Verdict
The Twinkly Cluster is a circle of 400 lustrous , colourful bulbs , brought to life by smart mapping and a huge reach of customisable programmes . At six beat long these lights are great for bedecking a gravid Christmas Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , but you could install them anywhere you fancy brightening thing up – inside or outside your home . With a medulla every 1.5 cm , Cluster offers much denser upshot than a typical light string – they ’re ideal for adding colour and sport to a foresighted , thin space .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Almost any string of fairy lights cheers up a drab looking at elbow room or garden , but the Twinkly Cluster is for those who require something a snatch more telling . It ’s a medium - length string measuring about six meter , clustered with a remarkable 400 LEDs – that ’s one every 1.5 atomic number 96 . There ’s a interpretation confine to just gold and silver gray light , but I ’m testing the multicolour design , where each bulb can display more than 16 million colours .
As you ’d expect , that level of ascendence requires an app . you could relate to the Cluster via Bluetooth or Wi - Fi , utilise steady color or select from a wide range of customisable effects . This string is weatherproof , so it ’s ideal for use indoors and out , although the supplied mains adaptor does need a spot of shelter .
Design and Features
The first thing you ’re likely to notice about the Twinkly Cluster is that it ’s very densely packed with LED bulb . These offset off the main cable about every 1.5 cm , with the lights themselves top off a 5 centimeter foresightful branch . Once installed , these poor duration of wire aid add a bit of randomness and outer space to the layout , rather than giving you a closely pack telephone circuit of evenly space lights . That makes them double-dyed for wrapping around a diminished tree , but they ’re also great to fill out long , sparse spaces , such as the opening under long garden stride . The lights themselves are low , with an unintelligible cylindric lens , so the consequence is of small points of sparkle , rather than lanterns or any other chassis .
The clean string itself is permanently wired to the beamish controller , which in act connects to the provide mains adapter . The whole solidification is suitable for indoor or outdoor use , although its AC adaptor has only an IP44 protection rating . That throw it suitable for moist places , but it should be protect against pelting . I ’ve mentioned you may buy this set in colour or gold and flatware versions , but you may also choose between black or fleeceable cabling – again , ideal for tree diagram .
There ’s not much controller available straight off from the beamish accountant , which has only a unmarried release . Once you ’ve draped the twinkle where you need them , you ’ll want to set up the Twinkly app and get the Cluster join . This comfortable process uses Bluetooth , but it ’s beneficial to switch to a Wi - Fi connection thereafter : if your lights are within range of your router , it imply you’re able to see them from anywhere you take your phone .
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The final apparatus footprint involves using the app to map the actual physical placement of each bulb . This is mostly automated and not as slick as it sounds . It ’s necessary so the app can work out where bulbs are , and which ones to switch to which color for an effect to work .
The Twinkly Cluster can be set to display a individual gloss , but where ’s the merriment in that ? Explore the app ’s Gallery and you ’ll discover a heavy selection of pre - programmed displays , each of which you’re able to apace preview on the chain . you’re able to also get to the FX Wizard to create your own masterpiece , which can be base on a rule , sketched with your fingers , or even imported from a GIF .
Saving an effect will put in it on the Twinkly controller , which gives you a way to control the lights without the app thereafter – press the button to cycle through the stored video display and work the visible light on and off . These illumination form with Alexa and the Google Assistant , and I was capable to tot up and control them in Google Home . As a second - generation Twinkly machine they should also work with Apple HomeKit , although I was n’t able to test this .
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Twinkly ’s app does provide programing , but regrettably this is limited just to single on and off times . You ca n’t set multiple on / off periods per day , for deterrent example , or have different schedules for different day , and there ’s no pick to automatically switch on or off around twilight or break of day . And while you’re able to change an effect ’s brightness , you ca n’t have it fade out or wither in over a time period of time .
Performance
correct up the Twinkly Cluster , find an gist you care , and it ’s impossible not to be almost amply won over . The bulbs are lustrous , and they have an unbelievable depth of people of colour . It ’s hypnotising to watch case-by-case points cycle from abyssal wild blue yonder , through vivid violets to warm orange and reds .
My only little criticism is that there ’s sometimes obvious stepping between shades , rather than a completely politic fade . This tend to be most obvious in transitions across the full semblance spectrum , where the bulbs have to shift between several completely different colours within a few minute . Here they on the face of it ca n’t fit in enough dark glasses to make it altogether seamless – it ’s much less detectable in effect that use a modest pallette .
I installed the Twinkly Cluster around the cardinal banisters leading up a staircase . The app did a heroic line of work of mapping this near - spiral placement , which try out perfect for some of the more straightforward effects usable . I particularly liked Rainbow , which saw a spectrum of color chase after each other down the stairs .
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However , with the light mostly arranged vertically , there was limited horizontal separation , and two - dimensional pattern did n’t work so well . I experimented by reposition and re - map the Cluster in a helix on the bed , which created a much better canvas .
It ’s worth carry in idea where and how you ’ll install your lighter . The Twinkly Cluster does a great job of one - dimensional string effects . It ’s also great for 2D effects , provided it ’s format fitly . However , if you particularly want to make the most of Twinkly ’s most impressive 2D effects , you might want to view an inherently 2D production such as either theTwinkly CurtainorTwinkly Squares .
As Christmas approached , I used this low-cal string to adorn our two - metre tall artificial tree diagram . While it looked great , I discovered that even a six - cadence train was a little on the short side to provide full reporting – I would have needed two Clusters to get enough lightheaded density for a truly impressive effect . Still , if you do recur to more than one Twinkly product , you’re able to join them in a single display by map them together , then applying coordinated upshot across them all .
In use , these lights exhaust a maximum of 31 watts – about the same as three humbled - Department of Energy igniter bulbs . This dropped to only just over one W when they were on standby . Both the king adaptor and the Twinkly controller became warm in use , but never hot .
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Should you buy it?
This is a great light-headed string with a high-pitched density of vivid , colourful bulbs . It ’s pure for enliven up smaller trees , or sum solid colour to long , thin space .
These lightness ’ features have in mind they ’re pretty expensive . If you do n’t call for their quality , you could spend a lot less .
Final Thoughts
These lights did a wonderful job of cheering my phratry up during the farseeing spell of grey , dark and irksome weather in the Autumn of 2024 . I frequently find myself using them to brighten up inadequate and dingy days . That ’s something , give that they were n’t really in the idealistic place to show off their full capableness .
The Twinkly Cluster could be perfect if you ’ve go a smallish tree diagram to decorate , or a foresighted , thin space in the garden that needs some punchy firing . And given that the multicolour variant costs the same as the gold and silver lights , I ’d be inclined to buy the former – with some test and error you could create your own gold and Ag display .
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FAQs
No , they ’re not replaceable . They should last for K of hours , though .
Yes . The Cluster is design for trees , and its six - metre duration should be enough to dumbly handle most small or medium Tree . It ’s weatherproof , too , so you could use it in the garden .
Test Data
Full Specs
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