Pros: The bulbs work well with my SmartThings hub, which works well with Amazn Echo.

Cons: Will not work with Amazn Echo using the supplied Link hub.

Other Thoughts: Its okay if all you want to do is use these bulbs with your phone and nothing else. The Wemo app worked *most* of the time but has issues. I removed the Link Hub and replaced it with SmartThings and the bulbs respond great to that.

Manufacturer Response:

Hi,

We appreciate your time for sharing this feedback. We recognize that our WEMO Link is still not compatible with the Amazon Echo. Rest assured that our engineering team is working on this to improve its overall performance. Should you need further assistance, feel free to email us at WemoCares@belkin.com. Please include your contact details, location and the link to this review. We hope to hear from you the soonest.

Regards,
WEMO Support
www.wemo.com/

Pros: Worked for about a month and just stopped working. The WEMO devices will no longer connect to the app...so basically I just have expensive light bulbs at this point. Stay away from this product and go with Philips if you're looking for automated lighting.

Cons: Doesn't work, total product fail, customer service is a joke

Manufacturer Response:

Hi Dave,

We appreciate the time you spent in giving our product a rating. Did you do an update on the App or the WEMO Link before encountering this challenge? We recommend that you reset and rediscover the WEMO bulbs. In the reset process, follow the steps in this link: http://www.belkin.com/us/support-article?articleNum=116178

Once done, re-discover the bulbs by following the steps in this link: http://www.belkin.com/us/support-article?articleNum=116173

Should you need further assistance, you may email us your complete contact details, location, WEMO App Version, OS version of the handheld device, WEMO firmware version, and the link to this review at WEMOCares@belkin.com so our team can provide more solutions the soonest.

Regards,

Belkin Support
www.belkin.com/support

Pros: - very easy setup
- remotely control lights; on/off, dimming, etc
- scheduling
- app very easy to use

Cons: - forgets brightness level if you turn the light off via a lightswitch

Other Thoughts: If you want to keep the light's brightness level you must use the app to turn it off and on. So unless you want these on fullbright when you turn them on these are useless. They are very bright.

Manufacturer Response:

Hi Mary,

We greatly appreciate your feedback on the WEMO LED Lighting Starter Set. It's great to know that the WEMO devices are working properly in your network. The Dim feature, Remote Access, Rules, and IFTTT Recipes are features that are available with the WEMO app. You might be wondering why the WEMO bulb does not dim when you power it On using a regular physical switch, it's because without the WEMO app, the WEMO bulb acts like a regular bulb whose feature is simply On/Off (no dimming).

Feel free to email us at WEMOCares@belkin.com if you have questions, suggestions, or if you need assistance with your WEMO network.


Regards,

Belkin Support
http://www.belkin.com/support

Pros: Cool IoT device. Lets be honest; controlling stuff with an app on your phone is pretty sweet. Necessary, it is not but fun it is.

Cons: Intermittently buggy. I suspect this has to do with software and future updates will fixed this issues. Primary problem is that I have is the two band wireless I have. It doesn't read on the 5g band so I have to remember to sign on the the normal 2 MHz band. Other factors: Needs a dedicated windows program so you can control with computer and they are not cheap.

Manufacturer Response:

Hi Jason,

Thank you for sharing your feedback on the WEMO LED Starter Set. If you are having a challenge using the device, we have a Support team to assist you and improve your WEMO experience. We also advise that you keep the firmware up to date. Email us at WEMOCares@belkin.com if there's anything that you wanted to share to the team or if you need any WEMO assistance.


Regards,

Belkin Support
www.belkin.com/support

Pros: Works exactly how you expect it to- you can control these lightbulbs remotely from a smartphone app. Very useful when you have a house with windows at street level in the city- I tend to always keep lights on when out but this gives me a little more flexibility. Bulbs are LED so they last a long time and don't consume much power. Compared to my old incandescent bulb that this replaced the light is a little on the whiter, cooler side (even though they are listed as warm), but I actually prefer that on the desk where I read and whatnot.

An added plus is the light has a built in dimmer so you can dim it from your smartphone- you can even set a dim to sleep timer up to 1 hour so that it gradually dims- which I find to be great for before bed as bright lights in a room can keep you awake.

