<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1qFJcs_0w0IkySo00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1qFJcs_0w0IkySo00" width="1140" height="641" ><figcaption>Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek</figcaption></figure>Smart light switches are a great way to control multiple lights in your home with voice assistants and apps---without needing to replace your bulbs. We've found the best ones to suit your needs.<h2>What to Look For in a Smart Light Switch in 2024 </h2>Smart light switches may seem redundant compared to smart light bulbs and smart plugs, but they're anything but. Replacing every light bulb or installing smart plugs into your house can quickly become expensive, but a smart switch can control multiple lights simultaneously, saving time and money.Like many smart home products on the market, there is a wide range of smart light switches to choose from, and not all of them will suit your needs. So what should you look for?First, you will want to ensure the smart light switch works with your smart home's voice assistant. Many of these switches will work with the most popular assistants, such as Alexa and Google Assistant, but compatibility isn't always across the board. In particular, Apple Homekit compatibility can be difficult to find, so if you use it, make sure your switch is compatible.In addition, most smart light switches will require installation, as they'll replace your current switch. Some smart switches will also need a neutral wire, which is installed in the wiring of most modern homes. If installation sounds difficult, you can also have an electrician install it for you.Finally, it's important to consider whether you should go for a smart light switch, smart bulbs, or both. If you only want to smarten up a few lamps or ceiling lights, a pack of smart bulbs may be a better choice. If you're looking at smart home technology throughout the home, however, smart light switches will be more cost-effective. It's important to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each before you set money down.With all this being said, here are our picks for the best smart light switches. How Did We ResearchModels EvaluatedHours ResearchedReviews Analyzed12823How-To Geek's product recommendations come from the same team of experts that have helped people fix their gadgets over one billion times. We only recommend the best products based on our research and expertise. We never accept payment to endorse or review a product. Read More »<h2>Best Smart Light Switch Overall: Lutron Caseta Smart Start Kit</h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=38RkEF_0w0IkySo00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=38RkEF_0w0IkySo00" width="650" height="390" ><figcaption>Lutron Caseta</figcaption></figure>ProsCons✓ Works with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant✗ Bridge requires a direct connection to your router✓ Supports up to 50 Lutron devices✓ Easy to set up✓ The switch will still work even when the internet goes downLutron Caseta has been a staple in the smart home sector for a long time, and for good reason. The company's products have been highlighted for their ease of use and easy expansion to the rest of their smart home products.If you're just getting into smart home tech, Lutron's Caseta Smart Start Kit makes perfect sense. The kit includes a smart bridge that connects directly to your home router, a Caseta dimmer switch, a 3-button dimming remote, and a wall plate bracket.With the included bridge, you'll be able to connect up to 50 Lutron devices to it from additional dimmer and switches to Lutron's Serena smart shades.On the smart home front, the Lutron Caseta Smart Start Kit is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, and Ring. This means that you can use your voice assistant of choice to control your lights.The Lutron companion app on Android and iPhone has many features that help with home lighting, including remote access, geofencing, and more.Once your Lutron Caseta Smart Start Kit is up and running, you can add more switches with something like the Lutron Caseta Smart Home Dimmer Switch which comes in multipacks, making it easy to expand on your new smart home setup.<h2>Best Budget Smart Light Switch: TP-Link Kasa Smart Light Switch</h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=41pIhI_0w0IkySo00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=41pIhI_0w0IkySo00" width="825" height="619" ><figcaption>Kast</figcaption></figure>ProsCons✓ Compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant✗ Requires a Neutral wire to work✓ Simple to set up✓ Inexpensive✓ No hub requiredTP-Link's Kasa smart home products are a more budget-friendly option for building a smart home without spending a fortune. One of the best parts about the Kasa Smart Light Switch HS200 is that it doesn't need a hub to get it up and running—just connect the switch to your home Wi-Fi network, and you're good to go.The switch works with several voice assistants, including Google Assistant and Alexa. The Kasa app on Android and iPhone also allows full remote control of the switch, including schedule options, an away mode, scenes, Smart Actions, and more.When installing the Kasa Smart Light Switch HS200, you will need to make sure the light switch you're replacing has a neutral wire, however. Neutral wires are in many modern houses, but if you're living in an older home, you'll need to make sure the wire is available first.<h2>Best Smart Light Switch for Philips Hue: Philips Hue v2 Smart Dimmer Switch</h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4bFKDM_0w0IkySo00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4bFKDM_0w0IkySo00" width="650" height="390" ><figcaption>Philips</figcaption></figure>ProsCons✓ Works well with existing Hue lights✗ Limited options when using without a bridge✓ Simple to use✓ No wiring required✓ Can be used without a Hue bridge (for up to 10 lights)Signify's Philips Hue has been one of the most popular smart lighting systems for the past few years. So, it's no surprise that the Smart Dimmer Switch makes it really easy to control your Hue lights.If you already have Hue lights, you'll need to go to the Hue app, set up an accessory, and choose which lights you'd like the switch to control. The app also allows you to have the Smart Dimmer Switch trigger custom scenes. For those without a Hue bridge, the Hue v2 Smart Dimmer Switch can work with up to 10 lights. However, if you need more lights or control options, you'll need to pick up the Hues bridge.While the previous Hue Smart Dimmer had separate on/off buttons, the v2 Switch has them as one. The switch also detaches from the wall mount, doubling as a convenient remote control.Finally, the Hue Smart Dimmer Switch doesn't require wiring and is coin battery-powered, so the battery life lasts long. If you have a Hues ecosystem, you'll want this smart light switch.