# Philips Hue Essential bulbs are a great way to save on your smart lighting setup — but there are some compromises you need to know about

> Philips Hue is widely known as the best smart bulb brand, but if you're looking to get yourself kitted out with a full Hue setup from the main range, it'll cost you.

- **Source:** [TechRadar](https://www.techradar.com/home/smart-lights/are-the-philips-hue-essential-bulbs-actually-any-good-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-smart-light-brands-budget-range?utm_source=gearopen.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=feed&utm_content=6a577d80d3f46afd50376294)
- **Published:** 2026-07-15
- **Category:** Smart Home
- **Tags:** #essential #bulb #main #philips #range #setup #smart #brand
- **Canonical:** http://localhost:4321/a/6a577d80d3f46afd50376294

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_GearOpen's distilled summary. The full original article is published at TechRadar (source link above); GearOpen does not republish the source's full text._