Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsIdeal Bulbs: Best Software, Easiest to Configure, Prettiest Colors
Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2018
I've tried a variety of automated light bulbs and these are the best. They offer ease of setup, the most deeply saturated variety of colors, the best software, the widest variety of third-party software, and they work beautifully with Alexa. On the other hand, they're the most expensive light bulbs I've encountered.
My journey with Philips Hue began with this three-bulb starter kit, which included the Hue Bridge. The whole thing was an absolute breeze to set up, where I plugged the bridge into my router and followed the software directions. I installed two of the bulbs in a sconce I have in my office that is reminiscent of Roman ruins of Ionic columns. As you can see by my photos, there's quite a variety of effects you can choose, particularly with a pair of them -- one of these light bulbs is pointing up and the other one pointing down.
My only complaint besides their excessive expense is the fact that when you place a lightbulb in a fixture, the switches that previously controlled that fixture are suddenly superfluous. I partly solved that problem with one of Phillips's smart dimmer stitches, which allows the uninitiated to my abode to turn these lights on and off in the traditional way. However, that switch doesn't let you control the spectacular color spectrum of which these lights are capable.
Overall, I'm impressed with the color range and quality of these lights, and I ended up adding another to my collection. I only wish that other companies (I'm looking at you, Lutron, which just discontinued its only Hue-compatible switch) would simplify their compatibility with these remarkable lights. Alas, we'll have to wait until the hyper-competitive "smart home" market shakes out and someone creates an easy-to-use control system that rules them all. Even without that, these Phillips Hue bulbs are a worthy addition to my automated lighting system.
