Best SmartThings Lights 2023

Smart lights remain some of the easiest smart home upgrades you can make. Standard bulbs simply screw into sockets, while lamps or rope lighting may be placed where you like. For renters, smart light bulbs allow for smart home control and automation in a space you don’t own. Samsung’s SmartThings ecosystem is ideal for both new users and seasoned tech-heads alike. Take a look at the best SmartThings light bulbs you can buy in 2023!

What is Samsung SmartThings?

Samsung’s SmartThings platform is a user-friendly smart home control and automation solution. With a SmartThings configuration, you’ll need a SmartThings hub as well as the SmartThings app. Once you’ve set up your hub, simply add your SmartThings-compatible devices like video doorbells.

SmartThings utilizes the Internet of Things (IoT) protocols ZigBee and Z-Wave. Although many Z-Wave and ZigBee products should work just fine with SmartThings hubs, specifically branded for SmartThings gadgets will assuredly work. IFTTT (if this then that) allows for a workaround to use IoT-enabled devices that aren’t officially SmartThings compatible.

Best SmartThings Light Bulbs 2023

You’ll find tons of different SmartThings light bulbs on the market. From traditional A19 bulbs to light strips and even lamps, there’s a ton of choice. While some connect straight to a SmartThings hub, still others require a bridge. For instance, Philips Hue devices need a bridge in order to work with SmartThings. In addition to traditional lighting profiles, color-changing smart bulbs liven living spaces.

Sengled Smart LED Bulb Element Classic A19 – Best SmartThings Light Bulbs for Most Users (Multicolor, Soft White, Daylight White)

I love my Sengled smart LED bulbs. Available in multicolor RGBW bulbs, daylight, and soft white, these are awesome A19 light bulbs for SmartThings. Affordable, easy to install, and with several different options for a variety of lighting profiles, Sengled smart LEDs are excellent choices for most users.

In my house, I use Sengled SmartThings LEDs in the majority of my light sockets. They’re simple to pair, and the color-changing bulbs look lovely. Aside from SmartThings connectivity, Sengled smart LEDs work with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa for voice control. You can create custom routines for smart home automation, as well as pair Sengled smart lights with hubs such as Alexa devices and the Sengled Smart Hub. Standalone bulbs, 2, 4, or 8 packs are available. Despite featuring ZigBee onboard, Sengled LEDs are not repeaters, merely end devices. Therefore, you can’t make a mesh network with them. Still, Sengled’s A19 smart bulbs are the top SmartThings bulbs you can buy in 2023 with excellent affordability, ease of use, and color options.

Pros:

• Available in a range of colors including daylight white, soft white, and multicolor
• Dimmable
• Affordable
• Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings compatibility
• Pair easily

Cons:

• Don’t function as ZigBee repeaters, only end devices

Sylvania Smart+ LED – Great SmartThings LED Lights (Multicolor, White)

Similarly, Sylvania offers high-quality, budget-friendly SmartThings LED smart lights. I replaced several of my Sengled bulbs with Sylvania LEDs. Both the multicolor Sylvania Smart+ LEDs and Lightify adjustable white A19 bulbs work like a champ. Pairing easily, Sylvania Smart+ bulbs tout Google Home and Amazon Echo compatibility. What’s more, they serve as ZigBee repeaters for use in a ZigBee mesh network.

While Sylvania OSRAM Lightify SmartThings compatible bulbs work as ZigBee repeaters, they’re admittedly somewhat unreliable. Several users reported issues. I occasionally experienced connection issues, but I was not able to determine the cause. Most of the time my Sylvania SmartThings bulbs worked flawlessly.

