You get up in the middle of the night, still half asleep. The room is completely dark. Now where is the lamp?
You can call forth light. A smart plug or a smart bulb lets you control a lamp with the help of a voice assistant. The voice assistant can be the one on your phone (Siri or Google), or a separate speaker like Amazon Echo, Google nest or Apple HomePod.
The cheapest place to start is a smart plug, often $25 or less, that sits between the wall outlet and a lamp you already own. You plug it in, connect it to your Wi-Fi through a free app. Then you can say to your phone: "Hey Siri, (or "Hey Google") turn on the light." No special bulb and no wiring.
For more than on and off — dimming or changing colors — a smart bulb is the better pick. Look for one labeled "no hub required," like bulbs from Wyze, WiZ, Kasa, or Govee. They connect straight to Wi-Fi and you talk to them through your phone or voice assistant.
One thing to check before you buy: the box should say "Works with Apple Home app" if you carry an iPhone, or "Works with Google" if you carry an Android. That is what lets your phone's own assistant control the light with no extra gear.
A stand-alone Amazon Echo, Google Nest, or Apple HomePod is optional. It is necessary if you want everyone in the house to command the light.
Then there is Philips Hue, the premium name. It runs through a separate bridge box plugged in to your router. Hue endures, because that box buys reliability and the system works smoothly with Siri and the rest.
Briefs and quick reads selected and edited by The Smart Reader’s editorial team.
