Best smart lighting under $200
Introduction
Smart lights are amazing device to have. They not only save energy costs but also come with tons of features that are extremely useful. If you have some sort of home automation system or AI in place, then a smart light is a must in order to get the complete smart home experience.
Smart lights let you customize their color settings so that you can match it with your activity. For example, if you are watching a horror movie you can set a dark color accent to set the atmosphere. Some lights even let you sync the lights with your movie.
If you are looking for a smart light under $200, look no further. We can assure you that our list includes some of the best smart lightings under $200 that are well worth the money.
Buying Guide
Here is a list of things you must consider before buying a smart light:
- Voice Control
In our opinion, the best part of using smart lights is that they can be controlled by using voice commands. If you have a smart home automation system in place, make sure the smart light you are buying is compatible with it. For example, if you have Amazon echo buy a smart light that can be voice-controlled using Alexa.
- Color
If you are trying to buy smart lighting under $200, the light you are buying likely has millions of color combinations to choose from. Having so many color options will help you in creating the perfect light setting for setting the mood.
- Scheduling
Smart lights can work as an alarm that will help you wake up in the morning. You can set schedules with certain smart lights using their dedicated apps. You can schedule it to turn on early in the morning and gradually increase in brightness to make it seem natural. This will trick your brain into thinking it’s time to wake up.
- Additional Features
Some smart lights allow you to set timers. Some have motion sensor technology, for example, the Philips Hue bulbs. This feature tracks the user’s phone and makes the lights turn on whenever he/she reaches the house.
Table
| Product | Phillips Hue white | Philips Hue A19 | Philips Hue A19 | Lutron Caseta | LIFX Beam | Philips Hue Lily | LIFX + A19 |
| Voltage | 120 Volts | 120 Volts | 120 Volts | 1 volt | |||
| Type of light | LED | LED | LED | LED | LED | LED | LED |
| Light color | White and color ambiance | White and color | White and color ambiance | White | white | Black | Multi |
| Luminous Flux | 800 lm | 800 lm | 800 lm | 1200 lm | 600 lm | 1100 lm | |
| Power source | AC | AC | AC | AC | AC | AC | |
| Wattage | 10 watts | 9 watts | 10W | 600 watts | 120 watts | 11 watts | |
| Special Features | Adjustable | Dimmable | Works with many smart systems | Extremely-responsive | 16 million colors | Welcome home feature | Scheduling |
Best smart lights under 200
We have bought and tested some of the well-reviewed and popular smart lights in the market that have a price tag of $200 or less. So, these are the best smart lighting under $200:
Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance A19 60W Equivalent LED Smart Bulb Starter Kit
The most interesting thing about this smart light is the fact that you can sync the color of the bulbs with games, movies, and music. With 16 million colors to choose from you will be getting a variety of options while creating a customized color setting for your lights.
It is easy to control and it is compatible with Google Home, Apple Homekit and Alexa. You will be able to set schedules to make the lights turn on and off at specified times. You can also set the lights to change colors according to the time of day. For example, you can choose a relaxing color accent in the evening when you are taking a break from work.
Highlighted Features:
- It can be controlled using voice commands via Alexa and the Philips hub is required for that.
- The Hue bridge can control up to 50 Philips hue bulbs. 12 accessories can be connected with this bulb in order to expand your system.
- A few examples of such accessories are the Hue motion sensor, the Hue tap, and the Hue dimmer switch
- If you already have a home automation system like Samsung Smart things or Nest, you can easily pair your Hue bulbs with that.
Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance LED Smart Light Bulb Starter Kit
The setup process of the Philips Hue smart light is pretty straightforward. You just need to download the android or IOS app and connect the Philips hub to your router. After the app finds the hub just click the setup and you are good to go. If you have Amazon Echo, you wouldn’t be needing the Philips Hue hub.
There is a stunning feature that comes with this smart light. It comes with an algorithm that can turn a picture into a personalized scene. You will also be able to set routines whether you are inside or outside the house through the app. You could set it up so that the light’s intensity gradually increases in the morning to help you wake up.
Highlighted Features:
- There are different shades of white and about 16 million color accents to choose from when you are setting up the lights.
- The lights have a lifespan of 25000 hours.
- The lights can be controlled through voice commands and it can be connected with Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Homekit
- There are accessories available like the Hue motion sensor and the hue dimmer switch.
Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance A19 60W Equivalent Smart Bulb Starter Kit
You should be able to use the smart hub easily. You will need to physically connect it to your router. As physical access is necessary in order to pair the lights to an app, this system is quite secure from external attacks.
