The Philips Hue generally costs around $11 annually to operate, given that it’s utilized for about 25% of the time and based on the average kilowatt-hour rate in either the U.S. or Canada. The yearly operating cost of a smart bulb like the Philips Hue can vary, depending on its wattage and how frequently it’s used.
Many people are curious about the energy consumption of the Philips Hue when it’s not active. There are also questions concerning the energy efficiency of this Philips Hue smart LED light bulb.
Well, let’s explore the energy usage of your Philips Hue bulbs, both when they are switched on and when they are off.
I run through the Philips Hue standby power usage for both the bulb and the Philips Hue Bridge. What I find is that these bulbs are incredibly efficient and they are relatively low on the power consumption level, especially when compared with incandescent light bulbs.
By the end of this article, you’ll know the Philips Hue power requirements, as well as the power usage when the bulbs are off. You’ll also know how much Philips Hue will cost each year you want to run a bulb in your smart home.
Let’s get to it!
Does Philip use a lot of electricity?
The power consumption of Philip lights depends on the kind of bulb, its temperature color, and its brightness.
You can use go the Philip Hue website for an energy consumption test. You’ll be tasked to pick a light bulb, its color temperature, and brightness to determine how much power is consumed per light bulb.
I have explained briefly how much power is used by Philips Hue in the video below. Check it out!
If you’re up for some troubleshooting, this article shows you how to replace the Philips Hue smart button battery. Check it out!
How much power do hue lights use when off?
Generally speaking, smart lights use 0.3 watts when off.
Smart lights like the Philips Hue still draw out power when off no matter what kind of connection you opt for. They always need the energy to maintain the connection!
When a smart bulb is turned off, the power draw is very low depending on the type of bulb and the manufacturer’s brand.
Did You Know Philips Hue connect with all voice assistants like Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant without any need for physical switch, and then control them with just voice commands?
You’d be happy to know the Philips Hue draws out less power. It can draw out a maximum of 0.3 watts which costs around 1.6 cents a month.
On the contrary, if your entire home uses smart bulbs, expect the power draw to be a lot more! Expect a dollar up on your power bill for 20 to 30 smart bulbs. It may not be much but it tends to get expensive in the end.
How much energy does a hue bridge use?
The hue bridge use around 9.5 watts.
Power consumption is estimated based on the following assumptions:
- model
- standby wattage
A light that is off, depending on the model can consume between 0.2 and 0.4 watts.
Bear in mind this is just a basic estimate without knowing the actual power consumption.
Unfortunately, hue bulbs do not measure their own power consumption. The reason for that is, there are various hue models that are coming out and Philips does not have an up-to-date model listing from the company and its partners.
Do Philips Hue use less power when dimmed?
The Philips Hue uses less power when dimmed!
Dimming light up to 70% from its brightness reduces energy consumption by up to 51%. Yes, even dimming the light a little bit uses less energy!
Moreover, you can reduce energy consumption by setting the bulbs to energy-efficient colors and energy-saving scenes.
Energy-efficient colors are:
- blue
- green
- red
- magenta
- cyan
- yellow
While energy-efficient scene includes:
- Tokyo
- Motown
- Galaxy
- Blood Moon
- Beginnings
| PROS | CONS |
| well-connected ecosystem | expensive |
| high-quality products | you may find yourself stretching across ecosystems |
| energy-efficient |
Wrap Up
The Philips Hue lights are energy-efficient and durable. It’s going to save you a lot of money on electricity.
However, it is important to choose the right bulb, temperature color, and brightness for cheaper power consumption. Nevertheless, the Philips Hue lights are worthy of your investment and they have a longer life span too.
Go and install it at your home now!
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