6 Benefits of Smart Bulbs and Switches That Make Life Easier

Do you remember the Clapper? The clap-on, clap-off lights from TV commercials of the 80s and 90s? While these lights had their time to shine, newer technology lets you control your lights from your smartphone; no clapping necessary.

Smart bulbs and switches are convenient, save money in the long run, and can do much more than just turn on and off. Here’s everything you need to know about smart lighting.

What Are Smart Light Bulbs?

With smart light bulbs, you can turn all the lighting in your home off and on with your smartphone using Wi-Fi or other compatible networks.

And you can do more than adjust your lighting—although that’s helpful too, especially if you want to dim the lights in the evening or turn them off while snuggling up for a movie. But if you have colored LED bulbs, you can also adjust the color of your light. All it takes is a couple of effortless taps on your phone.

How Does Smart Lighting Work?

Most smart light bulbs have a chip inside connecting them to wireless devices and smart accessories. These bulbs generally require a hub or bridge as a central controller to connect devices in your network. Some bulbs use Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Z-Wave, or other communication platforms.

Although bulbs are enough for most people, smart lighting includes other components, like smart switches. Both have pros and cons, depending on what you’re looking for in light quality, costs, and setup.

Smart Bulbs

You rarely need to fiddle with the bulbs after they’re set up. The hub and corresponding app (which manages the bulbs) will walk you through the installation setup and leave you with a full range of lighting options. Here are some of their advantages and disadvantages.

Pros:

• Energy efficient: LEDs used in smart bulbs are many times more energy efficient than incandescent lighting. Considering these bulbs can last for more than 25,000 hours of use, switching to them is cost-effective in the long run.
• Easy to install: You just unscrew your regular bulb and put in your smart bulb to start the setup. No rewiring needed.
• Eco-friendly: They can have a lower environmental impact than compact fluorescent bulbs because they don’t contain mercury ^[1]. However, LED lights contain small amounts of heavy metals, such as arsenic and lead. Smart bulbs should be disposed of at your city’s local hazardous waste center. Stores like Home Depot also have recycling bins near the entrance where you can place LED light bulbs.
• Versatile options: You likely won’t need to change or alter existing fixtures in your home because smart bulbs come in all different sizes, light temperatures, and brightnesses. You have options if you need bigger bulbs for one room but smaller ones for another.

Cons:

• Dependent on other tech: You have to install and use an app to control the bulbs remotely.
• Light switch limitation: After installation, you need to download the appropriate app to connect and use the bulbs, but if the light switch is off, the bulbs won’t work.

Smart Switches

Smart switches replace your regular light switch with one you can control from a smart device. They work similarly to smart bulbs in how they connect and communicate, but you’ll be controlling the switch instead of the actual bulb itself. Here’s how smart switches stack up:

Pros:

• Flexible compatibility: You can use any bulb you want for lighting with a smart switch.
• Better for light quality preferences: If you’re particular about the quality of light in your home, moving to switches over bulbs might better suit your needs.
• Whole-home automation: Smart light switches are the better choice to automate multiple lights in a room or throughout your home. That way, you don’t need to replace each bulb with a smart one.

Cons:

• More complex installation: Requires more time and effort to install than a bulb.
• Less portable: If you’re renting an apartment, you may not be allowed to tinker around with the electrical wiring. And unlike bulbs, you can’t take them and set them up quickly when moving to a new location.
• Higher cost: They’re pricier than smart bulbs, costing around $50 or more per switch.
• Limited features: You won’t be able to change the color of your light, such as to red or blue, unless you also install a smart bulb.

5 Benefits of Using Smart Lighting

Swapping traditional lighting for smart lighting offers several benefits, including simplicity, control, and mood setting. It’s more than just a gimmick. Here’s why:

1. Potential To Save Energy

With the power to dim your lights so accessible, it’s even easier to save energy. You can do this manually through the app on your device. Some smart lights work with or come with motion sensors on the bulbs, so you can have these sensors in every room. When a room is unoccupied, you can instruct the bulbs to switch off and only switch on again when motion is detected.

