Philips Hue bulbs are a vastly standard sensible lighting answer, and with good cause. But in case your setup consists solely of Hue bulbs (and a hub), you are lacking a trick. The model makes a spread of equipment that may make a significant distinction to how you utilize your sensible lights, and most are very reasonably priced too. I requested the TechRadar workforce for a few of their favourite low cost sensible house upgrades, and virtually all of the solutions I acquired again had been Philips Hue equipment, so I made a decision it was worthy of its personal article.
Entertainment Editor Matt Bolton is a giant fan of his Philips Hue Smart Button, a compact, easy, wi-fi swap. “I stuck the Smart Button on my wall next to my regular light switch, giving me a way to control just the lamps in my living room separate to the other lights,” he says. “It’s so nice and easy, and no rewiring needed.”
Senior News Editor Mark Wilson is a big fan of his Philips Hue Tap Dial Switch. This physical switch has four buttons and a dial, and can control nine different actions; it’s a more complex alternative to the Smart Button. “I hate using my phone or voice controls for smart lights. My favorite feature is turning the dial to dim my Hue lights — it’s so much better than tapping the buttons on other switches,” says Mark. “It’s simple to use, while also being really versatile thanks to those four buttons, which can set scenes in different rooms.”
Homes Editor Cat Ellis has a slightly different suggestion: if you’re finding regular Hue bulbs too expensive, she recommends checking out the much cheaper Essential range. “I put a regular Philips Hue bulb and a Hue Essential bulb side-by-side in identical lamps, and it was almost impossible to tell the difference when shifting colors — I could only really notice a distinction when dialing down the brightness.”
A smarter setup
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