Finally, what I really like is that you only need to set up the WeMo system on one phone. After I set it up on one phone, my girlfriend downloaded the WeMo app on her phone and it automatically detected that it was on the same WiFi network and loaded all the devices. Yes, the initial setup does take a few minutes (see Cons) but after that you basically never have to do it again.

Cons: Initial setup does take a few minutes- but I'm really being nitpicky here. It does take a few minutes to scan for devices but after everything is configured, you never have to do it again- even if you want to control the devices from another app, the app automatically detects the wifi network you are on and loads the settings. That is awesome. Although, theoretically if one of your friends who is on your wifi network decides to download WeMo, they could mess with you if they wanted. Again, keep your wireless networks secured!!

Sometimes, the app will not connect to the device when you're over the internet- for example at work sometimes it won't find the lightbulb and I'll have to refresh for it to show up. But this is really a problem with a flaky network connection and is not really the device's fault. When I'm at home I have no problems.

Other Thoughts: This is the first IoT (Internet of Things) device that I've gotten and I really like it! Can't wait to see the field develop. Also, I hope to see some IFTTT functionality soon- this is functionality that allows you to tie your devices in with other apps- for example, flashing your lights when you get an email or something like that. There are a ton of possibilities. Personally, as a DIY-er, I'd also like to see some open source functionality so that us tinkering types can build and share stuff too.

Pros: Well, the LIGHT BULBS still function as LIGHT BULBS.

Cons: They don't do anything else.

The Link device can't find the bulbs. Looking online brought me to numerous accounts of flicking the bulbs on and off in mystic patterns, perhaps with the intent of summoning the Great Old Ones. Alas, I must have gotten the ritual wrong, because the Link still couldn't find them (although they would both turn off and on again each time I initiated the scan)...and Cthulhu did not appear to rain havoc upon Belkin.

Eventually, I was told (in no uncertain terms) that if I did not stop fiddling with the lights, and that VERY PROMPTLY INDEED, that I might be compelled to perform a convincing impersonation of an E19 socket.

Went out the next day, (having learned much about competing devices from my research into the ritual) and purchased a similar starter kit from a manufacturer who has a great deal of history in GENERAL with things ELECTRIC, and it worked a treat, right off the bat.

Other Thoughts: Really, Belkin? REALLY?

"Hey, Kevin, shouldn't we...I dunno...TEST these or something before we ship 'em out?"

"Nah. They light up, don't they?"

"Yeah, but won't people be expecting these to do much more than a 99 cent light bulb, rather than just lighting up?"

Manufacturer Response:

Hi Jimmy,

Thank you for sharing your experience by writing this product review. Allow us to help you with the challenges you're having with the WEMO LED bulbs. Email us at WEMOhelp@belkin.com together with your full name, phone number, email address, location, and the link to this post. Our team is always ready to help you to isolate the situation.


Sincerely,

Linksys Support
http://www.linksys.com

Pros: Bulbs: They are normal size bulbs, unlike other systems which have large individual bulbs. The color of the bulbs are a warm yellow, not the normal cold blue or wintery white of most bulbs. The bulbs are very energy efficient, and have the ability to render true color, unlike other auto lighting systems.

ZigBee: The bulbs communicate with your wireless system using the same tech as others, since the tech works the best.

Other products: The bulbs are part of a whole family and eco system from Belkin, adding value to the bulbs.

Dimming and control: you are able to dim the bulbs, not just on or off, and they are also able to be controlled by others at the switch. The bulbs can be synced with the sunrise and sunset, allowing for dimming at night and coming on softy in the morning.

Number of bulbs in the system: you are able to have up to 50 bulbs in the system, which I have four right now and they function flawlessly.

Safety: The system allows you to make your house look like someone is home while you are away, without having an expensive security system or unreliable plug controls.

Web app for you phone: app can be downloaded to your phone for control of the system. Available for Android and Apple phones, but Android was far easier to download and free, unlike Apple.

System: You have the ability to control the light remotely, individually or as a group, adding to functionality.

Separate control unit: plugs into the a wall outlet, not wasting needed space on your router.

