I have been using twinkly as my tree lights for some time now. Last year i bought the 600 light set and it’s flawless. I do like Nanoleaf products, i have several, but find the prices are a bit much given what Govee and Twinkly can offer at a fraction of the price. The tree mapping on the twinkly app is a game changer. And you are right, the more lights the better.
You’ve provided the push I need. I’ve been wanting the Twinklee lights since I first saw a video on them maybe 2 years ago but I am taking the plunge this year. Thankfully they’ve made their strings more financially competitive. Thanks Brad! Christmas is going to rock this year (especially since I’ll get that music dongle to kick it up).
I got the RGB-W Twinkly lights and love them. The ability to 'map' your tree makes them unique and lets them do effects that the others can't. No matter how you put them on, once you map it, the app remembers what is left, right, top, bottom, etc.
I bought a Twinkly Christmas tree last year after resisting artificial trees my whole life. We got it because like everything else the cost of a good live tree last year was around $200 (USD). Ended up loving the Twinkly tree expecially after adding a little conifer scent to a Vocolink diffuser. We also got Twinkly light strips to wrap around the railing of our staircase and linked them to the tree. So much fun!.
You already know I’m a Twinkly guy. 1,350 leds on my 7 ft tree. Thought about switching to the Hue lights but I probably won’t change them until they stop working.
Great review Brad. I got my wife Twinkly this summer on a big sale. Can't wait to set them up for her. I'm losing interest in Nanoleaf - lately their products feel rushed and unpolished. If only Govee would embrace HomeKit! Their product range is crushing everyone.
Fantastic comparison Brad! I think it's time for Apple to overhaul HomeKit to allow for features like addressable LED control and native lighting effects. This is LONG overdue. Happy Holidays!
Thanks SO much for this comparison/review! We have a gorgeous 7.5’ tall “Holly Berry/Pine Cones” Christmas tree. It’s pre-lit and it came with tons of warm white LED (always on…no fading, blinking, or twinkling). Though it’s a very beautiful tree and very elegant/soothing warm lights, I wanted to get an adapter to give it a “twinke/fade” effect, which obviously I couldn’t because there are not compatible adaptors for these lights, except those that in which all lights blink at the same time, which is great for those who like “the horror show” as in “it’d drive me nuts”!!! LOL 😂 My husband and I agreed that we could perhaps just add a string (or two - because, as you mentioned, I’m one of those who like “going all in” lol!) that already comes with “twinkling mode”. Well, trying to find such on Amazon made me feel like I’m clueless…simply because when it comes to “twinkling lights” (or any light period!), I AM! So I decided to come here. After laughing out loud and rolling my eyes over various YT video titles supposedly on this subject, I was about to quit when I came across your video. I was like “Oh please, tell me something I don’t know!” And you did! Back to us: We have a smaller tree on the main floor, which still has the incandescent lights so a cheap adapter does the job making those lights fade, twinkle, blink, etc. It was super frustrating trying to find a ‘twinkle adapter’ for our “always on LED Xmas tree lights”, which obviously, doesn’t exist! It’s mind boggling why manufacturers would choose colors other than ‘hunter/dark green’ for Christmas tree light strings. No offense to “popcorn string buffs” but I’m partial seeing the lights ONLY! We’re going to try to add Twinkly lights to our tree. Absolutely loved your video! Super thorough (info + visuals) yet straight to the point! TSM and Merry Christmas!!! 🎄❤🙏
Thanks Brad! We definitely have more options than we had a couple years ago when I was trying to automate my holiday lights with HomeKit. I think I may be able to use some of these lights in my kids room as fairy lights. Right now I have some cheap ones on a smart plug that occasionally start flashing bright rainbow colors instead of being dim warm nightlights.
Have had nothing but issues with all of our Twinkly lights so we bought the Philips Hue Christmas lights. Our Twinkly lights have LEDs that are either stuck on a color or a whole section has gone dark. Twinkly requires an exhaustive email conversation with them having you upload video after video to prove their lights are not working, even when they are under warranty. Twinkly says some of their lights are outdoor rated but each strand we have had outside for a few months has experienced issues. Also, their software is really clunky. Govee has killer customer service and hardware support!
I bought Philips Hue Christmas lights two years ago, and was so excited to set them up around the arch in front of our front door. I was able to get them connected easily, the first time, and went ahead with the setup. After spending well over an hour getting them all exactly where I wanted them, I turned them on, and they looked amazing. The next day, they wouldn’t connect, and they’ve yet to connect since then, two years later, even after tons of troubleshooting…worst investment ever. Also, the app itself really sucks and seems very poorly designed - especially for a Philips product. If it weren’t for the major connectivity issue, though, I could get past that.
