I struggled with what to include in this review as the product itself is pretty straightforward and really has no meaningful functionality to "review," per se: it either works or it doesn't. In my case, the hub worked just fine, setup was easy enough, and I haven't had any actual trouble with the hub. Since most people looking at the hub are likely considering diving into the Hue system as a whole, my review, instead, will focus on my experience with a relatively built-out Hue system after a few weeks.
My current setup includes two BR-30 multicolor lights in my theater room, three of the same in my kitchen, a LightStrip with multiple extenders in the bedroom, and two A7 lightbulbs for our nightstand lamps in the bedroom. The only "smart" home product that I've owned prior to the Hue lights was two Nest thermostats and a Ring doorbell, so my experience with this category of technology is fairly limited.
Overall, this lights are just fun. Adding lights to the system was straightforward, the automatic detection worked well, and it was easy to get individual lights assigned to rooms and scenes set up. The Hue app itself is fairly easy to use, though some of the UI decisions in the most recent version of the app are a little annoying (for example, having different "tabs" for individual lights and scenes). I've had some hiccups with getting individual lights to "group" together for color changes when setting up scenes, though this has been relatively rare. Setting up scenes was straightforward, though I'll admit I almost immediately deleted most of the included presets since I thought they were a bit strange. But setting up individual scenes with custom colors and brightness was a breeze.
Getting used to using an app - rather than light switches - has been a bit of a challenge. This isn't a fault of the Hue system itself but is something relevant, I think, to the experience of switching to a smart lighting system. A few weeks in, I still accidentally use my light switches at times. I'm looking forward to getting some of the Hue motion sensors to see if this can make the system truly automated; I love the idea of lights turning on and off automatically based on need, and I imagine that this will improve my experience with the system immensely. For now, though, there's definitely a bit of a learning curve to getting used to using an app (and carrying a phone around) to turn your lights on rather than the much more convenient light switch.
The main problem I've had thus far is having individual lights being "unreachable" for, sometimes, long periods of time. Interestingly, the lights still respond to scene changes even when they're listed as "unreachable," but I can't control "unreachable" lights individually. I haven't quite figured out what the issue with this is, and I've verified that all of the firmware for the lights and the iOS app are up-to-date. This seems to mostly happen with the bedroom lights, which are located upstairs while the hub is downstairs, and I wonder if this is part of the problem. Perhaps it'll be less of an issue as I continue to expand the system and have a stronger mesh network throughout the house. But I will say that this has been quite an annoyance that I haven't been able to sort out completely. Not enough to say that I won't continue to buy Hue lights, but certainly something to be aware of if this might be enough to cause you to think twice.
Because of this issue, HomeKit integration has been spotty for me. While the Hue app will allow me to change the lights via scenes even when they're "unreachable," this isn't the case in HomeKit. As a result, I rarely use HomeKit, and frankly I just find the Hue app easier to use. Since I don't have a ton of smart products, I don't necessarily need the deep integration and automation that can be achieved with the HomeKit system.
The brightness and color setting are very granular, and you can create just about any lighting situation you can imagine. You're really only limited to your creativity. For day-to-day use, most of these features are a bit unnecessary, though even at times it can be fun to use some of the different colors. The adjustable brightness and color warmth are incredibly useful on a regular basis. But I can imagine this being a very nice touch for parties or big get togethers.
Overall, do I think the Hue system is work the admittedly high cost? After about $600 to be able to light three rooms, I have to say I don't think so. It's a very fun toy, and I'll continue to expand the system, but I don't see this as a huge game-changer. Maybe it's because I'm not using the system to its fullest extent (e.g., integration with a smart thermostat), but I see this as a very expensive amusement and nothing else. Hopefully the lights will last quite a while: at $30-40 for each replacement, this can very quickly become an expensive system. But for those looking for the ability to fine tune your home lighting setup and are willing to pay the high price, I would definitely recommend it, although perhaps try setting it up in just a room or two to see how it goes before you spend a ton of money for whole-house lighting.
| Brand | Philips Hue |
|---|---|
| Light Type | LED |
| Special Feature | Unlocks all Philips Hue Control Features |
| Wattage | 6 watts |
| Bulb Shape Size | A19 |
| Specific Uses For Product | Indoor |
| Voltage | 240 Volts |
| Unit Count | 1.0 Count |
| Color Temperature | 6500 Kelvin |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Material | Plastic |
| Model Name | Hub |
| Connectivity Technology | ZigBee, Wi-Fi |
| Indoor/Outdoor Usage | Indoor |
| Controller Type | Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, iOS, Apple HomeKit |
| Included Components | 1 Philips Hue bridge, 1 power adapter, 1 LAN cable |
| Connectivity Protocol | ethernet, Wi-Fi, Zigbee |
| Power Consumption | 6 Watts |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Item Weight | 0.52 Pounds |
| Light Source Wattage | 0.1 Watts |
| Product Dimensions | 3.5"W x 3.5"H |
| Control Method | Voice |
| Is Electric | Yes |
| Manufacturer | Signify North America Corporation |
| Part Number | 458471 |
| Item Weight | 8.3 ounces |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item model number | 453761 |
| Batteries | 4 AA batteries required. |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Size | 1 Count (Pack of 1) |
| Color | White Ambiance |
| Style | Bridge Only |
| Pattern | Hue Bridge |
| Number Of Pieces | 1 |
| Special Features | Unlocks all Philips Hue Control Features |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
| Battery Cell Type | Alkaline |
| Warranty Description | 2 year warranty. |
