Regardless of your budget, the year 2021 presents a fantastic opportunity to install smart light strips and inject some colorful character into your home environment… perfect for movie nights. The three products featured here cover an entire range of price points and offer excellent options for anyone looking to get started with smart lighting solutions in their space.
In this article, we have chosen our top picks based on specific performance metrics, compatibility features, and overall value propositions discussed below. Using smart light strips at home provides an excellent way to set the desired atmosphere in any room while ensuring they remain incredibly simple to control. With so many choices out there available for purchase, it is important to understand which are truly the best options.
A smart light strip is typically a length of LEDs which can be stuck along a wall, up your stairs, behind your TV and more (you get the idea). This allows you to provide a consistent source of light wherever desired. You’ve probably seen them in videos where the back of a desk glows… that’s usually just a light strip doing its job.
These strips come in a variety of lengths, brightness levels, and some are extendable as well allowing you to join several strips together for larger setups like home cinema lighting. They provide extra character because they’re simple to install without replacing your existing lights. Furthermore, this creates much softer, more consistent lighting options.
The Philips Hue Light Strip Plus v4
Philips Hue are big players in the smart lighting market and have established themselves as one of the leading brands for many users today. Their lights offer full compatibility with Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, and work directly with Apple’s HomeKit platform.
The Philips Hue Light Strip Plus v4 is the latest release in their line of dedicated smart light strips available currently on store shelves. These units come with a standard length of 2m though extension packs can be purchased separately if you need to cover more area or join several strips together for specific projects like home cinema lighting.
The Hue Lightstrip plus v4 is the most expensive option in this list, retailing at £70 for the base kit which contains 2m of length. Alternatively, a kit including the extension comes in at £80 total or you can purchase the 1m extension separately if you ever want to upgrade later.
The Hue light strip itself is designed with an adhesive backing and includes instructions on how to cut it for added flexibility during installation setup. The reason we love using these from Philips is specifically because of the incredible vibrancy their colors provide along with high quality in all product builds generally speaking across this brand’s line.
You have a choice of 16 million colours available, giving you endless possibilities for setting the right mood to match any activity. Out of the box however, the light strip is released as the bluetooth version first which means you’ll initially only have smart controls directly from your phone connected nearby.
For full out-of-home control or voice commands via assistants later on, you will definitely need the Hue bridge mentioned earlier to make sure those features function correctly. If you’re already using existing Philips Hue equipment or specifically want the highest quality products in this category then this is undoubtedly one for you… if the price tag makes your eyes water however please continue reading.
The TP-Link Kasa Smart Light Strip
Your next recommendation comes from TP-Link which has roots deeply embedded in home networking technology but who also now have a fantastic range of smart home products available today under their dedicated Kasa brand name recently launched.
This option costs £40 for the starter kit which provides 2m length and allows you to purchase an extension pack containing another meter at just £15. That price point is significantly more budget friendly than what we found with previous Philips pricing discussed earlier in our comparison notes here today.
The TP Link Kasa Smart Light strip offers a solid alternative although it isn’t Apple HomeKit or Siri compatible on its own current iteration right now unfortunately for Mac users perhaps preferring that integration. It works seamlessly with Samsung SmartThings, Alexa and Google Assistant out of the box without requiring special hubs since it connects directly to your router.
This means no hub is required at all for any voice control features to work correctly within those supported networks listed above already mentioned earlier on page setup descriptions regarding Kasa. It also has full out-of-home capabilities available via app and controls through the Kasa smartphone application which works natively with both Apple iOS devices as well as Android users easily too.
In terms of performance overall, this product is equally boastful about a huge range of colors to display (although not quite many different hues compared directly against what Hue manages). We love TP Link because they offer the reliability and quality found in long-established brands but with that much more budget friendly price tag structure designed for value shoppers.
LED Strip Lights from HYFILOD
The final option here is our super-budget friendly pick which costs just £20 total. You will read right there… 20m of light strip available in that single package price tag alone representing great savings for those seeking large coverage areas at lower initial cost points.
When it comes to budget-friendly options out there, HYFILOD stands apart because this specific model is compatible with the TUYA network of devices which means there are lots different brands building into their solutions already. Even other companies like Hey! I’m Home utilize similar technology underneath built on that underlying network architecture allowing you compatibility across multiple hardware types.
This allows you to have a budget friendly item without having to download yet another app for management purposes alone specifically since it works via TUYA and Smart Life solution platform which is already familiar ground for some users today especially those who reviewed Hey! I’m Home before us here last year perhaps still around somewhere in storage.
The light strip connects directly to WiFi so no need whatsoever for a bridge hub like other brands require. It functions with Alexa voice commands and Google Assistant as well alongside the TUYA smartphone app compatible with both Apple iPhone devices or standard Android phones available today globally now.
In addition, you will find that it also comes with its own remote control allowing flexibility to use lights without internet access or a smartphone connection entirely when needed for convenience. You’ll likely notice is not quite as bright as the two other we’ve listed in detail here earlier in this review article compared side by side.
The HYFILOD model offers excellent value for money simply because of that price per meter ratio, making it great for fun hobby projects or smaller rooms rather than full home lighting overhaul. You can find these available through major retailers carrying smart tech brands now offering similar products too if you want to compare further.
Our Verdict: The Best Smart Light Strips
The three products here fit a whole range of budgets and offer some excellent options for those looking to get started with a smart light strip in their home today. Whether it is movie nights, gaming sessions or just setting the mood before bed you’ll find these strips help transform atmosphere effectively without complex installation procedures.
