Phillips hue vs Govee: Which smart light bulbs are best, and do you get what you pay for?

Buy now £69.88, Amazon.co.uk

• Light type: LED
• Wattage: 9 watts
• Connectivity: Bluetooth
• Fitting: B22 bayonet cap (other options available)
• Brightness: 800 lumens
• Works with: Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit (Hue Bridge required)

Unlike previous models, the latest generation of Philips hue bulbs do not require a hub connected to your Wi-Fi router to function. They can still connect to a hub if you already own one, but they also now include Bluetooth for direct control from the Hue app on your smartphone.

The hue app is attractive and intuitive, making it easy to set up the bulbs, add them to your existing system (or create a new one from scratch) and control them in just a few taps. Several lighting presets demonstrate what the bulbs are capable of, switching from the cool, bright “concentrate” mode, to a warmer, softer mode dubbed “relax”.

It’s also easy to pick any colour you like, with LED bulbs capable of shining 16 million different shades. Sliders make it simple to adjust the brightness and temperature of each colour, and there’s an automation system for configuring schedules, like one that gradually brightens the bulb to wake you up each morning.

Read more: 8 best smart lights for your connected home

That said, hue’s gradual wake-up function, plus many other features, are only available if the bulbs are connected to the hub mentioned earlier, known as the hue bridge (£44.99, Amazon.co.uk), and sold separately. This increases the maximum number of lights on a system from 10 to 50, adds support for Apple HomeKit, enables timers, and lets you control the light from anywhere, inside or outside of the home. Without the Bridge, the lights can only be controlled when within Bluetooth range of your smartphone.

For simpler applications, such as a bedside light or desk lamp, a Bluetooth connection without buying the Bridge is fine. But for the full Philips hue experience the Bridge is required. Take this step and you’re looking at a significant initial outlay for a hue starter pack (£169.99, Philips-hue.com), which includes three colour bulbs, the Bridge and a configurable wireless dimmer switch.

But, once you have coughed up for some bulbs, a Bridge and a dimmer switch, the hue product range is the best out there. As well as regular bulbs, Philips hue offers light strips (£63.38, Amazon.co.uk), weatherproof outdoor lighting (£65.38, Amazon.co.uk), decorative Edison-style filament bulbs (£19.99, Amazon.co.uk), lamps, spotlights, chandeliers, and even lights that synchronise with what you’re watching on TV (£103, Amazon.co.uk). It’s a comprehensive system that integrates neatly with other smart home platforms, but every component carries a high price.

Buy now £23.39, Govee.com

• Light type: LED
• Wattage: 9 watts
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi
• Fitting: B22 bayonet cap
• Brightness: 800 lumens
• Works with: Alexa, Google Assistant

Govee is one of a growing range of more affordable smart lighting systems. They work in a very similar way to the Philips hue bulbs (£69.88, Amazon.co.uk), yet are significantly cheaper.

Govee specialises more in smart LED light strips (£62.99, Govee.com), battery-powered table lamps (£41.39, Govee.com) and light bars (£51.99, Govee.com) than regular lights, and in fact the B22 bulbs featured here are the only ones the company currently sells. So if you need E27 bulbs or GU10 spot lights, you’ll have to look elsewhere.

Read more: 8 best smart plugs to save on energy bills and cut your costs

But, when viewed in isolation, the Govee Wi-Fi bulb represents excellent value for money. It has very a similar specification to those by Philips hue, although to our eyes the Govee seems less bright when displaying primary colours. But when set to white or a shade of yellow the two bulbs are equally brilliant.

Unlike Philips hue, these are Wi-Fi bulbs that connect directly to your router. This means they can be controlled from any distance (unlike Bluetooth bulbs) and don’t require any additional hardware, like the hue Bridge, to unlock every feature. Compatibility with Alexa and Google Assistant also means you can ask your smart speaker to adjust the lighting, or add the Govee bulbs to lighting systems already set up in the Alexa and Google Home apps. Do that, and there’s no need to actually use the Govee app.

For us, this is a good thing. The Govee app is perfectly functional, but lacks the polish and sense of quality offered by Philips hue. You are best using the Govee app to set the bulbs up, then hand over control to whichever smart home system you prefer. This then ensures you have a smart lighting system that can be used to fill entire rooms for a third of the price of its competitor.

Read more: 11 best smart speakers for great sound and virtual assistance in every room of your home

However, Govee lacks the more specialist lighting of hue, with no outdoor options or accessories like buttons, dimmer switches and motion sensors. But as a way of swapping out your regular B22 bulbs for smart, connected alternatives, Govee is hard to overlook.

A small potential downside is the extra weight of the Govee bulb compared to Philips hue, and how this could drag down a finely balanced anglepoise-style lamp. It works fine with ours, but we can’t speak for every lamp so thought the extra weight was worth highlighting.