LIFX Bulbs

It's Friday/Saturday Recommendation day. Today, it's not a thinker or news source, thank goodness, it's a light bulb.

Robert Wiblin first got e interested in smart light bulbs with this post of recommendations, although I was still hesitant and held out until Black Friday. Rob recommends the LIFX bulbs, which I bought online, but while I was waiting there was also a really good sale on Globe Suite smart light bulbs at Canadian Tire, so I at least have some feelings on more than one brand.

There are a few benefits to smart bulbs. Most importantly, they can be made to come on slowly in the morning to mimic natural sunlight, they can also be turned to a dim red light before bed to make it easier to fall asleep. There are other applications: Rob says the brightest blue setting is helpful for seasonal affective disorder if you place it next to your desk, and obviously it's just fun to have mood lighting or crazy parties (which I'm well known for).

Two of the biggest choice you'd want to make before buying your bulbs is whether you can set a gradual timer on the lights, and whether you want the light to have just shades of white and yellow, or all the colours of the rainbow and then some. There's also the question of whether to get lights that need a pod, but that seems so annoying and expensive that it hardly strikes me as a choice.

The first point shouldn't be a choice either. The Globe Suite lights that I got my mom, while more affordable, can't do a gradual turn on or turn off, which almost defeats the purpose for me. The fact that my lights wake me up in the morning is easily the best part about them, especially in the winter when it makes it way easier to get out of bed. Sorry Mom.

As to the colours, that's entirely up to your needs, but I'm starting to think they weren't worth it. It typically doubles the price, and while I might turn them green for St Patrick's Day or pink for Valentine's day, the main purpose of all the colours so far has been to annoy Ellen.

In any case, if you're having a hard time waking up in February and March, it's certainly something to consider, and I'd recommend LIFX as a very good brand, especially as you don't need the hub.

Note, we're doing laundry today, don't judge.