As the holiday season approaches, many of us are dusting off our Christmas decorations and thinking about how to make our homes sparkle. One trend that has gained significant popularity is the use of smart Christmas lights. But what exactly are smart Christmas lights? These innovative LED lights can be controlled via an app, allowing you to change colors, create dazzling light shows, and even sync them with music. While they promise a more visually stunning display than traditional incandescent lights, the question remains: are they worth the investment?
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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.
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.
Cost
- Classic incandescent lights can sell for under $10
- They come in fairly long strands
- Top-quality LED smart lights usually start close to $150
- Some of the strands are on the shorter side, so you might need to buy more boxes than you would classic lights
Energy
- Incandescent lights tend to convert only one-twentieth of the energy they use into visible light, using more than 90% of the energy on heat
- Smart lights tend to consume up to 75% less energy and last almost 25 times as long
Safety
- Incandescent lights use heat to produce lights
- As a result, bulbs will get hot, making children reaching for bulbs on trees a problem
- Though the risk is low, the heat-inducing lights pose the risk of a fire next to flammable objects
- LED lights are not generated by heat and will not burn the hands of little children
Are Christmas smart lights worth it?
With all this in mind, is it worth forking over hundreds of dollars to dazzle your guests and neighbors with Smart Christmas lights this holiday season? Quite possibly, yes.
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 that what might begin as a sizeable investment will save you money if done right.
Good smart lights will end up shrinking your electricity bill, last you for years, eliminate the need to replace them, and pose less of a safety hazard. Another thing to consider is that 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 incandescent lights or Smart LED lights to decorate your home or Christmas tree, here are some highly-rated recommendations:
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Recommended Incandescent Lights
Holiday Joy
- Price: $24.95 (at time of publication)
- Available in multicolor or classic white
- 300 bulbs a strand
- Good for indoor or outdoor use
- Special color-changing feature
Dazzle Bright
- $9.99 (at time of publication)
- Multicolor
- 20FT
- 100 count incandescent
- Waterproof, connectable
- Ideal for indoor and outdoor use
C7 Outdoor Christmas Lights
- Price: $13.59 (at time of publication)
- Multicolored
- Indoor or outdoor use
- 25 Bulbs a strand
Get C7 Outdoor Christmas lights
Recommended Smart LED Lights
Twinkly
- Price $288.99 (at time of publication)
- Multicolored
- Indoor and outdoor
- color changing
- App controlled
- Easy wifi or Bluetooth setup
- Preset effects and animations are available on the app
Govee Smart Outdoor String Lights
- Price: $57.99 (at time of publication)
- Multicolored
- Outdoor Usage
- Color changing
- 47 Scene modes
- Controlled by app, Alexa or Google Assistant
- Able to synch to music
Get Govee Smart Outdoor String Lights
Innonly Outdoor Christmas Lights
- Price: $33.99 (at time of publication)
- Outdoor Usage
- Multicolored
- Color Changing
- Bluetooth connected
- App and remote controlled
- Timer pre-sets available
Get Innonly Outdoor Christmas Lights
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Ultimately, the choice between classic incandescent lights and smart LED lights comes down to personal preference and budget. While smart lights may require a higher initial investment, their long lifespan, energy efficiency, and versatile usage throughout the year can make them a worthwhile addition to your holiday decor. Whether you opt for the nostalgic charm of traditional lights or the modern flair of smart technology, the goal is to create a festive atmosphere that brings joy to you and your loved ones.
What features do you value most in Christmas lights—energy efficiency, versatility for year-round use, or dazzling effects that wow your guests? Let us know in the comments bellow.
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