I started my smart home with WiFi bulbs. Seemed like the easiest entry point – screw them in, connect to the app, done. Three years later, every single one has been replaced. Here is why.
The Network Problem
Each WiFi bulb is a device on your network. I had 14 bulbs – that is 14 devices fighting for bandwidth, 14 DHCP leases, 14 connections your router has to manage. My router started dropping devices regularly around the 30-device mark, and half of those were light bulbs.
The Power Problem
WiFi bulbs need constant power to stay connected. Turn off the light switch and the bulb goes offline. Then someone has to use the app to turn it back on, or you have to put “DO NOT TOUCH” signs on every switch. My wife was not a fan of that approach.
What I Switched To
Zigbee smart switches (Sonoff ZBMINI-L2) behind the wall plates. The physical switch still works normally – press it and the light toggles. But I can also control it from Home Assistant, set schedules, and include it in automations. Zero WiFi bandwidth used. And if the smart home system goes down completely, the switch still works manually.
The only place I still use smart bulbs is in lamps that are always plugged in. And those are Zigbee bulbs, not WiFi.