Anker's new Eufy smart bulbs will be some of the cheapest yet
They work with Alexa and Google, they don't need a hub and they'll start at $15 each when they arrive later in March.
- 10 years product testing experience with the CNET Home team
Eufy is Anker's smart home offshoot brand, with a catalog that already includes things like bargain-priced smart plugs, robot vacuum cleaners and smart bulbs, all of which support voice controls via Alexa and Google Assistant. Now, Anker tells CNET that it's releasing a new generation of those Eufy Lumos bulbs later this month.
Seen here: The original Eufy Lumos LED. The new versions are smaller and a few bucks cheaper.
Simply called Lumos 2.0, the new smart bulbs will come in a fixed, white-light version for $15 and a tunable white-light version for $18 that offers a full spectrum of white light settings. The first generation of Lumos LEDs also included a fully color-changing smart bulb -- no word yet from the Eufy team as to whether we're getting a new version of that LED, too.
Like the previous Lumos bulbs, these will use built-in Wi-Fi radios to connect directly with your home's router. That means that you won't need a hub to use them -- just screw them in, turn them on and sync them up with Eufy's app on your phone. From there, you can automate and control the bulbs from your phone, and connect them with Alexa or Google Assistant, too.
What's new this time around is that the bulbs are smaller than before, and also a few bucks cheaper. In fact, $15 is about as cheap as we've seen for a major brand smart bulb that supports voice control without needing a hub. That might make Eufy's smart lights the bulb of choice for anyone who wants to give voice-enabled smart lighting a shot without spending too much.
Anker also says that the bulbs feature a new Wi-Fi antenna for improved connections. The EufyHome app is set to get a user interface update for the launch, too.
We're still waiting to see the specs on these new lights, so stay tuned for details on things like brightness and efficiency. We shouldn't have to wait long -- Anker tells me to expect the new lights in stores by the end of March.
