Best Smart Light Strips for Homekit - Philips Hue vs Nanoleaf vs Vocolinc

How do you decide which smart light strips for Homekit are right for you? Is the new #Thread technology really the best?
I researched and tested 3 great brands of smart light strips for my Homekit smart home. I'll review some of my favourites at each price point - Vocolinc coming in at the lowest cost, the new Nanoleaf essentials coming in mid-range and the higher end Philips Hue. I’ve also chosen these lights strips because they connect using different technology. Thread is fast, new and exciting, Zigbee is tried and true and Wifi offers compatibility without additional costs of a bridge.
Smart LED Light Strips are great for accent lighting for areas such as under cabinets, behind TV’s, headboards.
What are some factors you should consider before purchasing a smart LED light strip?
Supported Platform, Length Required, Technology, Brightness and Colour Intensity
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:48 Choosing a Smart LED Light Strip
2:50 Unboxing & Comparison
3:00 Vocolinc Light Strip
3:54 Nanoleaf Essentials Light Strip
4:50 Philips Hue Light Strip
5:57 Native App Installation
6:16 Light Strip Test & Comparison
7:55 Kitchen Island Comparison - Diffused light
9:47 Final Thoughts
*AFFILIATE LINKS* I may get a small commission at no cost to you if you decide to purchase using these links and would help support my channel.
Philips Hue LED Light Strip Plus v4: geni.us/Q3wC
Philips Hue LED Light Strip Plus v4 Base + Extension: amzn.to/3sz4pw5
Philips Hue LED Light Strip 1M Extension: amzn.to/39p7Huj
Vocolinc LS1 Lightstrip: geni.us/r6mWsh
Vocolinc Lightstrip extension: geni.us/WDlKD
Viewers recommended:
Eve Light Strip: geni.us/Dqeeg7
#BestSmartLightStripsforHomekit #SmartLEDLightStrips #Homekit #Philipshue #Nanoleaf #Vocolinc #Thread #TheThreadGroup #Wifi #Zigbee #threadprotocol #Smarthomeideas #BestLEDLightstrips #amazonlightstrips #LEDLights #Smarthomeautomation #Smarthome2021 #Smarthomelighting #TheBradLloyd #Threadaccessorieshomekit #Threadaccessories #Smarthomedevices #Homekitsmartlights #howtochooselightstrip #Nanoleafproducts #Hue #Philipshueproducts #Vocolincproducts #Smartlightcomparison #Lumens #Colouredlightstrips #coloredlightstrips #Smarthomecanada #2021Smarthome #Workswithapplehomekit #Homekitcommunity #Teamhomekit

[@wyatt5791]

This was very helpful! I was just looking for new smart lights. Great vid!

[@TheBradLloyd]

Awesome, Glad I could help!

[@ryandriscoll2747]

Just found your channel & I LOVE IT! Very insightful, videos are clean, professional and high quality. Best of all though, you're from Ontario!! Love the Canadian representation!! Also knew you were Canadian from dropping the O's 😉 Keep the content coming pal!

[@ShaneCreates]

Great video Brad, well done! Your kitchen looks great!

[@TheBradLloyd]

Thanks so much Shane!

[@TechUpChannel]

Great video as always!!

[@TheBradLloyd]

Thanks Josh, appreciate your support!

[@nicholas790]

Absolutely agree, Nanoleaf is the best overall, Thread (fast response), decent brightness and NO STUPID HUB! I will never again buy a homekit product that requires a hub! NEVER! My Hue Hub failed and while they did eventually replace it, there would have been no issue in the first place if there was no hub required. Thank you for daring to tell it like it is. I'm sure Phillips is not your best friend but fellow Homekit users need to know that Phillips Hue products are over priced and not worth the money (and hassles). Bravo!

[@Collective_Oilers]

Solid review - I just started with my first strips and went with Nanoleaf. Two strips so far and I love how responsive they are with the HP Mini - Thread will be a market changer. So we need to add a $130 Canadian HP Mini into the equation to really access Nanoleaf’s strips. When you consider that, it’s pretty much on par with Philips Hue.

