Philips Hue downlights in Australia: fitting, installing and choosing

Philips Hue sells two recessed downlight models in Australia, the Akari and the Garnea. Before choosing between them, check what your ceiling already has, because some homes can go smart without replacing a single fitting.

Check what's in your ceiling first

With the light switched off and cool, look up into one of your downlights. If you can see a globe, gently twist or pull just the globe out and check its base. You'll find one of three things.

• A GU10 globe. It twists to lock and runs straight off mains power. A Hue GU10 twists into the same socket, at $54.95 in White Ambiance or $99.95 in colour, with no electrician.
• An MR16 globe. It pushes straight in and runs on 12 V through a transformer above the ceiling. Hue makes MR16 globes, but an old halogen transformer will often make them flicker or refuse to start. Our GU10 vs MR16 guide covers converting.
• A sealed LED unit. There's only a flat, sealed lens and nothing twists or pulls out, so no globe will help. The whole fitting gets replaced, and that's the job Akari and Garnea do.

Akari or Garnea

Pick Garnea for everyday rooms where you want white light that shifts from warm evening tones to cool daylight. Pick Akari where colour earns its place, such as a media room or a kids' room, or anywhere you use colour scenes. Neither tilts: both are fixed downlights that throw an even wash, so they suit general room lighting more than aiming light at artwork or a feature wall. Hue also sells Akari with a black trim at 750 lm, which we don't stock yet.

Cut-out, depth and insulation

The cut-out is the hole the downlight drops into. Both Hue downlights need 90 mm, the most common size in Australian homes. If you're replacing existing downlights, measure the hole: a fitting that's a few millimetres out won't sit flush.

Each sits about 60 mm up into the ceiling, so it needs that much cavity above. Where there's no cavity, such as a concrete ceiling, a recessed downlight won't fit and you need a surface-mounted light instead.

Both can have ceiling insulation against them and over them. Hue rates Garnea IC and Akari IC-4, which is also sealed against air leaking into the roof space. Your electrician confirms the clearances for your ceiling.

Installing Philips Hue downlights

Akari and Garnea run on 220 to 240 V mains power, so fitting them is electrical work, and in Australia that means a licensed electrician. Budget for the visit alongside the lights.

Once they're in, leave the wall switch on so the lights stay connected. If there's a wall dimmer on the circuit, have the electrician swap it for a standard switch: Hue downlights dim themselves in the app, and Hue lists neither as compatible with wall dimmers.

Work out how many you need before the electrician arrives. Our downlight calculator gives the number and spacing for your room.

Bluetooth or a Bridge

Both downlights work over Bluetooth from the Hue app, for up to 10 lights in one room. A room of downlights plus a couple of lamps reaches that quickly, so most downlight installs end up on a Hue Bridge. It handles 50 lights and adds control away from home, motion sensors and automations.

Are Philips Hue downlights worth it?

They cost more than a plain LED downlight, and the electrician comes on top. What you get is lights that join the rest of a Hue system: the same app, scenes, switches and sensors, all run locally by a Hue Bridge. If your downlights already take GU10 globes, start there. It's the cheapest way to find out whether you want smart downlights at all.