Smart lighting is one of the fundamental aspects of a smart home. In fact, I'd say this is probably the most common aspect of almost any smart home. There is something magical about turning the lights on and off via your voice, according to a schedule or based on movement. Apart from clever shades, you also see this in movies in the richest mansions. Thanks to cheap items, everyone can have the luxury of smart lightning. The question I often get is what's best for bulbs and other types of lightning, aside from bugged bulbs: smart bulbs vs. smart outlet adapters? HomeKit Weekly is a series focused on smart home accessories, automation tips and tricks, and everything related to Apple's smart home framework. What are the differences between the two device types? This may seem like a basic question. It's basic, but I want to lay the groundwork for thinking about this because I've struggled with the benefits and weaknesses of both. Depending on your situation and goals, you can lean one way or another. For smart bulbs, I think I would summarize the use case as: You want the option to dim the light. You want the option to change the colors or the light temperature. With a smart bulb in a lamp or ceiling light, it will essentially "stay on all the time from an electrical point of view. Although it uses minimal power during this time, it is something to take into account. Smart bulbs are based on LEDs, so they generally use minimal power, even at full power. It goes without saying, but if you want smart lighting in a ceiling lamp, this is the only option. With a smart socket adapter, you plug the lamp or other lamp into the smart socket adapter and then plug the adapter into the wall. One advantage of this is that when the socket adapter is turned off, the lamp is completely off. If you have an older lamp that can get hot for long periods of time when on, I highly recommend a smart socket adapter One advantage of this is that it is generally easier to troubleshoot a smart socket adapter and reset it in case of technical problems. What to look for: smart bulbs vs. smart socket adapters? I think there are a few things to consider when choosing between HomeKit smart bulbs and smart outlet adapters. The two questions are: Do you already have LED lamps with a light temperature that you like? This is an important question especially for bedrooms, as it can be a big part of creating the right experience for going to sleep. If yes, then you can look into a smart socket adapter. If you don't have lights yet, what features are important to you? Do you want to dim? Do you want multiple color options? Does HomeKit Adaptive Lighting appeal to you? If you have LED lights that you are already happy with, I would go for a smart socket adapter. Products from Onvis, Eve and Linkind are great options. They all work well with HomeKit, and Eve and Linkind are also Matter compatible. If the ability to dim and change color is important to you, I would look into smart bulbs. For my daily use, HomeKit Adaptive Lightning is the best feature I can look for in a smart bulb. My favorite lamps are the A19 lamps from Philips. Another great option is the OREiN lights that support Matter. FTC: We use monetized auto-affiliate links. More.