Pros:

• Available in multicolor or adjustable white
•  Amazon Echo, Google Assistant, Wink, Samsung SmartThings compatible
• Function as a ZigBee repeater to create a mesh network
• Easy to pair
• Dimmable
• Affordable

Cons:

• Somewhat unreliable ZigBee repeater

Philips Hue A19 – Best High-quality SmartThings Bulbs (White, Multicolor)

Philips Hue provides a slew of high-quality LED smart lights. Its A19 bulbs arrive in both white or multicolor options. You can snag Philips Hue bulbs in a 1, 2, or 4 pack. Aside from ZigBee compatibility, Hue LEDs synch with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Bluetooth.

Disappointingly, Hue lights retail for much more than competing smart bubs. You’ll definitely pay a Philipspremium. Additionally, you need a separate Hue hub. Whereas most SmartThings lights simply connect straight to a SmartThings hub, Philips Hue smart lights require a dedicated Philips Hue bridge which in-turn communicates with a SmartThings hub. Thus, set up is a bit more complicated. Nevertheless, with solid features such as whole-home control, timers, and geofencing, Philips Hue bulbs are some of the best SmartThings light bulbs you can purchase in 2023.

Pros:

• 16 million colors (multicolor bulb)
• Tons of automations with built-in scenes
• Hue app is great

Cons:

• Pricey
• Require Hue Hub in addition to SmartThings hub

SmartThings Bulb – An Affordable SmartThings LED Bulb

The Samsung SmartThings bulbs are SmartThings-certified and extremely affordable. Boasting up to a 25,000 lamp life, the SmartThings bulb is long-lasting. They’re programmable as well as dimmable sans a wall switch dimmer. Like many SmartThings LEDs, these bulbs function with the likes of Alexa, Google Assistant, and Bixby. With a low price point, the Samsung SmartThings bulbs remain arguably the best budget SmartThings LEDs money can buy.

Pros:

• Affordable
• Works with SmartThings, Google Assistant, Bixby, Alexa
• Programmable
• Dimmable
• Long-lasting

Cons:

• None

Aeotec LED Bulb 6 Multi-color

Originally, I adopted smart lights for the ability to dim lights without an in-wall dimmer as well as color-changing capabilities. Aeotec LED generation 6 bulbs offer lush RGBW coloring. This 60-watt incandescent-equivalent LED arrives in an A19 form factor with an E26 base for compatibility with virtually any standard socket. Clocking in at just 9.5 watts of power draw and sporting an impressive 25,000 life span, the Aeotec LED bulb 6 produces a glowing 800 lumens. Furthermore, Aeotec’s SmartThings-compatible multi-color bulb is dimmable to as little as 5%.

Because of its RGBW abilities, you’ll enjoy as many as 16 million shades of color. The Aeotec LED bulb 6 features Z-Wave built-in. Aside from SmartThings hub connectivity, you can use Z-Wave gateways from the likes of Homeseer, Zipabox, and HS3. Since Aeotec touts Z-Wave Plus, there’s a long wireless range up to 490 feet and improved security. Aeotec 6 LED bulbs may be a bit pricey, but they’re excellent lights for the money. Some users reported that color reproduction is sometimes slightly off. For instance, reds looked mildly washed out and pinkish. Nevertheless, Aeotec’s LED bulb 6 is superb SmartThings lighting choice.

Pros:

• Z-Wave Plus certified
• 9.5 watts of power
• 25,000 hours
• 16 million shades of color
• 800 lumens
• Dimmable

Cons:

• Pricey
• Color production is sometimes off

Sengled Element Touch A19

Sengled dominates at providing budget-oriented smart bulbs. Available in a 1, 2, or 3 pack, Sengled Element Touch A19 bulbs are tunable, dimmable smart LEDs. Aside from SmartThings functionality, you can control Sengled Element Touch A19 lights with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. There’s ZigBee onboard, and a ton of custom lighting automations and schedules therefore possible.

You can adjust Element Touch A19 LEDs from cool white to warm white. There’s app control as well as voice control, plus these Sengled Element Touch bulbs are dimmable. Although Sengled Element bulbs appear almost identical to Sengled Element bulbs, they feature a soft dome versus the clear dome on vanilla Element bulbs. Likewise, Element touch bulbs rock a button on the side for manual control.

