Do you want to get started with smart lighting? Philips Hue is probably the brand you are looking for. It’s the biggest name in this market, and for good reason: it makes high-quality, ultra-versatile smart lamps, and offers a huge range of products to meet different needs.
Philips Hue lamps can be quite expensive, however, especially if you want to equip several rooms at once. The Amazon Prime Day sales can be a really good opportunity to grab yourself some Hue kit at a more affordable price, and luckily there’s one about to start. The event officially runs from June 23-26, but discounts are already appearing – and a number of other major retailers are holding their own rival sales at the same time.
Below you’ll find an explanation of your different Philips Hue bulb options, along with the best deals I’ve spotted in each category, on Amazon and beyond.
What are the three categories of Hue smart lights?
Hue offers three types of light: White, White atmosphere And White and colorful atmosphere.
White the lights emit a warm light (yellow tone) with dimmable intensity, at a set color temperature of 2700 Kelvin. It is designed to be comfortable and relaxing; Philips says these fixtures are well suited for bedrooms and living rooms.
White atmosphere lights offer more variety. They can emit 50,000 different shades of white light, from warm (yellow tone) to cool (blue tone), and like white lights, they are also dimmable. You can opt for an energizing shade that mimics natural daylight or a warm orange tone to help you relax and sleep, and there are even preset “recipes” like Focus or Read for different tasks.
However, the lights most closely associated with Philips Hue are the White and colorful atmosphere bulbs. These can emit any of millions of RGB colors, including all the white shades covered by White Ambiance bulbs. (You can learn more in our article explaining the types of Philips Hue bulbs.)
Philips Hue Starter Kits
Philips Hue bulbs are available as part of “starter kits”, which include bulbs (in one of the three lighting categories detailed above) and a Hue Bridge. The Bridge is essentially the communications hub that all your smart lights connect to and unlocks the lights’ full range of functionality.
A starter kit is designed to be the easiest way to install smart lighting in your home, and will often be the most cost-effective too.
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Philips Hue bulbs
At the heart of the Philips Hue range are its bulbs. It offers a wide range of shapes and styles: spotlights, candle-shaped or flattened, and ordinary light bulbs. Most are available in one of Philips Hue’s main lighting categories: White, Ambiance White, and Ambiance White & Color. They will also be available with different connections to work with different fixtures; check your configuration before purchasing.
How bright are the bulbs?
It depends on which one you buy. Standard Philips Hue White ambiance / Ambiance white and color bulbs emit 800 lumens, which is about the same as a 60W incandescent bulb or a 12W LED bulb. Philips also offers a Filament range (550 lumens) and a Lightguide range (500 lumens).
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Philips Hue lamps
Philips Hue offers a selection of indoor and outdoor lamps. I say lamps, but it’s really everything from spotlights and light bars to pendant lights, wall washers and wake-up lights. I’m basically using this as a catch-all term for anything where the bulb and its housing are sold together.
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Philips Hue light strips
Another main category of Philips Hue lights is LED strip lights. These are designed to be placed behind your TV, under shelves or behind mirrors to enhance room features and create atmosphere. There are even weather-resistant options that can be used outdoors. You can buy different lengths (some types can be cut longer) and they have an adhesive backing so you can simply stick them to a clean, flat surface.
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Philips Hue Accessories
Finally, Philips Hue makes a selection of accessories to combine its lighting fixtures. The main one is the Bridge: if you’re just buying individual lights rather than a starter kit, you may need to purchase one separately in order to unlock the full potential of your smart lighting setup. The brand also makes physical switches and buttons that offer a different way to access your lights’ functions outside of the app.
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