Smart plugs are great, but for outdoor setups, I've always leaned toward smart switches. My house is pretty old, and swapping bulbs in vintage fixtures is a pain—trust me, been there. Switches let me keep the original look and still get modern convenience. Plus, bulbs outdoors seem to fail quicker (weather, bugs, who knows?), so replacing standard bulbs is way cheaper than fancy smart ones every season or two...
Totally get your point about bulbs outdoors failing quicker. I went through that exact issue last summer—invested in some pretty pricey smart bulbs for my porch lights, thinking it'd be a nice upgrade. Within six months, two of them failed due to moisture getting inside the fixture. Lesson learned, lol.
Ended up switching to regular LED bulbs paired with a smart switch instead. It's been way smoother since then. The bulbs themselves are dirt cheap, and if one goes out, it's no big deal to swap it out quickly. Plus, keeping the original fixtures on my older house was important to me too—didn't want to mess up the vintage vibe with modern-looking bulbs.
Smart switches also seem more reliable outdoors anyway, at least from what I've noticed personally. Less electronics exposed directly to the elements maybe? Either way, for me it's been a win-win: original look, lower maintenance costs, and fewer headaches overall...
Had a similar experience—smart bulbs outdoors were a total bust for me too. Switched to smart switches and haven't looked back since. Less hassle, cheaper bulb replacements, and honestly... who wants to climb ladders every few months anyway?
Smart switches definitely simplify things outdoors, but I've found smart bulbs still have their place—especially if you're after color-changing or dimming features. I use bulbs in a few accent spots around the patio, and they've held up surprisingly well (going on two years now). The key seems to be investing in bulbs rated specifically for outdoor use and sheltered fixtures. But yeah, for general yard lighting, switches are way less hassle overall.
I've had pretty good luck with smart bulbs outdoors too, especially for mood lighting around our fire pit area. I remember thinking they'd be toast after the first big storm, but they've survived two winters now. That said, totally agree switches are easier for general lighting—no fiddling with apps when you just wanna see where you're walking. But bulbs definitely win points for setting that cozy vibe...and impressing guests who didn't know they needed purple patio lighting until they saw ours, lol.
