Philips Hue · Updated June 2026
Hue White and Color Ambiance Essential A19: price & specs
Hue White and Color Ambiance Essential A19. Every price and spec below is linked to its source and dated — no guesses.
Source: philips-hue.com verified verify in ledger
The Hue White and Color Ambiance Essential A19 is listed at $24.99 on philips-hue.com as of 2026-06-27, #13 cheapest of 15 smart bulbs (median $15.99); other retailers may be lower. It earns a Bronze Deskmark — 12/100 pay-blind standing, #17 of 19 in class.
Verified Jun 27, 2026 · figures linked to their source in the table below
Cheapest smart bulbs: Govee Smart A19 LED Bulb (1000 lm, H6006) — $10.5
- Best for Exceptional value at less than half the price of standard Hue White & Color Ambiance bulbs; Color output and responsiveness nearly indistinguishable from premium Hue bulbs in everyday use.
- Skip if Dims only to 2% vs 0.2% for standard Hue, so poor for very low ambient light or wake-up sunrise scenes is a dealbreaker.
Is the Hue White and Color Ambiance Essential A19 a good buy?
At $25, the Hue White and Color Ambiance Essential A19 is #13 cheapest of the 15 smart bulbs we track, where the median is $17.99. On the spec sheet, its brightness lumens of 800 is the lowest of the 19, its lifespan hours of 25000 is the highest of the 14, and its wattage of 8.8 W is below the median of the 18.
Evidence of Record
Our dataNo independent lab has measured this product yet. 2 outlets have it on record by mention only, with no hands-on measurements published to weigh its claims against — a gap in the evidence, not a verdict on the product.
Review consensus · sourced & dated
What reviewers say about the Hue White and Color Ambiance Essential A19
Both surviving hands-on reviews of the Philips Hue Essential White & Color Ambiance line come from a single outlet (TechRadar) and reviewer (Cat Ellis), who set up an Essential bulb beside a standard 800-lumen White & Color Ambiance bulb in identical lamps. Verdict: excellent-value smart bulbs nearly indistinguishable from premium Hue in everyday use, but they dim only to 2% (vs 0.2%) and cast a slightly warmer white. No independent, lab-measured numbers were published.
Based on 2 reviews · 2 lab-tested · 2025-12-29–2026-02-12
Tested by TechRadar
Consistently praised
- Exceptional value at less than half the price of standard Hue White & Color Ambiance bulbs
- Color output and responsiveness nearly indistinguishable from premium Hue bulbs in everyday use
- Fully compatible with the Hue app, Bridge, accessories and major smart-home ecosystems
Commonly flagged
- Dims only to 2% vs 0.2% for standard Hue, so poor for very low ambient light or wake-up sunrise scenes
- Slightly warmer white cast; reviewer advises against mixing Essential and standard Hue bulbs in one room
- Faint dark 'halo' band around the top of the bulb, most visible with purple and blue light
- Limited lineup - only three bulb types available
Where reviewers disagree No cross-source disagreement can be established because both hands-on reviews come from the same outlet and reviewer (TechRadar / Cat Ellis). No whitelisted tester published lab-measured numbers. The reviewer tested an E27 screw-fitting bulb rather than the US A19/E26 specifically, but it is the same Essential White & Color Ambiance line (E26/E27 listed among its fitting bases) with identical 806-lumen output and 2,200-6,500K white range.
The sources (2)
Philips Hue Essential bulbs are a more affordable version of the company's standard smart lights, and they perform incredibly well considering they're less than half the price.
The main drawback is that they can only dim to 2% (on the left in the image above) compared to 0.2% for regular Hue lights (right).
Having said that, I did notice a dark band at the top of the Essential bulb, which wasn't present on the premium bulb.
in real life I couldn't see any noticeable difference between the two.
The Hue Essential bulb could only be dimmed to 2% of its maximum brightness, whereas the regular bulb could drop to just 0.2%
I'd advise against using a combination of Essential and regular Philips Hue bulbs in the same room to avoid a mis-matched appearance.
Specifications
| Price (US) | $24.99 MSRP, single bulb, philips-hue.com |
|---|---|
| Brand | Philips Hue |
| Released | — |
| Brightness lumens | 800 |
| Color | rgbw |
| Protocol | zigbee+bluetooth |
| Base | e26 |
| Hub required | No |
| Wattage (W) | 8.8 |
| Lifespan hours | 25000 |
Source: philips-hue.com (verified 2026-06-19). Re-verified on the Philips Hue US product page: $24.99 single bulb, 800lm, 8.8W, E26, Bluetooth+Zigbee, 25,000-hour lifetime, full color and tunable white (2200-6500K), dimmable to 2%. All draft values confirmed unchanged.
Is the Hue White and Color Ambiance Essential A19 worth it vs cheaper smart bulbs?
Hue White and Color Ambiance Essential A19 against its closest cheaper and pricier smart bulbs on the specs that matter — every value sourced. See all 15 ranked
| Product | Price | Brightness lumens | Color | Protocol | Base | Hub required |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hue White and Color Ambiance Essential A19 this | $24.99 | 800 | rgbw | zigbee+bluetooth | e26 | No |
| LIFX Color A19 (800 lm) | $19.99 | 800 | rgbw | wifi+matter | e26 | No |
| LIFX SuperColor A19 (1100 lm) | $29.99 | 1100 | rgbw | wifi+matter | e26 | No |
Frequently asked questions
What do reviewers say about the Hue White and Color Ambiance Essential A19?
Both surviving hands-on reviews of the Philips Hue Essential White & Color Ambiance line come from a single outlet (TechRadar) and reviewer (Cat Ellis), who set up an Essential bulb beside a standard 800-lumen White & Color Ambiance bulb in identical lamps. Verdict: excellent-value smart bulbs nearly indistinguishable from premium Hue in everyday use, but they dim only to 2% (vs 0.2%) and cast a slightly warmer white. No independent, lab-measured numbers were published. Praised: Exceptional value at less than half the price of standard Hue White & Color Ambiance bulbs; Color output and responsiveness nearly indistinguishable from premium Hue bulbs in everyday use; Fully compatible with the Hue app, Bridge, accessories and major smart-home ecosystems. Flagged: Dims only to 2% vs 0.2% for standard Hue, so poor for very low ambient light or wake-up sunrise scenes; Slightly warmer white cast; reviewer advises against mixing Essential and standard Hue bulbs in one room; Faint dark 'halo' band around the top of the bulb, most visible with purple and blue light; Limited lineup - only three bulb types available. (From 2 tester reviews, 2 lab-tested.)
How much does the Hue White and Color Ambiance Essential A19 cost?
The Hue White and Color Ambiance Essential A19 has a US price of $24.99 (MSRP, single bulb, philips-hue.com), as of 2026-06-19.
How does the Hue White and Color Ambiance Essential A19 compare on price?
At $25, the Hue White and Color Ambiance Essential A19 is #13 cheapest of the 15 smart bulbs we track, where the median is $17.99.
What are the Hue White and Color Ambiance Essential A19's key specs?
Hue White and Color Ambiance Essential A19 (Philips Hue): brightness lumens 800, color rgbw, protocol zigbee+bluetooth, base e26, hub required No. Full sourced spec sheet verified 2026-06-19.
Price of record: $24.99 at philips-hue.com, 2026-06-27. Other retailers may be lower — check the current price:
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