Innr Smart Bulb Color
One-minute review
Innr may not be a name that instantly springs to mind for smart home gadgets. However, created by two former Philips managers, the brand has been around since 2012. It has its sights firmly set on Philips Hue and LIFX, giving those brands a run for their money when it comes to affordable smart light bulbs.
Not only are the bulbs up to half the price of many on the market right now, they can also be used with a selection of Zigbee hubs such as the Hue Bridge, SmartThings and even the Amazon Echo 4th generation, making them an ideal way to expand an existing smart lighting system for less.
The smart lights work just as you’d expect, replacing your existing bulbs so you can brighten, dim, and switch them on and off from the app, while also changing the color from one of 16 million shades on offer. On test, we found the bulbs were responsive to commands from the app. There’s also a handy mode that randomizes switching the light on and off to simulate occupancy.
As well as using the Innr app, if you’re using the Innr bridge – currently only available in the UK – or a compatible app such as Philips Hue, the smart lights also offer support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, allowing you to use your voice to control them, too. However, there’s no HomeKit integration.
The bulbs are only available with a screw fitting; anyone wanting a bayonet fitting will have to buy adapters. This may result in the bulbs protruding from a lamp shade, for example, slightly spoiling the aesthetic. However, for those looking for affordable, responsive smart lights that let you automate your home or strengthen your security strategy when you’re away from the property, the Smart Bulb color are worth considering.
Innr Smart Bulb Color price and availability
- List price: $49.99 / £46.99
The Innr Smart Bulb color lights are available in a twin pack, costing $49.99 / £46.99. The bulbs are available from Amazon, as well as from Innr direct.
As we’ve already mentioned, the bulbs require a Zigbee hub to work. If you don’t have a Hue Bridge, SmartThings hub or Amazon Echo (4th generation) in your home, then you’ll need to purchase the Innr bridge, which costs £36.99. However, the latter is currently only available in the UK, although Innr does plan to launch it in the US but couldn’t provide a timeline.
Innr also offers the bulbs in tunable white, which let you adjust the shade of white, from cool to warm. These are slightly cheaper at $22.99 / £32.99 for a twin pack.
Design
- E27 screw fitting
- Requires Zigbee hub
- 800 lumens
The Innr Smart Bulb color looks like a regular light bulb. It comes with a E27 screw fitting, and is the traditional size and shape of a regular bulb, with the globe of the bulb sporting an opaque finish.
Like other smart bulbs, Innr’s units are heavier than the non-smart equivalent; however, for most lamps this shouldn’t cause an issue. In the UK, Innr also offers a range of smart bulbs with other fittings including GU10 spotlights, candle bulbs and even filament bulbs.
The Innr Smart Bulb color is an LED bulb, with brightness measured in lumens, as opposed to the watts of incandescent bulbs. It offers 800 lumens of light, which is the equivalent of that given off by a 60W incandescent bulb.
The bulbs can be tuned to glow any of 16 million different shades, so expect a rainbow of colors and white light ranging from 1,800 Kelvins (a really warm amber hue) to 6,500 Kelvins (a shade with a bluish tint).
As we’ve already mentioned, the Innr Smart Bulb color smart lights require a Zigbee-compatible bridge to connect to the internet, so the bulbs can be controlled even when you’re not around.
For this review, we used the Innr Smart Bulb color with the Innr bridge. This white plastic hub is extremely compact and lightweight, measuring 2.44 x 2.44 x 0.87 inches / 6.2 x 6.2 x 2.2cm; it weighs 1.4 oz / 39g. It connects to the internet via Wi-Fi and features three LEDs on the top that glow white when the bridge is powered on and has internet access.
Performance
- Responsive color changes
- Range of cool and warm tones
- Holiday mode simulates occupancy
Setup is quick and simple. Once we connected the Innr bridge to our Wi-Fi network using the Innr app, we were then able to add the bulb by scanning a QR code printed on the bulb itself. Following a few taps, we were able to control it remotely.
The bulb responded almost instantly to our commands in the app to switch it on or off, and the same was true when we changed its color, choosing one of 10 presets (four tones of white and six offering a rainbow of vivid shades). Response was also instant when we used Alexa to repeat the same task, or for activating routines, such as switching off all the Innr lights in the house off on saying “Goodnight”.
The Holiday mode proved useful, randomly switching the lights on and off throughout the day to simulate occupancy.
The Innr bulbs offer an estimated 25,000-hour lifetime, which is identical to that of the Philips Hue. This equates to a little over 13.5 years when illuminated for five hours per day.
App
- Easy to navigate
- Integration with Alexa, Google Assistant
- Geofence uses you location to switch the bulbs on or off
The Innr app is neatly laid out and simple to use. We were able to assign each bulb to a different room in the house, and switch each room on or off using just a single tap. It was just as simple to control bulbs individually, too.
The app offers five preset scenes, which tweak the brightness and color of the bulb, for activities such as reading, working or a dim light for night-time, for all of the bulbs in one room. The presets can be activated on all bulbs connected to the Innr app in just one tap, although you can also create your own scenes.
There’s also a routines function, which Innr says can be applied to the whole house rather than just individual rooms. These routines make it possible to automate the bulbs to switch on or off based on a specific time – when the sun rises or sets, for example – as well setting them to gradually illuminate or fade to black to help you wake up and nod off to sleep. Alternatively, opt for the geofence feature that will automatically activate these routines when you arrive home or leave your property.
Should I buy the Innr Smart Bulb Color?
Buy it if...
You want to expand a Philips Hue system on a budget
At over half the cost of the equivalent lights from Philips Hue, the Innr Smart Bulb color lights are ideal if you want to expand an existing Hue system without the hefty price tag.
You primarily use Alexa or Google Assistant
Integration with Alexa and Google Home means you can control these bulbs easily using your voice. We tested the bulbs with Alexa and they responded to commands quickly, making them a great choice for those who prefer to use voice control over apps.
You want smart lights to improve the security of your home
Including a Holiday mode to randomize the switching on and off of lights while you’re away from home to simulate occupancy, these bulbs are a great choice for anyone for whom security is a priority for investing in smart lights.
Don't buy it if...
You use HomeKit
Unfortunately, these smart bulbs aren’t compatible with the Apple HomeKit ecosystem. If you’ve opted for HomeKit over Alexa and Google Assistant, then give these bulbs a miss.
You need bayonet fittings
The Innr Smart Bulb color only come with a screw fitting. If your existing bulbs are bayonet, you’ll need to invest in an adapter, which may make them protrude from the lamp shade.
You want to sync your lights and music
Unlike Philips Hue and LIFX, there’s no way to get these smart bulbs to pulse in time to music without the need for third-party solutions. If you’re after smart lights that can help your party go with a bang, look elsewhere.
First reviewed: March 2022
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