Lots of things have already gone smart apart from light globes and lights (including vacuum cleaners and fridges). I would start with smart light globes because they are extremely easy and cheap. You mostly just need to insert them into your sockets, and away you go. Compared to old fashioned lighting, smart lights and globes are a much more sophisticated way of getting complete control, including consumption and usage.

While smart lights and globes are mostly used in the home, they can also be used in non-residential settings - for example the University of Michigan use smart lights in thir classrooms.

Moving from old fashioned globes to smart LED bulbs is very easy and, even better, you save money.

I can state categorically that being able to control a smart light from anywhere (even remotely, when you are away from the house) is fantastic!

Controlling your lights with your phone, compared to actually having to stand up, is great! Also lighting your house when you are on your home back on the train or waiting in then car is a huge advance.

Smart lights enable you to:

- Turn on and off any light with your smartphone (using WiFi, Bluetooth etc)

- To dim any light

- To do anything remotely, ie when you are AWAY from your house

- If you have RGB globes you can eve adjust the colour (which would be impossible from a wall switch)

It should be noted that setting up smart lights is a bit fiddly, but once they are set up, you never have to fiddle with them again.

Smart lights can be up to six times more energy efficient than old fashioned globes, and can last over 25,000 hours.

The great thing about smart globes is that you can install them in your house WITHOUT upgrading anything, including where the light plugs in or the wall switch.

You just keep them on - and your phone tells them when to go on and off, dim etc.

Motion sensors are a great way to save money.

Connecting motion sensors to smart LED lights mean that you can tell the lights to switch off when no one is in the room.

I purchased some smart globes and have never looked back. O my god, controlling them is so easy! Lie in my bed, take my phone, go to my smart lighting app, click, they are on or off, and I can dim them as well.

When smart lights started, adjusting the RGB colour was not an option. However now lots of smart lights have hat option, and it is a great little extra for improving mood, during winter etc.

One thing you have to remember, and I think it is important to point it out, is that smart lights are a lot more complicated than normal lights.

To turn a normal light on or off, you only need to hit the switch on the wall.

For a smart light, you need to first connect it to your app. Then every time you need to switch it you need to get your phone, turn on the app, find the light on the app, and then click the app. It is definitely NOT straightforward. 

Smart lights now have the option of:

- On or off

- Dimming / brightness

- Colour

- Overall mood settings

- Schedules

So they are extremely handy.

A very common query about smart lights is: do they work with Amazon Alexa / Google Assistant  / Apple HomeKit / Samsung SmartThings? 

The answer is that most smart lights are compatible with the major platform but double check before you buy.

A lot of people ask why I need a light globe that changes colour?

Fair question, but lights are supposed to make your life easier, convenient, comfortable and more exciting. 

They bring features into your home (like dimming, schedule, remoteness etc) that you did not even know you missed.

There is one thing about smart lighting that is priceless and that it is that is enjoyable!

There is nothing like going to bed, and from the bed, asking for a set mood.

You can also impress people at a dinner party!