Control your lights from anywhere with the Smart Bulb range from Philips Hue. With an unbeatable selection of extra bulbs available, and the ability to control 50 items at once through the app, it is an unbeatable choice in our eyes.

This starter kit is one of the cheapest (yet most reliable) on the market, and all of the added extras are pretty good value too – although it can get pricey if you want to make every bulb in your home smart, or purchase coloured bulbs. Included in this kit are two white bulbs and the necessary bridge (central hub); the perfect starting place.

The app has a selection of pre-programmed settings available, so you don’t have to worry about constantly adjusting to get it just right. From Concentrate to Energise and Relax modes, you don’t have to worry about the lighting not suiting your mood or task.

And it is compatible with Amazon Echo, Apple HomeKit or Google Assistant devices too so that you can use voice control. Updates are automatic as it has ZigBee Light Link technology, so once it is fitted, there is no more worry for you.

Included in this pack are two white bulbs and the central hub/bridge.

Once it is all set up, you can use your phone or tablet to control the brightness and hue of the light through the Hive app. There is a central on/off button and 11 smaller buttons to dim the light by fixed percentages from 5-100%. No extra dimmer switches are required.

Each bulb lasts for up to 25,000 hours, so there is plenty of life in them. The Hive system is compatible with Amazon Alexa or Google Home speakers for full voice control. Or, you can set schedules for when you’re not at home to make it look like somebody is.

Hive recommends that you don’t use the manual switches while your light is connected to the app, as this overrides the WiFi connection. Which can get annoying if it takes you a little while to find your phone, load the app, wait for it to find your lights and then select the settings.

What makes this different from other smart lights is that it doesn’t require a central hub, which is perfect if you only have one or two lights you want to control and no extras to buy and maintain.

Just control it from your Android/iOS device, and you’re good to go. TP-Link devices work by connecting to the wifi and using this as a sort of bridge, so if you do add an extra product later, it will automatically connect to your little hub.

If you struggle with sleeping at night, the Circadian mode can help you by slowly dimming the light, allowing you to fall asleep naturally. Also perfect for any little ones who don’t like the dark. Scene mode lets you save the current lighting for instant use in the future, and Away mode will create the impression somebody is in the house by turning the bulbs on and off at certain times.

When paired with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, you can use voice control, so you don’t have to rummage around for your phone to turn the lights off before bed.

It is also energy efficient – up to 80% less used compared to ordinary 60W bulbs. All this without losing any power or quality.

Using the WeMo Link as a central hub, you can turn the lights on and off from anywhere as well as setting timers. Perfect if you’re going away on holiday or want them all to be on for when you arrive home.

Control them individually, or all together as a group if you want to dim them all ready for cinema night.

The bulbs can be controlled with a really extensive range of devices, from iPhones and Android phones to Kindle Fires. They are really bright but only use 9.5W of power, so even if they are on for three hours every day, they could last for 23 years.

There isn’t a huge difference amongst smart lighting at the moment, especially when most are from Philips. But this latest model changes the game ever so slightly.

There is a safety and security feature with the Philips Hue Mood Light. If you want to set the lights to turn on and off while you’re away, you can automate everything by pairing the light with your Nest or Samsung SmartThings system. These detect when you’re far from home or right in the room, adjusting everything automatically. It can also be done manually from your phone if you don’t have these, of course.

Because the Hue Iris Light is compatible with Amazon’s Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant, you can control everything with a single voice command. It requires the Hue Bridge to work, but there is a huge difference between its performance and that of cheaper rivals from other brands, so this is well worth the extra purchase. It will also help if you want to expand the collection at a later date.

A light which also acts as a health and sleep aid lamp.

The natural white light helps you to wake up, energise, concentrate, read and relax when you need it the most. It is well known that light influences our alertness, concentration, mood and behaviour, and through the app, you can pick the lighting which will boost all of these.

It comes with a white light, but there is access so you can change it to a colour bulb instead if desired. With the purchase also comes a dimmer switch too for the price, so you’re good to go straight away.

Able to cast a vertical light upwards towards your walls and ceilings, which then bounces back down to illuminate the room, this is a handy light if you want to create a certain atmosphere in your room.

It plugs into your mains, so there is no complicated setting up. Then, you just control it from your phone or through your Hue Bridge, and it can act as a standalone product or as part of a wider smart lighting setup. Up to 50 lamps can be controlled through the app at once, so you can time them all to turn on just before you get home, keep them on or off if you are out, and adjust the colour choice too.

You can sync it up to your music or films if you want an ultimate 4D experience, and watch as it reacts to noises, changes in volume or bass, and changes colour to the beat. If you want to use it as a normal light you can, too. There is a selection of white-based lights present, and you can dim the brightness if you’re settling down to watch television and want to be able to see the action but still see the room.