[@TheBradLloyd]

Hey, that's awesome. Hope you are enjoying them as much as I am. If you are starting from scratch and buying the HP mini simply as a hub, great point and totally agree. The HP mini has A LOT to offer in terms of a smart speaking and a great home assistant, especially for homekit. The #thread capability is a bonus for me, IMO. I think I'd want a HP mini either way 😂

[@theexpatgunner]

Just picked up the Nanoleaf essentials strip for my TV centre and the E27 bulbs for the kitchen, both work great. 👍

[@monmon4575]

All three brands offer great options for Homekit integration, but in terms of innovation and unique design, Nanoleaf really stands out.

[@Zhianjo]

Nice review. I have Nanoleaf and Philips Hue in my house they work perfectly. The only thing is in the Nanoleaf app you see the Philips Hue bulbs but the other way around you don't and that's the only negative part of Philips Hue app. But together these two products make a fantastic light "show".

[@neilmackinder2267]

Super review Brad. I’m looking for a light strip to place behind my TV, and this gives me a great comparison. I think I’ll go with the Philip’s Hue lights as I’ve already got a hub and I like to minimize the number of manufacturers I use. I don’t own anything from the other two (yet). By the way... I like your home.

[@TheBradLloyd]

Thanks Neil, appreciate your feedback! I love the Philips Hue light strip, I actually ended up permanently installing it under our kitchen island and moved the Nanoleaf light strip since I had an extension to behind our main TV. Good choice, the Philips hue is bright and is very responsive!

[@somedudewithakeyboard]

@Neil MacKinder For a TV you’d want a true bias lighting solution with highest CRI (color reproduction index) and 6500K color temperature. Other colors are just marketing fluff which will destroy your viewing experience. I can assert that as a long term owner on Philips TVs with their Ambilight tech. Once I learned about bias lighting I never looked back. One such product is MediaLight Mk2.

[@noelyboy6969]

Got the Nanoleaf bulbs today and are great

[@TheBradLloyd]

That is awesome! I'm loving mine as well!

[@sunshineprogamer]

I own a bunch of Hue lights but none of them is a strip light, but I do own the Vocolinc and a one light strip from LIFX, and both work well, I do want to point out that the Vocolinc gave a lot of connection issues in the past, but maybe they finally got an update that sorted those issues out because it's been very reliable for a long time, and the other thing that I'm still not 100% sure yet, is that if you own some Wemo smart plugs, they interfere with the Hue bridge signal, I have an entertainment area with a Hue Bloom and a couple Hue Play bars behind my TV, and they have always been the most reliable until a few weeks ago, and first I didn't know the reason because all my other Hue lights in my house (basement, living room and master bedroom) were working properly, so I started trying everything, I even got mesh wifi (but I returned it because it wasn't that and that was causing some issues with my cameras) so finally I asked myself what was the last smart device I bought? and it was the Wemo mini smart plug, and it's a shame because it works perfectly, but when I unplug it, my Hue lights in the same room came back online again, I haven't tried again to see if I plug it back will give me the same issue but I just wanted to mention it here in case anyone else experience a similar issue.

[@TheBradLloyd]

Thanks for sharing. It is definitely great to know incase someone else is having similar issues. That's interesting, I have a couple of Wemo switches and haven't experienced this issue yet. I can relate to your situation though and how frustrating it is when something interferes with your set up. Troubleshooting can be painful but glad you got it sorted out!

[@Mr_RiceGuy]

Nice video. Great content! Do you control the light the same way as you would with Google by saying it too Siri through the HP/mini?

[@TheBradLloyd]

Basically yet. Just “Hey Siri” then tell the light strip to turn on. Or, more commonly, I have light strips included in a scene with other lights and accessories. So then I just ask Siri to activate the scene.

[@dannybroddy]

Loved this review Brad! I was an early adopter of Hue and have been using it since 2016 including the 2nd Gen light strip which is still going strong! However, I have recently purchased the nanoleaf light strip and two light bulbs for accent lighting in my Rec room and wife’s craft room. I love them, thread makes these super fast and the brightness and colour are impressive and the colour amazing! Plus the price makes this more affordable than Hue. Don’t get me wrong, I’m looking to purchase a Hue Gradient and play box for my upstairs tv but nanoleaf will be a great option for the future!

[@TheBradLloyd]

That is awesome! I agree a Hue Gradient Strip would look amazing in future with playbox. Thanks for sharing your feedback and for watching! I was impressed by how bright the Nanoleaf and Hue LED strips were. In some places, they could be used as a primary light source!

