This deal on a Philips Hue starter kit is the best one we've seen yet

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Instagram philipshueI've used a bunch of smart home accessories over the past year or so, but my favorite is still Philips' Hue bulbs.

They're convenient, fun, and a starter kit is currently 20 off on Amazon.

The kit includes three bulbs and a Hue Bridge, which connects them to your WiFi network and smart home hub.

Once you have a Hue Bridge, you can connect up to 50 devices, which should cover most people's smart home expansion plans.

You can set up and control the each bulb through the Hue app or if you want to get futuristic, connect all of them to an Amazon Echo and control them with your voice. These are color-capable smart bulbs, so you can change them to one of over a million colors, in addition to turning them on and off and adjusting their intensity. Although you might buy these thinking about the fun ways to use them — turning your kitchen lights blue is actually pretty awesome — they can be used for more practical reasons.

Putting specific lights both in and outside your house on a schedule can improve its security and lower your electricity bill. You can sidestep having to use light switches if they're in an inconvenient place or finicky. Some people even use them to wake up in the morning, preferring to get woken up by gradually more intense light rather than an annoying sound.

Whatever your use case ends up being, I've found myself missing Hue bulbs when I'm visiting friends and family who don't have them. It's easy to get used to controlling the lights with your voice, and finding new ways to use them ends up solving problems I didn't know I had.

If you've been interested in starting a smart home, but don't know where to start, this sale is definitely worth your time.

Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Starter Kit 3rd Generation , 179.84 normally 199.99 , available at Amazon Save 20

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