'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?
ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.
When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.
ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form.
Philips Hue smart lighting starter kit is on sale for only $84 at Best Buy
As summer comes to a close and winter is on the horizon, we may be giving more thought to how comfortable our homes are through the season.
If you're looking to upgrade from standard bulbs to something smarter, you can take advantage of Best Buy's current sale on Philips Hue products. You can pick up a Philips Hue smart lighting starter kit containing four smart bulbs and a bridge device (although the latter isn't necessary for controlling your bulbs).
The Philips Hue smart lighting starter kit is on sale for $84, a 30% discount or savings of $36 on the typical $119 retail price.
Lighting and ambiance can often be an afterthought, but if planned correctly, can be a relaxing factor -- especially in the evenings and at night.
In my own living room setup, I have hanging LED drop lights around the curtains, LED strips behind the TV, and freestanding lamps. However, my two Philips Hue lights, connected to Alexa, are the light sources I use the most as they can be voice controlled.
While the Philips Hue starter set above is white only, and not color, the quality of the lighting is still superior to standard bulbs. I tend to set the lights up for a brighter white when I'm working or studying, and then I can dim them for a more relaxed setting when I'm relaxing.
You can also purchase a dual set of Philips Hue white LED bulbs for $21 at best Buy, a discount of $9.
If you are more interested in exploring colored options, Best Buy is also offering a Geek Squad refurb color starter kit for $134, saving customers $65 off the $199 RRP.