Twinkly Candies Review
A fun set of lights for Christmas and beyond
Verdict
Available in sets with 100 or 200 LEDs, and with a choice of four different shapes, the Twinkly Candies are brilliant fun. Bright colours and dynamic scenes can transform any room or space. The lack of a power supply is a shame, and these lights only work indoors.
Pros
- Flexible
- Excellent range of effects
- Brilliant fun
Cons
- No power supply
- Indoor only
Key Features
- String lightsAvailable in four different shapes and either with 100 or 200 LEDs, each individually controllable.
Introduction
Well-known for its intricate, fun lights, the Twinkly Candies bring a new sense of fun, whether you want lights for Christmas or just something to brighten your home all year round.
Available in a range of different shapes, these lights have excellent colour reproduction and a huge number of fun effects to choose from.
Design and features
- Available in four shapes and two lengths
- Power supply not included
- Excellent app and range of effects
Under the Twinkly Candies umbrella, there are four different light shapes. I’ve got the Pearls (round lights) on review, but there are Candles, Stars and Hearts available, too. Each set is available with either 100 individually controllable lights (2m in length) or 200 lights (two strands of 2m each). I’ve got the 200-light edition.
As with other Twinkly products, such as the Twinkly Curtain, the lights connect to a control box with a single button that cycles through the selected scenes before turning the lights off. Having physical control like this is helpful, as I don’t always have to get my phone out.
Powered by USB-C, these lights can be bundled up and taken where you want them, powered even by a battery power station. However, as most installations will be at home, it would have been nice to have a power supply in the box.
Setting up the lights is easy. As they’re light, they can be wrapped around objects, taped to the wall or hung over pretty much anything. Note that these lights are for indoor use only and are not weatherproof.
Once set up, the lights should be connected to the Twinkly app, which can be by Bluetooth or, better yet, Wi-Fi. These lights, unlike other Twinkly lights, don’t work with Apple HomeKit, but you can use voice control via Amazon Alexa or Google Home.
With the Twinkly app, the main job is to use your phone’s camera to take photos of the lights and map out how they’re arranged. Given the length of the lights, I had to use the more advanced mode, taking multiple photos until all of the lights were mapped.
At its simplest, the lights can be turned on and off, set to a solid colour, or have their brightness changed.
That’s a little boring, which is why Twinkly has many effects that can be downloaded and customised. These range from gentle colour-blending effects, where the lights slowly change colour, to rapid effects, with colours racing around the full run.
Effects can be customised for colour and transition speed, giving an even bigger selection of light shows.
Up to 15 effects can be saved to the lights, and cycled through using the button on the front. Annoyingly, effects can only be removed from the last one backwards, rather than just being able to delete one at random. It does mean that, from time-to-time, I had to wipe out all of the stored effects, and then add in the new ones I wanted.
Performance
- Brilliant fun
- Excellent effects
The Twinkly Candies are a fun set of lights. They’re bright enough that I could clearly see the colours, and they shine enough that you can move around a room without needing to turn the lights on. I wouldn’t want to read by them, though.
Utility isn’t what these lights are about; it’s the effects. Once scanned properly so that the app knows where each light is, the effects are incredible. Whether it’s one of the more gentle ones or a strobing effect, the Candies are brilliant fun.
Swooping colours and dashing lights bring this set of lights to life, and the huge number of individual bulbs (200 lights on my set is just massive) can really change the feel of a room.
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Should you buy it?
You want a fun set of lights to brighten up an indoor space
These lights are available in four different shapes and are brilliant fun thanks to the wide range of dynamic scenes.
You want outdoor lights
With an IP20 rating, these lights are firmly indoor only.
Final Thoughts
Adaptable, fun and with a huge number of effects to choose from, the Twinkly Candies are a great set of lights for Christmas and beyond. If you’ve got a slightly dull indoor space that needs improving, these are a great choice; a power supply and weatherproofing for outdoor use would make them perfect.
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FAQs
With an IP20 rating, these are an indoor-only product.
No, these lights will work with the Twinkly app, Amazon Alexa or Google Home.
Full specs
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Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
