Whenever you think of smart home products, they normally come with a heavy price tag. Add Apple HomeKit support and the price will normally even be heftier. This is usually the only reason why some are still happy with dumb, LED lights – due to the price.
But what if you can get a smart light bulb for roughly the same price as a dumb light bulb? Surely there is no more excuse now, thanks to the LASER Connect SmartHome range. It’s definitely the first time in Australia where smart light bulbs are available for just $10!
CONNECT SmartHome – Smart White LED Light Bulbs
These LED light bulbs are available in different fittings: B22, E27 and E14 (in 10W and 5W options). The ones I have here are White LED bulbs, but you can control the white balance between warm and cool (creating either a Yellow or White ambiance). If you prefer the RGB version, they are just $15 more. However, for most parts of the house, the White LED light bulbs are definitely more than enough unless you want to make some creative ambiance in a room.
They can be switched on and off, dimmed, or even scheduled using the free CONNECT SmartHome app on Android/iOS.
I find that the lights are bright (which is great) and once the bulbs are set up, it’s quite easy to control them using the app. However, the highlight of the show is definitely the Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant support. I can simply ask Alexa to “turn bedroom lights on” whenever I walk into the room in the evening. I can also ask Alexa to set the lights to 20% whenever we have to wake up and feed our newborn. They work great and the response through the network is fast too.
In Alexa, you need to add a Skill called “Smart Life” by Tuya Inc, then enter your Connect SmartHome account (email address and password). The devices should now be discoverable in Alexa.
Visit all CONNECT SmartHome lighting range.
CONNECT SmartHome – Smart Wi-Fi Plug
If you’ve been wishing that you can turn your appliance on and off remotely, or check whether certain things are on when you left home, you are in for a treat. For just $18 (yes, $18), you’ll be getting a smart Wi-Fi plug from the CONNECT SmartHome range. Not only that, the plug actually comes with 2 USB Charging Ports as well. This way, you can use the USB to charge your phone and the power point for something else.
It can also be scheduled so that you only charge your phone at a certain time period, rather than leaving it being charged overnight – which some people are unhappy with. The USBs have 2.4A Shared Output and the the power point can support up to 2200W. Saying that, my Philips Azure Elite 2,400W iron seems to be able to run on the plug and I can turn it on and off remotely without issues.
I really love the slim design and I think LASER clearly gets it right. In fact, they are the one that gets it right. When plugged to a standard Australian’s dual outlet, it doesn’t block the other point unlike other smart plugs I’ve reviewed like the Eve Energy, D-Link Mini Wi-Fi Smart Plug, or SwannOne Smart Plug.
Connect Smart Wi-Fi plugs can be scheduled like the light bulbs, and you can even add a timer – which is perfect if you plug in an appliance like a dumb fan which doesn’t have a Sleep/Timer mode.
Visit CONNECT SmartHome power range.
CONNECT SmartHome by LASER offers simple and innovative smart home products at the cost of nothing. I really don’t know how they can make money out of these ridiculous prices. For just $10, you can get yourself really good quality, great performance light bulbs and you don’t even need to purchase a separate Hub like the Philips Hue balulbs. These are more like LIFX bulbs with their own Wi-Fi points, but even the LIFX mini White bulb costs AU$34.99 each.
Not to mention that CONNECT SmartHome bulbs also support Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can use your voice to turn the lights on and off, dim them, and with the app, you can even schedule them to automatically turn on and off.
With these crazy low prices, there is no more reason for you to hold back and make your home smarter. Seriously. You can purchase them at Harvey Norman, Domayne, or Joyce Mayne.
Disclosure: CONNECT SmartHome smart light bulbs and Wi-Fi plugs were supplied for reviewing but all opinions are mine and not paid
