Hi everyone. I recently started my Home Assistant journey by replacing Google Calendar and Keep Notes with Home Assistant. A couple of light bulbs burnt out and I want to replace them with bulbs that I can use exclusivity on Home Assistant and bypass the manufacturers app entirely. What brand should I look for?
These are standard wall mounted lights in my kitchen and my laundry room.
General advice is smart switches, dumb bulbs. Switches mean that you can control the light without getting out your phone, or whatever it is you use to control the bulb. Sure HA can talk to many bulbs, but only if the switch is on. Guests will not have the ability to control your bulbs - either there is too much work to install an app for a short stay, or the system is a security nightmare (often both). Use a smart switch because they have a control on the wall that guests can use to get what they want done without having to worry about apps.
Most often you can choose bulbs with the right color temperature, but if not some dimable bulbs change color temperature. If this is not good enough two lights: a general room like, and a separate special effects light, don’t combine them (HA can control both, but they are separate systems generally not used at the same time)
I go to a half-way house: Smart bulbs, dumb switches, but a zigbee button next to the switch.
1 click toggles on/off in the last state.
Press+Hold for warm-white evening.
Double-click for daytime.
And now, a sticker on the 230v switch that says “don’t switch off!”
We have a similar setup for lights that aren’t just tied up to motion sensors :)
I’m sure I’ve seen a mollyguard-like printable that covers the rocker of the switch to prevent accidental presses. It had a slot in it so you could still flip the switch with a card or similar thing object.
I got to be fair, I do agree here. Buy smart switches where possible. I have never had problems with those, while smart bulbs are sometimes inefficient, too dim, flicker at low brightness, and are more expensive.
We have about 12 smart switches and 6 bulbs or so. From Sonoff and Athom.
Another option we have is smart bulb with a smart switch. So you don’t turn the power off from the bulb. This is the worst of both worlds.