If you're looking to light up your humble abode with smart bulbs, we've got the deal for you. Philips is selling its four-bulb E26 starter kit for just $60. The bulbs are the equivalent to 60 watt incandescent bulbs, but have a maximum operation power of 10 watts. The bulbs integrate with all the popular voice assistants including Amazon's Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant. You can also control the lights from your smartphone using the Hue app.

One way to build out a smart home is to buy lots of components--sensors, smart bulbs, security cameras, speakers, and whatnot--and connect them all to a hub that helps them communicate with each other and with you, via your smartphone. But let's be real: That can involve spending a lot of money and investing a lot of time. If your wants and needs are simpler, just a few relatively inexpensive products will deliver most of the conveniences a high-end smart home can deliver, and on a much more modest budget. And if you make sure those smart home products are compatible with each other, you'll build a solid foundation that you can expand over time. The key is knowing which smart home products don't depend on a smart home hub to operate.

If you make a purchase by clicking one of our links, we may earn a small share of the revenue. However, our picks and opinions are independent from USA TODAY's newsroom and any business incentives. We've come a long way since we first looked at smart bulbs back in 2015, but there's one thing that hasn't changed. If you want the best smart bulb for your money, then you should get the Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Starter Kit (available at Amazon). If this is your first time exploring the world of smart bulbs, there are a few things you should know.