What you should be using instead of a Philips Hue Bridge
The Philips Hue Bridge is a neat device if you're locked into the ecosystem, but there's a better (and cheaper) way to manage all your smart tech.
When purchasing any Philips Hue bulb, you'll need a connection method. This can be achieved via Bluetooth, but you're limited to local access and have to be within a specific range for the app. The second option is to buy a Philips Hue Bridge, though many packs from the brand often come with the bridge included. It's a proprietary kit that works with branded products, but can connect with other hardware if needed. The hub itself is pretty good, connecting to numerous devices, handling everything using the Zigbee protocol, and can even integrate with other platforms, such as Home Assistant. But it's not cheap, you have to position it accordingly, and it's not fully open.
