Smart Lighting Types

Shop by how you want to control it

Voice, remote, colour-change, tuneable white, or just simple dimming — the full smart range filtered by control type so you can pick the right fit for your setup.

What each control type actually does

Smart lighting covers several different control methods, and the right one depends on what you want the lights to do and what kit you already have in the house. Here's what each type means in practice:

Works with Alexa & Works with Google Home

Voice-controlled through an Amazon Echo or Google Nest speaker. "Alexa, bedroom off." "Hey Google, dim the kitchen to 20%." The easiest control method for hands-free use, especially in kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms. Most Wi-Fi smart fittings support both, but check the product badge — some Zigbee fittings work with Alexa only, or need a specific hub for Google.

Tuneable White

Shifts the colour temperature across the full warm-to-cool range — from 2700K warm for evening wind-down to 5000K daylight for morning tasks. The single most useful smart feature for most homes. Works especially well in bedrooms, bathrooms and kitchens where you want different light for different times of day.

Colour Change

Adds full RGB colour on top of tuneable white. Kids' rooms, entertainment spaces, mood scenes and holiday lighting. Overkill for most living rooms and bedrooms, but the right choice when you want a specific colour for a reason.

Remote Control

A physical remote paired to the fitting — no phone needed. Useful for anyone less comfortable with app control, for guest rooms where you don't want to share Wi-Fi credentials, or as a backup for the primary app. Most remote-controlled fittings also support app control.

Simply Dim

The simplest form of smart lighting: dimmable fittings that pair with a lightweight companion app or remote for on/off, dim up/down, and basic scheduling. No voice control, no colour-change, no hub. The right choice if you just want smooth dimming without the complication.

SwitchMo

A specific smart lighting system that uses the existing wall switch as the trigger, with the smart electronics inside the fitting. Flick the switch on-off-on to cycle brightness levels. No app required — ideal where you want smart dimming without committing to a full smart-home system.

Which type suits which home

Starter smart home: Works with Alexa or Google Home, paired with tuneable white. Covers 80% of what most people actually want.

Families with kids: add colour-change for kids' rooms, keep tuneable white for main areas.

Rentals and guest rooms: remote-control or SwitchMo — works without Wi-Fi setup, no app onboarding for guests.

Accessibility: voice control (Alexa or Google Home) is transformative for anyone with limited mobility. Pair with tuneable white for flicker-free lighting that adjusts through the day.

Minimal setup, maximum effect: Simply Dim — dimmable fittings with a small companion app, no voice assistant required.

Mixing types in one home

It's fine, and common, to mix control types across rooms. Most voice assistants can control all the smart fittings in a home regardless of type — so you can have Simply Dim in a bedroom, colour-change in a kids' room, and tuneable-white Alexa-compatible fittings in the main living space, all controlled by one "goodnight" voice command that turns everything off.

The only thing to avoid: mixing smart fittings with traditional wall dimmers on the same circuit. Replace the dimmer with a plain on/off switch, and do all dimming through the app, voice or remote.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a smart speaker to use these lights?

Only for voice control. Every fitting has an app as the primary control method, and many include a physical remote or support scheduling without a voice assistant. A smart speaker adds hands-free voice control on top — useful, but not required.

What's the difference between tuneable white and colour change?

Tuneable white shifts along the warm-to-cool axis only (amber through neutral to daylight). Colour change adds full RGB on top — red, green, blue and everything between. Tuneable white is more useful day-to-day; colour change is better for mood and entertainment scenes.

Can I add voice control to existing non-smart lights?

Yes, in two ways. Swap the bulbs for smart bulbs (if the fittings take standard caps). Or replace the wall switch with a smart switch that keeps the existing fitting but adds voice and app control at the switch level.

Do Alexa and Google Home see the same lights?

Usually, yes — most smart lighting brands are certified to work with both. A small number of Zigbee-based fittings work with one ecosystem only. Check the product page badges before buying if you're committed to one voice assistant.

Will smart lights keep working if the app is discontinued?

Local control (physical remotes, wall switches, and voice assistants already paired via a hub) usually keeps working. App-only cloud features stop. For long-term peace of mind, prefer fittings that work via Matter or a major voice assistant rather than a brand-specific app only.