Smart LED Bulb Features
Smart LED bulbs are also typically Wi-Fi, Z wave, or Zigbee. The Zigbee bulbs use one of two profiles: zigbee lightlink (used by bulbs that connect through the hue bridge) or zigbee home automation (used by bulbs that connect directly to the smartthings hub). For various technical reasons, the zigbee bulbs are the most popular but there may be specific use cases where the Wi-Fi or Z wave is more appropriate.
Size
Note that many of the older Zwave and wifi bulbs are A21, not A19. They are the same shape as a conventional bulb, but significantly larger, and will not fit all fixtures.
But the newer GoControl zwave bulbs are about the same size as a Hue.
Brightness
Bulb brightness is measured in “lumens.” 800 lumens is typical for a standard bulb is about the same brightness is an old 60 W incandescent. But different models do vary. The original Hue lux white only bulbs were 600 lm. The new Hue White bulbs are 800 lm. LIFX bulbs are 1000 lm, more like an old 75 W incandescent.
A dimmable bulb can have the lumens adjusted, but the lumens listed for it will be the brightest it can get.
White or Multicolor
Bulb colors are usually white only or multicolor (typically described as “RGB” or “RGBW”-- " RGB" is a bulb that can mix the colors of red/blue/green together to make literally millions of color shades. “RGB W” adds the ability for these bulbs to also be a true white. )
Color Temperature
Bulb “temperature” is on a numeric scale and represents going from warm white to cool white. ( or warm green to cool green, etc.) Warm colors have more yellow. cool colors have more blue. 2700 is a pretty standard lightbulb white. The higher the color temperature, the bluer the light. A few brands, notably Osram Lightify, allow for adjustable color temperature, but not many.
http://www.westinghouselighting.com/color-temperature.aspx
Indoor or Outdoor
Most smart LEDs are indoor only. A few are also rated for outdoor use in sheltered positions. However, even the ones rated for outdoor use are usually not rated for use in fully enclosed fixtures. So you need to read the specifications carefully.
Built in Switch
The Sengled Element zigbee bulb is on the official “works with SmartThings” list and has a built-in on/off button which some people like for table lamps. It is color temperature adjustable from cool white to warm white, 800 lm, and generally sells for about $18.
Note that there are multiple models in the “element” line – – only the “element touch” has the button.
some brand notes
GE links are really cheap, but have a known firmware flaw which can cause them to need to be reset every few weeks. To some people the cost savings is worth it. Others find it annoying. This flaw is the reason they are not on the official “works with SmartThings” list.
Cree bulbs have a number of different models that are designed to handle heat dispersion more efficiently. This can be a plus. However, there are some complications in the way Zigbee clusters were implemented which may mean they don’t have quite as many features as some of the other bulbs when connected directly to the SmartThings hub.
LIFX bulbs are probably the brightest smart bulbs you can get, but they also run very hot.
Osram lightify bulbs are very nicely engineered and work well when connected directly to the SmartThings hub. You do not need the lightify gateway for every day operation. However you do need the Gateway if you want to update the firmware on individual bulbs.
Philips Hue white bulbs are significantly cheaper than the previous Phillips generation. Best Buy almost always has them for $15 or less. (For some reason the Amazon price tends to be higher.) They are also brighter than the lux bulb. Although they can be connected directly to The smartthings hub, you can’t reset them after you’ve done that unless you get a separate device, usually the lutron remote or the Philips remote. so SmartThings support currently only recommends using them with the Hue bridge. At $15, they are a very good price.
Using the Philips bridge lets you also use other third party services and apps.
Sengled is so far the only smartbulb with a built-in on/off button.
IKEA Tradfri bulbs are excellent zigbee repeaters for SmartThings, including for the inexpensive xioami sensors which do not work well with most other brands of repeaters. If you buy these directly from IKEA they will cost much less than from other retailers, even Amazon.
Strimlight is an interesting, if expensive, WiFi bulb which can also act as a speaker, so popular for teens.
TCP uses its own protocol. There was a SmartThings integration, but it has had some issues from time to time. Verify that it is currently working before making a purchase.
I probably left something out but those are the main bulb features.