Philips Hue is one of the most popular smart home systems, and there are a few good reasons for that. Philips offers reliable, easy-to-use, and fully integrated services, and while they might not be the cheapest option out there, it’s the one that works the best with voice assistants and other smart systems.

Philips usually requires users to buy the Philips Hue Bridge to connect devices and to gain additional controls to adjust scenes and away-from-home controls. However, if you’re just getting started in smart home automation, you’ll be able to control your lights with a Bluetooth connection or Zigbee. Spending $200 on one of the starter kits isn’t necessary, but it can save you a lot of money in the long run, especially if you decide to go all-in on Philips smart lights and accessories.

In this guide, we collected some of our favorite kits, light bulbs, and accessories. If you buy a starter kit, we recommend choosing one that includes the Hue Bridge.

  • Philips Hue Bridge
    Philips Hue Bridge
    $43 $60 Save $17

    The Hue Bridge allows you to connect up to 50 Hue smart lights. It allows you to sync scenes and lights and gives you additional controls to manage your lights while outside and away from your home. It lets you easily add new lights, and there are even more controls to fully automate each room and every individual light.

  • Philips Hue White and Color Ambience
    Philips Hue White and Color Ambience

    This is the default and best smart light bulb from Philips. If you're looking for a long-lasting, colorful and bright smart bulb, this is one of the best on the market. Philips says it can last up to 25,000 hours, and it supports 16 million colors. It can be controlled with Bluetooth and Hue Bridge.

  • Philips Hue Vintage
    Philips Hue Vintage

    As the name suggests, these light bulbs feature a vintage style and looks. It's rated to have 25,000 hours of lifetime, and they support smart control thanks to the Hue app. You can easily automate and dim these lights. The lights also support Bluetooth connectivity.

  • Philips Hue Smart Lightstrip
    Philips Hue Smart Lightstrip

    If the starter kit's strip wasn't enough, you could easily extend it with an additional 6ft light strip. There are multiple sizes you can choose from, including the 3ft light strip. These aren't cheap, but they're one of the brightest and most colorful ones on the market.

  • Philips Hue Play
    Philips Hue Play
    $125 $150 Save $25

    The Hue Play supports up to 16 million colors, and it lets you immersive yourself while playing games, watching movies, and listening to music. It's best recommended to put it up behind TVs and against the wall. The starter kit comes with two lightbars and a Hue Bridge.

  • Philips Hue Go
    Philips Hue Go

    The Hue Go is a portable light that has a rechargeable battery. It can last up to 18 hours, depending on your chosen mode. It can be controlled with Bluetooth and the Hue Bridge, and it supports 16 million colors. It supports custom scenes and all of the features from Philips smart light bulbs.

  • Philips Hue Gradient Signe Table Lamp
    Philips Hue Gradient Signe Table Lamp

    If you're looking for a compact light to spice up your bedroom or living room, the Gradient Signe Table lamp is one of the best. The gradient tube supports different colors. You can even sync it to your movies, games, and music for better effects and a more immersive experience.

  • Philips Gradient Tube
    Philips Gradient Tube

    The gradient tube supports more than 16 million colors, and can instantly transform any room into an immersive experience center. It can be controlled with Bluetooth and the Hue Bridge, and it supports voice control, and additional features using the Hue application.

  • Philips Hue Mirror
    Philips Hue Mirror

    The Philips Hue Mirror is best for bathrooms, vanity rooms, and bedrooms. It comes with a wireless dimmer switch, and requires a Hue Bridge for the best experience. Look no further if you'd like a smart mirror with accurate lights to do your morning or afternoon routine.

The Philips Hue ecosystem is excellent but comes with a high cost. That being said, if you choose this system, you’ll find that it can easily synchronize and work simultaneously with other devices, including Google Assistant, Amazon Echo, and other smart assistants and services. It’s perfect if you want to sync your TV screen and monitor to your lights, listen to music, or spice up your home with more colors.

It’s also worth pointing out that you don’t necessarily need to buy the Hue Bridge, but only ten devices can be connected and set up with Bluetooth before it forces you to pick up a Bridge. The Bridge also lets you take advantage of additional features worth the money, especially if you want to control your lights while you’re on the other side of the city or the country.