LED bulbs also use less electricity than the average bulb without sacrificing the brightness or warmth you’ve grown accustomed to.

2. Comfortable Convenience

Controlling your smart lighting is simple. You can lay in bed, sit at your desk at work, or even be on your phone on an island and still have access to your lighting.

Smart lighting also helps those with mobility issues or who live in a home with loud, creaky stairs and light sleepers. You won’t have to physically go from room to room when you forget to turn the lights off. With some bulbs, you can even adjust the brightness, intensity, and hue (with colored LED smart bulbs) from your device.

3. Personalized Scenes For Every Occasion

You can have even more control of your rooms with smart lighting “scenes.” These scenes can change the colors subtly. For example, if you’re a big reader, changing the shading of the light could ease eye strain.

But you can also set the scene for your daily routine. When you wake up, you might want to dim the lights to allow your eyes to adjust comfortably or avoid bothering your partner if they have a different schedule. Or maybe you only want to turn on the lights by the door when you’re ready to head out.

People also use scenes when taking a business trip or vacationing. If you’re uncomfortable having the lights off for those few days, you can set the lights to turn on periodically so it seems like someone is home. Whatever your routine, you can customize your lights for it.

4. Ability to Set the Mood with Color

Adjusting the color wasn’t always a benefit of smart lighting, but it’s now available when you use smart bulbs. Changing colors can help when watching a movie, reading, or getting ready for a nap. Certain colors can reduce eye strain and improve sleep quality. Blue lighting may improve your mood, especially during winter when the cloud cover is impenetrable and sunlight is scarce.

However, blue light can suppress melatonin production, so switch to redder, amber-colored lights at night.

5. Use as Home Decor

You can go the extra level by using smart lights to decorate your home. You can change the decor and appearance of your rooms at the drop of a hat with smart lighting. For family gatherings, parties, and hangouts with friends, smart lighting makes setting the mood even easier.

6. Listen to Music

You can go even further by using a smart bulb with built-in speakers. This allows you to listen to your favorite songs in every room where they’re installed. It can be another way to set the mood in your home.

Bye Bye Dumb Lights!

Smart lighting is a practical home upgrade that can make your house more energy efficient, convenient to manage, and personalized. Unlike the Clapper system of yesteryears, it isn’t a passing trend. As smart lighting solutions advance, added features like speakers, automated schedules, and voice control expand their usability. While the initial setup may be costly, especially with smart switches, you’ll have better long-term savings and control of your home’s lighting.

FAQs

Can you put a smart bulb in any light?

Yes, smart bulbs work on any light fixture as long as their base size is compatible. You don’t need smart lamps or fixtures for them to work. 

Do you need an electrician to install a smart switch?

Hiring an electrician isn’t necessary unless you feel intimidated by the process or find that the installation isn’t something you want to do. However, you can consider hiring an electrician if you don’t have access to the neutral wires on your light switch because the installation will be more complicated. While your smart switch likely comes with instructions, it may be easier to follow along with a YouTube video.

References:

1. Charleston SC. “Shining Some Light on Recycling Light Bulbs!” Accessed March 6, 2025. https://www.charleston-sc.gov/2773/Recycling-Light-Bulbs

Brought to you by justenergy.com

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Pros:
Energy efficient: LEDs used in smart bulbs are many times more energy efficient than incandescent lighting. Considering these bulbs can last for more than 25,000 hours of use, switching to them is cost-effective in the long run.
Easy to install: You just unscrew your regular bulb and put in your smart bulb to start the setup. No rewiring needed.
Eco-friendly: They can have a lower environmental impact than compact fluorescent bulbs because they don’t contain mercury [1]. However, LED lights contain small amounts of heavy metals, such as arsenic and lead. Smart bulbs should be disposed of at your city’s local hazardous waste center. Stores like Home Depot also have recycling bins near the entrance where you can place LED light bulbs.
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