Philips Hue Dimmer Kit Is Homeowner-Friendly, Adds Dimmable Lighting to Any Home
I wanted to have dimmable lights in my apartment, but like most people, my rent didn’t allow me to fiddle with an electrician. I thought I was stuck until I found the Philips Hue dimmer switch . It’s cheap, gives you instant dimmable light with a little tweak, and leaves the door open for cooler smart home hardware in the future.
Why smart lighting was the solution to my dimmer problem
When you think of smart lighting, you’re probably imagining an expensive set of bulbs that you control from your phone. If you want to use a regular wall switch, you even have to buy expensive smart light switches like this WeMo model . This is overkill if you just want to dim the light bulb. On the other hand, the Philips Hue Dimmer Switch ($ 35) is a self-contained kit that makes it easy to add dimmable light.
If you want more, it’s also a smart lighting accessor in general, which lets you control your lighting with your phone, use voice commands from Amazon Echo or Google Home , set the lights to turn on and off automatically on a schedule, and even lets you use IFTTT or other automation applications to manage them so that you can work with light as exciting as you want.
At first all I needed was a dimmer, but I loved being able to update it over time without wasting a ton of money in the beginning. I started with a Hue Dimmer Switch kit to add a simple dimmer to my living room lamp. This kit is one of the least destructive and easy ways to add a dimmer to a light source I found, but it also kept the door open for all of the above fun things in the future, which I eventually decided to do.
Setting up the Hue Kit is easier than installing dimmer switches
Installing the Hue dimmer switch is as easy as plugging in a regular light bulb. The kit includes one standard Hue smart light bulb and a dimmer switch plate. The lamps are LEDs and have a lifespan of approximately 15,000 hours according to Philips. While it is not the longest durable LED you can buy, it is slightly better than CFL bulbs , looks much better, is more economical , and should last for years without burnout.
The light switch is directly connected to the light bulb out of the box, so you don’t need to install apps, pair devices, or do any of the complex setup required of other smart bulbs and fixtures to get dimmable. light in your home. The switch is glued to the wall with a roll-friendly adhesive strip that comes off when you decide to remove it. Unlike other dimmers, you don’t have to mess with wiring or replacing junction boxes . The switch is actually a remote control that attaches to the plate with magnets, so you can remove it from the wall and use it like a remote control on a sofa, for example.
You also wo n’t need the $ 60 bridge that most Hue fixtures require (more on that later). Just insert a light bulb into a lamp or lighting fixture and glue the switch to the wall and you’re done. Like any regular light (but unlike many smart flashlights), it works without an Internet connection. Later, you can even add multiple bulbs and link them directly to the switch. Just press the on or off button multiple times to control different lights. All in all, this kit is the easiest way to add dimmable light to any room or light fixture without interfering with your home’s electrical system.
Hue Bridge adds phone control and voice commands, but you don’t need it
The Hue Kit works as a stand-alone device, so you don’t have to complicate or complicate your home to get dimmable light in every room. However, Philips also sells the $ 60 Hue Bridge, which adds more smart features that you won’t get unless you buy and install it. Without a bridge, you cannot control the light with your phone. You cannot use voice commands to control them with Echo or Google Home . You cannot schedule the lights to turn on or off at a specific time. All you get is a dimmable light bulb. This solves specific problems, but falls slightly short of the smart home promise.
If you find these features useful (as they did for me), consider this inexpensive kit as the tool you need to upgrade. Shortly after installing this switch, I bought a Hue Starter Kit ($ 70), which includes a jumper and two more bulbs. It’s expensive, but it makes all of your Hue lights smarter. … You can connect the lamp that comes with the dimmer to the bridge and control it using your phone, Echo or Google Home. You can also program the switch to control more lights and even switch colors or color temperature on Hue bulbs that support it .
While you can use the Hue dimmer switch without reaching for the bridge, I strongly discourage using the bridge without the light switch. Phone apps and voice control are a handy way to control lighting, but you don’t want them to be your only option. The dimmer is convenient, reliable and much faster than yelling out a voice command or taking out the phone.
Smart bulbs may be great, but they are still quite expensive. However, the Hue Dimmer Switch Kit enhances existing luminaires and does not require complex or expert installation. You get an adjustable light, a remote control and a new light switch without touching a single wire. For $ 35, this is a renter’s dream.