Christmas is just around the corner, and you might be thinking of ways to make your home more festive and cozy. One of the easiest ways to do that is to decorate your house with Christmas lights. But not just any lights, smart Christmas lights.
What are smart Christmas lights?
Smart Christmas lights are LED lights that are controlled by an app, and, depending on the model, can change colors, or even do special effects such as a timed light show. Of course, smart bulbs aren’t just used for Christmas decorations, as many people invest in them simply for their household lighting.
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I switched to smart Christmas lights and never looked back
Whether they’re strung along your Christmas tree, or illuminating your front porch and walkway, smart Christmas Christmas lights are guaranteed to make even the Grinchiest of Scrooges feel all aglow – literally. Aside from safety and lowering our power bill, I’ve converted most of our lights to LED smart light bulbs and installed smart plugs on each one to turn them off and on and automatically turn them off when we go to bed.
What’s great is every strand of Christmas tree lights worked without needing to find burned-out bulbs or toss the whole string in the trash out of frustration. What saved my lights were these inexpensive holiday light and cord organizers that come in a pack of 4. I’ve got a total of 12 worth every penny. While most of us simply dig out our tried and true Christmas lights from storage every year, some people like to keep up with the times and invest in smart Christmas lights.
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Are smart Christmas lights worth the switch?
There’s little doubt that smart Christmas lights are bound to be more visually impressive. The thought of trading in your old string of incandescent lights for color-changing smart lights seems very tempting. But before you throw away the Christmas lights you’ve been using or so, you might want to examine the differences and see if it’s a right fit for you.
| Criteria | Incandescent Lights | Smart Lights |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Can sell for under $10 – Long strands | Usually start close to $150 – Shorter strands |
| Energy | Convert only 5% of energy into light – Use more than 90% of energy on heat – last for about 1,000 hours | Convert 75% of energy into light – Use much less energy on heat – last for about 25,000 hours |
| Safety | Produce heat that can burn children or flammable objects – Have a low risk of fire | Do not produce heat that can harm children or flammable objects – Have a very low risk of fire |
As you can see, smart lights are more efficient and safer than traditional lights, but they are also more costly and require more strands. Needless to say, no one should ever break the bank for home decorations, no matter the occasion. But upon taking a closer look, it becomes clear what might begin as a sizeable investment will save you money if done right.
Another thing to consider, since smart lights often come in colors not traditionally associated with the holiday season, it might also be easier to put them to use year-round. In the end, making you plenty “merry” throughout the year.
Should you choose to go for Smart LED lights or incandescent lights to decorate your home or Christmas tree, here are some highly-rated recommendations.
Recommended Smart LED Lights
Novostella
Transform your Christmas tree with the Novostella 40ft RGB Smart LED Strip Light kit. This kit includes 360 units of high-quality SMD 5050 LEDs that can produce 16 million colors and various lighting modes. You can easily adjust the brightness, speed, and color of the lights with the 44-key remote control or the Novostella app. The app also allows you to set timers, schedules, and scenes for different occasions. This product had 6,400 reviews on Amazon, with 75% giving it 5 stars at the time of publishing.
Kasa
The Kasa Smart KL430 LED Strip Light is a smart and versatile lighting solution for your Christmas tree. This product features an 80-inch light strip that can be extended up to 33 feet with additional extensions. You can control the light strip with the Kasa Smart app, a remote, or voice commands via Alexa or Google Assistant. This product had 3,400 reviews on Amazon, with 72% giving it 5 stars at the time of publishing.
Twinkly
Add some magic to your holiday decorations with these smart LED string lights from Twinkly. These lights can be controlled and customized with the Twinkly app, which lets you choose from millions of colors, effects, and animations. You can also sync the lights with music, create schedules, and group multiple Twinkly devices together for a stunning light show. This product had 68% of Amazon customers giving it 5 stars at the time of publishing.
Govee Smart Outdoor String Lights
These smart outdoor string lights from Govee can create a cozy and festive atmosphere for your balcony, backyard, or any other outdoor space. You can control and customize the lights with the Govee app, which lets you choose from millions of colors, adjust the brightness, and set timers. You can also use voice commands via Alexa or Google Assistant to turn the lights on or off, change the color, or create scenes. This product had 3,300 reviews on Amazon, with 73% giving it 5 stars at the time of publishing.
Innonly Outdoor Christmas Lights
These smart Christmas lights from Innonly can make your outdoor decorations more fun and colorful. You can use the Innonly app to program the lights with different patterns, speeds, and colors. You can also sync the lights with music and create your own light show. This product had 47% of Amazon customers giving it 5 stars at the time of publishing.
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Recommended Incandescent Lights
Holiday Joy
These mini string lights from Holiday Joy can add some sparkle and joy to your Christmas tree or any other indoor or outdoor space. They feature 300 multicolor LED bulbs that can create a festive and cheerful atmosphere. They have a green wire that blends in with your tree or foliage, and a long cord that allows you to plug them in easily. This product had 2,600 reviews on Amazon, with 79% giving it 5 stars at the time of publishing.
New One C7 Outdoor Christmas Lights
These Christmas string lights from New One can create a warm and nostalgic glow for your living room, patio, garden, or party. They come with 3 packs of 25ft strings, each with 25 clear incandescent bulbs that have a C7 shape and a screw base. You can connect up to 3 strings together for a total of 75ft and 75 bulbs. This product had 64% of Amazon customers giving it 5 stars at the time of publishing.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
As you can see, smart Christmas lights have many advantages over traditional incandescent lights, such as energy efficiency, safety, and versatility. They can also create stunning visual effects that will make your home stand out from the rest. However, they are also more expensive and require more strands to cover the same area. Ultimately, the choice is yours, depending on your budget and preference. But if you are looking for a way to spice up your holiday decorations and make them more fun and interactive, smart Christmas lights might be worth the switch.
Which of the recommended Christmas lights are you most interested in trying out and why? Let us know by commenting below.
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