoying my HomeKit smart home as opposed to troubleshooting it. So I suggest figuring out what device types you want to add to your house and choosing one that supports HomeKit.
To hear Aaron’s question, as well as our full discussion on the topic, tune in to the IoT Podcast below:
I think the real answer is it depends. If you don’t require all of the cook things that smart bulbs can do, such as ambient lighting, colours, etc…. then a smart switch is a good answer.
If you do require that capability, then you need smart bulbs and it becomes an interesting trip and the question around what to do about someone switching off the actual switch? Well, it’s quite easy. Have the lights permanently wired on, and then use some kind of smart switch to just turn them on normally. There are various ways around that, such as the Wemo Stage Scene Controller. You could also use a Shelly relay. You just switch the lights on/off using automations.
Personally, I’ve used Hue and Nanoleaf. I much prefer Nanoleaf if we are talking about bulbs and light strips, although Eve also has an excellent Lightstrip. For me, Hue is now relegated to those things that Nanoleaf/Eve can’t do… such as the lights reacting to teh tV (Hue Play & Sync) or exterior lights. Nanoleaf is way cheaper than Hue and doe snot require a bridge… or two bridges!
I prefer Sengled’s bulbs over He, half the price and just as reliable. Stability is a matter of product choice I think. All my zigbee systems work excellently with their home kit compatible border routers. Switches are nice if you are just doing on off and dimming.
Lutron would right now be the only smart choice as there is almost no other reasonable choice in home kit switches until matter. I look forward to Matter and the ability to get Z-wave into Apple Home easily.
If only there was a switch that could handle RGBW bulbs
Meross Has some WiFi wall switches that work with HomeKit, have good safety certifications, and are quite inexpensive, about half the price of Lutron. Available in both US and UK models.
The form factor for the dimmer version is a little odd, but some people like it because it has very distinct chunky push buttons, so it’s easy to work in the dark. That’s just a matter of taste.
https://www.amazon.com/meross-Compatible-Assistant-SmartThings-Switches/dp/B08L332MZ6
We do use Lutron switches in our own home, in part because I like to limit the number of WiFi devices, but the Meross is definitely a candidate if you need a budget option.
Legrand and Leviton both also make WiFi switches in HomeKit models. Both are nice options, but almost as expensive as Lutron. Worth considering if you need more style choices.
Personally, if someone was not intending to use HomeKit, I would put off considering a WiFi switch, though, until we know which specific models will support Matter. (Lutron almost certainly will through its SmartBridge, so I’m less concerned about them.) But if someone needs to make a choice right away, there are a few candidates to consider.
As @siobhan Ellis says, it all depends. This is a frequently asked question in most home automation forums, and it really comes down to what specifically you need.
There are three situations when you might prefer smart bulbs to smart switches.
1) you are renting and are not allowed to modify the wiring of the home. In that case, smart bulbs are obviously the solution.
2) you want the color changing or color temperature changing capabilities of smart bulbs, including HomeKit’s “Adaptive Lighting” feature. RGB moodlighting is an obvious use case, but there are also people who want it for circadian lighting or extra bright lighting in some areas or other purposes. Or you may want to use a colored light as an alert indicator, anything from “the laundry is done” to “a family member needs help.”
3) you have a number of different fixtures/outlets controlled on a single circuit but you want to set up different lighting zones in the area. This is probably most common in a basement that has been converted to a home theater or rec room, but you also sometimes see the requirement for kitchens, where people want task lighting over the sink or counter which is different than the lighting over a dining area but they are all on the same switch.
Any of these three reasons would probably cause you to choose smart bulbs over a smart switch with dumb bulbs. But note that that might just be for a single room or even a single light fixture.
In most other cases, people will find that smart switches with dumb bulbs are less expensive than smart bulbs. It used to be that they were also more intuitive than smart bulbs, but since late 2019 there have been a number of smart switches available which can handle smart bulbs and give you a lot more choices. Of course they also tend to add to the expense of the project, so you end up going back to those same three use case categories I already listed.
So there’s no single right answer, not even necessarily for a single home. It all comes down to the exact details of what you want to accomplish for that specific light. Choice is good. 😎