Cons: Unit: It is large and takes up a needed power socket.

App: it had issues downloading on both the Android and Apple, and Apple tried charging for it, no surprise there.

Firmware: Lost 30 minutes of my life waiting for the download and it froze the first time.

Cost:$30 for a bulb!!

App: It had a hard time finding the bulbs and system, taking three times.

Other Thoughts: Fun lights to own and play with. Functional for a security system that is already in a home and can act as a deterrent as a system on its own.

Manufacturer Response:

Hi Mr. L,

Thank you for sharing your feedback on the WEMO LED Starter Set. We are sorry for the inconvenience you have experienced during the firmware update. It's good to know that the product is now working properly as it should in your network. Let us know if you need assistance with your WEMO network. You can reach us at WEMOHelp@belkin.com anytime. The team would be happy to assist you.


Regards,

Belkin Support
www.belkin.com/support

Pros: LED bulbs give off warm light similar to regular light bulb.

Only uses 9 or 10 watts of electricity and provides about as much light as a regular 60-watt bulb.

After setup the light bulbs can be controlled by your phone.

WeMo Link Device (included) can control up to 50 lights in the same house over your home wi-fi. Really, 50?

Easy to set a timer for ON or OFF or both. It even has a Sunrise/Sunset sync feature.

Cons: No free app for iPad Mini.

Setup slightly confusing.

When you first plug in the WeMo Link unit to a power outlet you must wait several minutes before it's recognised on your home wi-fi and by the app on your phone. So, be patient.

Not really a con but be sure you plug in the WeMo Link in a central location with good wi-fi reception. Use your phone (which is logged onto your home wi-fi) to make sure you've got at least 2 or 3 bars of wi-fi signal near that power outlet.

If we get 3 or 4 more WeMo light bulbs i may never get up off the couch after sunset. According to my girlfriend this is a Con. Can't think why ....

Other Thoughts: When you open the box there's a flap covering the light bulbs. When you open the flap it has a Quick Install Guide printed right on the flap. The install guide is very clear until you get to Step 4 - "Install the WeMo app on your smart device". It shows a couple of app store icons but they are not familiar looking, at least not to me.

Glitch no. 1: First, i went to the Belkin website and selected the WeMo LED Light Starter Kit, then Support. No app there and no link to any app store that i could see. What was i thinking??

Glitch no. 2: Next, using the iPad Mini, navigated to the Apple app store and typed in WeMo. A list of apps appeared. One was Belkin WeMo, another was WeMo app. None of them were free. $1.99 or more for these apps. Oops! On the box it clearly states "WeMo Free App for Android and IOS". It also states "Works with iPad (all models)".

So, put aside the iPad Mini and try the iPhone 4S. This time the app store says WeMo app is free so we download and install it.

Glitch no. 3: After connecting with the little WeMo Link device (included in the box) which we had plugged into an AC power outlet we tapped on "Find Device". Working ... working ... then nothing. Oops!

So, we tried the app's other option - Find Link Device. Working ... working ... OK, found the light bulb which we manually switched on earlier! Now we could turn the light bulb on and off, dim the light, etc. all from the iPhone.

We tried the timer by setting it for 30 minutes. During that time the LED light bulb dimmed itself somewhat and then turned itself off after half an hour just as we requested. Good result.

Next, we installed the other WeMo light bulb in a bedroom lamp and tested the timer again for 30 minutes. The light grew dim and turned off as it should. Repeated the next night with the same result.

The "Sunset/Sunrise" option worked OK, too. I'd say the light came on a little early before the room grew very dim but, hey, the feature works so let's not be too picky here!

One caveat which seems obvious, but may not be obvious to all, is that the actual light switch on the lamp or wall must be ON in order for the WeMo app to work. If the light switch is OFF then WeMo can't possibly do anything! Also, if the light was switched OFF using the light switch then you must wait a minute or so after switching it back ON before the WeMo will work.

The Belkin Support website has several useful tutorials to help you get better acquainted with how it all works and using the various features. It's well worth a look.

You only need a little experience with smartphone apps to be comfortable installing and using the WeMo app. However, if you're a complete beginner, please take heed of the glitches mentioned above. Maybe you can avoid the frustration involved when you have zero knowledge about these devices.

