Our pick
The Bloom is a great option for those who want a more discreet lamp for room corners or to accent items, such as couches. It's not the smallest lamp ever, but it's not too hard to conceal, and it can access over 16 million colors through the Philips Hue app with the Hue Bridge. The only negative is that it only shines at a mere 120 lumens, which isn't that bright, but at least it doesn't take too much power with only 8W.
For
- Discreet design
- Great for corners or item accenting
- Can be concealed
- Bulb is 8W
- Over 16 million colors
- Remote access via Philips Hue Bridge and app
Against
- Only 120 lumens
Wash the walls with color
The Philips Hue Iris is a great bulbous lamp to accentuate your walls in gorgeous color. It's bright at 210 lumens, so it will definitely light up any room. However, the bulb shape and larger size will be harder to conceal than the Bloom, so it'll be its own focal point.
For
- Much brighter at 210 lumens
- Great for adding color to walls
- Over 16 million colors
- Remote access via Philips Hue Bridge and app
Against
- Bulbous design is harder to hide
- Not for accenting items aside from walls
- 10W bulb means more power required
The Philips Hue Bloom and Iris are both good lights, as they're designed for different purposes. If you are looking for something to accentuate items or corners in rooms, then the Bloom is the way to go, but it's less bright, so it's more for ambiance lighting. The Philips Hue Iris is larger, so you can't hide it as well, and it's bright enough to light up an entire wall, thus filling a room with light.
Let's break it down now
It's hard to declare an outright winner between these two Philips Hue products since they were designed to serve different purposes.
However, if we are going to prefer one over the other, we like the Philips Hue Bloom more than the Iris for a few reasons. The biggest one is the fact that it has a smaller, more compact size that is easier to conceal in a room, so the ambiance isn't ruined with a large bulb that just sticks out like a sore thumb. The Bloom is also more power efficient since the bulb is 8W, but it's definitely dimmer at 120 lumens, but it's enough to highlight items and corners.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Philips Hue Bloom | Philips Hue Iris |
|---|---|---|
| Brightness | 120 lumens | 210 lumens |
| Design | Discreet and compact | Bulbous |
| Bulb power | 8 W | 10 W |
| Concealable | Easier | Harder |
| Best for | Items/Corners | Walls |
| Dimensions | 5" x 4" x 5" | 9" x 6" x 7" |
If you are looking for a light to add color to the walls of a room, then the Iris is the way to go. The bulbous design and larger size will be harder to conceal, but it's much brighter and will illuminate the entire room without issue. The Iris uses a bit more power, requiring a 10-watt bulb.
Both the Bloom and the Iris are capable of over 16 million colors, which you can customize and change to with the Philips Hue app. The Bridge is required for using both the Bloom and Iris lights.
We prefer the Bloom over the Iris, but they're both great options. It really just depends on what you want your light to do. If you want ambient accenting for shelving and corners, go with the Bloom. For lighting up entire walls with bright, illuminating color, go with the Iris. They are both around the same price range and require the Philips Hue Bridge to work, and the Philips Hue app is for remote access and customizing colors.
Highlight items and corners
The Philips Hue Bloom is a discreet and compact lamp that you can easily conceal while accenting items and corners in a room. The bulb is 8W and the brightness is 120 lumens, so it's great for ambiance.
Light up the walls with color
The Philips Hue Iris is a larger, bulkier bulb-style lamp that uses 10W of power and shines at 210 lumens. It will bath entire walls in colorful light, and it's more than enough to light up the room.
