Philips isn't discontinuing Hue smart bulbs altogether. Only a recently-released line called Lightguide is getting the chop, and even then, it's just the triangle and globe-shaped bulbs being discontinued. The Verge has the scoop if you'd like to learn more. How many years do Hue bulbs last?

Hue bulbs are the highest quality, and color accurate, bulbs that don't use cheap tricks. Color accurate? Maybe I should have said “color reproduction” as in full range of colors. Hue has a more full range of colors than most cheaper competitors.

Signify A leader in smart lighting Philips Hue and our parent company, Signify, are members on the board of Connectivity Standard Alliance (formerly known as the Zigbee Alliance).

All Philips Hue lights and smart accessories, such as dimmer switches and smart buttons, will work with Matter if connected via Philips Hue Bridge. The only exceptions are the Philips Hue Play HDMI sync box and the dial on the Tap dial switch.

With an average lifespan of 25,000 hours, a Philips Hue light bulb will not need replacing anywhere near as often. Exactly how often you will need to change a Hue light bulb depends on how many hours a day it is used – but it can last up to 25 years.

Philips dominates this space and is also our top pick for best color LED smart bulb. The latest Hue bulbs can be controlled via Bluetooth or Zigbee (the latter requires the Philips Hue Bridge), they deliver high-quality light, and are backed by a strong warranty.

Philips Hue's glamorous, oversized dimmable smart bulbs designed as open lighting fixtures have hit a snag. “Aesthetic inconsistency” (i.e., they didn't look good) discovered during consumer testing of the new Lightguide bulb line has caused the company to stop making the triangle- and globe-shaped bulbs.

With an average lifespan of 25,000 hours, a Philips Hue light bulb will not need replacing anywhere near as often. Exactly how often you will need to change a Hue light bulb depends on how many hours a day it is used - but it can last up to 25 years.

So if you're dabbling in smart lighting or just want to build up from something simple – or only care about white bulbs anyway – then you can spend less to get started with Ikea's option. Hue gives you more options and more abilities alike, but you'll also pay quite a bit more to get to that level.

Advanced light control The Bridge allows you to control your lights from anywhere in the world, as long as you have the Philips Hue app and an internet connection.

With an average lifespan of 25,000 hours, a Philips Hue light bulb will not need replacing anywhere near as often. Exactly how often you will need to change a Hue light bulb depends on how many hours a day it is used - but it can last up to 25 years.

However, if smart lighting is something you want to invest in going forward, we recommend going with one of Philips' Hue starter kits: the White + Color Ambiance starter kit, including three bulbs, a hub and a smart button, comes in at $180, which is cheaper than if you were to buy all of those components separately.