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The best smart outdoor lighting for backyards, pathways and more
By Rachel Cericola This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full guide to smart outdoor lighting for backyards, pathways, and more. Outdoor lighting isn't a splurge—it can save you from tripping on a dark pathway (again) or having to fumble for the right key. It enhances home security, and it can even light up a party. Smart outdoor lighting takes it to another level by adding automation, remote control, and other convenience features. We spent a month testing outdoor-rated smart bulbs, sconces, path lights, and spotlights, and found the best options for every outdoor scenario. The only smart outdoor bulb we tested with a built-in motion sensor, the floodlight-style Sengled Smart PAR38 LED Bulb can light up a driveway or backyard when you need it and not when you don't. It requires a Zigbee hub, but it also works directly with an Amazon Echo Plus. The motion sensor is especially useful if you want an outdoor bulb for security purposes, and you can adjust its settings so that it doesn't trigger too frequently or at the wrong time. The Ring Pathlight offers a near-instant option for providing helpful and elegant lighting to areas that may be tricky to navigate in the dark such as walkways or patios. It's powered by four D batteries, so you have no wires to deal with, and you can directly control it using an app or set it to turn on and off automatically through a built-in motion sensor. Because this model relies on non-rechargeable batteries, it's meant to light up for short periods of time—less than 15 minutes—so it may not be the best choice for anyone who needs constant lighting. The Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Calla Bollard is the best-looking smart outdoor light we tested—it's a perfect addition to any party. It has a slick design with a color-changing, dimmable LED at the top that can match outdoor decor or your mood. It does require a hub, such as the Hue Bridge, the Amazon Echo Plus, or the SmartThings Hub. It also requires a power supply (included in the base kit), which can accommodate up to five fixtures.
Pulse by Sengled: iOS-controllable LED lights, with speakers by JBL
Smartphone-controlled LED lights with integrated speakers are nothing new, but they've always had some shortcomings. For one thing, there was always the speakers, which seemed to be an added afterthought and never provided decent stereo sound. Sengled's new Pulse Dimmable LED lights with wireless speakers (US$179 for a pair) are the first to provide a master/satellite setup that ensures true stereo sound in a bright and energy-efficient light fixture. Specifications US Version: works in any standard E26 socket Power Consumption: 15W typical, 30W peak Dimensions: 5.46" height x 3.86" diameter Weight: 14.82 ounces Audio System Power: 13 watts, with 1.75" full-range high-fidelity speaker, 100 Hz - 20 kHz frequency response Bluetooth Standard: v2.1 + EDR, with A2DP, AVRCP, SPP profiles Design Where some of the early LED light/speaker combos had laughably bad designs, Sengled obviously put some thought into the design of the Pulse. The lights have a tympani-like shape, with a gentle flare and scalloping that's reminiscent of a tulip. There are two exterior finishes, pewter and candy apple red. Being almost 4 inches in diameter, you'll need to put some thought into what fixtures you put the lights into. Sengled's website shows the lights going into a recessed ceiling fixture, which would be perfect for this design. The lights are set up as a master device and a satellite device that can placed up to 100 feet apart (line of sight). Your iPhone or iPad, running the Pulse by Sengled app (free), can stream just about any music source directly to the master device. It then beams the stereo channel to the satellites (you will eventually be able to have up to eight speaker bulbs) over a 5 GHz wireless network. Functionality Installation of the Pulse lights is as simple as screwing a light bulb into a socket. Once the light is installed and power turned on, you fire up the app, which displays a welcome page while searching for the master light. Once connected, the app displays a control screen with two tabs -- "Lights" and "Sound". Each tab has a "dial" that you can swipe in a circle to control the intensity of the light or the volume of sound. It's a very intuitive UI, much easier to understand than some of the bizarre apps I've seen with other light/speaker combos. The app also includes an "equalizer", which is actually just 7 sound effect settings: normal, pop, jazz, classical, rock, vocal and movie. The sound from the speakers, as you'd expect, is quite a bit better than what I've heard from other light/speaker combos on the market. While it can't compete with dedicated wireless speaker systems, the sound from the JBL speakers is fairly impressive. Conclusion Pulse by Sengled is a well-designed light/speaker combo that addresses the poor audio quality associated with many similar products. The price is reasonable compared to other less-capable speaker lights, and the design is attractive and functional. Coupled with an easy-to-use iOS app, Pulse is definitely worth considering if you're in the market for this type of combination Bluetooth accessory. Rating: 3-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible
