There's virtually no limit to how much money you can spend setting up home automation, but once you've splashed your cash on smart lighting, how much does it actually cost to run? We crunched the numbers and found that it might not be as much as you'd think.
How much do smart lights really cost?
CHOICE's Alex Angove-Plumb talks through the costs of smart lighting.
Smart lights are always 'on' – even when they're not illuminated, they're connected to your WiFi, so they're effectively in standby mode. So it seems like they'd draw more energy than a regular LED bulb that turns off when it's switched off at the wall – and hence cost more to run.
But that's not what we found: there's actually very little difference in running costs between smart and non-smart LED lights. It was a surprise to us.
"We were really expecting the regular LED bulbs to be way lower," says Alex Angove-Plumb, one of CHOICE's resident tech experts.
"The standby mode of some smart lights must be absolutely fantastic."
Are smart lights more expensive than standard LEDs?
Our testing revealed that a standard LED light costs around $5.14 each year to run. Smart lights weren't a great deal more: the cheapest cost just $5.17 per year. Some models do cost more – the most expensive to run comes in at $7.77 a year, but that's for an adjustable colour bulb. A plain white smart LED probably won't cost you more than $6.65 a year to run.
Want to know how the different brands compare? Check out our LED smart lights review.
LED annual running costs
Standard vs Smart LEDs
Standard LED:
Osram LED Star Classic $5.14
Smart LED:
LIFX Mini Day & Night $5.17
Philips HUE while $5.87
TP-Link Smart Wi-Fi $5.93
Sengled Element Classic $5.63
Yeelight Smart LED $6.65
Estimated yearly running costs of smart LEDs vs standard LEDs, assuming five hours of use per day and 19 hours of standby for the bulb only at a cost of 30c/kWh.
The smart way to save
In fact, using smart lighting could even reduce your power bills, our digital home expert Denis Gallagher says.
"If you create the appropriate profile for the way that you live in your home, the cost should theoretically drop – you'll never get that forgot-to-turn-the-lights-off-before-going-away-for-two-weeks feeling again," says Denis.
"If it's installed correctly, the lights will only be on when you actually need them so you'll use less electricity."
Build a bridge
Choosing a smart light? To bridge or not to bridge: that is the question.
If you opt for the Philips brand, you'll need a 'bridge'. Each Philips Hue light connects to the bridge, which in turn connects to your home Wi-Fi network and controls your smart lights.
The bridgecosts around $90 on its own, but you can pick up astarter packof three globes and a bridge from under $200. So for only a few lights, the Philips Hue system may not be great value, but if you plan on having a dozen or more smart lights it can be a good option.
Bridge-free
Another alternative is a system like LIFX, where each bulb communicates directly with your home Wi-Fi network without needing a bridge.
"This is a good option if you only want to install a few smart lights, because you don't need to pay extra for a bridge," says Alex.
Stock images:Getty, unless otherwise stated.
Join the conversation
To share your thoughts or ask a question, visit the CHOICE Community forum.
FAQs
Our testing revealed that a standard LED light costs around $5.14 each year to run. Smart lights weren't a great deal more: the cheapest cost just $5.17 per year. Some models do cost more – the most expensive to run comes in at $7.77 a year, but that's for an adjustable colour bulb.
How much energy do LIFX lights use? ›
The estimated energy use of a LIFX smart light is $1.32 per year (based on 3 hours a day at 11¢/kWh).
How much do smart lights cost to run? ›
The Overall Cost of Using Smart Bulbs
For the Philips Hue White bulb, this means you're looking at paying $0.35 per month to operate one bulb, with only a single penny of that being used for standby mode. So only 2.86% of the monthly cost of a Hue bulb is from when the bulb is in standby.
Do smart bulbs use a lot of electricity? ›
So it's quite obvious that smart bulbs'consumption is significantly lower than other types of bulbs. It's also important to bear in mind that the amount of electricity used by any given smart light bulb will vary depending on its features and how often it is used.
