It is amazing to see how much bulbs have evolved since the introduction of the light bulb. They are now more colorful, last longer and are dimmable. The Sengled and the Philips Hue are excellent smart light bulbs that may cost a bit more than a regular light bulb, but come with enough feature to justify this disparity. The Sengled comes with WiFi compatibility to help you connect it to your wireless network quickly and easily, voice control as well as the provision for it to be used without a hub while the Philips Hue comes with voice control capabilities, a whopping 2 year warranty and multicolor capabilities. Which of the two smart light bulbs beats the other? We compare the two smart light bulbs against each other and help you make a judgment as to which smart light bulb is best for you.
Alternatively, just skip to either the Sengled or the Philips Hue on Amazon.
Table of Contents
Quick Comparison Table Sengled vs Philips Hue
Sengled Smart Light Bulb | Philips Hue A19 Smart Bulb Starter Kit | |
---|---|---|
Image | ||
WiFi Compatible | Yes | No |
Dimmable | Yes | Yes |
Voice Control | Yes, Alexa and Google Assistant | Yes, Alexa and Google Assistant |
Scenes and Schedules | Yes | Yes |
Lighting technology | LED | LED |
Warranty | 2 years | 2 years |
Wattage | 9 watts | 9 Watts |
Voltage | 120V | 120V |
Easy to install? | Yes | Yes |
Mobile application | Yes – iOS & Android | Yes – iOS and Android |
Multicolor? | Yes | Yes |
Bulb base | E26 | E26 |
Hub required? | No, but can connect to smart hubs | Yes or a wireless dimmer switch |
Price | Check Price | Check Price |
Key Similarities between the Sengled and the Phillips Hue:
- Dimmable
- Voice control
- Scenes and schedules
- Lighting technology
- Warranty
- Wattage
Key Differences between the Sengled and the Phillips Hue:
- Hub requirement
- Kit
- Wireless technology
A Comprehensive Comparison between the Sengled and the Phillips Hue
Voice Control
Both the Sengled Smart Light Bulb and the Philips Hue A19 Smart Bulb use voice control. Nowadays, home automation is in fashion. In home automation, the main aim to get technology to do as many tasks as possible, thus, reducing the amount of effort that a person will need to get their tasks done. The Sengled Smart Light Bulb and the Philips Hue A19 Smart Bulb make it very easy to control them. All you need to do is to use voice commands using devices such as the Echo dot and they instantly respond. Both smart light bulbs support Alexa and the Google Voice Assistant.
Bulb Base
Different bulbs use different bulb bases. It is important to consider the bulb base that your light fixtures support before attempting to purchase a smart bulb. Both the Sengled Smart Light Bulb and the Philips Hue A19 Smart Bulb use an E26 bulb base. These bulb bases are quite popular in the United States and virtually every home or office has lighting fixtures that support the use of such bulbs.
Mobile Application
Most, if not all modern devices come with a mobile application that is used to change the settings to meet the user’s unique needs. Both the Sengled Smart Light Bulb and the Philips Hue A19 Smart Bulb come with a mobile application. This can be used to make the smart bulbs operate to meet your unique lighting needs.
Easy to Install
Both the Sengled Smart Light Bulb and the Philips Hue A19 Smart Bulb are very easy to install and setup. All you need to do is to look for a small ladder, screw the light bulb into the light fixture and all that will be left is to connect the smart bulbs to your Wi-Fi router. Once you have finished this process you will be able to use the mobile application to change the settings to suit your unique needs.
Lighting Technology
There are several lighting technologies in the market. There are Compact Fluorescent Lights, Incandescent Lights, Halogen lights and more. Both the Sengled Smart Light Bulb and the Philips Hue A19 Smart Bulb use the LED lighting technology. This technology allows for you to illuminate your home or office using very little energy.
Scenes and Schedules
Both the Sengled Smart Light Bulb and the Philips Hue A19 Smart Bulb allow for you to create scenes and schedules. This allows for you to program your smart light to turn on or off at your desired time, brightness, color and more. In addition, you can use the scenes to set the mood, a feature that couples will find quite useful as the lights make it very easy to create a romantic atmosphere that will surely make the night exciting.
Multicolor
Different smart lights have different lighting capabilities. Some can only display one type of color and others can display various colors. Both the Sengled Smart Light Bulb and the Philips Hue A19 Smart Bulb are able to give out multiple colors. You are given 16 million colors and shades of white to turn your everyday smart lighting into an extraordinary experience. This helps you to unleash your creativity.
Warranty
This is arguably the most important factor to consider when choosing any type of electrical, mechanical or electronic device. Both the Sengled Smart Light Bulb and the Philips Hue A19 Smart Bulb come with a generous warranty. The manufacturers of both devices provide a 2 year warranty. This definitely means that they expect their lightbulbs to last as long as possible.
Wattage
Both the Sengled Smart Light Bulb and the Philips Hue A19 Smart Bulb consume very little power. They both consume a mere 9 W of power. This is less than the power consumed by a typical smartphone charger. This makes it quite cost effective to use these devices throughout your house. If you use these throughout your house, it is quite possible for you to use less than 200W. That is less power than that consumed by an average Television Set.
Voltage
Both the Sengled and the Philips Hue were made for use in America. As you probably know, in America we use 120V. Both these bulbs are only compatible with a mains supply of 120V. This means that if you have a home abroad in a country that uses 240V and you want to use these devices then keep shopping. These lights will not work using such voltages.