If you want a smart light to inject some fun into movie nights or parties, then this is the bar for you.

Customise the colours with over 16 million to choose from, and sync it up to other smart items in your home for a fully integrated experience. If you aren’t a party or gaming animal, then the huge choice of white light should suit you well. You can set it to get brighter as the day goes on, so it wakes you up gently then eases you in until you’re ready to go.

You don’t just have to pop it behind your TV as a back light or party accessory. It’s subtle design makes it an ideal light to illuminate your photo display, sideboard or even kitchen at night. Should you want to use it alongside music, however, the flashes and colour changes can be synced up to match the genre or beats.

It will work alongside Amazon Alexa, Apple Homekit, and Google Home if you want to control it with your voice, and it can also be managed through your phone or tablet. The only issue that we found with it is that the power plug is ridiculously large, so it may not be best suited to go in alongside other plugs in an extension lead environment, such as at the back of your telly.

The most versatile lamp in your home. It isn’t just a table lamp, but also is entirely portable. The battery can last for up to three hours, and you can choose the right lighting to suit your environment.

When plugged into the mains power, you can choose from 16 million colours to get the most precise background possible. Don’t panic if you take it out but leave your smart device at home; it can be activated by pressing the intelligent control on the top of the light.

It can act as one of the 50 items you add to your Philips Hub for full control possibilities.

Two metres of flexible lighting which can be cut down to size. Flex it, Shape it, Cut it or attach it to any solid surface. You can also add metre-long extension strips for a length up to 10m.

Choose from 16 million colours, or get the lighting to sync with your current TV, music or movie through the app. Place under kitchen cupboards, behind your entertainment hub or light up those hard to reach dark corners.

With a 20,000 hour lifespan, you don’t have to worry about replacing it anytime soon. Which is good, as they are pricey for what they are. But if you want all of your lighting to be Philips Hue, it is a price worth paying.

Combine with the Philips motion sensor to detect any movement after dark, or so they turn on when you nip to the kitchen for a drink without dazzling you.

Using the lifx app, you can set schedules and access your bulbs anywhere and anytime via the cloud.

The adhesive strips have been designed to give you full lighting control while blending into your environment. The good news is that there are no extra requirements needed and you’re good to go once it is set up. You just have to peel the backing off.

As it only uses 17W, you can keep it on for three hours every day, and it will still last 22.8 years. There are different colour relationships available, from subtle gradients to bold contrasts.

You can connect extra strips to create a length up to 10 metres, and as it works with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and the Google Assistant you can control it from your home.

A perfect standalone light if you want something which can be controlled yet don’t want an entire system lighting up your garden.

It is the perfect answer to adding a bit of atmosphere to your outdoor area yet giving you the functional lighting, say if you want something which can light up your path for getting home or when you’re sat in the garden of an evening.

As it is smart, you can flick it on whenever you need it. Plus, as you do this from your phone, you don’t even have to leave your seat or rely on it to be dark enough to turn on automatically. The light it gives out is on the warmer side too, so you aren’t going to be blinded by the brightness. This can be dimmed and brightened if necessary, to set the mood.

Scheduling is easy too, so you can set it up to turn on and off throughout the day and night or for when you get home in the Winter months. You will get 25,000 of use out of the lamp, which means it will last for a fair few years.

Want something practical yet atmospheric too? Maybe you want to light up an area, yet do it subtly.

Pedestal lights are the ideal way to do this. They will line a path or garden area, and can be placed pretty much anywhere so you aren’t restricted if there is no wall or fence near the dark corner of your outdoor area.

If you have a set of lights, each individual one can still be controlled on its own, so you can either light the ones closest to the door if you’re not due any visitors, or set them all to the brightest levels if you need to light the way.

You can automatically schedule them to come on and off too, so if you’re heading to bed at 10pm every night, they can turn off without you pressing a button. Likewise, when the darker months creep in, you can turn the lights on at 5pm so they’ll be ready to light up your path.

Each light is dimmable, so if you’re using them in the garden, you can set the tone.

Unlike a few other smart outdoor lights from the Philips Hue range, these little spotlights can offer colour as well as light, giving you the option to choose from over 16 million colours.

From garden parties to barbecues, the colour can really inject a sense of fun. They are practical too of course, as you can pick natural light colours and adjust the brightness. Set a timer so they come on as soon as it goes dark, or for when you get home in the evenings or after the night shift.

Our only criticism is that they aren’t massively bright at their maximum setting. This means they are best as accent lighting as opposed to an essential bit of kit for safety.