Lighting & Security
Protect your home and set the mood. I test security cameras, video doorbells, and smart lighting systems to evaluate video clarity, app speed, and subscription costs.
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Safety and Ambiance: The Essentials
Lighting and Security are the two most popular entry points into the smart home. They offer immediate gratification: the peace of mind of seeing who is at the door, and the joy of changing your room’s atmosphere with a voice command. But these categories are also filled with hidden costs (monthly subscriptions) and subpar hardware.
The Reality of Smart Security
When I review cameras and doorbells, my first question is: “Who owns the footage?”
- Cloud vs. Local: Companies like Ring and Nest charge monthly fees to save video. If you stop paying, your camera becomes useless. I champion systems like Eufy or Ubiquiti that record locally to a hard drive or SD card, saving you hundreds of dollars a year and keeping your data private.
- Detection Accuracy: I test “AI Detection” to see if a camera can truly tell the difference between a burglar and a stray cat. False alarms are the enemy of security.
Lighting: Beyond the Gimmick
Smart lighting is more than just turning your living room purple. It’s about Circadian Rhythms. I look for lights like Philips Hue or Nanoleaf that support “Adaptive Lighting”—automatically shifting from cool white in the morning to warm amber at night to help you sleep better.
I also test for Color Rendering Index (CRI). Cheap smart bulbs often wash out colors, making your home look like a hospital. I recommend bulbs that maintain high light quality across the spectrum.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do smart bulbs save electricity?
Yes, because they are LED, using about 80% less power than incandescents. Plus, automation features (like turning off when you leave via GPS) prevent energy waste. However, they do draw a tiny amount of “vampire power” to stay connected to WiFi.
Which video doorbell has no monthly fee?
Eufy Security and Reolink are excellent options. They record footage locally to a “HomeBase” or a microSD card inside the device. You buy the hardware once, and there are zero recurring costs.
Does Philips Hue justify the high price?
In my opinion, yes. Their reliability is unmatched, their color accuracy is superior, and the app is the most polished in the industry. They just work. Cheaper WiFi bulbs often drop connection or have choppy dimming.
Wired vs. Battery Doorbell: Which is better?
Always go Wired if you can. Battery doorbells have a delay (they have to “wake up” to record), often missing the first few seconds of action. Wired doorbells record 24/7 or respond instantly because they have constant power.
What are “Smart Switches” vs. “Smart Bulbs”?
A Smart Switch replaces your wall switch; it makes your existing “dumb” bulbs smart. This is cheaper for rooms with many lights (like recessed ceiling lights). Smart Bulbs are better for lamps where you want color control.