Regular LED vs Smart Bulbs: Is the Upgrade Worth It?
Regular LED bulbs are cheap, last forever, and use barely any electricity. So why would you pay 5-10x more for a smart bulb that does the same basic job of, you know, lighting a room? Fair question. Smart bulbs let you control lights from your phone or voice assistant, set schedules, change colors, and dim without a dimmer switch. That sounds cool in theory, but here's the honest take: not every light fixture in your house needs to be smart. Your closet light? Probably not. Your living room lamps and bedroom? That's where smart lighting actually changes how you use a room. And there's a middle ground most people miss — smart switches. You keep your regular LED bulbs but add smart control to the whole fixture. We'll cover that option too.
Quick Comparison
| Product | Best For | Key Pros | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philips Hue Starter Kit (3 A19 Bulbs + Bridge) | Lighting | Massive color range | Buy on Amazon |
| TP-Link Tapo Smart Light Bulb (4-Pack, Multicolor) | Smart-Bulb | No hub required | Buy on Amazon |
| Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Starter Kit | Smart-Lights | 16 million color options | Buy on Amazon |
| Govee RGBIC Smart LED Floor Lamp | Lighting | Multi-segment color display | Buy on Amazon |
| Kasa Smart Light Switch HS200 Single Pole | Smart-Switch | No smart hub required | Buy on Amazon |
| Govee RGBIC LED Strip Lights 32.8ft Wi-Fi | Led-Strip | RGBIC multi-color display at once | Buy on Amazon |
Detailed Look at Each Product
Philips Hue Starter Kit (3 A19 Bulbs + Bridge)
Smart lighting starter kit with 3 color-changing A19 LED bulbs and Hue Bridge. 16 million colors and tunable white from warm to cool. Works with Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit, and Matter. Set scenes, schedules, and automations through the Hue app.
- Massive color range
- Works with every smart home platform
- Reliable Zigbee protocol
- Huge third-party app ecosystem
- Requires Hue Bridge
- Expensive per bulb compared to competitors
TP-Link Tapo Smart Light Bulb (4-Pack, Multicolor)
Budget-friendly color smart bulbs that work with Alexa and Google Home without requiring a hub. Sixteen million colors and tunable white from warm to daylight. Group control, schedules, and away mode through the Tapo app.
- No hub required
- 16 million colors
- Four bulbs for under $30
- Alexa and Google compatible
- 2.4GHz Wi-Fi only
- Dimming not as smooth as Hue
Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Starter Kit
Three A19 smart bulbs and Hue Bridge create 16 million colors for any mood or activity. Set scenes like Energize or Relax or sync lights to movies and games with Hue Sync. Works with Alexa, Google, Apple HomeKit, and Matter.
- 16 million color options
- Works with every smart platform
- Hue Sync for entertainment
- Extremely reliable
- Hue Bridge required
- Expensive compared to alternatives
Govee RGBIC Smart LED Floor Lamp
Modern corner floor lamp with multi-segment RGBIC LED lighting that displays multiple colors simultaneously. Music sync mode pulses with audio for ambient entertainment. Works with Alexa and Google Assistant for voice control.
- Multi-segment color display
- Music sync mode
- Voice control compatible
- Stylish modern design
- Light output not for room illumination
- Primarily decorative and ambient
Kasa Smart Light Switch HS200 Single Pole
Wi-Fi smart light switch that replaces any standard single-pole switch to bring voice and remote control to wired light fixtures. Works with Alexa, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings. No hub is required, and the Kasa app supports schedules, timers, and away mode for lighting automation.
- No smart hub required
- Works with any wired fixture
- Affordable entry into smart lighting
- Requires neutral wire in most installs
- 2.4GHz Wi-Fi only
Govee RGBIC LED Strip Lights 32.8ft Wi-Fi
32.8-foot Wi-Fi LED strip with RGBIC technology that displays multiple colors simultaneously rather than a single solid color at a time. The Govee Home app offers over 50 lighting scene modes and music sync mode that pulses to audio detected by the phone. Compatible with Alexa and Google Home for voice control.
- RGBIC multi-color display at once
- 50 plus scene modes
- Music sync mode is impressive
- Adhesive backing can loosen on rough surfaces
- 2.4GHz Wi-Fi only
Frequently Asked Questions
Do smart bulbs use more electricity than regular LEDs?
A tiny bit more because they maintain a Wi-Fi or Zigbee connection even when off. But we're talking about pennies per year per bulb. It's negligible. The real cost difference is the upfront price — a regular LED is like $2, a Hue bulb is $15-50.
What's the difference between Philips Hue and cheaper smart bulbs?
Hue uses a Zigbee hub, which means more reliable connections and way less Wi-Fi congestion. The color accuracy is noticeably better too. Cheaper options like the TP-Link Tapo bulbs connect directly over Wi-Fi — they work fine for a few bulbs, but if you're doing 10+ bulbs, Hue's hub system handles it better.
Should I get smart bulbs or smart switches?
If you mainly want on/off and dimming control, a smart switch like the Kasa HS200 is the smarter investment. It works with any bulb and doesn't care if someone flips the wall switch. If you want color changing or different temperatures for morning vs. evening, you need smart bulbs. Most people do a mix of both.
What happens to smart bulbs when the internet goes out?
Depends on the system. Hue bulbs still work through the local bridge even without internet — you just can't use voice assistants. Wi-Fi bulbs like Tapo might lose app control but still work with the wall switch. Spoiler alert: they just act like normal bulbs when the internet dies. Not ideal, but not a dealbreaker.