Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
For those who might want their smart lighting to also double as decor, the LIFX Wi-Fi LED Beam is almost like having your own art installation at home. LIFX already makes a great light strip that provides great mood lighting but it's meant to be hidden behind the back of a table or under the stairs. The LIFX Wi-Fi LED Beam attaches to the walls in a very visible way and can be used as decor - or in this case, smart decor.
Best Buy You can frame the Beams around furniture, doorways, or even windows.
This isn't your average light strip - the pieces are inflexible and don't bend. The kit includes six Beams, each a foot long, as well as a corner unit that can be used to create a right angle. The Beams are 1.37 inches wide and 0.78 inches thick, so they're not subtle - they're supposed to draw attention to themselves.
The Beams supports 16 million colors, which is the same amount that the Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus can emit, but can be programmed to display just one or and an entire range of colors, which can create cool effects and makes the Beam infinitely more interesting.
The Beams do need to be plugged into an outlet to work and that changes the design a little. It's worth looking into wall-mounted cable clips or using some other cable management system to ensure that the aesthetic of the cable doesn't ruin the look of the Beams when mounted on a wall.
There are two parts to setting up the LIFX Beams - mounting the Beams and connecting the whole thing to the LIFX app. Mounting is simple, thanks to the fact that theBeams have 3M Command Strips on the back that you just peel and attach to the wall wherever you want them. Each Beam connects to the next through magnetic pins on each end, so they snap into place easily. There's also corner piece so that you can use to create right angles if you want.
Connecting the Beam to the app is also easy, though it's not the fastest or most reliable - we'd give that title to Philips Hue. Once you create an account, connect the lights to its own Wi-Fi network and then connect that to your home Wi-Fi.
There are plenty of smart light strips out there, but few are like the LIFX Wi-Fi LED Beam. That's because other light strips are largely built to be hidden under or behind things - not built to be mounted proudly on a wall like these Beams.
One of the best things about the Beams is that they work in zones. So while you could set a Beam to show one solid color, you can customize up to 10 zones on each Beam to be a different color for infinite customization. I found that the app was a little buggy during this customization process, but not the worst issue so I just dealt with it.
It's also a nice touch that the Beams can be installed in a right angle; the connector piece is perfect for framing furniture, the corner of a window, or doorway.
Another nice thing about LIFX lights is that they can be controlled through various smart home ecosystems. While you'll have to do the bulk of the customization through the LIFX app, you can still control the Beams through Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa just like any other smart light strip or bulb. Being able to turn the lights on and change the brightness with just my voice is always fun.
Best Buy The Beams support 16 million colors and can be customized for endless combinations.
As mentioned, the LIFX app can be a little buggy and I found that to be true when you try to customize the lights. A few times when I tried to customize a Beam, it reset itself to a previous customization. After a few attempts, it eventually conformed to how I wanted, but it still took a few tries. The app was also a little slow to load some screens, but again, it got there eventually.
The other downside to the Beam kit is the fact that it's expensive at $130, so it's not an impulsive purchase by any means.
These LIFX Beams is a great way to add some nice accent lighting to your home. Sure, it's a little expensive and the app is little buggy, but in the end, it gets there. The real reason to think about getting the LIFX LIFX Wi-Fi LED Beam is that it's infinitely customizable and looks great as decor once it's set up even if you set each zone to one color.
Pros: Looks great, bright, highly customizable, works with range of smart home ecosystems
Cons: Expensive, app is a little buggy
Subscribe to our newsletter.
Find all the best offers at our Coupons page.
Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the Insider Picks team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.
Stock markets stage strong rebound after 4 days of slump; Sensex rallies 599 pts
Sustainable Transportation Alternatives
10 Foods you should avoid eating when in stress
8 Lesser-known places to visit near Nainital
World Liver Day 2024: 10 Foods that are necessary for a healthy liver
These $130 light beams are like an art installation in your living room - they add great accent lighting and can support 16 million colors9 remedies we use to tame our springtime allergies - from soft tissues to a powerful air purifier50+ of the best deals you'll find during Bloomingdale's big clothing and home saleMy husband and I fight over the unisex body-care line you've seen all over Instagram - we both agree it's that goodCopyright © 2024. Times Internet Limited. All rights reserved.For reprint rights. Times Syndication Service.
Next Story
