The Philips range is rapidly moving away from bulbs and starter kit boxes full of technology into complete lighting solutions with a range of easy-to-install lights now available. The stylish Ambiance Being Ceiling Fixture is one of the newest lights and will certainly make an impact in any room.
Key Features
Philips new range of lamps and light fittings is pretty impress. But the Ceiling Fixture is a step up from the others. At its price (For the latest prices and discounts, check here), it registers high on the designer scale with LED strips providing the lighting.
The lamp itself, officially referred to as the “Being”, is 13.7-inches in diameter and two inches deep, capable of providing a wide range of white light.
The full range offers 50,000 shades of white, from natural and warm to cooler color temperatures, and it can be dimmed down to 1% of light use Hue apps or accessories. With a beam angle of 160-degrees, it provides plenty of light around the room.
Unlike the Wellness and Wellner lamps that Philips also recently launched, the Ceiling Fixture will require a little installation and is going to be fixed in place for the rest of its working life. So, you’d better like the slim Flushmount design with aluminum finish and the amount of light it puts out.
The Ceiling Fixture light features a smart flush mount fixture so will look great on low ceilings, or be fine way up high.
It requires installation, which isn’t tough for anyone with some electrical knowledge, but there’s always the option of professional installation if that seems a bit daunting or you just don’t have a ladder to hand.
Pros of the Philips Hue White Ambiance Being Ceiling Fixture
Installation of the Being Ceiling Fixture is straightforward, with the three part device featuring a base unit with the wiring and support, then you attach the main light section, which is fixed in place by the aluminum circle that spins into position and provides a stylish accent.
When partnered with a Hue Bridge, the can be controlled using Amazon Alexa for voice control, or Nest, SmartThings and Apple HomeKit so it integrates well with other smart home products and be set to via IFTTT commands, or the Hue app to come on at the right time, to changes brightness according to the situation or just come on and off, as a very stylish anti-deterrent to burglars.
Naturally, those LEDs provide it with a good eco-rating, and the app provides a range of light recipes to suit your mood. With the variety of light output from the “Being” you can relax in the living room, work hard in the home office or get prepping in the kitchen, depending on where it is installed.
Whatever your social setting or mood, it can be easily changed to adapt to provide the right level or type of lighting.
Cons of the Philips Hue White Ambiance Being Ceiling Fixture
With Philips entering the complete lamp and lighting market, it suddenly finds itself competing against stores with literally hundreds of designs and styles.
The odds are that are already some very similar products out there, and while they might not be smart home, or LED equipped, they will be substantially less expensive.
However, for those who are looking at this as an upgrade to their smart home, perhaps to reduce some bulky ceiling lights or to add a dash of style, the new “Being” is certainly an impressive option.
Another issue might be over lifespan. Philips rates the LED lights as offering 25,000 hours of life and there’s a two-year warranty.
However, if one or two of the LEDs do decide to die early that might ruin the effect, and we’d hope you kept the receipt at that point, plus all the hassle of taking it out and replacing it with something else while you wait for a new one.
When Philips was just selling bulbs, that wasn’t so much of an issue, with a whole light fitting, the stakes are a little higher. Since this is a brand new product to the market, we’ll have to wait and see how good Philips quality control is, and will let you know if there’s any major feedback.
Summary
Unless you have a passion for big dangling light fixtures, it is hard not to feel impressed by the Being Ceiling Fixture, despite the silly name. It looks and feels thoroughly modern and is as smart as any Philips Hue product with a designer aura that will match any modern or cutting edge interior design aesthetic.
With every company and no-name brand throwing smart light bulbs out to the market, perhaps this is how Philips and the other major brands will keep ahead, by offering something that any smart homeowner simply has to own.
If the sleek nature of the flush Ceiling Fixture doesn’t appeal, then there is the Fair Light model to consider, that offers 3,000 lumens of light so may be more practical for larger locations.
It also offers a choice of flush-mounted, semi-flush mounted or suspended light to provide flexibility depending on the room it is going in.
As with many other products, style is high on the agenda in 2017, and Philips has definitely made an impact with the “Being”, we look forward to seeing what they produce next.
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