@@steevthetech There seem to be mixed reviews for them. Back when I first got them, but not until after I bought them, I noticed the app to control them had a 2 star rating. I read a bunch of the reviews after mine quit working, and almost all of the complaints seemed to be similar or the same. Can’t get them to turn on, or stay connected. A lot of them said that ones they’d bought years ago worked really well. Also, the rating has since gone up to 3 stars. So maybe there was just a year or two when they manufactured some snubs…I’m not sure. I didn’t return them, because I thought that maybe Philips would update the app, and that would fix the problem, but that unfortunately never happened. I have Philips smart bulbs, and they work well for the most part, as do most of Philips’ products. So I didn’t think it was necessary to look at reviews, or the app’s rating. I won’t make that mistake again. Haha.
I just can’t justify the price point on any of the brands shown in the video. Especially since I would only use during holidays and your thinking about gift giving to a large family,holiday food expenses and such. I like the lights and hopefully they become more affordable so everyone can enjoy.
What's this Matter thing? hah hah. Twinkly is still my preferred string if I am not going with Addressable Pixels. I have to use hubitat or home assistant for those. For Twinkly I've bought strands on each of the Amazon Prime day sales. Don't try putting a full 250 set of twinkly on each section of the tree. You will be trapped once you see how great it looks.
Once you see the motion pattern effects of mapped Twinkly lights, which are not shown well in this video, they are far and away a better choice, that will impress all who see them - the others are just like regular lights that you can change the color, or have them blink randomly in a pre-assingned set of colors - not too impressive in my opinion.
Are you aware if the Firmware update on twinkly saves any settings you have already made, I’m concerned that you have to delete the tree before installing the update
I bought these nanoleaf lights 3 days ago. They are already broken. I think it’s the controller that is broken but it won’t let me do anything with the lights now. I wish they would’ve allowed it to be disconnected so maybe that could just be replaced. Now I have to take all my ornaments and everything off my tree😭 not sure if I’ll get new ones or switch to a different brand. Seems like they all have lastibility issues
I’m new to this but I’m not sure how many strands I need. My tree is the same size as your first tree and I know you suggested more than one strand. But, which option do I choose (for the 2nd strand) if I select the 600 lights on my first one? Another 600, 400, 250, or 100 LEDs? These are Twinkly light options.
2:10 Nanoleaf ruined their reputation with the release of their Matter Bulb. Too many issues. I’m scared to buy anything Nanoleaf and they use to be my favorite.
For those with Twinkly lights, how do you put them on the tree neatly? I’m thinking of taping the two beginnings of the strips and using it as one, so the controller would hang from around the middle of the tree. Any better ideas? 🆘
I purposely don't put them on neatly. I believe the key thing with Twinkly is that you want a decent amount to make the animations stand out. I have 1100 LEDs on my 7.5 ft tree. When I go around the tree I will randomly put a couple towards the center of the tree. I do use three sets, one 600 and two sets of 250 each. In the end I think you're better off with random then trying to make it neat. I've tried but in the end you sit further back from the tree to ever really notice if it is neat. Hopefully that helps.
@@pariahphoenix alright then, I won’t worry too much about “perfect” placement on my tree as long as there’s pretty even courage, and there is, even with 600 on a 7.5’ tree. I wish I felt spendy enough to get another box but maybe next year I’ll get another 600 for it. Thanks!
Brad, a little off topic here, but I ordered a Hoobs Pro last March. They kept giving excuses about why it had not shipped and how it would ship next week, next week, etc. I finally cancelled my order in September, but they have refused to refund my funds. This is a very questionable business if not a complete SCAM!
Twinkly sucks so far for me. Bought enough to do a 10.5’ tree. The strings seem super fragile and snapping cutting themselves. No scissors and after installing on my fake tree being extra careful and no sharp edges the wires are cut. Not from the lights from the middle of the wires and have no clue how this is happening. My justification for re-wiring an artificial tree that is really nice to newer cool leds is that they will last longer and be less of a pain. However as much as I love the idea of them they quality seems not there.
I've been using Twinkly Gen 2 lights for 4 seasons on our 14-foot tree - no issues and nothing seems fragile. I hope they are not cutting back on quality in more recently-manufactured sets, or maybe you got a bad batch.
This seems way more like an ad for twinkly rather than a comparison. You go over the first two in a couple minutes and spend 85% of the video on twinkly
I didn’t intend for it to come off that way. More of a first impressions comparison. Twinkly did not sponsor or send me the light. But they were clearly the best IMO. Regardless, thanks for watching and leaving feedback.
Beware of Twinkly. Paid much moolah for a big outdoor tree last year and it only lasted one season. Twinkly warranty is only a year so they won’t stand behind it. Don’t pay more than you would for cheap crap.
Twinkly says they are for indoor and outdoor use, but honestly I wouldn't trust them out in the elements for any long period. The wire that connects to the power source is pretty thin. But they do have the larger outdoor bulbs... you might be better off with those.
