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In this article, I compare six cool-looking retro LED smart filament bulbs: Philips Hue vs Shelly Vintage.
In this corner, we have Goliath “Philips” Hue.
And in the opposing corner is the underdog upstart “Shelly USA. “
Let’s get ready to rummmmmmmmble.
Live Like A 1950’s Bank Manager
Whether you are into traditional style home décor or just want to add a little rustic look to your existing design, a vintage filament bulb can add a nice touch.Or as YouTuber Paul Hibbert put it…
”If you want to feel like a 1950s bank manager,” a filament bulb can also get you there.
LOL.
Not long ago there were only a few smart options around for filament style bulbs. Now, however, there are a number of players producing them.
In this post, I am going to compare Philips Hue Edison-style bulbs with those manufactured by one of my new favorite smart home companies, Shelly USA.
What’s so great about Shelly, you ask? They are obsessed with customer satisfaction, they have super high-quality products, their devices are extensible (think open source), and they are more affordable than the big boys.
But how do their bulbs measure up against Shelly?
First, I’ll start with a comparison of three top Hue bulbs. Then, I’ll compare three smart Shelly bulbs. And finally, I’ll include a downloadable PDF comparison chart that shows all six bulbs side by side.
Hue vs Shelly: here we go.
Photo Gallery: Hue Filament Bulbs
Hue Vintage ST19 White
Hue Vintage ST19 Amber
Hue Filament G25
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Hue Vintage Comparison: ST19 vs G25
These bulbs are very similar but each has its own unique style.
Note: If you are on a mobile device, you may need to rotate your device to landscape mode to see all three columns.
Table could not be displayed.Photo Gallery: Shelly Filament Bulbs
Shelly Vintage A19
Shelly Vintage ST21
Shelly Vintage G40
Shelly Vintage Comparison: A19 vs ST21 vs G40
I love how the Shelly straight filament A19 and ST21 bulbs have a slightly more modern (but still vintage) look. For the more traditional look, check out the G40 model.
Note: If you are on a mobile device, you may need to rotate your device to landscape mode to see all three columns.
Table could not be displayed.Shelly Vintage A19 |
Shelly Vintage ST21 |
Shelly Vintage G40 |
|
| Type of Bulb | LED filament Straight | LED filament Straight | LED Filament Spiral |
| Color (Glass Coating) | Clear/ Warm White | Clear /Warm White | Amber |
| Dimmable | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fits Standard Light Socket | Yes, E26 | Yes, E26 | Yes, E26 |
| Brightness (Lumens) | 750 lm | 750 lm | 260 lm |
| Color Temperature (Kelvin) | 2700K | 2700K | 2700K |
| Wattage Equivalent (Rated Power) | 7 watts | 7 watts | 4 watts |
| Bulb Voltage | 110 volts | 110 volts | 110 volts |
| Hub Required | No | No | No |
| Alexa | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Google Assistant | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Life Time | 15,000 hours | 15,000 hours | 15,000 hours |
| Mobile App | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Local and Remote Control | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Embedded webserver | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Supports home automation routines | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Extensible through programming | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Hue vs Shelly: Full Comparison Chart PDF
I couldn’t get this giant Hue vs Shelly comparison table to display nicely on mobile as well as desktop so I created a separate PDF comparison that you can view instead.
You can download the full comparison chart here or click on the thumbnail below.
Hue vs Shelly Comparison PDF
Style: Swirls or Sabers
All of these bulbs sport that old school “Thomas Edison style” look and feature distinct glowing inner coils under a transparent dome.
The idea behind these bulbs is that you leave them exposed, either via a hanging ceiling light or on a lamp with no shade.
They look way too cool to cover them up.
I like the style of the Shelly sabers bulb better as the vertical filament coils give the light a retro and modern feel at the same time.
If you want swirls all of the Hue retro bulbs are that way. If its sabers you’re after, check out the Shelly line.
Hue vs Shelly: Brightness
The Shelly bulbs win hands down there. The A19 and ST21 weigh in a very bright 750 lumens where the more ornate Vintage G50 is just 260 lm. Both Hue ST19 bulbs are 350 lumens and the popular Hue white filament G25 tops out at 550 lumens.
That is almost a whole bulbs difference in brightness from the top two Shelly bulbs.
Hue vs Shelly: Type and Power
All of the bulbs are LED bulbs, and they will all work with your smart home and devices such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.
The benefit of LED bulbs is that they can produce the same amount of light as incandescent bulbs but they use less energy (watts).
This video from Bulbs.com does a nice job explaining the benefits:
Power-wise the bulbs are very similar. Shelly’s two bright bulbs are 7 watts and the G50 is 5 watts. Respectively, Hue’s 350 lm bulbs are 5 watts and the 550 lm bulb uses 7 watts of power.
Since LED bulbs are energy efficient by design, the power differences between Hue vs Shelly are really marginal here.
Are LED Filament Bulbs Energy-Efficient?
Generally, conventional filament bulbs are not as energy efficient as traditional incandescent bulbs, as they convert less than 5% of the energy they use into visible light. However, LED filament bulbs are more efficient: a traditional incandescent filament bulb uses 3.3 lumens per watt which is very inefficient compared to LED bulbs at around 100 lumens per watt.
All of the bulbs featured here take advantage of light-emitting diode technology so they are energy-efficient. The lifespan of these bulbs is remarkable as they can last over a decade or more.
The Super Bright LEDs YouTube channel does a really great job explaining the difference in this video.
Hue vs Shelly Conclusion: Which Edison Bulbs to Buy?
Even though I am a fan (and have a ton) of Hue smart bulbs in my crib, I am going to recommend Shelly here. The bulbs are brighter and less expensive. I also think those saber-style bulbs look cooler.
Unlike Paul Hibbert, I don’t think Philips Hue is the devil, although their products often come at a premium price and many of them require a separate hub or bridge.
Oh, and I like supporting the little guy on the block too when it’s warranted.
You can pick up Shelly bulbs over at the Shelly USA Online Store here.
If Philips Hue is more your thing, you can get the Hue vintage bulbs over at Amazon.com.
Here is the Shelly Vintage ST21 7w bulb in my favorite beach lamp.
I feel like the hippest bank manager around.
Related Posts
If you liked this post comparing Philips Hue vs Shelly Vintage, you might also enjoy some of these articles:
- Philips Hue Play Vs Bloom Vs Go Vs Iris: Smart Light Playtime!
- Are Smart Lights Worth It?
- What Are The Best Philips Hue Outdoor Lights?
- Can You Control LED Light Strips with Alexa?
- 7 Best Smart Outdoor Lights
Tim Brennan, a tech blogger and host of the @TecTimmy YouTube channel, writes about smart homes at oneSmartcrib, home theaters at UniversalRemoteReviews, and AI in writing at Writeinteractive. He holds a Journalism degree from Northeastern University and has covered technology for three decades. He lives on the ocean in Nahant, Massachusetts.
Please subscribe to my YouTube channel for a fun take on all things tech.
