MiPow PlayBulb Candle LED Review

The MiPow PlayBulb Candle is an LED night-light lamp that can be controlled from your smartphone via an app. That sounds interesting, right? Which is why I got one in for review!

The PlayBulb Candle is marketed as a long-lasting night-light that can reproduce the effects of a flame candle with the added bonus of almost any coloured light for added atmosphere. It uses a RGB configuration (red, green and blue LED bulbs) to recreate almost any colour in the spectrum. It does a very good job of this, but there are a few small niggles I want to iron out in this review.

MiPow PlayBulb Candle

Features:

  • Bluetooth connectivity
  • Lightweight and portable design
  • Requires 3x AA batteries
  • Claimed 60 days battery life with 4 hours p/day operation
  • Recreate any colour ambient light

Everyday Usage

I placed a brand new set of batteries in to the device and it has been running fine for just over two weeks now. The manufactures claim the battery can last for up to 60 days if it is used for four hours per day. Though I cannot confirm this, it does seem realistic – and impressive. Though the battery life is sufficient, I would rather do away with replaceable batteries and instead have the option to plug in a charger and maybe run the candle off the mains.

Brightness may be an issue if you only have a single PlayBulb Candle and expect it to light up a room. To be honest, I was disappointed that it didn’t provide enough light to navigate my way around a 3×4 meter bedroom but there was just about enough light to make out where my bed was.

Bluetooth Connectivity

If you do not have a compatible smartphone (Android or iOS and Bluetooth) you will not be able to use the PlayBulb Candle. This is note a down vote, since most people who purchase this will be getting it for that exact reason. The candle stays constantly on and uses smart Bluetooth in order to conserve battery life.

From the mobile application, you connect to the candle via Bluetooth and can control the colour, brightness and type of illumination. The colour is chosen from a colour wheel and the brightness is adjusted using a slider. There is also an entire tab dedicated to how you want the light to be recreated and the options include a candle effect which adds some flicker to the bulb or a flashing/SOS output too.

Mobile App

The mobile app is available as a free download from the respective iOS and Android store. I tested the PlayBulb Candle with an iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 and encountered no issues at all. It was simple to connect to the bulb for the first time, and controlling the light was incredibly easy. There’s a huge bunch of options and featured that can be controlled via the application; all laid out and organised very well. Children and older, less-tech-friendly adults will have no issues using the PlayBulb Candle.

Color Recreation

In contrast to many other reviews online, I think the PlayBulb Candle does a super job in recreating colours. When using the smartphone app, colours change instantly are are fairly accurate too. With that being said, white is very dim and is closer to a yellow-ish cream tint.

Conclusion

I think the PlayBulb Candle is a great addition to any room in the house. Whether you use it as a night-light in your bedroom, a candle in the living room or an ambience light to create atmosphere in the kitchen or bathroom it does a fantastic job. You’re more likely to appreciate the PlayBulb Candle if you buy the multi-pack of three lights since one light only has a very limited effect.

The product is very well-built and feels like it will last. Despite the relatively low price-tag, the PlayBulb Candle does feel like a premium product rather than a gimmicky toy.

Subscribe to Email Updates