How much does a smart lighting system cost? ›
Smart Lighting
Fully automated home lighting can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000, depending on the number of rooms being lit and the nature of your system.
How much power does LIFX Mini use? ›
Why you can feel good about it. Though the LIFX Mini Day & Dusk light bulb produces 800 lumens—similar to the Hue lights—its reliance on WiFi means it's more power hungry in standby mode, drawing about 0.5 W as opposed to 0.2 W for a Hue light bulb and 0.1 W for the Hue Bridge.
How much electricity are my lights using? ›
Key Takeaways. On average, incandescent light bulbs use about 60 watts of electricity, and LED light bulbs use about 10 watts. Using an incandescent light bulb for 2 hours per day will use about 12.2 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month and 43.8 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year.
Do smart devices use more electricity? ›
Yes, smart devices like app- and voice-controlled plugs, bulbs, thermostats, and more can lead to a reduction in energy consumption, and therefore a lower monthly bill during hot and cold months.
What are the disadvantages of smart lights? ›
The biggest disadvantage of smart light bulbs is that they're much more expensive than regular lightbulbs. As of this writing, a standard incandescent bulb costs about a dollar, while a non-smart LED light bulb costs around $5. A smart bulb costs around $15 each, and that's not counting additional hub expenses.
Do LED lights make your electric bill go up? ›
The straightforward answer is No! LED lights do not increase the electricity bill even if you keep them on for several hours a day. This is because the innovatively designed to consume less electricity, which in turn means low electricity bills.
Yes, it is generally safe to leave your light switch on all night if you use smart bulbs. Smart bulbs are designed to be left on for extended periods of time and can be controlled remotely without the need to physically switch them off [1].
Do smart bulbs use a lot of Wi-Fi? ›
Do Smart Switches Slow Down WiFi? Generally speaking, smart lights won't put much extra drawn on your WiFi network because, like smart plugs, smart lights are very simple devices that will typically only need to communicate when their status changes.
Do smart outlets use a lot of electricity? ›
Smart plugs typically consume around 0.3-0.4 watts a day on average, and the consumption can go up to a maximum of 2 watts a day. This is a minimal consumption and doesn't affect your electricity bill significantly. The energy consumption also depends upon the type of smart plug you use.
Are smart lights expensive to run? ›
So it seems like they'd draw more energy than a regular LED bulb that turns off when it's switched off at the wall – and hence cost more to run. But that's not what we found: there's actually very little difference in running costs between smart and non-smart LED lights. It was a surprise to us.
How much money do smart lights save? ›
Does Smart Lighting Save Money? Even with standby mode taken into account, smart LED bulbs will save you money over incandescent bulbs simply because they use less energy. LED bulbs use 25 to 80 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs, lasting three to 25 times longer on average.
How much does a smart bulb use? ›
The power draw of a smart bulb that is turned off is very low, as mentioned above you won't be paying more than a few cents per month per bulb. While that may not be something you notice on your energy bill, if you have lots of them it can make more of a difference.
How many watts is LIFX? ›
How much power do LIFX bulbs use?
| Product | Max Lumens | Max Wattage |
|---|
| White 800 | 890 lm | 11W |
| Color 1000 | 1055 lm | 11W |
| LIFX | 1100 | 11W |
| LIFX + | 1100 | 11W |
2 more rowsMay 10, 2023
Lighting. Coming in just behind your electronics, lighting takes up around 5% of an average home's total energy bill. You can reduce the amount of energy you use by replacing halogen bulbs with LEDs.
Do rechargeable lights use a lot of electricity? ›
Cost Savings
Rechargeable LED light bulbs are much more cost effective than traditional bulbs, as they require little to no electricity and can be recharged multiple times without needing to be replaced. This can provide a significant long-term savings in energy costs.
How much energy do LED lights consume? ›
Wattage of LED Light Bulbs
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, LED light bulbs use at least 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs. A typical LED light bulb uses about 10 watts, according to EnergySage, compared to about 60 watts for most incandescent bulbs.
