I feel this on a personal level... after my third weekend fighting with smart bulbs, I decided to scale back. Now I stick to a simple rule: if it takes longer to troubleshoot than just flipping a switch, it's not worth it.
Totally get where you're coming from. Smart bulbs can be tricky and pricey too. I've found that smart plugs paired with regular lamps are simpler, cheaper, and way less frustrating to troubleshoot... might be worth a try?
"smart plugs paired with regular lamps are simpler, cheaper, and way less frustrating to troubleshoot..."
I see your point, but honestly, I've found smart plugs limiting when it comes to dimming or color adjustments. For me, the appeal of smart bulbs is the flexibility to set different moods or brightness levels depending on the time of day or activity. Sure, they can be finicky at times, but once you find a reliable brand and get past the initial setup hurdles, they're pretty intuitive. Just my two cents...
Haha, I feel you on the smart bulbs. When we first moved into our old Victorian, I thought I'd be clever and deck it out with smart bulbs everywhere—big mistake. Turns out, hundred-year-old wiring and cutting-edge tech aren't exactly best friends. After a few nights of random disco parties at 3 AM (thanks, firmware updates), I switched to mostly smart plugs. But you're right, I do miss the cozy dimming and color shifts sometimes...maybe I'll brave another bulb or two eventually. Hang in there!
I ran into a similar issue—thought I'd modernize our 60s ranch with smart bulbs everywhere, but quickly learned that older circuits and smart tech can clash pretty badly. Smart switches were my lifesaver, honestly...still get the dimming without surprise midnight raves. Worth considering?
