Hue Essentials Light Strips Now Available in Europe
Philips Hue has introduced its two new light strips to European customers as part of its Essentials line, both in 5 and 10 metre options. The Hue Essential light strips, expands the company’s lower cost lighting range with both a standard strip and a more adaptable ‘flex’ible variant. The new Essential series is positioned as an accessible entry point into the Hue ecosystem while retaining compatibility with existing Hue automation and smart home platforms.
The two models share core functionality but are designed for different installation scenarios.
The standard Hue Essential light strip is intended primarily for straight line installations such as under cabinets, behind televisions, or along shelving. The strip delivers colour and white ambience lighting using RGB based LEDs and is designed for indirect decorative illumination rather than primary room lighting.
Philips Hue specifies output of up to roughly 1700 lumens (presumably for the 5m option), with support for coloured lighting scenes alongside adjustable white tones. The strip can be cut to length during installation but cannot be extended beyond its supplied sizes, marking a clear distinction from higher tier Hue light strips.
The Essential series introduces some functional compromises compared to premium Hue strips. Minimum dimming reaches around 2% brightness rather than the lower levels offered by flagship models, and colour blending technology is simplified. Control is available via Bluetooth for basic operation or Zigbee through a Hue Bridge, to unlock automations, scenes, remote access, and wider ecosystem integration. Thread isn’t mentioned as an option in these strips.
Alongside the standard model, Philips Hue offers the Hue Essential Flex light strip, designed for installations where a traditional straight strip would be unsuitable. The ‘flexible’ version can be bent, twisted, or shaped around corners, mirrors, furniture edges, or decorative wall features. While both strips provide gradient lighting effects, the Flex model prioritises physical adaptability rather than maximum brightness or expandability.
Unlike the regular Essential strip, the flexible version is not intended to be cut down, as its internal construction supports shaping rather than modular trimming. This makes it better suited to decorative outlines or architectural accent lighting.
Both Essential light strips focus on ambient lighting rather than task illumination. Philips Hue positions them as mood lighting solutions capable of creating colour gradients, indirect wall washing effects, and scene based lighting throughout living spaces. Typical installation scenarios include television backlighting, shelving illumination, bedroom accent lighting, and indirect ceiling glow. The simplified hardware design also allows Philips Hue to offer these products at a lower price point than its Gradient or Light strip Plus ranges.
The Essential light strips operate within the Philips Hue ecosystem and support app control, scheduling, and voice assistants. When paired with a Hue Bridge, the lights gain access to advanced automation features and integration with major smart home platforms. Philips Hue’s newer Essential devices also participate in the company’s wider move toward Matter interoperability, allowing exposure to Apple Home, Google Home, and other Matter compatible platforms through the Hue Bridge acting as the default Matter Bridge. As with other Hue lighting products, full configuration, effects, and firmware management remain within the Hue app.
The Hue Essential Flex 5 metre strip is available on Amazon.de for €99,99, with the 10m variant selling for €169,99. The standard Essentials strip is also on Amazon.de with both the 5m Strip and 10m strip both available, priced at €59,99 and €99,99 respectively.
