TP-Link Smart LED multicoloured light bulbs review
TP-Link LB100 and LB130 can be controlled by an app
Pros
- Simple to use
- Save money on power
Cons
- Bulbs are bulky
Bottom Line
If they fit into your lights, these light bulbs, while expensive, can save money in the long run while adding mood lighting to your home.
-
Price
$ 30.00 (AUD)
TP-Link’s smart, LED light bulbs output some 60W of light but use 80 per cent less power than regular light bulbs. They are dimmable and, in the case of the LB130, you can set different colours.
They are also WiFi based meaning there’s a great deal of technology inside and that this requires extra space. As such they’re very bulky and may not fit in all lights. They’re also screw-fit based so you won’t be able to use them with bayonet fittings.
Setting up is simple. If the bulb doesn’t blink when it’s turned on, you turn the switch on and off three times to reset it. Next you connect directly to the bulb via WiFi and download TP-Link’s smart home Kasa app. This helps you name the bulb and connect it to your main WiFi network.
Once you're up and running, the app will allow you to change colour and brightness. You can plump for candle-...light-like colour tones or go full puce and brothel-like red. What’s missing is a disco setting to automatically change the lights… this was seriously something that the kids asked for.
Read more: TP-Link TD-W8980 N600 modem-router
The app also allows you to automatically set on and off times or link specific colours with various moods – dinner mood, movie mood, wake up and bedtime moods, for example. Or you can just make bath times more fun.
The bulbs can connect to TP-Link's other smart home technology and can also be voice-controlled via the likes of Google Assistant.
If the app isn’t connected, the light will turn on using whatever the last setting was. When opening the app, sometimes changing settings was instant but on other occasions it would take a few minutes to connect before implementing every forlorn change you’d tried to make... all in a matter of a few seconds.
The plain white LB100 bulb costs $30 while the colourful LB130 costs $50. They’re expensive but will last much longer than filament or fluorescent bulbs and therefore likely pay for themselves in the long run.
Brand Post
Most Popular Reviews
- 1 Dell U3223QE review: A winning debut for an IPS Black monitor
- 2 HP Spectre x360 16 review: The right 2-in-1 at the wrong time
- 3 Acer K242HYL review: An affordable monitor for any occasion
- 4 GeForce Now review: You bring the games, Nvidia streams the hardware
- 5 Asus ProArt PA279CV monitor review: The go-to for content creators on a budget
Latest News Articles
- Apple releases major updates to Logic Pro for Mac and iPad
- Apple posts another quarterly dip as Mac sales drag
- The iPhone 16’s A18 chip will change everything and nothing
- Microsoft may be readying Bing’s AI chatbot
- Security researchers warn of a new Google malware scam that could infect Macs
Resources
Macworld
What's new, plus best mac-related tips
and tricks
Business Centre
The latest business news, reviews, features and whitepapers
Videos
Watch our video news and reviews from around the world
Guides
Comprehensive buying guides, features, and step-by-step articles
PCW Evaluation Team
Pedro Peixoto
Aruba Instant On AP11D
Set up is effortless.
Cate Bacon
Aruba Instant On AP11D
The strength of the Aruba Instant On AP11D is that the design and feature set support the modern, flexible, and mobile way of working.
Dr Prabigya Shiwakoti
Aruba Instant On AP11D
Aruba backs the AP11D up with a two-year warranty and 24/7 phone support.
Tom Pope
Dynabook Portégé X30L-G
Ultimately this laptop has achieved everything I would hope for in a laptop for work, while fitting that into a form factor and weight that is remarkable.
Tom Sellers
MSI P65
This smart laptop was enjoyable to use and great to work on – creating content was super simple.
Lolita Wang
MSI GT76
It really doesn’t get more “gaming laptop” than this.
Featured Content
- Which Lenovo Laptop Should I Buy?
- Every TV in Samsung's 2022 line-up: OLED, Neo QLED and more!
- Top 10 best Android and Apple phones for under $600
- Everything you need to know about Smart TVs
- What's the difference between an Intel Core i3, i5 and i7?
- Laser vs. inkjet printers: which is better?