I’m a huge fan of smart lights. They’re an easy and fun way to add colour and remote control to your home. So when Govee offered to let me try its smart colour changing lightbulbs I was up for it. I spent about 3 weeks with the bulbs and in this hands-on review I’ll show you what they’re like to set up and use, what you can do with them and how to automate them. I’ll wrap things up by going over the pros and the cons and taking a look at some of the alternatives, and then I’ll let you know if I can recommend these smart light bulbs to you.
Govee Smart Light Bulb
Summary
The Govee smart light bulbs are easy to set up, with an easy-to-use app and remote control. It’s easy to adjust and schedule, and while it’s unclear how long they last or are rated for outdoor use, their affordability makes them an attractive option.
Pros
- So easy to set up
- App is great
- Full remote control
- Easy scheduling
- Bright & adjustable
- Great colours
Cons
- Unclear if they are outdoor rated
What you get
I got a 4-pack of smart light bulbs that use the standard North American light bulb base. The bulbs are plastic and lightweight.
As far as installation goes they just screw into any light fixture.
I installed these into two lamps in my home office.
Hub-Free Convenience
In the realm of smart home lighting, the necessity of a hub can often add complexity and cost. Govee has differentiated itself by offering smart LED light options that do not require a hub. Instead, each Govee Smart LED bulb can connect directly to your home’s 2.4GHz Wi-Fi which allows for a simpler integration.
The Govee app supports multiple Govee lighting devices so you can manage your entire home’s lighting all from your phone. You can also group multiple Govee lights together so you can issue a command for the group and it will all respond according to your presets. No need to individually control each bulb.
Watch my hands-on Govee Smart Bulb review on YouTube
App Features
If you want to use the full range of features, you’re going to want to use the Govee mobile app.
You will sign up for or sign into an account. From there you can just tap on each bulb to adjust its colour, brightness, turn it on or off or tap into the array of colourful visual lighting effects and patterns. While these colour scenes are really built more for light strips and strings, they do work somewhat with a single bulb too.
The app is where you can control other features too.
Want to wake up naturally, gently aided by a soft glow of light like a personal sunrise? Voila, just set a timer and let your room gradually illuminate, helping your body register that it’s time to rise and shine.
Daily schedules
The app makes it easy to set daily schedules. I have my office lights turn on right before I get in, and then turn off shortly after I usually wrap for the day. It means very little wasted energy.
Colour changing
I also really like colour changing bulbs to help a room feel more festive or warmer or cooler; I use warm red orange or yellow light in the winter to add a fire-like glow to a space. While in summer, I find lights that are blue, green or purple can help a room seem cooler on a sweltering day.
Govee promises a kaleidoscope of up to 16 million colors, and let me tell you, they weren’t kidding. From mood lighting for a chill movie night to a vibrant splash of colors for a house party, these bulbs have got you covered.
Music sync
Speaking of house parties, you can even set these lights to pulse to your music’s beat. It doesn’t matter if it’s a chill indie track or a bass-heavy EDM anthem—the lights will sync up and pulse and flash to the beat.
The Bright Side of Voice Commands
Using voice commands to control the lights may feel somewhat futuristic if you’re new to smart home automation, and honestly, it is quite empowering. I love just asking for Google or Alexa to manage the lights; It takes the hassle out of physical switches or fiddling with your phone.
The beauty of voice commands doesn’t stop at convenience – it’s also a big win for accessibility. Whether it’s for the little ones who can’t quite reach the light switch just yet or individuals with mobility issues, Govee’s well-executed voice command support ensures everyone can easily control their environment.
Govee smart lights are all compatible with all the major smart home systems so you can use them with Siri, Google Assistant, or Alexa.
Brightness
I found the lights are quite bright in my home. They rate 800 lumens, which is about the equivallent of a 60 watt standard light bulb.
Turned up to full brightness they can fill a space quite well, and they dim down to almost nothing, ensuring you can also use them as a nightlight too.
What are some smart light bulb alternatives?
For many years my top pick for smart lights was Philips Hue. The Hue system tends to be expensive and you need a bridge or hub to get them to work, which adds to the cost. Hue lights are great and do give you some more customization and automation options if you need that. Kasa, Amazon Basics and Cync by GE are other choices too. While LIFX also makes popular smart bulbs too, I can’t recommend them as I’ve personally had way too many problems with them. Learn what happened in my full video.
In the last two years, I’d say Govee smart lights have become my top pick for smart lighting.
Can Govee smart bulbs go outside?
Govee doesn’t seem to specify if these bulbs can be used outdoors too, but I tried them in some outdoor fixtures just to see. I’d say that if the fixtures are sealed or covered from the weather, you should be able to use these anywhere you can use regular bulbs. As long as they’re not too far from your router and can catch a Wi-Fi signal, they should still work just fine, as mine did. The only caveat being they might not function correctly in extreme weather or temperatures.
Overall review Govee smart light bulbs
Overall, Govee smart bulbs are a big hit for me. They deliver on what they promise, and then some. Let’s go over the pros and cons to see if they might be right for you.
On the pro side they are super easy to set up and the app is incredibly user-friendly. You get full remote control over your lights from your smart phone, or absolutely easy scheduling so you can automate your lights too. The lights can brighten and dim to many different levels that will suit you, and the colour options are fantastic.
When it comes to the downsides, I don’t have a lot to complain about here. These work exactly as advertised. The only question I might have for the future is how long the bulbs will last for before needing replacement. Since I’ve only spent a few weeks with these won’t be able to weigh in on that for a while yet. But maybe in a couple of years I can report back. For now I have absolutely no hesitation about recommending Govee Smart lightbulbs to you.
The Govee smart light bulbs run from about $15-$30 a pop depending on which version you buy and how many you buy at once. If you want to check out some other amazing options that I have installed in my house from Govee, you can see those reviews right now.
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