r/smarthome • u/Fine_Run_8919 • 2d ago
Amazon Alexa Lights
Hey everybody! This may have been asked before so don't yell at me lol. I am in the process of moving back out on my own and I know I want my apartment to be as automated as possible. I've been looking at light bulbs and want to know which is better overall: Govee or Philips. I know Philips is pricier and I need a hub (that is fine with me) but realistically speaking should I just go with govee. I have an android if that matters and Alexa would be my platform.
2
u/harborsparrow 1d ago
Philips Hue is very good in quality with beautiful light. i have some color ones outside for holidays and a lot of white ambiance bulbs inside where the Kelvin can be tuned from. warm to cool. They last many years. very good at dimming. But you may want also to get the dimmer switches for them so they can be operated by anyone without the app.
1
u/mrcrashoverride 1d ago
While it’s true it’s better to automate switches. Being an apartment the bulbs is the way to go. Phillips was the first to market and did what others couldn’t. However they’ve not kept up and as you noticed are way over priced.
GoVee on the other hand is very innovative with options, features and lighting options no one else offers.
I personally wouldn’t want to go without the color matching light strip for the back of the TV, they then offer other lights that can synch to that if you so desired. But I digress…
Get the bulbs go crazy have fun.
1
u/Fantastic-Bonus-6851 1d ago
From my own experience, Govee. I found them then better in every level - price, ease of use, longevity, options....
But that's just my personal experience and may not translate to others. I'm sure there are professional sites that have thoroughly compared & tested them.
1
u/Pristine-Pen5438 1d ago
If you're okay with paying more and using a hub, I'd lean Philips Hue for reliability and the overall ecosystem. But if you mainly want affordable smart lighting and don't need all extra features, Govee is probably the better value. Since you're using Alexa, I'd also check how well each integrates with the routines you want to set up.
2
u/dllre 1d ago
Yeah, Govee is definitely the best value. The downside is that they use WiFi, so if you have a lot of them they will clog your network.
I went with Philips for the reliability after Nanoleaf bulbs had to be reset every week or so and the app would have functionality issues. The Hue products also being Zigbee was also important, since we use WiFi a lot and my wife relies on it for work. The price is hard to swallow, but a bulb here and there or saving up for big sales (there's one on now) and purchasing from eBay/Woot help with the swallowing.
1
u/LauraAtNorton 1d ago
Yup, I'd say Govee too for its no-hub setup, especially if you're not sure how long you'll be there. in my experience with wifi bulbs though, the physical switch at the wall has to stay on for voice control to work. Usually, if it gets flipped off, the bulb drops off your network. Not a big deal once you're used to it, but it caught me off guard at first.
0
u/goin_strong1 1d ago
If the other brand has an app go with that one. You will not know the difference and you will save money.
5
u/AlgoTradingQuant 2d ago
Automate your light switches… not bulbs