Review: Vocolinc LS3 ColorFlux Light Strip, a rainbow of colors

We already know VOCOlinc from the MistFlow humidifier and Ripple aroma diffuser, but this Czech manufacturer also makes lamps and security cameras. The VOCOlinc LS3 ColorFlux is already the second light hose and it has what you expect from a contemporary light hose: multiple colors. It is available in a length of 5 meters for just over 50 euros. If you want to go for 10 meters straight away, you pay 80 euros. That is a very reasonable price for such a multi-colored LED strip, but are there any unexpected pluses and minuses? You can read that in this review!

Review, photos and text: Gonny van der Zwaag (@gonny). The test was carried out in April 2022 and describes the situation at that time. The light strip was made available by the manufacturer for this test.

VOCOlinc LS3 ColorFlux in short

• LED strip in multiple colors
• Works with HomeKit, Alexa and Google Assistant
• Available in 5 and 10 meters
• Only suitable for 2.4GHz networks
• Brightness max. 100 lumens per meter
• 16 million colors
• Energy class G, power consumption max. 30 Watt
• Dimmable 0% to 100%
• Available from Amazon for €51.99 (5 meters) or €79.99 (10 meters)

For comparison: the Philips Hue Gradient Lightstrip that we reviewed earlier costs around 120 euros and has 3 to 5 adjustable color zones.

Appearance and design of the VOCOlinc LS3 ColorFlux

What can be said about an LED strip with HomeKit? Not much, so we will mainly talk about the possibilities and impossibilities of this light tube, which you can stick under a cupboard or attach to the back of the television. The product is supplied on a roll. If you buy the extra long version, you will receive two identical light hoses that you have to attach together.

In the package you will find:

• 5 meter LED strip with 3M adhesive strip on the back
• Smart WiFi controller to connect
• Power adapter
• User manual
• Additional mounting material

Commissioning and installation VOCOlinc LS3

The strip itself is fairly thin and flexible, although you cannot easily bend it. The cable is quite long, so it is no problem to connect it to the mains without an extension cable. If the strip itself is a little too short, you can connect extensions of 5 meters each. And of course you can also cut it to the desired length. In terms of energy consumption, the G designation is a bit disappointing, but this applies to many more smart home lamps that I have tested recently. The maximum energy consumption is not too bad at 30 Watts and will usually not be achieved because you can dim it and not always have it at maximum brightness.

When unpacking, make sure you place the connector correctly. The light strip will then immediately light up. But of course that doesn’t mean it is directly included in HomeKit. I scanned the code on the manual in the Home app and assigned the light strip to a room. This all worked without a hitch, as with any HomeKit product. With HomeKit you can turn the light strip on and off, adjust brightness, set colors, assign a room, use scenes and automations, and group with other devices.

But… this light strip is multi-colored and of course you want to see a multi-color effect. For this you will have to install the VOCOlinc app. After installing the app, you have two options: HomeKit mode (requires no further login) or multi-system mode. Of course I chose the first one and that’s it. The light strip appears in the app and you can immediately view the many options.

The ‘Rainbow’ effect, which can be set via the VOCOlinc app.

As is often the case with multi-colored lamps, you cannot control this via the Home app, but only in the manufacturer’s app. This was also the case with the previously discussed Philips Hue Signe Gradient.

The VOCOlinc app offers a lot of lighting effects and also synchronization with music, if you give access to your iPhone’s microphone. There really is everything in it. For example, you can manually set the RGB color of the lamp with a code to get exactly the color you are looking for. The light effects include everything: a flickering candle, busy flashing lights, a soothing wave effect, slow color transitions and the like. If you really don’t know anymore, you can also choose Random, so that you see random colors. Or you choose Daylight, where the strip adapts to the rhythm of the day. Finally, you can set a schedule or check some settings.

In short, a very complete app and can be used immediately once you have added your light tube to HomeKit.

Conclusion VOCOlinc LS3 ColorFlux Light Strip

If you are looking for a light hose in multiple colors, then the VOCOlinc LS3 ColorFlux is definitely worth considering. It appears as a lamp in HomeKit, where you can control all the usual options. You can arrange much more via the VOCOlinc app. Once again, you are stuck with the manufacturer’s app for the multi-colored effects. With the Philips Hue Signe, we thought it was a shame that the manufacturer had not come up with a workaround for this (as Nanoleaf did), but with a smaller manufacturer like VOCOlinc it is difficult to make the same demands. However, it is something to take into account: you cannot control the really nice effects directly via HomeKit and that is why you buy such a light strip.

In terms of build quality and options, this light strip is excellent. You can simply use it for mood lighting, but also to throw a party. Nice to have and not that expensive at around 50 euros.

Buy VOCOlinc LS3 ColorFlux

This rope light is available from the manufacturer itself, but for exactly the same price you can have it delivered to your home via Amazon. We have not seen this rope light at other stores.

• €51.99 (5 meters)
• €79.99 (10 meters)