Pros:

• Affordable
• Easy to pair
• No additional hub or gateway required
• Dimmable
• Multipacks available
• Works with SmartThings, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
• ZigBee

Cons:

• Don’t function as ZigBee repeaters, only end devices

Innr Innr Smart Bulb A19

Although Innr Innr might not be a household name like Philips Hue, Cree, or even Sengled, its light bulbs for SmartThings are affordable yet high-quality. Available in a 2 or 4 pack, these barebones A19 bulbs work with Philips Hue, SmartThings, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home. Dimmable, warm white LEDs, they’ve rock Zigbee onboard.

Fascinatingly, Innr Innr smart A19 LEDs is that they maintain Philips Hue bridge compatibility. If you’re looking for smart bulbs that won’t break the bank and function with a Philips Hue remote or bridge, Innr Innr A19 blubs are solid Philips Hue alternatives.

Pros:

• Works with Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, Amazon Alexa, Philips Hue Bridge, Apple HomeKit
• Affordable
• Easy to pair
• 2 or 4 pack
• Warm white 2700K LEDs
• Voice and app control
• Dimmable

Cons:

• None

TP-Link Kasa Filament Smart Bulb

Although there’s a plethora of traditional LED bulbs, SmartThings Edison bulbs are a rarity. Infusing a retro-modern vibe to any room, Edison bulbs have become increasingly popular. But smart filament bulbs aren’t widely-available. Enter the TP-Link Kasa smart Wi-Fi LED bulb. Employing an LED “filament,” these dimmable E26 bulbs create a vintage atmosphere, no hub required.

TP-Link Kasa SmartThings Edison bulbs boast Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa compatibility. Unfortunately, several users reported these warm amber filament LED smart bulbs to be somewhat unreliable. Still, there aren’t many SmartThings Edison bulb alternatives, so the TP-Link Kasa Edison bulbs are the best you can purchase.

Pro:

• SmartThings Edison bulbs
• Dimmable
• Retro aesthetic
• Works with SmartThings, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
• No hub required aside from SmartThings hub

Cons:

• Somewhat unreliable

TP-Link Kasa Smart Bulb A19 (White, Color)

Available as white or multicolor bulbs, TP-Link Kasa A19 smart lights are among the greatest SmartThings-compatible LEDs you can find. They’re sold as dimmable A19 bulbs or tunable A19 LEDs. There’s SmartThings compatibility, Alexa functionality, and TP-Link Kasa works with Google Assistant too. These Wi-Fi lights arrive in several different flavors coming as dimmable or tunable and in white or color-changing. Considering their competitive pricing, TP-Link Kasa’s A19 bulbs absolutely rock. Still, quality is reportedly uneven as some users encountered reliability issues. Easy to pair and with several different styles, TP-Link Kasa smart bulbs are nevertheless worthy candidates.

Pros:

• Available in multicolor, dimmable white, tunable white
• Easy to pair
• Affordable
• Works with SmartThings, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
• No hub required aside from SmartThings hub

Cons:

• Somewhat unreliable

LIFX A19

While it’s not the most affordable SmartThings bulb you can buy, LIFX A19 bulbs feature bright, vivid colors. There’s Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa connectivity in addition to SmartThings functionality. With built-in Wi-Fi, no hub is required. With excellent support, these A19 SmartThings bulbs actually justify their high price tag. Nevertheless, it’s a lot of money to shuck out for a single bulb. If you’re willing to plunk down the cash, you’ll appreciate a bright bulb with awesome colors.

Pros:

• No hub required
• Works with SmartThings, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
• Bright
• Easy to pair

Cons:

• Pricey

Cree Connected Bulb

Although Cree might be best-known for its semiconductor wafers, its Connected Bulb is the best budget light bulb for SmartThings. At a ridiculously affordable price point, the Cree Connected Bulb boasts an unrivaled price-to-performance ratio. Simple to pair, affordable, and carrying a 25,000-hour life rating, Cree Connected bulbs remain arguably the most cost-effective smart lighting solution on the planet.

