

Is Philips Hue worth it? Yes. It's not the cheapest smart lighting solution, but as someone who's been reviewing the best smart bulbs for many years now, I think it's the best smart lighting system you can buy.
And I've repeatedly put my money where my mouth is, too: within a few metres of my desk I have multiple Hue white & color ambience bulbs, a couple of Hue white bulbs, a Hue Play HDMI Sync Box and a Hue Gradient Lightstrip.
These weren't presents from Philips' PRs; I bought them with my own money because I think they're brilliant products.
Here are the three reasons I think Philips Hue are the best smart lighting products to buys.
1. The range of Hue products is massive
From little candle bulbs to outdoor lights that'll wash entire walls with colour, the Hue smart lighting range is by far the widest. If you've bought one of the best TVs but wish it had ambilight to make the screen seem even bigger, you can stick a Hue Play and Hue Gradient lightstrip to do just that; I did that to my ageing Samsung TV a few months back and I'm delighted every time I fire up the PS5. If you want lights to deliver subtle washes of colour, spotlights to read with or smart bulbs in every conceivable fitting, there's a Hue for you.
2. The app is brilliant
My smart home kit is on an Apple HomeKit setup, and Apple's Home app is a constant reminder of how much better the Hue app is. It's incredibly easy to use and to create great light "recipes"; the automation features are excellent, with good use of geofencing and scheduling; it integrates with your personal digital assistants and (depending on what you have installed) music services such as Spotify, and it's a great way to keep the kids amused when the Fortnite servers are down. And it's very fast to respond too.
3. It's cheaper than redecorating
I rent my home, and that means I'm very limited in what I can do to personalise it: if I were to paint one of the walls copper red or shocking pink, my landlord would want to have a stern word. But with Hue I can completely transform any room, any time, as often as I want. Bisexual lighting for the front room? A horror themed hallway for Halloween? Subtle ambience for a little atmosphere? All available with a single click or command. And unlike real redecorating, there's no risk that I'll make a complete arse of it. It's the kind of thing you don't really appreciate until you have it, and now I do I'm not going back: Hue is one of my very favorite bits of tech and my whole world would be a lot less colourful without it.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Writer, musician and broadcaster Carrie Marshall has been covering technology since 1998 and is particularly interested in how tech can help us live our best lives. Her CV is a who’s who of magazines, newspapers, websites and radio programmes ranging from T3, Techradar and MacFormat to the BBC, Sunday Post and People’s Friend. Carrie has written more than a dozen books, ghost-wrote two more and co-wrote seven more books and a Radio 2 documentary series; her memoir, Carrie Kills A Man, was shortlisted for the British Book Awards. When she’s not scribbling, Carrie is the singer in Glaswegian rock band Unquiet Mind (unquietmindmusic).
-
Luxury e-bikes are getting smaller, sleeker and smarter, and this $13,000 model is leading the way
With the featherweight EIDOLON, Ponomarets taps into a growing demand for subtle, high-end eBikes
-
Ferrari revisits an iconic name with its latest hybrid
Lighter, sharper, faster: Ferrari 296 Speciale is an even quicker hybrid
-
Arlo’s Essential security cameras are now available on Apple Home – here’s why that matters
Arlo upgrades its affordable security camera line-up with Apple Home integration
-
Hisense unveils largest-ever Combi Fridge Freezer with impressive 413-litre capacity
That's 52 litres more than its predecessor
-
A new Philips Hue smart button is on its way – I already like it more than the last one
It's finally happening
-
Govee's new Matter-compatible outdoor lights are here – but the design might surprise you
What do you think?
-
5 reasons why you should upgrade to Matter-compatible smart home gadgets
Have you taken the plunge yet?
-
Nanoleaf’s new Pegboard Desk Dock is the must-have desk accessory of the year
Think smart light…then level it up
-
This smart home gadget can tell you when to water, feed and move your houseplants
Stress-free plant care? Yes please
-
Is Eufy about to unveil its first-ever smart home display?
Here's everything we know so far