I had similar concerns when I installed smart bulbs in my kitchen. Thought they'd be more gimmicky than practical, but honestly, scheduling them to dim automatically at night has noticeably trimmed my electricity bill. Definitely agree—practicality beats flashy every time.
"Thought they'd be more gimmicky than practical, but honestly, scheduling them to dim automatically at night has noticeably trimmed my electricity bill."
Had the same doubts myself when I first set mine up. A few months in, and I'm sold—especially on the scheduling feature. I even rigged mine to gradually brighten in the mornings... makes waking up less harsh. Practicality definitely wins out, though I admit I still roll my eyes at some of the fancier color-changing features.
Practicality definitely wins out, though I admit I still roll my eyes at some of the fancier color-changing features.
Same here, the scheduling definitely helps. One thing I'd add is that pairing them with motion sensors in hallways and bathrooms has been surprisingly effective—no more lights left on accidentally overnight. Still haven't found much use for the rainbow party mode though...
Still haven't found much use for the rainbow party mode though...
Haha, same boat here. Honestly, has anyone found a practical use for those color modes beyond impressing guests for about five minutes? Curious how you set up your motion sensors—did you use standalone sensors or integrate them through a hub? I've been debating adding some to our stairway since the kids seem allergic to switches, but I'm not sure if it's worth the setup hassle...
Curious how you set up your motion sensors—did you use standalone sensors or integrate them through a hub?
I went the hub route myself, mainly because I already had a SmartThings setup running for other stuff around the house. Honestly, the initial setup was a bit fiddly—pairing sensors, setting automations, tweaking sensitivity—but once dialed in, it's been pretty solid. I put one at the top and bottom of our stairs, and now the lights gently fade on whenever someone approaches. It's saved me from stepping on countless Lego bricks in the dark (seriously, kids and switches...I feel your pain).
As for the rainbow party mode, yeah...it's mostly just a novelty. Although I did find one semi-useful scenario: movie nights. Setting the bulbs to a dim blue or purple actually reduces glare on the TV screen without leaving us completely in the dark. But full-on disco mode? Nah, that's strictly reserved for embarrassing my teenagers when their friends come over.
