Best Smart Lighting Systems in the UK

Smart lighting is often the first thing people buy when building a smart home. It's also where they often waste the most money. Let me help you avoid that.

The Big Decision: Bulbs or Switches?

Before picking a brand, decide your approach:

Smart bulbs replace your existing bulbs. Easy to install, but they stop being "smart" if someone uses the wall switch. You either train everyone to only use voice/app, or the lights end up dumb half the time.

Smart switches replace your wall switch and control your existing bulbs. The switch always works, and so does voice/app control. The downside: you need a neutral wire (most modern UK homes have one), and you can't change bulb colours.

For most customers, we recommend smart switches for main lighting and smart bulbs for accent/colour lighting. Best of both worlds.

Best Smart Bulb Systems

Premium: Philips Hue

Cost: £40-60 per colour bulb, £100+ for starter kit
Hub required: Yes (Hue Bridge)

Hue is the gold standard. Reliable, excellent app, huge range of bulbs and accessories, works with everything. It's expensive, but we've never had a Hue system fail.

The colour accuracy is noticeably better than cheaper alternatives, and the entertainment features (sync with TV/music) are genuinely impressive if you use them.

Mid-Range: LIFX

Cost: £35-50 per colour bulb
Hub required: No (connects directly to WiFi)

LIFX bulbs are bright, colourful, and don't need a hub. Each bulb connects directly to your WiFi, which is convenient but means each bulb adds to network congestion. Fine for a few bulbs, potentially problematic for a whole house.

Budget: IKEA Tradfri

Cost: £7-15 per bulb
Hub required: Yes (IKEA Gateway)

Surprisingly good for the price. Basic app, but reliable once set up and works with Alexa/Google/HomeKit via the gateway. No colour options (warm/cool white only), but for basic smart lighting, it's hard to beat the value.

What to Avoid

Random Amazon bulbs from brands you've never heard of. They might work initially, but reliability is questionable, apps often disappear, and security is a genuine concern. The £10 saving isn't worth it.

Best Smart Switches

Our Favourite: Lightwave

Cost: £50-80 per switch
Why we like it: UK-designed for UK wiring, doesn't require neutral wire on all models, looks premium, works reliably. We've installed hundreds without issues.

Budget Option: Sonoff

Cost: £15-25 per switch
Caveat: Requires neutral wire and some technical confidence. But once installed, they're solid and work with all major platforms.

Our Recommendations

For most homes: Lightwave or similar smart switches for main lighting, with a few Philips Hue colour bulbs in accent locations (behind the TV, bedside lamps).

On a budget: IKEA Tradfri for basic rooms (bathroom, hallway), Hue for living spaces where you want colour and dimming.

If money's no object: Full Lutron Caseta or Rako system. These are professional-grade, need proper installation, but are bulletproof reliable and look beautiful.