Philips Hue lamps connect to a central hub that allows you to control your lighting remotely from your smartphone. However, if you’re looking to save some money and still want to use smart bulbs in your home, you can bypass the hub altogether and just use the Hue Dimmer Switch… you’re just missing out on some features.
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The Philips Hue Bridge hub costs $60 and you can get it bundled with select Hue bulbs for as little as $70. However, as long as you have a Hue Dimmer Switch, you can control Hue lights using the switch without the need for a hub or the Hue app on your phone.
You can buy a kit that comes with a $35 Hue Dimmer Switch and a Hue White Bulb, and it’s as easy as screwing on the bulb, turning it on with the master switch, pulling the battery tab out of the remote, and instantly being able to control the light. It literally takes 30 seconds to set it up.
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As long as you want to control your lights with a dimmer, you don’t need a Hue Bridge hub at all. However, here are some things to keep in mind if you want to use such a setup, including what you can and cannot do.
Up to ten bulbs can be connected to one switch
This probably won’t be a problem for you unless you have a room with lots of light, but ten light bulbs is usually more than enough for one light switch.
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