Philips Hue Datura Ceiling Light Review

Introduction

The Philips Hue Datura makes a strong first impression, with its modern frameless design, dual-zone lighting, and the usual Hue smart home compatibility. But it also comes with a wallet-punching price of $329.99 Stateside and £299.99 in the UK for the 38.4cm model, or $439.99 / £399.99 for the larger 57.4cm version.

This review is based on the larger one, which I’ve had hanging on my utility room ceiling for the past few weeks.

It’s essentially a pricey upgrade to the Hue Surimu ceiling panels, and in terms of raw brightness and design, it does the job.

But once you start comparing what you’re getting here versus similarly specced ceiling lights from Aqara, Govee or Lifx – at less than half the price – it’s clear you’re paying a steep Hue tax.

That said, if budget’s not a blocker, there’s still plenty to like. Here’s the full breakdown…

Design and installation

• Heavy
• Needs to be in
• Excellent build quality

If there’s one area where the Datura earns its price, it’s build quality. This thing feels high-end.

Gone is the chunky plastic frame of older Hue panels (and rivals from other brands), replaced with a cleaner aluminium body that floats subtly off the ceiling.

That floating effect isn’t just for show; it’s essential for the ring of ambient LEDs that bounce light upward to create an awesome mood effect. That ring is hidden on the underside by some frosted clear plastic.

The larger model tips the scales at over 6.2kg and the official install instructions suggest three screws for the big unit, but depending on your ceiling material, you’ll want to use proper anchors this isn’t something you want falling down in the middle of the night.

As for the setup, it’s largely pain-free. You screw in the bracket, wire the thing up (it’s compatible with two-wire UK systems), clip the body to the hanging wires to hold it in place while you work, then snap it onto the mount.

I managed to get mine up in under 15 minutes, no extra hands needed, just a decent ladder and a bit of upper body strength.

Performance and features

• Excellent colours
• Works with Hue app

The Datura’s standout feature is its dual lighting zones. It’s got a powerful downward-facing main panel, and a softer, upward-facing ambient ring. Both are fully controllable through the Hue app and third-party platforms; i.e. they are treated as two different lights.

Brightness is seriously impressive. The 57.4cm model I tested maxes out at 5,390 lumens at 4000K, easily outshining the older Surimu panel by 30% or so. The smaller model still manages a punchy 3,300 lumens, which is enough for most small-to-mid-sized rooms.

The dual zones unlock some fun and practical use cases. You can use the ring for soft, indirect mood lighting or trigger specific colours through routines.

Think amber glow for doorbell alerts or red if a your security alarm is triggered. If you’ve got it linked up with a smart home system like Alexa or Apple Home, you can get super creative with these automations.

You’ve got the full Hue White and Color Ambiance range with the Datura (16 million colours, 2000K–6500K), and colour accuracy is solid enough thanks to a CRI of 80+.

But there are caveats; the Datura doesn’t support Philips Hue’s newer Multi-Source Light (MSL) tech, which means the two zones show up as separate devices in the app.

It also doesn’t support Hue’s app-based light effects, so you’ll miss out on nifty effects and themes; which is a big selling point you’ll find on far cheaper rivals.

You’ve got two ways to get started: connect via Bluetooth for quick control, or pair it with a Hue Bridge to unlock everything else, such as scenes, zones, routines, and proper integrations.

I used the Hue Bridge method, and setup was seamless. Both the main and ambient lights showed up as individual devices in the app, and it was easy to assign them to rooms, create scenes, and fine-tune colour and brightness.

Matter support is also in the mix, but only when paired via a Hue Bridge. Matter opens up cross-ecosystem compatibility, of course, but you can also use it natively with the likes of Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings, Homey and Apple Home.

If you’re using one of Amazon’s newer Zigbee hubs, like the 3rd-gen Echo Show 8, Echo Hub or Echo Studio, you can even connect the Datura without the Hue Bridge, though you’ll lose some advanced options.

Accessory support is strong too. I tested it with a Hue Smart Button and wall module and had no problem controlling the zones independently with short presses or holds. For everyday use, a physical switch still beats diving into the app.