If you're an Amazon Alexa user looking for something inexpensive, Sengled” target=”_blank offers a smart floodlight that pairs directly with your Echo Plus or Echo Show. If you don't have one of these, you'll need to connect a Sengled hub to your router. You can find these bulbs in a two-pack on Amazon for $18.
Sengled also makes color-changing floodlights (as does Philips Hue, of course). But if that's the bulb you want, we think it's worth choosing Lifx, an Australian start-up that regularly passes color quality tests with bold, bright shades that look great. All of the company's lights use your Wi-Fi network to communicate directly with your router, so there's no need for a hub. It comes with a great full-featured app and is compatible with Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant (and IFTTT) right out of the box.
The color-changing Lifx floodlight costs $45 on Amazon. It's not cheap, but the Lifx floodlight is hundreds of lumens brighter at peak settings than the competition we've tested so far. This, combined with the color quality, makes it a very worthwhile upgrade choice.