Now that we are coming into winter, the days are getting darker a lot earlier. That means our homes are left in darkness for a lot longer whilst we out. And darkened homes appeal to would-be burglars. Lots of us take our home security seriously and have cameras, video doorbells, external security lights and other security measures but making it look like someone is at home works wonders. All you need to do is have lights come on, so a smart bulb is a perfect addition to your home security measures.
Home security isn’t just about locking doors and windows, fitting stronger locks or installing video cameras. It is also about making it look like someone is at home and lived in, even when you’re not there. A good way to do this is leaving a radio or television on and having lights come on once it starts to get dark. Whilst these are excellent ideas, a would be burglar could soon figure out your routine if your lights came on at the same time every evening, so having a light on a staggered timer and a smart bulb with WiFi and controlled from your phone is the perfect way to achieve that.
But what is a smart bulb? Well, the humble light bulb has just got smarter. A smart bulb is a lightbulb with WiFi, it plugs into your normal light socket, connects to a WiFi router and then it can be turned on/off wirelessly using your phone or schedules can be made to turn the light on/off and various times. Making it look like someone is at home and not leaving your house in darkness all the time whilst you are out at work.
The Tapo Smart WiFi Light Bulb is a lightbulb packed with technology. It allows you to automate a light, turn on/off the light using your phone or integrating with Alexa and giving voice commands and even dims or brightens the light. It is available with screw-in and bayonet fixings.
This is truly a smart bulb packed with features over and above a light bulb on a timer. Its features are:
- Dimmable
- Schedule & Timer
- Voice Control
- Away Mode
- Easy Setup
- Energy Saving
- Tapo Ecosystem
- No Hub Required
The Soft Warm White Tapo Smart Bulb is an 8.7w LED light bulb with a brightness of 806 lumens / 2700k light appearance (equivalent to a 60w bulb). It connects to your home WiFi network and can be controlled via a phone/tablet app to make it dimmable, set schedules and timers and even integrate with Alexa so you can use voice commands (when I wake up in the mornings, I can just ask Alexa to turn on the light, no need to get out of bed or search for the light switch). And as a home security device it is great for helping to discourage would-be intruders or turning on a light before you get home from work.
WiFi, Smart Tech, Smart Home, Technology etc. are words that may put fear into people, but this bulb is extremely easy to install, setup and operate. It installs into the light socket just the same as you would with any other bulb in your house and can be operated in the same way just by flicking the light switch. To use the smart features, you just need to download the free Tapo app to your smartphone or tablet (there is even a QR code to take you to the correct app should you wish to scan it) and follow the on-screen prompts. Within a few minutes the bulb is installed and configured.
Once the bulb is installed and set up, it features:
- Dimmable (Adjust with Ease) – Manage the lighting at your fingertips to create the perfect atmosphere in your home at any time.
- Dimmable (Preset for Convenience) – Found your favourite lighting for watching movies? Save it as a setting you can simply select for future movie nights.
- Schedule (Set Your Times) – Create a regular schedule to turn on/off with the brightness you set.
- Schedule (Sunrise and Sunset Modes) – Automatically activate your light according to your time zone.
- Voice Control – Mange the lights with your voice commands as Tapo works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
- Remote Control – Take your phone out for the pocket and open the Tapo app to control your light remotely.
- Away Mode – Automatically simulate someone being at home to frighten away unwanted visitors.
With this smart bulb can easily set up schedules to turn on/off at certain times, setting different times for each day should you wish so that the pattern is not the same for every day. You can also set it to Away Mode that will randomly turn on/off the light bulb to simulate someone being at home. And even have the light come on at sunrise/sunset according to your time zone.
All the functions are very easy to control through the app and it can easily be integrated with Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Assistant so that you can control it using your voice (turning on/off, dimming the lights, setting the brightness etc.).
Overall, I think that this is a fantastic, easy to use product and a great addition to any home security set up, and it doesn’t require any extra hardware like a hub – all you need is a WiFi internet connection and the app. A smart bulb is an excellent way to make your home appear like someone is at home or even just to turn on the lights before your get home so that you are not walking into a dark house. Using the app, you can control the light from anywhere – your office desk, the bus or the train or even from another country! The device can even be shared with other family members so that they can also have control of the bulb’s functions.
An inexpensive addition to your home security measures. One that is simple to install and use. And as it is a LED bulb, it is cheaper to run than a standard lightbulb (has a 90% energy saving). If you have the light on for 3 hours per day, it should last over 13 years!
If you have an internet connection and WiFi then you need smart bulbs in your home.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £12.99
For more information, visit www.tapo.com. Available to buy from Amazon here.