Smart light bulbs are a great way to combine style, convenience and efficiency. If you’re wondering how smart lights work, smart bulb screws into a lamp or light fixture just like any other bulb. However, a smart bulb allows you to have more control over your lighting without you even touching the light switch.

Through an app on your smartphone, tablet or other device, you can change the color quality of a multicolor smart bulb, dim the lighting for a party atmosphere and even create fun colorful effects. Smart light bulbs can even sync to your smart speaker or smart display so that you can use Alexa, Siri or another assistant to control your lighting with a simple voice command.

It’s easy to pre-program lights to turn off or on at certain times, which is great for increasing security when you’re away from home. If home security and convenience are priorities, consider investing in security lights, smart light switches or dimmers or smart power strips for increased control over all the lighting and electronics in your home.

When purchasing a smart light bulb, you’re actually beginning to invest in a smart lighting system for your home. So, in addition to making sure you get the right size bulb for your fixture, you may want to look into what to know before buying a smart lighting system, like compatibility with your existing smart home devices.

If you want mood lighting or pops of color in your lighting arrangement, think about whether you might want smart accent lighting, like smart LED light strips. Having smart LED bulbs and accent lighting can quickly transform your ordinary room into one that feels like a relaxing spa, a fun movie theater, a romantic restaurant and so much more.

In terms of sizes, A19 light bulbs are the most popular size for lamps while PAR38 and BR30 bulbs are common in fixtures. G25 and ST19 bulbs can be fun and artsy options for exposed bulbs. And, anytime you are purchasing bulbs for outside, make sure to choose outdoor bulbs that are designed for those conditions. That way, you can add some much needed illumination to the outdoor oasis of your dreams.