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two minute review
The YZ LED Strip Smart Light is a simple and nice addition or starting point to your smart home, offering 840-lumen output in 16 million colors and compatibility with Alexa, Google, and Siri Shortcuts. At the time of writing, WiZ is in the process of rolling out Matter support for older devices, so you can’t use Apple HomeKit to control these lights just yet.
The 13ft / 4-metre kit I tested was reasonably priced at $34.99 / £29.99. it is available from wiz store In the US and at Argos in the UK as well as on Amazon, where it can be shipped from Europe to Australia. Otherwise, this light strip isn’t currently available in Australia, although given the number of products WiZ makes with it, it should be expected that eventually it will be available as well. There are also more expensive varieties available in the US and Australia that offer slightly higher total lumen output and lighter color.
Although WiZ is owned by the same company as Philips Hue, the two brands operate very differently; You certainly can’t expect the same intelligence and control from affordable WiZ lights as you do with more premium Hue lights. we have compared WiZ vs Philips Hue If you want more details. Closest option from Hue is Ambience Lightstrip Plus Smart LightWhich is half the length and double the price at $99.99 / £79.99 / AU$149.95.
Broadly speaking, the WiZ LED Strip Smart Lights offer easy installation – simply remove the 3M backing, power off and switch on your lights, follow the in-app pairing guide, and you’re good to go. The pairing process can be a bit confusing; For example, it guides you to toggle the switch three times to initiate pairing, but it’s unclear whether it’s referring to the main, rather than the controls that come with the WiZ Strip Light. It’s also worth noting that you’ll need 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, as unlike the Philips Hue lights, the WiZ Bridge can’t connect via Bluetooth.
These lights can be cut every 10 inches / 25 cm to better fit the space you want to illuminate – plus you can buy extensions. They can’t fold corners, so you’re better off lining up straight edges. Alternatively (and at your own risk) you might consider purchasing a 6-pin corner piece, which will allow you to connect two strips at one corner or reconnect the cutoff.
Now, on to the interesting part; How do these light strips perform? In keeping with their more affordable price point, the WiZ lights are vibrant and have transformed my dismal kitchen counter into a warmer and more ambient space, however, they are not as bright as other strip lights available. Some of the red-toned colors are a bit washed out, but minimally.
The app isn’t as sophisticated as Philips Hue in any form or function, but it certainly looks similar and offers some nice features, including 33 presets and optional customized settings. You can also set scenes (room-wide pre-sets) and rhythms (matching the light according to the time of day), or schedule your lights.
Especially considering how much more affordable these smart lights are than smart lights like Hue, I’d say the YZ LED Strip Smart Lights are worth it. For first-time smart home buyers or those already in the WiZ ecosystem, they’re a great option for brightening up any room and adding a little ambiance. However, if you want something that plays well in the wider smart home ecosystem or works with Apple HomeKit, it’s not the best option.
WiZ LED Strip Smart Light: Specifications
| WiZ LED Strip Smart Light | |
|---|---|
| worth: | $34.99 / £29.99 |
| designed for: | any room in the house |
| Connectivity: | 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi |
| voice command compatibility | Alexa, Google, Siri Shortcut, IFTTT, SmartThings |
| Lumen Output at 4000K: | up to 840 |
| Lifetime: | 15,000 hours |
| light color: | 2700-5000(RGB) |
| Length | 13 ft / 4 m |
Wyze LED Strip Smart Light: Should I Buy It?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
WiZ LED Strip Smart Light: Also Consider
| WiZ LED Strip Smart Light | nanoleaf essential lightstrip | philips hue lightstrip plus | |
|---|---|---|---|
| worth: | $34.99 / £29.99 | $49.95 / £44.99 / AU$99.99 | $99.99 / £79.99 / AU$149.95 |
| Connectivity: | 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi | thread, bluetooth | Bluetooth, Philips Hue Bridge |
| voice command compatibility | Alexa, Google, Siri Shortcut | Apple HomeKit and the Google Assistant | Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit |
| Lumen Output at 4000K: | up to 840 | up to 2,200 | up to 1,600 |
| Lifetime: | 15,000 hours | 25,000 hours | 20,000 |
| light color: | 2700-5000(RGB) | unknown | unknown |
WiZ LED Strip Smart Light Still Not Sold? Here’s how it compares to two similar products.
How I Tested the WiZ LED Strip Smart Light
- I spent a few days testing the WiZ LED Strip Smart Light
- I installed Lites and tried all the features and functions of the app
- I also compared the hue and saturation of the colors with my Philips Hue light.
To test the YZ LED Strip Smart Light, I mounted the lights under my cabinet and set up the app, connecting the lights to my 2.4GHz Wi-Fi.
I used all the settings and features in the app to test performance, and tried using both Alexa and Shortcuts to control the device.
I used my Philips Hue Go table lamp as a reference point for color payoff in these lights, as well as comparing color samples to light sprays.