[@dannybroddy]

@@TheBradLloyd totally, I love how light strips can paint walls!

Hey there, are Nanoleaf led strips water-resistant? Could be good for bathroom use or avoid it? Do you have any experiments on Yeelight light strips as they also work with Homekit and they have a pretty decent outcome as I see from some of the reviews.

[@startingfromabsolute]

Nano leaf looked the best. Curious to see if they are available in Europe. Great video. Nice kitchen by the way.

[@Tomas_Anders]

Thanks! :)

[@graham2425]

I have meross light strip and they seem to work really well and reliable

[@TheBradLloyd]

Yes, I've heard great things about Meross light strips! Thanks for sharing!

[@graham2425]

@@TheBradLloyd no problem yes they are really good I’ve got a few meross products and they all seem too be great and reliable!

[@Nick19837]

Great video as always. Does the cut off portion of the light strips become trash? Or are they still usable after being cut?

[@TheBradLloyd]

Trash unfortunately. Cut carefully!

[@timothypaul4956]

Hi Brad. Ty you for the video. I found the comparisons very helpful. 2 questions. Are any of these weather proof ? Id love to install some on my outside foyer. Also, in the kitchen what do people do around microwave ovens and stuff. Can you cut them, run some jumper wires, and then continue?

[@TheBradLloyd]

Thanks Timothy, I appreciate it. I might get into outdoor light strips on my deck this spring/summer... Great questions! These ones I reviewed in the video are not outdoor rated however, there are LED strips out there that work well outdoors. Here is the link to a Philips Hue Outdoor LED strip on Amazon: (affiliate link, I may get a small commission at no cost to you and supports the channel :-D) amzn.to/3rxkhOh 
Here is a link to @Shanecreates that I would recommend you check out. He has a video about installing under cabinet light strips that should answer your question and shows how to cut them and use a wire to create a break and make space for a microwave/range hood so a great one to check out. kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5e3lWRomc10hpo I have also included @Moderndaytech's video. Eric shows how to cut light strips in all kinds of ways to install on shelving. The video has great detail which could also be helpful. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKnaiXdpmJWnmc0 Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.

[@BVonBuescher]

@@TheBradLloyd dude this is a phenomenal response! You just picked up a sub today, sir!

[@carlossalazar3325]

Cool video, Honestly i think the Philips where the best but are to expensive and i don’t wanna have to buy a hue (the homepod at least do other things) and the vocolin are pretty good actually. I think that if they add threads they would be the winners for their price

[@TheBradLloyd]

Hi Carlos. After several months of use - I have to say Vocolinc are not great. Often unresponsive and the whites are not nearly as good as Hue or Nanoleaf.

[@mathrocks7591]

Very helpful. How did you find a Nanoleaf?

[@TheBradLloyd]

Glad to hear it was helpful. I have been watching stock so closely and I lucked out and found it on the Online Apple Store here in Canada. I just checked and for any one in 🇨🇦out there, it's still in stock at the moment!

[@melaniewasonmusic]

With cutting the strip lights, does anyone know if it’s possible to use both sections? (E.g. connect offcut to another adapter?)

[@hungsiu2859]

Great video again!! I’m currently shopping for a HomeKit light strip. My only concern is privacy with Nanoleaf and Vocolinc. Are both of these companies well trusted? They seem to be Canadian but Asian behind the scenes?!

[@TheBradLloyd]

Hello, I recommend Nanoleaf WAY over Vocolinc. The price is decent, but the colour (especially whites) are pretty awful, they are not very bright and they have trouble maintaining a connection (at least in my experience). Nanoleaf's HQ is in Toronto but not sure where they are manufactured though. Nanoleaf is by far the better choice.

[@hungsiu2859]

@@TheBradLloyd THANKS!! I’m considering Nanoleaf. Does Thread give another layer of security?

[@TheBradLloyd]

@@hungsiu2859 I wouldn't say it provides an additional layer of security, but it's fast, low-energy and has good range.

