17 Best Smart Home Lighting (2024): Decorative panels, LED strips, and ambient lights

More smart lights we’ve tested

Photo: Simon Hill

There are plenty of smart ambient light panels, strips, bulbs, and strings out there. Here are some things we also like.

Lepro N1 AI Smart Neon Light Strip for $40: This is very similar to the Govee Neon Light Strip above, providing beautiful diffused light in any color you want while supporting many animated effects, music syncs, and more in the app. But I found the connection to be less reliable and I prefer the Govee app. I also tested Lepro S1 AI Smart LED Light Strip, $20a cheaper light bar without a diffuser, which is well suited for sunken spots.

Linkkind Smart TV Light Bar with HDMI Sync Box for $47: This is a much cheaper version of the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box above, and includes a sync box and color light bar suitable for TVs up to 90 inches. It works Okaybut HDMI inputs are limited to 4K at 60Hz, which isn’t as good as our TV picks above, though it’s much less expensive. I also tested Linkend Smart Neon Rope Lite ($80) And I liked it.

Wiz Smart Neon Flex Bar, $80: This is another diffused light strip that looks very similar to the Govee Neon Light Strip above. It’s easy to fit and shape, can display multiple colors at once, and supports animated effects via the Wiz app. They can also be scheduled or synced to music. I also tested and liked it Wiz Smart LED Strip ($22).

Shimmering dots for $82You can stick these strings of LED dots around frames and furniture or hang them somewhere, and the app offers a wide range of colors and animation effects. You can set your pattern to make the most of the effects, create your own, and group Twinkly lights together. On the downside, the tape is split into two parts, with the power controls in the middle, and you don’t get enough adhesive dots in the box. I also tested and liked it Twinkly Festoon ($40) String of outdoor lights.

Govee G1 Gaming Light Bar for $45: This is very similar to the Philips Hue Play Gradient Lightstrip for PC mentioned above, but it’s not quite as good. It’s easy to fit, comes in two sizes (for 24- to 26-inch and 27- to 34-inch displays), and adds extra brightness to your games. But it relies on unstable Govee desktop software to sync. Unfortunately, streaming services like Netflix point out that they are infringing on screen recording copyright, so syncing doesn’t work for them. Compatibility with Govee DreamView and Razer Chroma lets you sync lights and other peripherals.

One Moonside lamp for $65: This modern lava lamp looks great and features 120 dynamic color zones capable of displaying millions of colors and themes (animated effects). You can also design your own themes or make the lamp react to music. Unfortunately, the app is a bit dated, and the lamp is made of lightweight frosted plastic, so it’s very easy to accidentally drop it.

Philips Hue Go 2 for $90: This portable bowl-shaped lamp has a ledge so you can place it in your reading nook, and it’s also a good bedside lamp with dimming during the night and up to 520 lumens to wake you up in the morning. You can adjust the temperature and choose from millions of colors. This newer version (2019) has Bluetooth, so you don’t need a Hue Bridge. Battery life is limited; If you turn up the brightness, you’ll be lucky to get 2 hours, but when dimmed, it can last about 10 hours.

Nanoleaf items for $160: Plastic light panels can look unsightly on some walls (especially when they’re off), so Nanoleaf offers this version of their larger hexagonal panels with a wood (still plastic) finish. Like the rest of its boards, you can arrange the Nanoleaf elements in any style you want, and it supports touch controls and music sync. Unfortunately, they only put out white light, but with a color temperature range of 1500K to 4000K, you can go from cool white to a warm orange glow.

Mpowerd Luci Solar String Lights for $33: If you want lights you can take on the road or on camping trips, this gadget from Mpowerd can light up your RV or campsite. Open the case to reveal the waterproof (IPX4) string lights. Press the power button to use it as a flashlight or cycle through sequential light colors. There’s a solar panel on top for recharging (but it’s slow) and an outlet that goes in both directions (so this could double as a Power bank).

Nanoleaf lines for $140: Our previous pick for gamers, Nanoleaf Lines (8/10, WIRED recommends) Shine light from the back of each line on the wall, casting colors and creating a beautiful ambiance. Even when turned off, the lines look better than most decorative smart lighting because they cast shadows on the wall and can be considered sculptural art. They can also boast screen mirroring for PC for better gaming (Razer Chroma is supported as well).

Lifx Lightstrip for $75: This isn’t as bright as the Philips Hue Gradient Smart Lightstrip, but it offers rich colors, separate zones, and beautiful animation. The app allows scheduling and can gradually brighten the bedroom in the morning. There’s also music syncing using your phone’s microphone. Smart home integration is solid, no hub is needed, but when I tested the previous version ( Lifx g), it disconnected from the Wi-Fi network repeatedly and was not responding until the reset.