When comparing Ilumi vs Lifx, the Slant community recommends Lifx for most people. In the question“What are the best smart bulbs?” Lifx is ranked 2nd while Ilumi is ranked 8th. The most important reason people chose Lifx is:
While few other SmartBulbs get as bright as a regular 60 watt bulb, the Lifx gets even brighter. Instead of just using it for accent lighting, these smart bulbs are some of the only ones that can effectively be used as a primary lighting source.
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Pros
Pro Different bulbs available
There are 3 bulbs that are part of Ilumi's lineup - the regular A19 LED bulb which replaces a regular 60-watt bulb, BR30 Flood LED bulb which offers more light ideal for track or recessed lighting, as well as an Outdoor Flood LED which is similar to the indoor flood light, but it has been treated to be weatherproof.
Pro Selective integration
The Ilumi works with Google's Nest Thermostat as well as IFTTT (If This Then That - an app and web service that lets you automate actions based on variables...it works like coding, without needing to know how to code). This allows for cool things like flashing the bulbs when you receive a call or text, turning on the bulbs when they sense your phone is near, etc.
Ilumi is also planning on opening its software to developers in the near future, allowing for even more unique uses, however that hasn't happened yet.
Pro No central hub needed
Each bulb hooks directly up with your smartphone, removing the need for any central hub.
Pro Very bright
While few other SmartBulbs get as bright as a regular 60 watt bulb, the Lifx gets even brighter. Instead of just using it for accent lighting, these smart bulbs are some of the only ones that can effectively be used as a primary lighting source.
Pro Simple setup
As soon as they are plugged in, the lights will turn on and start broadcasting a Wi-Fi signal. To pair it to your phone, just connect to that Wi-Fi signal. After you connect, you're done and can switch back to your home Wi-Fi.
Pro Third-party integrations
The bulbs can hook into the Nest Thermostat, Nest Smoke Detector, as well as IFTTT (If This Then That - a popular automation app based on 'recipes').
Pro Different bulb options
The Color 1000 comes in two variants - one is a compact A19 size, while the other is a BR30 size. The A19 produces 1055 lumens (equivalent to a 75W bulb), while the BR30 produces 970 lumens (equivalent to a 70W bulb).
Pro No hub required
The bulbs connect straight to the phone, meaning there's no need for a hub which reduces the upfront installation cost.
Cons
Con Limited to bluetooth range
The Ilumi bulbs only use bluetooth (no WiFi), but they work together through a mesh network so that if you are within bluetooth range of one of them, you are in range with all of them. Range is said to be about 150 feet away from the outermost bulb.
Con Slow response
Two headlining features of the Ilumi are slow to react - Music Sync should change the color of the bulbs along with any music that is playing, however it lags behind and doesn't respond well. The same can be said for the Torch Mode which is supposed to turn on your lights when it senses your phone is near.
Con Very expensive
$60 per bulb is very expensive, even for smart bulbs. They are energy efficient, and also rated up to 20 years of lifetime which can help justify the cost a bit.
Con App lacks features
The app doesn't allow for light scheduling or custom color cycles.
Con High brightness washes out colors
The colored RGB lights can only achieve 50% brightness on their own; after 50% white LEDs are also turned on to achieve a very high total brightness. However, mixing white light with colored light will dilute the colors so that red light at 70% brightness will look more washed out than red light at 50% brightness.
Con Heavier, and warmer than other LED lights
To achieve their high brightness, the Lifx need more diodes than other LED bulbs, which means that they get hotter. To help deal with the heat, there are more heat sinks which adds the weight (they weigh 10.4 ounces each). Despite the heat sinks though, they still run a bit warmer than other LED bulbs.