UPGRADED TO SMART SWITCHES INSTEAD
- Tried smart bulbs first—ran into the same issues with people using the wall switch and messing up the setup.
- Swapped to smart switches last year. Way less hassle, everything works even if someone uses the old switch.
- Lost the color-changing fun, though. My kids weren’t thrilled at first... but honestly, fewer headaches for me.
- If you want reliability over features, switches win out. Bulbs are cool for parties or movie nights, but daily? Bit of a pain.
SMART SWITCHES ARE LESS FLASHY, BUT MORE PRACTICAL
I get where you’re coming from. I tried smart bulbs in my kitchen—looked great until my partner kept flipping the wall switch and suddenly nothing worked. Drove me nuts. Swapped to smart switches too, and honestly, it’s just easier. I do miss the color scenes sometimes, but for day-to-day, I’d rather not have to explain to guests how to turn on a light.
One thing I’ll say, though—if you’re thinking about energy savings, both options are better than old incandescents. But I do wonder about the long-term waste with all these electronics... anyone else worry about that?
SMART BULBS STILL WIN FOR MOOD LIGHTING
I get the switch thing—my roommate used to do the same and it was a pain. But honestly, I love the color scenes too much to give up bulbs entirely. For parties or just winding down, nothing beats dialing in the right vibe. I guess it’s a trade-off... convenience vs. creativity. As for waste, yeah, it bugs me a bit, but I try to buy brands with good recycling programs.
FINALLY UPGRADED MY LIVING ROOM LIGHTS—ANYONE ELSE TRIED SMART BULBS?
I get the appeal of those color scenes, but honestly, I think the environmental impact is a bigger deal than most people realize. Even with recycling programs, a lot of smart bulbs end up as e-waste because the electronics inside aren’t always easy to process. I’ve actually switched to smart switches and kept regular LEDs—still get automation, but way less waste over time. Not as flashy for parties, sure, but I’d rather cut down on the tech trash piling up. Just my two cents...
I’ve actually switched to smart switches and kept regular LEDs—still get automation, but way less waste over time.
Interesting take. I get the e-waste concern, but I’ve found smart bulbs actually last longer in my setup than the old LEDs I had—probably because I’m not flipping them on and off as much. Plus, the flexibility with scenes and dimming is hard to beat. I do wonder if the difference in waste is as big as it seems, especially if you’re not replacing bulbs often.
