TP-Link is a favorite smart light brand among Mashable readers

In Mashable’s Smartest Home Readers’ Choice survey, we asked our readers about the smart home devices and gadgets they use. One of the easiest entry points into smart homes is smart lighting, thanks to its relative affordability and ease of use.

A winner among Mashable readers is TP-Link, a budget-friendly smart light brand.

Just a note: TP-Link has been under investigation for security vulnerabilities with its routers and predatory pricing.

How Mashable readers rate TP-Link (Kasa)

Of all the smart light brands we asked about in our survey, only two were selected for a Readers’ Choice Award: Philips Hue and TP-Link. 

We asked readers to score their smart bulbs on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the best) on multiple factors, including lifetime of bulbs, routines and automation, and integration with smart assistants. Here’s how TP-Link (Kasa) fared compared to the competition. (Interact with the chart below by clicking the arrow buttons or using the dropdown menu.)

Testimony from TP-Link (Kasa) users

A couple of survey respondents mentioned that they have multiple TP-Link lights in their homes and businesses. One wrote, “We have our whole business lit up with Kasa plugs and light switches so we can control remotely as well as through Alexa. Really handy for when you have your hands full, or when you just got into bed and remember you forgot to turn off some lights. I can just tell Alexa to turn off all lights, and it is done without me getting out of bed.”

And another said, “I have a bunch of these bulbs throughout the interior and exterior of the house. The exterior ones had issues, but after upgrading to a mesh router, I haven't had any since. I can set them up for specific times, on and off at sunset/sunrise, and they have the ability to change colors. They integrate into my Google Home system without any problems.”

Compared to Philips Hue and other premium brands, TP-Link lights are more budget-friendly, with a four-pack of color-changing smart bulbs costing $26.99. On the cost, one reader said, “I had another brand before and found them so frustrating. I was glad to find these worked to my liking at a lower cost.”

TP-Link (Kasa) scored an 8.1 likelihood to recommend rating, and an even higher 8.6 overall satisfaction score.