[@geek2330]

Maybe you can help me decipher this. In a few months I will be buying light strips for a ceiling in 2 rooms. I do not want to use them via WIFI but either thread or Zigbee. I am an Apple guy and understand the Nanoleaf supports thread for HomeKit, but the price is prohibited at $50 for about 6ft in length (2 meters long). I am willing to get a hub like Amazon Echo 4th gen that supports Zigbee so I can find a light strip that supports Zigbee. The main issue I will have is the length of the area. Room1 will be about 103ft altogether. Room2 will be about 205ft altogether (this may be a challenge or not doable due to the length). Do I have any light strip option that supports Zigbee but also and mainly that it can support these large rooms (how many strips can you connect?? and what would be a brand that has a long strip in order to have less connections). Thanks.

[@TheBradLloyd]

Hi! Thanks for watching. Sorry for the delayed response! Sounds like you've got a little bit of a challenge here with the lengths you need for your rooms. Nanoleaf is the only thread lightstrip so far and does beat the cost of some of the other brands of Zigbee lightstrips that are Homekit compatible. My experience is really with Homekit and 10m/32 ft is the max length even with the extensions (2m each). As you mention, you'll likely need multiple connections. There are some RGB strips available on Amazon, most I saw were Bluetooth or Wifi. I currently have this challenge in my daughter's room (not as big as you've got here) but added 2 RGB light strips and connected them using a smart switch so we only have the functionality to turn them on/off in Homekit. She needs to use the native remote to change colours/use effects. I've thought of using Hoobs to get these into Homekit but haven't tackled that yet. I wish you luck and sorry I couldn't be of more help! I'll let you know if I come accross any potential solutions. :-)

[@TechWithTony]

How would you rate or fit in the Lifx line into this mix?

[@TheBradLloyd]

I haven't personally used Lifx yet. I have heard good feedback. I would also add though that with Lifx, the price is higher at approx $89.99 per metre (in Canada) but you do get the option for multi colour with 8 individually addressable colour/white zones per metre. It is a consideration that it uses wifi but the benefit is that you do not need a hub. I hope that helps and I'd like to test this brand out one day as well.

[@VarHyid]

Can anyone recommend any SPOTLESS (or at least high density, 100 LEDs/meter) LED strips that are HomeKit (or at least Hue) compatible and do not require the use of a third-party app?

[@Goblue734]

I’ve had Nanoleaf and Phillips hue I would say with the bridge Phillips is more reliable. My Nanoleaf doesn’t respond and disconnects from HomeKit more than I would like especially when you have multiple devices on your Wi-Fi network.

[@Bigglare]

You skipped Sengled. Lets be honest, Thread DOES indeed need a hub even if you call it a Border Router.

[@TheBradLloyd]

Hi Lawrence, thanks for your comment. Yes, many great LED strips out there other than the three I reviewed in my video. Totally right on the Border Router, but nice it comes as part of Apple's smart speaker. I'm loving my HomePod minis!

[@Bigglare]

@@TheBradLloyd home pod mini hub.

[@iSquishy89]

Would have liked to seen an Eve light strip in the mix

[@TheBradLloyd]

Totally! Love Eve products and may try one of these out. I want to know if they secretly have #thread in their light strips! Maybe I’ll cover in a future vid. Thanks for your feedback!

[@TechWithTony]

🇨🇦

[@TheBradLloyd]

👏

[@dkodko11]

I wish the Nano strip only showed the whole strip in one color without being able to see each individual LEDs.

[@TheBradLloyd]

I get it, most light strips do have the individual LEDs visible but you can get a diffuser if you'll be placing the light strip somewhere where it will be exposed. Thanks for watching!

[@dkodko11]

@@TheBradLloyd Well, I was thinking like a LED TV or mini LEDs on a TV. Where the LEDs can be that small where it looks like one color when you change colors.

[@brendankiyohara771]

You should of compared it to the LIFX Z strips. They have addressable strips (multiple colors on the same strip), more vibrant than Phillips hue, cheaper than Phillips hue, and no hub. It works with homekit btw. Phillips is just too overpriced, like too much. “Cooperate greed” lifx are kind of expensive but r actually worth it

[@TheBradLloyd]

I really do like Hue but I get it. I do hope to compare with Lifx z strips eventually. Thanks for watching.

[@pepsicolaboy7280]

Nanoleaf all the way plus there matter now no 2 is eve vocolic has failed so much its not funny