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I recently gave a gushing review of the Philips Hue Surimu Rectangle Panel, which I felt is a superior solution to GU10 bulbs for a Philips Hue or any Zigbee-based smart lighting.
The justification for my praise was that the Philips Hue Surimu is capable of 4,150 lm, making it the equivalent output of 12 Philips Hue G10 White and Colour Ambiance bulbs.
While the Surimu is very expensive at around £300, using 12 GU10 bulbs would cost about £400 or more.
The Philips Hue Bridge also has a device limit of 50 bulbs, which is a serious problem if you want to use GU10 bulbs.
Therefore, in my opinion, smart LED panel lights are a far superior solution, assuming you don’t mind the aesthetic.
Paulmann has a range of Zigbee-equipped panel lights that are an excellent alternative to the Philips Hue range and quite a bit cheaper if you shop around. This includes the Velora I am reviewing today and also the Amaris range of lights.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paulmann 79825 Velora LED Panel rectangular incl. 1x10.5... | £110.36 | Buy on Amazon |
Paulmann Velora Specification / Options
The Velora range comes in multiple options, and it is available in either square/rectangular or round shapes.
The square models are only available in tunable white, whereas the round shapes are RGBW.
For the tunable white square/rectangular options, you have:
I was sent the 295x295mm square, which has the following specifications:
- Dimensions (Height x Width x Depth): H: 50 x B: 295 x T: 295 mm
- Dimmer: Works with Paulmann SmartHome Zigbee Gent
- Energy efficiency (A to G): F
- Lifetime: 30.000 h
- Colour temp: 2700 K
- Colour change: Tunable White
- Useful luminous flux: 1.100 lm
- Luminous flux LED module: 1330 lm
- Colour Temp: 2.700 – 6.500 K
- Component parts: 10.5 W
- Compatible Smart Home technology: Zigbee 3.0
- IP protection: IP20
- Dimmable: Yes, via Smart Home or Paulmann SmartHome Zigbee Gent
- Incandescent Equivalent: 90 W
- Power consumption: 14 W
Paulmann Velora vs Paulmann Amaris vs Philips Hue Aurelle
The Surimu I reviewed was a colour ambience LED panel. It is the Aurelle range that would be the equivalent of the Paulmann Velora I have reviewed.
The closest equivalent Philips Hue Aurelle is the 30cm model, which is available for £150 and has a lumen output at 4000k of 1940 lm or 1,820 lm at 2700k.
It then has a slightly wider colour temperature of 2200-6500k.
The endurance rating for the Aurelle is a bit less at 25K hours vs 30K hours.
The higher light out of the Aurelle also means it uses more power with 19W vs 10.5W for the bulb rating.
It is also worth noting that Paulmann has the Amaris range. These are larger RGBW rectangular/square panels. However, they have a relatively large bezel running around the edges, whereas the Velora is almost bezel-free.
If you don’t mind the bezel, these are good value for money. The Paulmann Amaris 79808 measures 595 x 295 mm, has a 1800lm output and costs just £150 on Amazon.
Unboxing
There is not much to unbox. You have the panel with its bracket, then the transformer and controller for wiring the LED panel up. The screws and plugs needed to install the panel plus are included a couple of 3M adhesive pads so you can affix the controller to the underside of the panel.
This is a frameless panel, so there is almost no bezel running around the edge, which is a unique feature you won’t find on competing smart LED panels.
Installation
I am incompetent at DIY, and the thought of doing anything with electrics is always a bit intermediating, but fitting lights and light switches are normally a surprisingly easy process, and this is true here.
There is a small bracket that you fit onto the ceiling first, with the wiring coming down through the central hole. It is held in place with two relatively small screws, but they felt more than secure enough when I fitted it.
You then need to wire everything into the junction box and attach the LED to the transformer and controller with a click adaptor.
The LED panel then hooks onto the bracket, and this is secured into place with a screw on each side.
I think it took me 10 minutes at the most.
Adding to Philips Hue
This is the first time I have added a third-party device to my Philips Hue system, and it was shockingly simple to do. It works exactly the same as a normal Hue bulb.
With the light powered on, I went to add a new device in the Hue app, and it identified it within seconds, flashing the light twice to notify you.
Home Assistant
With the panel integrated into Philips Hue, it shows up natively under the devices within the Philips Hue section.
Functionality is identical to the other Philips Hue devices. I can manually control it with on/off, brightness levels and temperature.
In-Use
This panel replaced a ceiling pendant in our hallway that used a single Philips Hue ST72 Edison bulb which had a lumen output of just 550 lm. Due to the weird layout of my home, it is a very dark hallway, so that single bulb meant the hallway was always a bit dark and glum.
I use a Philips Hue motion sensor in the hall, and I was able to replace the Edison bulb with this, and everything worked as expected immediately.
With the motion sensor, I am able to have the lights switch to a cool, bright light during the day, then a warm light in the evening and a dimmed light past our usual bedtime.
Price and Alternative Options
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| Paulmann 79825 Velora LED Panel rectangular incl. 1x10.5... | £110.36 | Buy on Amazon |
The Paulmann Velora Zigbee panel lights have an RRP of:
- Paulmann 79824
- 225x225mm 8.5W 800lm
- £119 RRP
- Paulmann 79825
- 295x295mm 10.5W 1100lm
- £132 RRP
- Paulmann 79827
- 595x295mm 15.5W 1600lm
- £189 RRP
- Paulmann 79826
- 595x595mm 19.5W 2200lm
- £226 RRP
If you search for the product code, you should be able to find them cheaper.
The 295x295mm is 79825, and you can find it on Amazon for a much more sensible £80.75 or the large rectangular Paulmann 79827 is £162
The round RGBW lights are available for:
- 300mm 16.5W 1600lm: £110
- 400mm 22W 2000lm: £154
I am not sure why the RGBW lights would be better value for money than the white lights, but that appears to be the case based on the lumen output and price.
For Philips Hue Aurelle:
- 300 mm x 300mm – 1,940 lm – £150
- 600 mm x 600mm – 3,750 lm – £220
Paulmann Velora Zigbee Smart LED Panel Review
Summary
The Paulmann Velora Zigbee LED panel is an excellent alternative to the Philips Hue Aurelle.
The Velora has a smaller bezel than the Aurelle / Surimu, which many people may find more aesthetically pleasing and likely contributes to the higher RRP than you might expect.
For me, the RRP, I’d say they, are a bit too expensive to recommend over the Aurelle, but there appears to be significant savings when buying from sites such as Amazon, and you are not as likely to find such a discount with Philips Hue.
I have not used one, but if you don’t mind a bezel around the edge and want a larger panel with a high-lumen output, the Paulmann Amaris would be a better value for money and a great alternative to the Philips Hue Surimu.
Overall
90%-
Overall - 90%90%
Pros
- The frameless design gives a more minimalist sleeker aesthetic
- Easy to install and pair with Philips Hue
Cons
- The frameless design makes the RRP quite high vs the Amaris range
I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.
As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.
In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.
I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.
Last update on 2024-04-28 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
