"Curious though, have you noticed any noticeable energy savings since switching to smart bulbs, or is it mostly convenience you're after?"
Honestly, from my experience, the energy savings with smart bulbs are pretty minimal. They're LED-based, so you'll definitely see some improvement over old incandescent bulbs, but compared to regular LED bulbs, the difference isn't huge. The real value I've found is in convenience and customization—scheduling lights or changing brightness remotely has been handy. If your main goal is cutting energy costs, standard LEDs might be a more practical choice.
I've had a similar experience—switched over to smart bulbs last year, and honestly, the energy savings weren't exactly mind-blowing. They're definitely more efficient than the old-school incandescent bulbs, but if you're already using regular LEDs, it's not gonna make a huge dent in your electricity bill.
The real benefit for me has been the convenience factor. I travel a fair bit, and being able to remotely turn lights on and off or set schedules so my house doesn't look empty has been great for peace of mind. Plus, dimming and color-changing options are nice touches when you want to set a certain mood or atmosphere.
One thing I'd mention though—if you're going for smart bulbs, pay attention to compatibility with your existing smart home setup. I initially grabbed a few bulbs without checking carefully, and ended up having to juggle multiple apps just to control lights in different rooms...definitely not ideal. Eventually streamlined everything into one ecosystem (went with Philips Hue), and that's made life way easier.
Also worth mentioning: reliability can vary. Had a few cheaper brands randomly disconnecting from Wi-Fi or needing resets every couple weeks, which got annoying quickly. Spending a bit more upfront for quality bulbs saved me headaches down the line.
I'm curious though—anyone here tried integrating smart switches instead of bulbs? I've heard some folks prefer switches because they can control multiple fixtures at once without replacing every individual bulb. Seems like it might be more practical in certain setups, especially larger rooms with multiple lights.
I've actually gone the smart switch route instead of bulbs, and honestly, I think it's a better solution for certain setups. My main issue with bulbs was that if someone flipped the physical switch off, the smart bulb became useless until you manually turned it back on. With switches, you avoid that entirely—no more yelling at family members to stop flipping switches!
Also, switches let you keep your existing bulbs, which is great if you've already invested in quality LEDs. I installed a couple of Lutron Caseta switches in my living room and kitchen, and they've been rock-solid reliable. The upfront cost was a bit higher, but controlling multiple fixtures from one switch made way more sense for me than swapping out every bulb individually.
That said, I do miss the color-changing options sometimes...but realistically, how often do you really use those? For me, practicality and reliability won out over mood lighting. Just something to consider if you're still deciding between bulbs and switches.
I went with smart bulbs at first and ran into the exact same issue—family members constantly flipping the switches off, driving me nuts. Switched to smart switches about a year ago, and honestly, haven't looked back. Sure, the color-changing bulbs were fun for about a week, but after that, I never really bothered. Smart switches just feel more practical overall, especially if you've already got decent bulbs installed.
"Sure, the color-changing bulbs were fun for about a week, but after that, I never really bothered."
Yeah, same experience here. The novelty wore off pretty quick for me too. Smart switches just make more sense practically—especially if you've already invested in decent bulbs. Plus, it's nice not having to constantly remind everyone to leave the switches alone... Glad you found something that works better for your household.
