UPDATE: When I first purchased these bulbs in the Fall of 2028, the installation and set up was a pain, but since LIFX has continued to update and improve the process, I feel comfortable up-ing my review from 4 stars to 5.
All-in-all, I would definitely purchase these bulbs again based on the research I’ve done on comparing them to Philip’s Hue and similar bulbs.
These smart bulbs are great! They are BRIGHT and have s slew of features that make them fun to use and versatile (color cycle, music visualizer, “spooky,” etc...). And they work with Apple’s HomeKit (at least mine do… you may have to have newish ones).
BUT they were difficult and frustrating to set up. I had to contact LIFX support to get help several times. (BTW, LIFX support was absolutely fantastic to deal with: prompt, generous, easy to work with and understand. They even sent me 2 bulbs to replace ones that I couldn’t get to work at all. Everyone I corresponded with was great, however Taber Dullea went above and beyond the expected. Kudos to you!)
The bulbs will work fine for a while, then inexplicably loose their connectivity to the LIFX cloud and HomeKit. One piece of advice that I found helped a lot: set up the lights one at a time and when you’re located near your router. I happened to have a light bulb tester (basically a socket and a plug) and an on/off switch already, so I used those to set up each bulb one at s time. That helped a LOT! Putting the bulbs up in ceiling fixtures and then trying to set them up was a challenge.! You also CAN NOT use them with a dimmer! I had to take out the Lutron Caseta switches I had put in, which now i have no use for… so my LIFX installation was doubly expensive: new bulbs and switches AND my investment in the Caseta equipment is now sitting unused in the closet.
Another disappointing revelation that didn’t dawn in me until I had them installed was you basically loose the convenience of walking into a room and flicking s switch to turn on your lights. The switch has to be left ON for the LIFX bulb to remain connected to the LIFX Cloud; if the switch is OFF there’s no way for the app to talk to the bulb. There are many workarounds to this (check out flic) and there's always the “Hey, Siri” voice control, but it’s just a little annoyance that I hadn’t included in my decision to buy these bulbs.
LIFX releases updates to their iOS app as well as firmware upgrades regularly, and with each new firmware update, the lights work better.
| Brand | LIFX |
|---|---|
| Light Type | Incandescent |
| Special Feature | color, dimmable |
| Wattage | 9 watts |
| Bulb Shape Size | A19 |
| Bulb Base | E26 |
| Incandescent Equivalent Wattage | 60 Watts |
| Light Color | Cool White |
| Voltage | 110 Volts |
| Unit Count | 1.0 Count |
| Color Temperature | 9000 Kelvin |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Brightness | 800 Lumen |
| Shape | a19 |
| Model Name | Mini Color (A19) Wi-Fi Smart LED Light Bulb |
| Connectivity Technology | Wi-Fi |
| Indoor/Outdoor Usage | Indoor |
| Controller Type | Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, iOS, Android |
| Included Components | LIFX Mini, A19 Edison Screw E26 |
| Connectivity Protocol | Wi-Fi |
| Color Rendering Index | 80 |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Light Source Type | LED |
| Item Weight | 0.32 Pounds |
| Light Source Wattage | 9 Watts |
| Product Dimensions | 2.17"W x 3.98"H |
| Control Method | Voice |
| White Brightness | 800 Lumens |
| Manufacturer | LIFX |
| Part Number | L3A19MC08E26 |
| Item Weight | 5.1 ounces |
| Item model number | L3A19MC08E26 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Size | 1 Count (Pack of 1) |
| Color | Multi |
| Style | Mini Color |
| Special Features | color, dimmable |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
| Warranty Description | 2 year warranty. |
