Wyze Floor Lamp Review: Slick design, could use more smarts

By John Velasco Published April 21, 2022

“Why you can trust Digital Trends – We have a 20-year history of testing, reviewing, and rating products, services and apps to help you make a sound buying decision. Find out more about how we test and score products.“

Most companies typically space out their product launches, but that’s not how Wyze does things. The company has been on a roll the past year that’s unmatched in the smart home space. While it’s been only a couple of months since the launch of the Wyze Bulb Color, the company is back at it with yet another new lighting solution — the Wyze Floor Lamp.

You may be wondering how Wyze’s interpretation of a floor lamp is going able to stand out beyond the obvious function of being connected. Well, let me just say outright that the company is asking a mere $30 for it. That may be enough for some folks to consider purchasing it, but does it fall victim to that age-old adage of “you get what you pay for?”

If there’s one tangible aspect of the Wyze Floor Lamp that instantly gets my attention, it has to be its minimalist design. Seriously, this thing looks like it was made by Ikea’s designers. Setting it up is also a breeze because all that’s necessary out of the box is to twist the three sections of floor lamp together.

Achieving a height of 5 feet, 11 inches when it’s fully straightened out, it can hover above tables and desks with ease — although it’s worth noting that two feet of its length is reserved for its flexible, articulating neck. It’s still enough to comfortably tower over couches, sofas, and even recliners. The base is reinforced with enough weight to prevent it from ever falling over, but can still fit snugly under low clearances thanks to its 0.5-inch height.

This thing looks like it was made by Ikea’s designers.

While its design is more compatible around other modern décor, its minimalism doesn’t clash too much with other styles. Well, that’s unless it’s in grandma’s living room. Still, I really wish there were other color options besides black.

Speaking of options, there’s technically one light bulb that’s meant to work with it — the included Wyze PARB Bulb, which the company refers to as a parabolic aluminized reflector. It’s a bulb that’s fully contained within the conical-shaped housing that screws into the socket, ensuring that the minimalist design is maintained. It has a maximum brightness output of 800 lumens, but it’s set to emit at only a color temperature of 4,000 kelvins. That’s wonderful if you prefer natural daylight all the time, but there are some people that prefer warmer color temperatures more ideal for nighttime use.

There’s a dedicated remote included with the Wyze Floor Lamp, that pairs to the PARB bulb via Bluetooth LE 5.0. It has a magnetic base that allows it to attach firmly to the metal base of teh lamp or other surfaces. It’s great being able to control the intensity of the light using the knob, in addition to the Wyze app for mobile. However, since it’s operated through Bluetooth Low Energy 5.0, it lacks that true remote operation other smart lights offer — there’s no way to turn it on/off if you’re away from home. There’s a scheduling feature and a smart dimming mode through the Wyze app, but neither is as useful as full remote or voice-activated operation that traditional smart lights offer.

As mentioned, the remote is exclusively meant to work in tandem with the PARB bulb, so other smart LED light bulbs that Wyze offers won’t be able to work with this floor lamp. It’s a bummer because it would have given the Wyze Floor Lamp significant versatility by providing users with options for color, true wireless operation, and color temperature control. I’m hoping for at least another PARB bulb down the road.

If you’re looking for a floor lamp that’s meant to focus light into a confined space, then the Wyze Floor Lamp fits the bill. There are a total of 15 individual condenser lenses that focus the light at a 23-degree angle, making it an ideal light to read by or to illuminate something that you might be working on while at your desk. It’s a strong light source that’s a bit on the harsh side because it does cast shadows.

Since it’s a focus light, it doesn’t really do well to light up large spaces and rooms. It’s just not meant for that, but it works nicely to highlight wall paintings and smaller decorative pieces. You could point the light up to the ceiling, but it doesn’t have the same dispersing effect to achieve whole room coverage.

Frankly, this isn’t what I’d classify as your traditional smart light because it lacks the fundamental quality of being able to be remotely operated outside of the home. You still have local operation using the remote or mobile app, but I would much rather prefer voice assistant control when I’m just too lazy to get up.

Then again, it’s not often we come across a floor lamp that offers a strong light source in a minimalist design like this one does. There are opportunities for improvement for sure, but it has some merit in being a specialty light — more so when it costs a mere $30. That’s cheaper than nonconnected floor lamps you’d find at Target or Ikea. That alone is worth bragging about.

I’m actually confident about the build quality of the Wyze Floor Lamp, as the base and body are constructed from metal. The only unknown is how well the articulating neck will hold up over the long term, as well as the bulb, which is rated for 25,000 hours. Luckily, there’s a three-year warranty on the bulb — while the stand and remote have a 1-year limited warranty.

Not really in the floor lamp space, especially at this price. There are other decorative smart lights and lamps to consider, like the Philips Hue Iris or Mi Bedside Lamp, which both light up in various colors to fit the décor or mood.

Yes. It’s not often you find a semiconnected floor lamp at this price. In some instances, it’s cheaper than a traditional floor lamp you’d find in a furniture or retail store.