Readers Choice Smartest Home: Your favorite smart lights
In a recent survey conducted among readers, the results are in regarding the most favored smart home technology, particularly smart lights. Smart lighting has emerged as a popular entry point into the world of home automation, largely due to its affordability and user-friendly nature. The survey revealed that TP-Link’s Kasa and Philips Hue are the top contenders for smart lighting, with Kasa taking the lead in overall satisfaction. Kasa garnered an impressive score of 8.6 out of 10, while Philips Hue trailed with a score of 8.1. This highlights a clear preference among users for Kasa’s budget-friendly options, which are often seen as more accessible compared to the premium-priced Philips Hue products.
The survey results shed light on various aspects of these brands, including user experience, cost, and ease of integration with smart home assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant. Respondents praised Kasa for its reliability and ease of use, with one user noting, “I had another brand before and found them so frustrating. I was glad to find these worked to my liking at a lower cost.” In contrast, while Philips Hue received high marks for its features, such as preset color themes and automation capabilities, its higher price point was a common concern among users. One respondent remarked, “The only reason I am not ‘extremely likely’ to recommend Philips Hue is they are relatively expensive compared to other brands.” Despite these differences, both brands scored equally in terms of likelihood to recommend, with each receiving a score of 8.1 out of 10.
Overall, the survey highlighted the growing interest in smart home technology and the importance of cost and usability in consumer preferences. With smart lights being one of the most approachable smart home devices, it’s clear that brands like Kasa are resonating with users who seek functionality without breaking the bank. As smart home technology continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how these brands adapt and innovate to meet the changing demands of consumers. For those interested in exploring these options further, the article provides links to shop for both Kasa and Philips Hue products, offering readers a chance to enhance their home lighting experience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni4pMe1FgDM
In case you missed it, we polled our readers on the smart home tech they use and love. The results are in, and your favorite smart home brands have been revealed. Smart lights are some of the most approachable and accessible smart home gadgets, thanks to their low entry pricing and ease of use. They can be controlled via your smartphone or smart home assistants, giving you some versatility on how you integrate them into your home. Check out our
full survey results
, or continue reading for our breakdown of our readers’ preferred smart lights.
SEE ALSO:
Readers’ Choice Awards 2025: Your favorite smart home brands
Your favorite smart lights
Readers narrowed down their favorite smart lights to just two brands: TP-Link (Kasa) and Philips Hue. Kasa won in most categories, including overall satisfaction, where it cinched an 8.6 out of 10 rating (compared to Philips Hue’s 8.1). See how each brand fared in different categories in the chart below by clicking the arrows or using the dropdown menu.
Editor’s note: TP-Link has been under investigation for
security vulnerabilities
with its routers and
predatory pricing
.
Cost and installment
Smart light bulbs are one of the more accessible smart home devices, thanks to their relatively low cost. However, when comparing smart lights, you’ll find a clear divide in this product category between premium-priced brands and more budget-friendly brands. It’s clear from our survey responses that Philips Hue and Kasa are on different ends of the price spectrum. Philips was rated pretty low at 6.4, while readers favored Kasa at 8.7.
“The only reason I am not ‘extremely likely’ to recommend Philips Hue is they are relatively expensive compared to other brands,” one respondent wrote.
A Kasa user commented, “I had another brand before and found them so frustrating. I was glad to find these worked to my liking at a lower cost.”
Using the smart bulbs
Both Kasa and Philips Hue scored favorably in ease of use, reliability, and integration with smart assistants.
“Mostly, they work extremely well. We primarily control them by voice through Alexa,” one respondent said about their Philips Hue lights.
Multiple survey respondents noted integrating their smart lights with either Alexa or Google Assistant. From a Kasa user: “I have a bunch of these bulbs throughout the interior and exterior of the house. The exterior ones had issues, but after upgrading to a mesh router, I haven’t had any since. I can set them up for specific times, on and off at sunset/sunrise, and they have the ability to change colors. They integrate into my Google Home system without any problems.”
Not enough respondents rated their TP-Link (Kasa) bulbs on lifetime of bulb, preset color themes, or routines and automation to generate a score, but Philips Hue received high marks in all of these areas.
Likelihood to recommend
Mashable readers equally recommend TP-Link (Kasa) and Philips Hue, each cinching a score of 8.1 out of 10.
Shop smart lights
Philps Hue Essential A19 smart bulb
$24.99 at Philips Hue
Shop Now
Philips Hue A19 white and color smart bulbs (2-pack)
$74.27 at Amazon
Shop Now
Philips Hue indoor smart LED light strip
$60.98 at Amazon
Shop Now
Kasa A19 dimmable smart light bulb KL110
$20.00 at Walmart
Shop Now
Kasa dimmable smart light bulbs (4-pack)
$26.99 at Amazon
Shop Now
Kasa color-changing smart light bulbs (4-pack)
$26.99 at Amazon
Shop Now
