Replacing bulbs with smart bulbs - advice please.

[jimox]

Hi all,
Just seen a copper on breakfast tv telling you not to close your curtains when you go on hols etc - I've done this for years and set timers around the house to switch table lamps on /off - in the kitchen I plonk one on top of the wall cabinet.

Now I've decided to swap the lamps for smart ones so I can leave the curtains open.

My son gave me his old Amazon Alexa Dot thingy a while back so I want to start using this to set up a routine with the app when I'm away.My 2 kitchen lights are dimmable bayonet, warm white sort of retro filament ones and my wife would prefer similar smart ones.I read that smart ones can't be used with dimmer switches so I'll have to replace the 2 gang dimmer switch.
I noticed there seems to be more choice for E27 fittings so thought I might put in new E27 lampholders or pendants but can't see any on Screwfix or Toolstation - any explanation why? Edit - just seen an explanation on here! So I'll have to find bayonet ones

Also I noticed a lot of the smart bulbs say "Alexa compatible" but also say "works with Philips Wiz" or whatever in the main description .Does this mean I would have to have another app to turn lights on/off when I'm away or will Alexa routines work with them?
And there's more.....just been told by my son that he uses Philips Hue bulbs but has to have something called a bridge! Bleeding hell I thought it would be easy. Is there no way I can just stick 2 smart bulbs in, download an app and control the lights when I'm away?

Any advice welcomed thanks.

 

[ericmark]

I don't use Alexa, but Google Mini's however I would assume same idea with both. Most devices be it a bulb, switch, or relay need an app to set them up, but once set up they can be linked to in my case google home.

Smart stuff needs power to work, and the power to work direct with a router is higher than power needed to work with a hub, so many devices have a hub which reduces the power needed, but some will work direct, and also 2.4 G has larger range to 5 G so most need setting up with 2.4 G and I find easier to use tablet to change phone to 2.4 G.

I note my Tapo (TP-Link) switches have a dawn and dusk setting, and a random setting to make it look if the house is occupied, these features seem to change make to make, so can't say what makes have the features.

With a bulb you need to have the light left switched on, and a power cut or turning the light switch off/on the bulb defaults on, with most smart switches the default is off, the Tapo smart switch has a battery, so power cuts do not affect it. So I have been leaning towards the smart switch.