![]() Lutron also makes an ingenious Zigbee gadget for Philips Hue smart bulbs- the Lutron Aurora-that attaches to an old-fashioned toggle light switch and not only prevents the switch from being turned off (instantly rendering a Philips Hue smart bulb dumb), but it wirelessly controls all the Hub bulbs connected to that switch-complete with a rotary knob for dimming and brightening those bulbs and turning them on or off. ![]() Zigbee is widely support among smart dimmer manufacturers, including Jasco, Sinopé, and Sengled. Signify’s Philips Hue bridge is another solution, but it’s generally limited to supporting Philips Hue smart bulbs and accessories. It can also wirelessly control those bulbs, including dimming them by rotating the knob. Lutron’s Aurora Smart Dimmer prevents a conventional toggle switch from shutting off the power to any Philips Hue smart bulbs that connected to the switch. But to do that, the smart switch you buy must have some way of connecting to your home network (which explains why Bluetooth smart switches can’t talk to smart speakers). There are a few exceptions to this rule, so check the documentation accompanying whichever smart switch you decide to buy before you install it.Ĭontrol protocol: You’ll undoubtedly want to control your smart lighting with your smartphone or tablet, and most people will also want to turn lights on and off with voice commands spoken to a smart speaker, such as an Amazon Echo or a Nest Hub. This typically means that you’ll also need to buy a companion switch or switches for the other end(s) of the circuit. If more than one switch controls that load-switches on opposite sides of a room, for example-then you’ll need to replace it with a multi-pole (aka 3-way) smart switch. Single- or multi-pole: If the light you wish to control is connected to just one switch, then you’ll need to replace it with a single-pole smart switch. GE Cync and Lutron Caséta are among the few smart switches that don’t depend a neutral wire. ![]() Most smart switches depend on the presence of a neutral wire to supply energy to their radios, but many homes built prior to the 1980s don’t have a neutral wire in every box. If you don’t have a neutral wire, Lutron’s Caséta smart dimmer and the GE Cync Dimmer (3-wire version) are among the few smart switches that do not require one. If you’re not sure if there’s a neutral wire at the location you want to install a smart switch, this how-to story will help you figure it out. While all homes have neutral wires, many older homes don’t have a neutral wire in every box. Smart switches have radios that must be constantly powered, and the neutral wire is usually what supplies that juice. Neutral wire requirement: Many smart switches and dimmers require the presence of a neutral wire-in addition to line (power from the circuit-breaker panel), load (power to the light to be controlled), and ground wires-in the electrical box inside the wall. Here’s what you need to know in roughly the order you’ll need to decide. You’ll need to make a raft of decisions before you choose which smart switches to install in your home, and your choices will be influenced by everything from the type of wiring in your walls to what flavor of smart home system you have now or plan to install later. starter kit, $30 for 3.3-ft.What you need to know when shopping for smart dimmers and switches Works with Apple HomeKit, Alexa, Google Assistant, Cortana and IFTTT Works with Apple HomeKit, Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT ![]() ![]() Works with Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT That's a fair price for a solid foundation that you can build on whenever Lutron stuff goes on sale. Whatever you choose, all of it is compatible with just about everything, too: Alexa, Google, Siri, Nest, IFTTT - you name it.Ī single Lutron Caseta with the mandatory Lutron Bridge and a Pico remote that you can mount in the wall or take with you around the house is available on Amazon right now for $99. If you really want to go big, you can add Lutron's luxurious automated shades to your setup, too. That means that they require the Lutron Bridge in order to connect with your router, but the good news is that Clear Connect is about as swift and reliable as wireless protocols come.Īside from the strong performance, Lutron's Caseta switches come in a variety of colors and designs, and apart from the dimmable version seen here, you can also get standard on/off switches, wall-mounted remotes that can serve as a second for three-way setups, audio control switches that sync with Sonos and fan controls for automating a ceiling fan. Lutron is a lighting aisle mainstay, and its light switches use a proprietary signal called Clear Connect. Among all of the smart switches that we've tested at the CNET Smart Home, our favorite has long been the Lutron Caseta. ![]()
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