Pros:

• Affordable
• 25,000 hour life rating
• Works with SmartThings, Wink, Amazon Alexa, Wemo, Google Assistant
• Easy to pair
• ZigBee certified

Cons:

• None

Best Samsung SmartThings Floodlights

Looking for indoor or outdoor floodlights like BR30 or PAR38 bulbs? Here are the best SmartThings-compatible floodlights.

Sengled Element Classic BR30 (White, Multi-color)

Available in soft white and multi-color, Sengled smart LED bulbs BR30 SmartThings bring the functionality of smart lighting to a flood light form factor. You can snag these smart BR30 bulbs in a 1, 2, 4, or 8 packs. A major benefit of Sengled LEDs is their affordability, and these BR30 smart lights deliver an incredible price to performance ratio. In addition to Samsung SmartThings compatibility, Sengled BR30 lights work with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The color-changing bulbs produce up to 16 million colors and vary in color temperature from 2000K to 6500K. Sengled smart LED soft white bulbs provide 650 lumens, while the multi-color BR30 spans 940 to 2700K.

If you’ve got recessed light sockets, Sengled smart BR30 flood lights are cost-effective for inclusion in a SmartThings ecosystem. For use without a SmartThings hub, you will need a Sengled smart hub. Bright, available in tons color-changing or soft white, and cheap, these are easily the best SmartThings BR30 bulbs you can purchase in 2020.

Pros:

• BR30 form factor for recessed lighting
• Works with SmartThings, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Wink
• Come in 1, 2, 4, and 8 packs
• Available in soft white and multi-color
• Affordable
• Pair easily
• Dimmable

Cons:

• Don’t function as ZigBee repeaters, only end devices

Sengled Element Classic Par38

Although most smart lights are intended for indoor use, if you need a Samsung SmartThings outdoor floodlight then look no further than the Sengled Element Classic Par38. A standard E26 socketed smart outside flood light, it’s designed for outdoor installation. What’s more, the Sengled Element Classic Par38 is suitable for use in wet environments because it’s weatherproof. An integrated daylight sensor means you can set your Par38 Sengled Element smart outdoor light to come on at night and turn off during the daytime. An onboard motion sensor allows for illumination in 90-second increments when detecting motion from up to 30 feet away.

The Par38 retains SmartThings, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa compatibility for voice and app control in addition to its onboard sensors. Since there aren’t a ton of weatherproof SmartThings bulbs, the Par38 is your best choice for an outdoor smart floodlight.

Pros:

• Weatherproof
• Outdoor-ready
• Motion sensor
• Light sensor
• E26 socket
• Works with SmartThings, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
• Easy to pair

Cons:

• None

Innr Innr Smart Flood Light

Aside its A19 bulbs, Innr Innr makes a BR30 flood light. Sporting SmartThings capabilities, Alexa, Google Home, and Philips Hue functionality, it’s a cost-effective smart lighting alternative to pricey Philips Hue LEDs. These dimmable warm white 2700K bulbs tout an unrivaled value. You can control them with voice commands or mobile apps. Ideal for recessed lighting, Innr Innr smart BR30 SmartThings capable flood lights are great rivals over more expensive models.

Pros:

• Affordable
• Dimmable
• Easy to pair
• Warm white 2700K LEDs
• Voice and app control
• Works with SmartThings, Philips Hue, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa

Cons:

• None

TP-Link Kasa Smart Bulb BR30

The TP-Link Kasa BR30 fulfills all of your recessed smart lighting needs Flaunting compatibility with SmartThings, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Nest, you can configure a ton of automations. While the TP-Link Kasa BR30 is designed for indoor use, you may use the TP-Link Kasa outside, though it’s not weatherproofed. Because TP-Link Kasa lights don’t even need a hub aside from the SmartThings hub, they’re some of the simplest smart bulbs on the market.