Dimmable
There are times when you want to have just a little light present. This could be because you want to set a romantic atmosphere or maybe it could be because you want to sleep well. Both the Sengled and the Philips Hue allow you to do this. They both support dimming. It is important to note that for you to achieve this with the Phillips Hue, you need to either have a wireless dimmer switch or a hub.
Wireless Technology
The Sengled offers greater compatibility than the Philips Hue. This is because it uses the 2.4 GHz WiFi technology. The Philips Hue uses Zigbee technology. Zigbee offers a greater range than WiFi but this technology is not as popular as WiFi. This means that it will not be supported by a wide range of devices. The Sengled, however, uses the WiFi technology. This allows for you to connect it to your home WiFi network. You can then use your mobile device connected to your WiFi network to control the smart light.
Hub Requirement
The Sengled is more versatile than the Philips Hue. This is because the Sengled can be used without a hub. As mentioned previously, the Sengled uses WiFi and the Philips Hue uses Zigbee. This means that the Philips Hue needs to have a hub that supports Zigbee and it is this hub that is connected to your router. This will allow for you to control your Philips lights from your mobile application.
Kit
The Philips Hue Kit is equipped with more light bulbs than the Sengled. This is because the kit is designed to help you install 4 smart light bulbs and connect them to the included hub. The Sengled, however, comes as a single light bulb. If you want to have multiple Sengled bulbs, then it means that you will have to purchase other Sengled bulbs.
Our Pick
We found the Sengled Smart Light Bulb to be the winner. This is because it comes with a host of impressive features. It supports WiFi right out of the box without needing you to have a smart hub. It consumes very little power, comes with a very impressive design and comes with a mobile application that we find to be more attractive than that of its rival.
Why Do You Need a Smart Light Bulb
Mobile Application
Smart Bulbs allow for you to customize them using the mobile application provided by the manufacturer. This allows you to change the settings of your smart bulb and it also allows for you to control your smart lights from any part of the world as long as you have a reliable internet connection. Both the Sengled and the Philips Hue come with mobile applications.
Dimming
This is one of the basic features that most smart bulbs have. They allow for you to dim the light bulb without having to install dimmer switched in your home. All you need to do is to screw a dimmable smart light bulb into your lamps or chandeliers and dim or brighten them using the bulb’s mobile app. Both the Sengled and the Philips Hue support dimming.
Sleep
Did you know that your body reacts to the colors present in the environment? If you have a bright white color in your bedroom in the middle of the night then it is quite possible for you to find great trouble with sleeping. Smart lights are able to change their color depending on the time of the day. This allows you to have a good nights sleep. Both the Sengled and the Philips Hue support such features
Fun
Smart light bulbs allow for you to spice up your life. They come with multiple colors that with a little bit of creativity, you can use to make your room look like an enchanted forest or a faraway galaxy. This makes it perfect for creating fun rooms for your children to play in as they will simply change the color to suit the imaginary environment that they will be thinking of.
Easy to Install
The smart light bulbs are very easy to install and setup. One does not have to be a genius of any sort to install the lightbulb. All you need to do is to screw it into the light fixture in the same manner that you would do if you had a regular light bulb. After that, you connect it to your home’s WiFi network and you’re good to go!
Factors to Consider When Choosing Between the Sengled and the Philips Hue
Number of Lights Required
The Philips Hue that we reviewed comes as a kit. The kit has 4 smart light bulbs in it. If you want to buy multiple bulbs at a time, then its a no brainer – go for the Philips Hue. If you want just a single smart light bulb then it would be a good idea to go for the Sengled.
Design
Both the Sengled and the Philips Hue come with different designs. The Sengled has a round surface whereas the Philips Hue bulbs have a rather odd square shape design. Design is a matter of personal preference. We find the Sengled to be highly attractive. Maybe you will find the Philips Hue to be better.
Compatibility
The Sengled supports WiFi out of the box. This means that without getting any hubs or any additional equipment, you can connect it to your home WiFi network. The Philips Hue needs a hub and this hub is what is then connected to the wireless network. In this case, the Philips Hue bulbs come with a hub so this is not really a problem but if you were to buy it individually then this would be an important factor to consider.
Mobile Application
No two mobile applications are made the same. One is bound to work better, look smoother and be more appealing than the other. We find the Sengled mobile app to be quite well made. Maybe you find the Philips mobile app to be better. It all depends on your personal preferences.
Sengled vs Philips Hue FAQs
Do I need an Internet Connection?
No. It would be handy to have one to allow you to control your smart light remotely.
Can I use the Lights Outside?
No. These smart lights are not weather proof.
Can I use the Lights with an Echo?
Yes you can! It is important to note that if you have the Philips Hue, you will need a Hub for this to work.
Can I Still Turn Off the Lights From a Physical Switch?
Yes you can. However, the switch needs to be in the “ON” position to use the app or a voice assistant.
Do they give off Multiple Colors?
Yes they do.
Conclusion
In this article, we explored the similarities and differences present between the Sengled and the Philips Hue. We found the Sengled to be the clear winner as it comes with a more attractive design, does not require a hub for it to operate, uses the WiFi protocol which is widely available and uses very little electricity.
We included a list of the features to look out for when choosing between the two smart lights. This will help you to choose which smart light bulb best suits your needs.
Check out the best smart bulb, the Sengled on Amazon.