Philips Hue launched a brand new model of its good Christmas lights earlier this fall deemed the Festavia string lights. Sensible house house owners have been ready for festive lights you’ll be able to management along with your voice for ages. Now after utilizing them for the previous few months, it’s protected to say that Philips Hue has delivered simply the answer – for those who’re keen to shell out sufficient frankincense, myrrh, and gold.
Philips Hue’s technique round decking the halls with festive lighting has been within the works for years at this level. Again in 2022, the corporate first launched the Festavia collection solely to have them promote out months earlier than December even arrived. Contemplate it a trial run, if you’ll. However now for 2023, the corporate is again with an precise rollout.
Proper when Philips Hue revealed its new Festavia good Christmas lights, I needed to rating a set. I opted to select up a set of the 65-foot lights which embody 250 of the color-changing bulbs and rapidly strung them up round my house. To not spoil an excessive amount of from the remainder of this story, however I fell in love with them immediately. A lot in order that I went out and purchased a second set of them now that there’s a Christmas tree proper within the middle of my lounge.
So now that I’ve used them for 2 completely different use circumstances, I’ve a number of ideas so share about the entire expertise. And it truly is a pricey one. There’s no getting round that the Philips Hue good Christmas lights are on the extra premium facet, making one of many costlier good house manufacturers much more so. The set that I picked up sells for $220 frequently, that means I dropped nearly $450 on Christmas lights.
Do I remorse it? That’s a bit extra difficult than simply answering sure or no, so indulge me somewhat.
I’ve been ready years for the power to purchase a string of Christmas lights, plug them in, after which start barking orders at Siri to show them not simply on or off, but in addition have my digital helper change the colours. I’ve tried each trick within the e-book up till now to transform your normal pair of lights over to the good facet, and now that it’s all stated and achieved I’m so glad to have a pair that I don’t must fuss with.
And earlier than I get too far forward of myself, the brand new Festavia lights arrive in two completely different lengths with completely different lighting zones for every. Like I stated already, I introduced house the 65-foot strand, however there’s additionally the 130-foot choice with 500 LED bulbs. Each is weather-resistant for out of doors use, and comes with both 5 or ten lighting zones relying on the size.
Proper out of the field, these are like some other launch from Philips Hue. The lights get plugged in with their weather-resistant energy provide after which might be paired along with your current Philips Hue bridge. Mine have been arrange in only a minute or so, with the act of truly stringing them across the Christmas tree being the much more time consuming half.
And now after utilizing them for awhile, I actually am offered. I like the good house management, with the multi-colored options actually being the one facet that promote these for me. Having 5 completely different lighting zones to tailor the lights to look nonetheless I like is precisely the explanation I wished to splurge on a extra premium lighting choice this 12 months, and Philips Hue is delivering. HomeKit assist might not be one of the best for this function, however I’m reminded simply how good the Hue app is.
By far the largest challenge with the Philips Hue Christmas lights is that I want they have been just a bit smarter. The principle offender of that is that I don’t assume there are sufficient animated lighting results obtainable within the app. I actually want that Philips Hue took the time to launch a brand new impact for these – one thing multicolored and Christmas-y would have gone a great distance. Those which are included proper now are very strong, however they simply lack the festivity I might have liked to see – particularly at $220 a pop.
I do admire that Philips Hue launched a couple of new lighting results just some months again, and so there’s much more methods to make the most of the 5 completely different lighting zones with animated scenes. But when there’s one factor that the corporate may do, it might offer the power to make your personal animated results like tons of different firms allow you to do.
9to5Toys’ Take
So again to that query of are the Philips Hue Festavia lights value it? I’d say so. I’ve had each strands arrange for a couple of week now and perhaps it’s the Christmas spirit in me hijacking the keyboard, however the novelty of getting all of those good options is actually not misplaced on me. I did even have the primary pair put in for about 2 months, and so the reply was just about locked within the second I went to go purchase a second strand of those good Christmas lights.
However I don’t assume everybody should purchase these. Solely extra hardcore good house house owners like myself are going to like these like I do. Individuals who will relish the entire customization and lighting results are going to seek out these to be the answer that many people have been ready for. And on the time of writing, you’ll be able to take 15% off each strands of Festavia lights, serving to you carry house somewhat good festivity for much less.
If you happen to’re on the fence, it’s simply a good suggestion to go seize a sensible plug and improve your current Christmas lights. The Philips Hue Sensible Plug is a simple advice as a result of we’re speaking concerning the ecosystem. However if you’d like only a standalone choice, the meross Matter Sensible Plug will work with just about each good house system, voice assistant, and good house on the market for under $16.
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