Pros:

• No hub required aside from SmartThings hub
• Works with SmartThings, Google Assistant, Nest, Amazon Alexa
• Multicolor
• BR30 light
• Dimmable

Cons:

• Not weatherproof

Sylvania Smart+ ZigBee BR30

For lovely lighting in a recessed fixture, Sylvania Smart+ ZigBee BR30 bulbs are excellent indoor flood lights. Dimmable and multicolor, you can select from up to 16 million color and white combinations. If you’re using a ZigBee SmartThings hub, you don’t even need an OSRAM Lightify hub. Sporting SmartThings, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa compatibility, these are some of the top BR30 bulbs for SmartThings. Unfortunately, they’re not weatherproofed and as such ideal for indoor use rather than installation outside. But Sylvania absolutely kills it with a bulb that’s high-quality yet affordable.
Pros:

• BR30
• Dimmable
• Multicolor
• Easy to pair
• ZigBee on board
• Works with SmartThings, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant

Cons:

• Not weatherproof

LIFX BR30

Aside from its standard A19 bulbs, LIFX offers BR30 bulbs for recessed flood lighting sockets. Colors are bright and accurately reproduced. But the price-per-bulb is fairly hefty. If you can overcome the sticker shock, the hub-less LIFX is a solid pick that works with SmartThings, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa.

Pros:

• No hub required
• Works with SmartThings, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
• Bright
• Easy to pair

Cons:

• Pricey

Best Samsung SmartThings Lamps

For a complete lighting experience, here are the top SmartThings lamps!

Philips Hue Bloom Lamp

Philips Hue carries a name synonymous with high-quality. Although most SmartThings-capable lights come in bulb form factors, the Philips Hue Bloom dimmable LED delivers a unique table-top lamp design. Its circular, geode-like design is eye-catching and aesthetically pleasing. Yielding up to 16 million colors, there’s a lot of choice for picking out shades of light. And you can customize settings such as enabling pleasant wake-up lighting routings or gaming lighting. In addition to SmartThings functionality, the Philips Hue Bloom LED table lamp works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit.

Disappointingly, as is standard when adopting Philips Hue products, you can expect to shell out a premium. Similarly, Hue device set up is slightly walled-off. While many SmartThings gadgets communicate directly with a SmartThings compatible hub, Philips Hue lights require a Philips Hue bridge. For control via the Philips Hue app, you’ll need a Hue Bridge. Thankfully, a slew of Hue accessories including as a Hue Dimmer, Hue Motion Sensor, and Hue Tap exist for automations. While the Hue Bloom serves as lovely accent lighting, it’s not bright enough to replace a lamp for primary lighting. The Philips Hue Bloom remains the best SmartThings lamp you can buy.

Pros:

• Eye-catching design
• Table lamp
• 16 million color
• Works with Samsung SmartThings, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit
• Tons of automations including wake up, gaming lighting
• Dimmable

Cons:

• Expensive
• Requires Philips Hue Bridge
• Not bright enough to replace traditional bulbs

Philips Hue Go Lamp

Like the Philips Hue Bloom, the Philips Hue Go lamp comes in a table-top form factor. But the nifty device eschews wires. Its portable design resembles a bowl and may be easily toted from room to room. A rechargeable battery lasts around 3 hours. Customizable with up to 16 million colors and shades of white, the Philips Hue Go lamp is a lovely compliment to any room.

A slight premium and the walled-off Hue ecosystem are the only downsides. While the expansive Philips Hue catalog allows for smart home scalability, you require a Hue gateway in addition to a SmartThings hub. Though it’s not cheap, for a truly portable smart LED lamp the Philips Hue Go remains one of the few options on the market and provides a beautiful accent.

Pros:

• 16 million colors and shades of white
• Wireless, rechargeable battery
• Philips Hue ecosystem
• Works with Samsung SmartThings, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant

Cons:

• Pricey
• Requires Philips Hue gateway

Best Samsung SmartThings Light Strips

Whether you want a behind-the-TV ambient backlight or under-counter lighting, here are the best SmartThings light strips.

TP-Link Kasa Light Strip

While a bevy of traditional lighting styles for SmartThings, you might seek rope lighting as room accents or a behind the TV backlight. The TP-Link Kasa smart LED light strip is a great option. Functioning over Wi-Fi sans hub, the Kasa light strips features SmartThings, Alexa, and Google Assistant compatibility. With millions of color combos, it’s a nifty smart rope lighting alternative for any setting.

Pros:

• No hub required aside from SmartThings hub
• Multicolor, millions of colors
• 10 presets
• 6.6 feet long
• Works with SmartThings, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa

Cons:

• Somewhat unreliable

Sylvania Smart+ ZigBee Lightstrip

A cost-effective SmartThings strip light, the Sylvania Smart+ ZigBee lightstrip doesn’t skimp on features or quality. It’s suitable for use inside or outdoors and works with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. The weather rating makes these ZigBee lights incredibly beneficial since they’re durable enough to withstand outdoor installation. Because of its weatherproofing and reasonable pricing, the Sylvania Smart+ lightstrip is arguably the best rope lighting for SmartThings.

Pros:

• Weatherproof
• Multicolor, 16 million colors
• Works with SmartThings, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
• Easy to pair
• Affordable
• ZigBee

Cons:

• None

Philips Hue Lightstrip

Philips Hue makes a gorgeous SmartThings compatible lightstrip. With Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, Hue Bridge, and Amazon Alexa compatibility, this Philips Hue lightstrip gels into virtually any smart home ecosystem on the market. Color reproduction is accurate, and you can sync your Hue lightstrip with music, movies, or games for a media center set up. Still, Hue requires a bridge even when used in conjunction with a SmartThings hub. Therefore, it’s a bit more cumbersome to install. Although it’s perfect for indoor use, lack of weatherproofing means you won’t want to install it outside. Thus, it’s a high-quality, slightly expensive SmartThings lightstrip.

Pros:

• Multicolor
• Works with SmartThings, Philips Hue, HomeKit, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
• Great color reproduction
• Sync to games, music, movies
• Hue ecosystem

Cons:

• Pricey
• Hue Bridge required
• Not weatherproof

LIFX Z

While Sylvania and even Philips Hue light strips boast more affordable price tags when compared to the LIFX Z, this one-of-a-kind SmartThings compatible LED light strip is a top contender. It works with almost every smart home ecosystem including Google Assistant, Siri, SmartThings, and Amazon Alexa. Additionally, it’s able to output multiple colors simultaneously for zoned lighting, a feat even the Philips Hue lightstrip can’t pull off. As such, the LIFX Z justifies its shockingly-high price tag.

Pros:

• Easy to set up
• Outputs multiple simultaneous colors
• No hub required
• Works with SmartThings, Google Assistant, Siri, Amazon Alexa

Cons:

• Pricey

Best SmartThings Compatible Light Bulbs You can Buy in 2023: Final Thoughts

You can find a ton of different light bulbs for SmartThings, from standard A19 bulbs to lightstrips and BR30 floodlights for recessed lighting. What smart lights you select is dictated by your budget, lighting preferences, and installation space. I typically prefer Sengled and Sylvania bulbs since they balance performance with affordability. Cree Connected bulbs are insanely reasonably-priced, even rivaling the price of non-smart lights. LIFX lights are bright but costly. And of course, Philips Hue is a name rightly associated with quality. Ultimately, there’s no shortage of phenomenal lights for SmartThings, which remains one of the top smart home ecosystems you can adopt.

Your turn: Which Samsung SmartThings light bulbs are you using in 2023?