I am looking to install some form of smart lighting into my home.
I haven’t been able to decide if I should install smart switches or go with a smart bulb like a Phillips Hue. I do own my home and have the skills to install the switches without the need of an electrician.
I was hoping someone with some experiences with using both devices could weigh in on the pros and cons of each solution.
This has been asked multiple times before
Personally unless you have the need for different colours for your lights, I’d go for smart switches, so that “guest” can still turn the light on/off without needing access to an app/phone/computer. Also means that accidentally switching off the switch on the wall will not disable the bulb and therefore your automations.
Last but not least, should your HA install fail, you still have access to “regular” wall switches to control your lights…
I use the relatively cheap Yeelight bulbs and then have fitted Xiaomi smart switches over the traditional light switch.
This way, I can have different features (hold for dim, double tap to change color etc…) - but if we ever run into problems with HA the smart switch is easily pulled away to reveal a traditional switch underneath!
They do require quite a deep back box, on the UK ones you need a 35mm deep box. Also they need a Neutral wire to function.
For RGB strip lights I use cheap MagicHome controllers reflashed to use Sonoff-Tasmota firmware so I am not relying on iffy Chinese servers.
I do have 3 WiFi bulbs as I wanted RGB control on the bulbs, but as they use iffy Chinese Servers (Tuya) they are on a naughty segregated WiFi network where devices can’t inter talk with each other and have no access to the main internal network of my house.
But each one of them is almost the same cost as 1 Sonoff T1 wall switch.