Manufacturer Response:

Hi Andrew,

We greatly value the time you've spent in writing this comprehensive review of the product. We have taken note of your comments and rest assured that the glitches mentioned will be relayed to the development team. You may also email us at WEMOhelp@belkin.com should you have other thoughts to share. Please include your contact details and the link to this review for our reference.

We look forward to hearing again from you.

Sincerely,

Belkin Support
www.belkin.com/support

Pros: The app installs easily. The wireless setup is easy. The app controls the lights correctly. The packaging is well designed, both to protect and display the product. Everything works as it should.

LED lights are very efficient. The LED bulbs in this kit claim to use 9.5W to make light equivalent to a 60W incandescent bulb. I used a power meter to compare various types of 60W equivalent bulbs. An incandescent bulb used 61.0W, a CFL bulb used 12.5W, and the WeMo LED bulb used just 8.1W.

The bulbs operate as normal bulbs when the wall adapter is not powered up.

Cons: I used these WiFi bulbs in my home’s front porch sockets. They do an absolutely great job, with one caveat. It may sound silly, but its really difficult to train your household not to use the light switch. People keep shutting off the switch, and then the bulbs can’t turn on. I’m thinking about taping the switch up.

Because of the wireless control, the kit is ALWAYS drawing a little bit of power, even when the lights are off. The idle power consumption of each bulb was 0.3W. The wall adapter uses 1.3W. This means when the lights are off, the whole kit is still using ~1.9W.

The app is mostly good, but the timer settings are a bit strange. It took a while to understand how to configure the timer.

Other Thoughts: While I was able to verify the claim of low power consumption, I did not verify the claim of 60W incandescent equivalent light output.

The price seemed a bit steep at first, but the kit works really well and the bulbs should last a long time.

I’m very afraid that this kit is going to get me hooked on home automation. The WeMo lineup is pretty awesome. Appliances, switches, lighting, irrigation, etc. This “Internet of Things” thing, seems to be happening.

Pros: This is the second smart hub lighting system I've used, the other one now being obsolete. The WeMo improves upon the older system by allowing you to locate the hub anywhere in your house - it is not hard-wired to your router, but rather connects to it wirelessly, which means you can, for instance, place it in the middle of your house, even if your router is on one end of the house. That gives you a better shot at controlling all your devices, and doesn't take up a port on your router.

I also love that you can individually program bulbs to turn on together but turn off at different times. This allows you, for instance, to have all lights come on at sunset, and then gradually turn off during the night. The other really neat features is the fade in/out. This just makes so much sense, and is made possible by the LED technology used in the bulbs. It looks so much better from outside when lights aren't flicking on and off suddenly.

Cons: Setup is awkward, to say the least. You have to connect to the WeMo hub through your phone, and that requires making changes to your phone's WiFi settings to allow it to connect to the WeMo hub as a router. Once you gain access to the hub, you program it through the phone to speak to your router. It's a slow, confusing process.

Things got worse when I changed my router. The WeMo hub was stuck looking for the old router, and would not allow me to reprogram it from my phone. It took me a while to figure out that you must go through the factory restore feature to allow the hub to again be reconnected to the network. What really threw me off is that the WeMo hub takes a long time (3-5 minutes) to show up as a network, meaning I basically gave up on it, thinking it wasn't working, only to find it had shown up as a network when I looked at my phone later on.

Other Thoughts: It's a shame these systems need to rely on smartphone WiFi to control them, given that it's really forcing a square peg into a round hole. Using WiFi as the communications method is really clunky. Perhaps Bluetooth would be a better alternative.

Manufacturer Response:

Hi Ari,

Thank you for taking the time in reviewing the WEMO LED Starter Set. Our apologies to hear about the challenge you have experienced during the setup process. Adjusting the router's wireless channel could help improve the WEMO device's connection to the network. It's good to know that you were able to sort out your WEMO network and we hope that everything is working properly in your end. Let us know if you need assistance with your WEMO devices. You can reach us at WEMOHelp@belkin.com anytime.


Regards,

Belkin Support
www.belkin.com/support