Philips Hue Essential bulbs: budget smart lights reviewed

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Philips Hue is widely known as the best smart bulb brand, but if you're looking to get yourself kitted out with a full Hue setup from the main range, it'll cost you. You might have spotted the brand's Essential range — which looks very similar to the main lineup but comes in at a much more affordable price — and wondered where the compromise is. You can see an Essential bulb on the left of the image above, next to a main range bulb on the right.

This article is here to help you figure out whether the Philips Hue Essential range is right for you, or whether it's better to splurge on the original lineup. We've tested both, and you can get the full low-down on what we thought of the budget-friendly bulbs in our Philips Hue Essential series review . For a quick summary, though — plus links to buy — read on.

Philips Hue Essential bulbs: reasons to buy

Let's start with the good bits about the Philips Hue Essentials range. Here are the main benefits to know about:

✅ The performance is excellent: In her side-by-side tests with the main range, our Homes Editor Cat Ellis found "both were equally responsive, and produced colors that were identical to my naked eye when [she] switched between scenes". The Essential bulbs are based on a different color-matching technology to regular Hue lights, but Cat "had a hard time telling the difference".

✅ They're compatible with the full Hue ecosystem: The Essential bulbs will play nicely with any Hue gadgets you already have, making them a great way to extend your existing smart light setup.

✅ They're much cheaper than the main range: While prices vary depending on exactly which bulb you're buying, generally the Essential models come in around half the price of the main range.

Philips Hue Essential bulbs: reasons to avoid

So what about the downsides? These are the main compromises you'll be making if you opt for an Essential bulb:

❌ The white shades don't match the main range: Essential bulbs have a narrower white light range, which is an issue if you were hoping to add them into a room that already has bulbs from the main lineup.

❌ They can't dim as low : Essential bulbs can only dim to 2%, whereas the main range can go right down to 0.2%. If you want seriously muted lighting, you'll need to shell out a bit more and stick to the main range.

❌ They can't get as bright: Essential bulbs have a lower maximum brightness capacity — they can reach 803 lumens, whereas some of the standard White & Color Ambiance bulbs can hit 1,600 lumens. It's worth nothing that this spec varies by bulb; not all standard bulbs have a higher max brightness than their Essential counterpart.

Philips Hue Essential Starter kits

Most people getting started with a Philips Hue lighting setup will begin by purchasing a 'Starter kit', which bundles some bulbs, a Philips Hue Bridge, and occasionally a bonus Philips Hue accessory . A Bridge isn't essential , but it is a good idea if you want to maximize the potential of your bulbs. There are a few variations available, with different numbers and kinds of bulbs included; I've listed a selection here.

US starter kits

Philips Hue

Essential starter kit (4 E26 bulbs), White and color ambiance

Philips Hue

Essential starter kit (2 bulbs), White and color ambiance

UK starter kits

Philips Hue

Essential starter kit: 2 B22 smart bulbs, White and color ambiance

Philips Hue

Essential Starter Kit: 2 E27 Smart Bulbs

Philips Hue

Essential Starter Kit: 3 E27 Smart Bulbs (806 Lm)

Philips Hue

Essential Starter Kit: 3 Gu10 Smart Bulbs (345 Lm) + Smart Button

Philips Hue

Essential Starter Kit: 3 Gu10 Smart Bulbs (345 Lm)

Philips Hue

Starter Kit: 2 E27 Smart Bulbs (1100)

Philips Hue Essential bulbs

If you already have a Bridge and are looking to extend your setup, or are planning on going without ( basic bulb functions can be controlled via Bluetooth ), you can buy individual or multipack bulbs. There's a massive range — I've just included a selection here.

Whichever bulb lineup you choose, you'll have to decide between Hue's three light types. White and color ambiance bulbs can emit any one of millions of RGB colors, including a wide range of different white tones. White bulbs emit a warm light at a set color temperature, and White ambiance bulbs can be set to any one of a massive range of cool to warm white lights.

US bulbs

Philips Hue

Essential A19 - E26 Smart Bulb - 800 Lm - 8.8w - 4 Pack

Philips Hue

Essential Br30 - E26 Smart Bulb - 650 Lm - 7.2w

Philips Hue

Essential A19 - E26 Smart Bulb - 800 Lm - 8.8w

Philips Hue

Bundle: Essential A19 - E26 (2 Pack)

Philips Hue

Bundle: Essential Br30 - E26 (2 Pack)

UK bulbs

Philips Hue

Essential A60 LED Smart Bulb (4 pack), White and Color Ambiance

Philips Hue

Essential smart bulb (2 pack), White and color ambiance

Philips Hue

Essential Smart LED GU10 Spotlight Bulb, White and Color Ambiance

Philips Hue

Essential 10-Meter LED Strip Light, Color and Ambiance