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Z-Wave is a standard for smart home products, including light switches. You will need a primary controller (a hub) which connects your switches together, and then you can control your existing lights with either the hardware switch mounted in the wall, your smartphone, a remote, or other smart devices.
| 5 Recommended Products | Recommendations | Price | Last Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 GE Z-Wave In-Wall Smart Switch· · · | 2 | 0 | $39 | Jul 7, 2016 |
| #2 Dragon Tech On/Off Wall Mount Switch· · · | 1 | 0 | $34 | Jul 6, 2016 |
| #3 Cooper Aspire RF 5-Button Scene Control Keypad· · · | 1 | 0 | $80 | Jul 7, 2016 |
| #4 GE Z-Wave In-Wall On/Off Toggle Switch· · · | 0 | 0 | $39 | Jul 6, 2016 |
| #5 Cooper Aspire RF Wireless 15A Switch· · · | 0 | 0 | $56 | Jul 6, 2016 |
Pro Programmable
Using a Z-Wave programmer (aka a master controller), you can essentially flip the switch's software (if you installed it upside-down, intentionally or accidentally, the software can compensate for that). Also, the LED indicator can be programmed to turn on when the light is on, which is very u...
Pro Touch controls
Tapping the switch will toggle the lights on/off, and long touching will slowly brighten or dim the lights.
Pro Small LED indicator
There is a small blue LED indicator on the bottom right of the switch. By default, it turns on when the light is off, allowing you to easier see where the switch is in the dark. If you have a Z-Wave programmer however, you can change it to be the opposite - when the light is on the LED is on. This...
Con House wiring requires neutral wire
The neutral wire is needed for this wall switch - it simply won't function without it. Older houses may not have the wiring required for these switches to work.
Con Installation can be difficult
If you haven't swapped out wall switches before, it can be tricky. You will have to un-wire the old one, and wire the new one to the existing wires. The instructions use some jargon that isn't explained, which you will need to figure out before the instructions make any sense ('line...
Pro Internal breaker
This switch incorporates an internal breaker, protecting the light from power surges.
Pro Inconspicuous design
Once installed, these look like just any regular old light switch. They will fit into any house just fine without drawing any attention to themselves. It's the best way to upgrade the tech in your house without changing the way it looks at all.
Con No instant notification
This switch doesn't automatically update the system when it activates or deactivates, meaning the controlling system won't know if the switch is activated or deactivated until it polls each device itself. This means that if the switch is actuated manually, your app won't know that the...
Con Limited temperature range
This switch is only meant to be used from 32-104 Fahrenheit (0-40 Celsius). This switch may fail if installed in an unheated garage, or during a power outage in the middle of winter.
Pro Brightness controls
In addition to turning scenes on and off, holding the button will brighten or dim them slowly, truly giving you full control from a central switch.
Pro Multi-room control from a single switch
This switch enables instant control over different 'scenes' (groups of lights) all at once. Each scene has it's own LED indicator that lights up when the scene is activated, and turns off when it is deactivated.
Con Middle buttons hard to find
The top and bottom buttons are easier to press than the button on the middle, which is about 1/3 shorter than the top and bottom buttons.
Con Only controls scenes
While it would be useful if the vertical button on the right could control a light itself, instead it just turns off the scenes controlled by the other buttons. This switch can't control individual lights unless you configure that light as a scene all by itself.
Pro Programmable
Using a Z-Wave programmer (aka a master controller), you can essentially flip the switch's software (if you installed it upside-down, intentionally or accidentally, the software can compensate for that). Also, by default, when flicking the switch the lights won't turn on/off immediately -...
Pro Inconspicuous design
Once installed, these look like just any regular old light switch. They will fit into any house just fine without drawing any attention to themselves. It's the best way to upgrade the tech in your house without changing the way it looks at all.
Con Installation can be difficult
If you haven't swapped out wall switches before, it can be tricky. You will have to un-wire the old one, and wire the new one to the existing wires. The instructions use some jargon that isn't explained, which you will need to figure out before the instructions make any sense ('line...
Con House wiring requires neutral wire
The neutral wire is needed for this wall switch - it simply won't function without it. Older houses may not have the wiring required for these switches to work.
Pro Programmable delayed turn off
This switch offers an option to automatically turn off after a set period of time - ideal for hallways where you only need light for a minute or two. This is also very useful in bedrooms - turn your lights on when you are getting ready to go to bed, then they will automatically turn off after your...
Pro Small LED indicator
There is a small blue LED indicator that turns on when the light is turned on. This is especially useful for outdoor lights, or garage lights where you can't always tell if they are on or not from where the switch is located.
Con Expensive
For what it offers, this is an expensive solution. It doesn't offer dimming, and the push button style of trigger isn't as flattering as a touch-enabled trigger.
Con Push button
Its looks are deceiving as the switch surface isn't capacitive - you will need to apply enough force to push the button in. When the switch actuates, it will make a small click noise.
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