These Lightbulbs Helped Me Smartify Every Room in My Home for Under $40
Now, I can control my lights from anywhere, set automatic schedules, choose between 16 million colors (literally), and turn off a lamp using just my voice.
Photo Illustration: Scouted/The Daily Beast/Amazon
Ever since I got my first Echo Dot a few years ago, I’ve been getting lazier and lazier—but I don’t necessarily see that as a bad thing. After all, if you can do quick math, check the weather, or order a pizza in a quarter of the time and without lifting a single finger, why shouldn’t you? Shortly after the Dot, I got a robotic vacuum and an Alexa-enabled fan, too. But as I expanded my network of smart devices, there was one purchase I held off on until I got my own place: the best smart light bulbs that work with Alexa.
Fast-forward to this fall, when I finally moved out of an apartment and into a house. Needless to say, voice-enabled lighting was first on my to-do list — and let me tell you, it’s an absolute game-changer.
I opted for the OHLUX Wi-Fi light bulbs because they came in a pack of six and broke down to just $9 each. I put two in my bedroom, two in my office, and two in my living room. Despite the affordable price tag and after three months of using them every single day, I genuinely don’t have a single complaint.
First of all, they’re hub-free and come with an intuitive app that’s easy to set up on your Wi-Fi network. Second, they’re compatible with both Alexa and Google Home for hands-free control. And, finally, since they’re LEDs, my energy bill is way lower than it was with the old-school halogen bulbs that were here when I moved in.
There have been a few unexpected bonuses, too. Take, for example, Halloween, when I made all the lights in my house a deep, creepy red (one of the 16 million color options that are available through the app). Or that time I went over to my mom’s for the night and forgot to leave some lights on, so I just pressed a few buttons on my phone from miles away and voilà!—it looked like someone was home. Then there’s the dimming function to set the mood while I’m watching TV and the ability to plan automatic schedules, including using a bulb as a sunrise alarm clock.
Last but definitely not least, I will never get tired of crawling into bed, saying “Alexa, turn off the bedroom lights,” and falling asleep without ever having to reach for the switch. It’s the little things, right?
OHLUX Smart WiFi LED Light Bulbs - 6 Pack
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