There are a variety of colors available that can help with setting the appropriate mood for any kind of activity such as reading, watching movies or gaming.
One issue that we faced while we tested this bulb is that if the power fails or if the supply of electricity is a little unstable the lights sometimes randomly turn on. This is because the bulbs have a default setting of being turned on when it gets power.
Highlighted Features:
- The Hue Bridge can manage about 50 lights at the same time.
- There are different shades of white light available and also many rich colors available such as green, cyan and blue.
- The setup process includes installing the bulbs and then downloading the Hue app on your smart device. Then just pair the app with the bulbs.
- It works with home automation systems such as Samsung SmartThings and Nest.
Lutron Caseta Wireless Smart Light Dimmer Switch
We really like the Lutron caseta smart light’s personalized scheduling feature. Once you set your desired schedule you won’t have to worry about resettling again. Even if the bulb loses power the settings will still be there. If the light gets disconnected from the Wi-Fi the lights will still work.
You will need the Lutron smart bridge to connect your bulbs. If you are using the smart bridge you will be able to use the bulbs without requiring Wi-Fi connection. The installation and setup process is fairly simple. The lights can be connected to the existent wiring of your house, even if your house is a little old.
It works with a variety of smart home systems such as Apple homekit, Sonos, Serena Shades and Alexa.
Highlighted Features:
- The light can be controlled by using the Lutron app and voice commands. You can control them using the switch
- The Caseta smart switch can control multiple bulbs at once
- The app enables you to set schedules and create lighting scenes. You can play around with the color options to create beautiful scenes.
LIFX Beam Seamless Light Module
With this smart light, you will be able to set the mood for any kind of occasions and activities by dimming the bulbs and changing their colors using the app or via voice commands.
You can make schedules with the app to make the lights turn on at specified times. You can do this remotely even if you are outside as long as you have access to the internet. This feature comes in handy as you can use it to turn your lights on when you are traveling to make it look like someone is at home. This will help discourage any burglars who might be trying to break into your apartment.
The installation process is really simple, there are many vivid colors to choose from that will give you the option to get creative and make your own personalized color accent to enhance the look and feel of your house.
Highlighted Features:
- The light beams come with command strips. So, you should be able to install them any place you desire
- The lighting can be controlled through Wi-Fi by using the android or IOS app. Windows 10 apps also work.
- This light is dimmable and 16 million colors are available
- The beam has custom zones. These zones can emit lights of different waveforms.
Philips Hue Lily White & Color Outdoor Spot Light Base kit
The Hue Lily is an amazing spotlight that is best suited for outdoor lighting. It is packed full of useful features. With 16 million colors accents to choose from this smart spotlight is perfect for creating the right mood for your outdoor activities. For example, when you are having a BBQ party with your friends and family you can set the lights to a festive color tone in order to enhance your experience.
The lights are dimmable and they can be controlled with smart devices as well as voice commands. You can set timers to make it so that the lights turn on at specified times. There is also a “welcome home” feature that tracks your phone’s GPS and turns on the moment you reach home.
Highlighted Features:
- This light works with Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Homekit.
- Since it is made for outdoor use it is weatherproof. It also has a lifespan of 25000 hours.
- In order to get more features and get the full experience, we recommend that you buy the Philips Hue hub.
- The lights can be placed about 30-60 feet from the house.
LIFX A19 Wi-Fi Smart LED Light Bulb, Color Changing
This smart light bulb is really bright, especially when it is on IR mode. Just put the lights on IR mode and place your security camera (that is infrared enabled) in order to look after your valuables.
The setup is quite easy and does not require any kind of technical expertise. You won’t need a hub or bridge to connect the bulbs. Just install the lights and download the LIFX app on your smart device and then follow the instructions given in the app.
This LIFX + can work with a wide range of smart home automation systems such as Amazon Alexa, IFTTT, Apple Homekit, Flic, Arlo, and NEST. The light is dimmable and you can set schedules too.
Highlighted Features:
- Can be integrated with Alexa in order to control the dimming and change the shades of white
- There are many warm colors available and a unique feature of this light is its infrared night vision option
- Its brightness is equivalent to that of a 75W incandescent bulb
- Dimming can be done using the app or voice control
Final verdict
We hope that our list has helped you in finding the best smart light that is best suited for you. If you want to know our opinion, we would have to say that the Philips hue white is the best one on our list. The amount of features that you get from these smart lights is just incredible, especially if you consider its price.
