Smart home products have really hit the mainstream in the past year or two, and there are innumerable items available that will let you automate your life without costing you an arm and a leg. In this review we're going to check out an A-19 style LED light bulb that has a Zigbee radio inside, so that it can be controlled by popular home automation controllers. Typical LED bulbs have gotten very inexpensive lately, with high quality bulbs costing just a couple bucks. That the manufacturer, Sengled, can offer what looks like a decent quality LED bulb with a Zigbee radio inside for $9 with Amazon Prime free shipping, does seem rather impressive. We'll see how it works with a SmartThings Hub and let you know if we think that is a well spent $9.



Before taking a look at the Sengled Element Classic LED A19 2700K 9W smart bulb shown in the promotional image above, let's cover some of the devices published features and specifications...

Features:

» Smart Home Integration:
   The Sengled Element Classic A19 Smart Bulbs work perfectly with Samsung SmartThings, Wink and hub,
   also compatible with Amazon Alexa(Hub Required).

» Enhanced Lighting Connectivity:
   Sengled Smart LED Bulb uses Zigbee HA 1.2.1 Protocol to ensure better connectivity than normal smart
   bulbs with Wifi/Bluetooth connection.

» Home-away Control:
   Turn on/off bedroom lamp, dim living room lights and set wake-up schedules wirelessly through our Element Home
   App, control lights wherever you go.

» Energy&Money Saving:
   Sengled smart home light bulbs are Energy Star certificated, use 80% less energy than incandescent 60W bulbs.
   The Most Economical Lighting Choice Ever!

» Guaranteed Purchase:
   We know you have options here, and we want to make the best choice the most affordable one, and that’s why we
   offer a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Shop Now for endless enjoyment and benefit!

Specifications:

» Bulb Size/Model: A-19/E11-G13W
» Connectivity: No wires, remote controls or power cords required
» Dimensions: Dia: 2.4in (60mm), H: 4.6in (117mm)
» Lighting: Dimmable, energy-efficient LED (rated for 25,000 hours), 800 lumens (60W equivalent), 2700K
» Operating Conditions:
   » Operating temperature: -4F to 104F (-20C to 40C)
   » Storage temperature: -40F to 158F (-40C to 70C)
   » Humidity: 10% <= RH <= 95%, non-condensing
» Power: 100-120V AC, 50/60Hz, 88mA, 9.8W peak consumption
» Sockets: E26

The specifications look solid, and include many things I look for in an LED bulb - 800 lumen output in a 60W equivalent bulb rated to last 25,000 hours. Seeing bulbs rated this high for lifespan seems like it was more common a year or two ago, but now many bulbs at the big box stores are rated for around 10,000 hours or even 5,000 hours, which is a big difference. If you use the bulb three hours per day, the Sengled Element should last over 22 years, whereas the bulbs rated for 5,000 hours should be expected to fail in under 5 years.