Smart bulbs may be my favorite category of connected products, but since I am building a DIY smart home, I had to decide if bulbs would be appropriate for automating the lighting in my kitchen and living areas. Alternatively, I could use smart switches.

Both the best smart bulbs and the best smart switches have many benefits for those who want to increase the IQ of their homes. With a smartphone app or a voice assistant like Alexa, you can control which lights are on at any given time and adjust brightness and temperature. These lighting options can also be integrated into smart home routines.

However, there are pros and cons to using either approach, and we had to examine some of them before taking the next step in making our family home smart. We had already purchased smart kitchen appliances and adopted Alexa instead of Google Assistant.

Here's the thing with smart lights: as long as the bulb's shape is compatible with the existing socket, setup is easy. Install it like any other bulb, pair it to your home network, and you've got smart lighting, like Philip Hue lights, which minimize the strain on the Internet, support dozens of bulb types, and offer a special bridge that keeps the bulb functioning even when Wi-Fi is down. Some brands.

In addition, some lights can adjust temperatures from warm yellow to cool white, and colored bulbs can transform the ambiance of any space. Such features often come at a high cost; Philips Hue and Lifx sell color-enabled A19 bulbs (in the familiar bulb shape) for $50 and $45, respectively; Wyze has just introduced a color version of its E26 Wyze Bulb, available in a four-pack for $34.99. 99, or less than $9 per unit.

Another alternative is to use smart light switches. They are not as easy to install, but they can save money if you have a lot of outlets. Smart switches cost between $40 and $60, depending on brand and features, and can be used with several basic LED bulbs that cost about $1 each. In other words, a single smart switch can be more cost-effective than a set of high-end smart bulbs.

Electrical work can be dangerous, so consult an electrician if you are unfamiliar with your home's wiring. That said, we are confident that we can install smart switches. After all, this is a DIY project. I love smart lights, but I think I will take this approach.

Why. First, I need to organize the light fixtures into groups. I have a floodlight in the kitchen, a floodlight in the living room, and a spotlight in the foyer. Also, with smart light bulbs, each bulb needs to be configured individually, which can be a headache with software updates and glitches. Smart bulb apps and smart assistant platforms allow you to group bulbs as you wish, but do not prevent isolated problems.

Second, smart switches provide manual control that smart bulbs do not, unless you purchase a separate smart light remote control. The problem with having an intelligent space is that when we have guests over, they may get tripped up adjusting our devices. Also, my family and I may not want to use our voice or smart phones to turn on the lights or increase the brightness. And, of course, there are times when we forget to leave the remote control behind. With smart switches, I can use a wall-mounted toggle just like a standard switch. Smart lights, on the other hand, require the attached switch to be on at all times.

Tom's Guide has tested a number of good smart switches. Of these, we will be using one from Cync (formerly C by GE) for this renovation. While the C-Start Smart Switch Motion Sensing Dimmer is our top contender, the company offers an impressive line of smart switches for nearly all electrical wiring, including three-wire switches for homes without neutral wires.

For more recommended gadgets, be sure to check out my guide to the best smart home devices (and the best inexpensive smart home devices). I'll be back next week with another DIY smart home. And as always, if there's anything you'd like to see covered in Connected Spaces, please email me at [email protected] or leave a comment below.