FINALLY UPGRADED MY LIVING ROOM LIGHTS—ANYONE ELSE TRIED SMART BULBS?
Yeah, the wall switch thing is a pain. I’ve seen people tape notes above the switches, but that just looks tacky. Honestly, I prefer smart switches over bulbs for exactly that reason—less confusion for everyone. The WiFi dropouts are annoying too. In my experience, hardwired solutions are more reliable long-term, even if they cost more upfront. Sometimes “smart” just means more stuff to troubleshoot...
FINALLY UPGRADED MY LIVING ROOM LIGHTS—ANYONE ELSE TRIED SMART BULBS?
I get where you're coming from with the smart switches—definitely less hassle for guests or anyone not used to the setup. But honestly, I’ve found smart bulbs have their place, especially if you want to play around with color temps or scenes without rewiring anything. I’ve got a mix in my house, and while the switches are more “set it and forget it,” the bulbs let me tweak things for movie nights or reading.
WiFi dropouts can be a pain, but some of the newer bulbs run on Zigbee or Thread, and those seem a lot more stable in my experience. I guess it comes down to how much you want to tinker. For me, the flexibility is worth the occasional hiccup. Hardwired is solid, but sometimes I just don’t want to open up another wall...
FINALLY UPGRADED MY LIVING ROOM LIGHTS—ANYONE ELSE TRIED SMART BULBS?
I totally get the appeal of not having to mess with wiring—drywall dust is my nemesis. I’ve played around with both bulbs and switches, and honestly, I lean toward smart bulbs for spaces where I want to change up the vibe a lot. There’s just something about dialing in that perfect warm glow for a cozy night in, or cranking up the brightness when I’m rearranging furniture (which happens more than I’d like to admit).
That said, guests do get a little confused sometimes. My mom still tries to use the wall switch and then wonders why nothing works... classic. The Zigbee bulbs have been way more reliable for me too—WiFi ones used to drop out every time someone microwaved popcorn, which was weirdly specific but super annoying.
I guess it’s all about what you want out of your space. If you love tweaking things and don’t mind the occasional tech hiccup, bulbs are fun. But yeah, sometimes I wish everything just worked like a regular light switch—no app required.
My mom still tries to use the wall switch and then wonders why nothing works... classic.
That’s exactly why I’m hesitant about smart bulbs. I’ve done a few projects where I swapped out switches instead—less confusion for guests, and you still get some automation. Bulbs are cool for color, sure, but if someone flips the switch off, you’re stuck. Have you tried any of those “smart” switches that work with regular bulbs? Wondering if that’s a better middle ground.
Yeah, I totally get where you're coming from. I went with smart switches for most of my house for exactly that reason—my partner and I both kept forgetting which bulbs were “smart” and which weren’t, and guests would just flip whatever switch was closest. The switches work with regular bulbs, so you don’t have to worry about someone killing the power by accident. Only downside is you lose out on the color-changing stuff, but honestly, I barely used that after the first week anyway. For me, switches just feel more intuitive for everyone.
