The Best Smart Strip Lights
Smart strip lights are versatile. They’re a trendy toy for teens and beloved by social media influencers for their eye-popping visual effects. But they also work great for more grown-up needs, like creating over-counter task lighting in the kitchen or a decorative element around a fireplace mantel or window. Designed to be more permanent than seasonal string lights , smart strip lights are made of a flexible rubbery material with LEDs embedded, and many can be extended or even trimmed down with scissors to meet the needs of your space. Many have special modes, like being able to sync to music, and they can be put on Schedules or triggered on or off by other smart devices. We like the TP-Link Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Light Strip L930-5 because it delivers bright, accurate colors, yet it’s easy to use and includes several special features at an affordable price.
All smart light strips include a small controller box, which needs to be mounted correctly or it can weigh down the strip and cause it to sag.
Smart light strips have adhesive backing, which makes them easier to install. Never use tacks or staples because they can cause an electrical short.
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, IFTTT, Samsung SmartThings
The TP-Link Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Light Strip L930-5 provides the best user experience we found in a smart light strip. There’s no learning curve here: Setup and control are both simple, and all of the features are straightforward and easy to use. This smart light strip also produces accurate colors and brightness on a par with or better than other strip lights that cost the same. The Tapo L930-5 also has more features than any other one we tested. These features include several preset Scenes and Animations (having different colors cycle through the strip), as well as an Away Mode (for triggering the lights to a specific setting when you leave the house). And the Tapo L930-5 is the only one of our picks that supports the top three smart-home platforms.
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Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home
Govee provides more special effects and customization than any other brand we’ve tested, and the Govee RGBIC LED Strip Lights set is a little cheaper than our top pick, the Tapo L930-5. However, this model isn’t quite as bright as the Tapo L930-5, and it doesn’t have the same protective coating (so it may be less durable). It’s also missing some features, like Away Mode, HomeKit support, and energy monitoring. Though this set does have lots of fun and useful extra features, some people may find the companion app’s learning curve to be overwhelming. The Govee RGBIC set is best for teens and anyone who likes to tinker.
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home
If you want a strip light that can also light up a counter, or even a room, while also adding decorative ambiance, get the Govee LED Strip Light M1. This Govee model has more LEDs per meter than any product we tested, and as a result it’s able to emit more lumens and also bolder colors. Like our top pick, it has a protective polyurethane coating, so it’s sturdy and resistant to moisture. The Govee M1 also has all of the same special effects and features as our runner-up model, the Govee RGBIC. But it suffers from the same drawbacks as well—no HomeKit support, no Away Mode, and an app that’s loaded with tons of options but few instructions. If you plan to make use of all those features and aren’t technically inclined, you may find the app unwieldy.
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT
The Wyze Light Strip Pro is the most affordable option for adding accent lighting in your living space, whether it’s to jazz up a dank basement, add character to a dull dorm room, or give your kitchen space a stylish dash. It’s the least expensive model we tested, yet it produces colors and brightness similar to that of our runner-up model, the Govee RGBIC. Aside from music sync features, there aren’t many special effects or scene presets, and the Wyze app doesn’t allow you to create your own. Because this model is so basic, it’s also very easy to use, making it a good option for anyone who just wants something that works.