<h2>Best Smart Light Switch for Alexa: Amazon Basics Single Pole Smart Switch</h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2mNs77_0w0IkySo00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2mNs77_0w0IkySo00" width="650" height="390" ><figcaption>Amazon</figcaption></figure>ProsCons✓ Works with Amazon Alexa✗ Requires a Neutral wire✓ Simple to setup✓ InexpensiveAmazon has a few in-house brands, one of which is the low-budget private label Amazon Basics. Under the label, you'll find cheap, basic items for your house, like kitchen utensils, or tech items, like cables or chargers. Amazon's Basics brand recently launched its own smart switch, which is not only budget-friendly but also works perfectly with Amazon Alexa.The Amazon Basics Single Pole Smart Switch is fairly easy to set up, though you'll need a neutral wire and a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connection to work properly. You can either install it yourself using Amazon's step-by-step guide or have an electrician install it for you—though the latter comes at an additional cost.Once the smart switch is running, you can schedule your lights with Alexa routines or control them with voice commands via the Alexa app or your Echo speakers.For a few dollars more, you can get a Single-Pole Dimmer, 3-way Switch, or 3-way Dimmer and the exact smart light switch you need.<h2>Best Smart Light Switch for Google Assistant: Lutron Caseta Smart Start Kit</h2>ProsCons✓ Works with Google Assistant and other voice assistants✗ Bridge requires a direct connection to your router✓ Supports up to 50 Lutron devices✓ Fairly easy to setup✓ The switch will still work even when the internet goes downAs mentioned previously in this guide, the Lutron Caseta Smart Start Kit works well with other voice assistants and Google Assistant.After setting up your Lutron Caseta smart switch, you'll need to link it to the Google Home app on Android or iPhone to start using it with the Google Assistant. Once you've linked your Lutron account to Google Home, you then should be able to see and control the products directly from there.With the Google Assistant voice control, you can say things like changing the brightness (if you have a dimmer smart switch installed) or activating scenes easily. While this isn't a Google product, Lutron Caseta's kit works so well with Google Home it might as well be an official product.<h2>Best Smart Light Switch for HomeKit: Eve Light Switch</h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1UBFf1_0w0IkySo00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1UBFf1_0w0IkySo00" width="825" height="464" ></figure>ProsCons✓ Simple HomeKit integration✗ Expensive✓ Matter support✓ Schedules are stored directly on the light switchWhile HomeKit isn't compatible with as many smart light switches as Alexa and Google Assistant, it works with the Eve Light Switch—arguably one of the most impressive light switches across any ecosystem. It's a bit pricey at $50, but you're getting your money's worth like everything remotely associated with Apple.The first thing you'll notice about the Eve Light Switch is its simplistic (and stylish) design. It doesn't draw attention to itself with multiple buttons or dozens of LED lights, but instead opts for a single large button and a single LED indicator. And since all your schedules are saved locally on the Eve Light Switch, you won't need an external hub or internet connection to keep things running smoothly.Beyond being able to set schedules, create routines, or take control through a smartphone app, voice, or touch, Eve has built this latest model around Matter. This interoperability standard will allow the device to interact with smart home gadgets outside of HomeKit. That's a huge selling point compared to other devices limited to the rather small HomeKit catalog.As long as you don't mind the price, there's little to complain about with the Eve Light Switch.<h2>FAQ</h2><h2>What is a neutral wire and what does it have to do with smart light switches?</h2>To understand what a neutral wire is, you have to know a bit about what goes on behind your home's walls. When you flick a light switch, an electrical current is sent through the "hot" wires connected to it (which typically link up to a transformer as the main power source). A neutral wire (something you likely have if your home was built after 1985) provides a return route for the current to flow back to the original energy source while powering your "load" (in this case, a light switch). Neutral wires complete the circuit, allowing your smart switch to remain powered on after flicking it.<h2>Can a smart light switch replace any normal light switch?</h2>As long as you have a ground, in, out, and neutral wire to connect to, you can replace any light switch with a smart switch. Depending on the light bulbs you use, you may not even need to do any wire work---the Philips Hue v2 Smart Dimmer Switch attaches to walls wire-free, but only controls Philips Hue smart bulbs. There are also smart switches that slip on over your original light switch and don't require any rewiring, though these are usually pretty basic when it comes to use cases.<h2>How do I install a smart light switch?</h2>We have an excellent step-by-step guide on installing our best overall pick, the Lutron Caseta Dimmer Switch Starter Kit. These steps largely carry over to other brands, but it's always best to check any recommended literature for the smart switch you purchase. If you're not keen on getting under the hood of your light switches, you can check out smart switch alternatives that require zero rewiring to function.<h2>Can you dim lights with a smart light switch?</h2>Many smart light switches, like the Lutron Caseta Smart Start Kit for instance, offer dimming functionality, and all incandescent light bulbs can be dimmed by controlling the amount of electricity that flows through them. Some budget options, like the Amazon Basics Single Pole Smart Switch, trade the dimming function for a lower price point, so it ultimately depends on which smart switch you end up opting for.<h2>Do you need a smart light switch to use smart light bulbs?</h2>No, you do not need a smart light switch to operate smart light bulbs. For the most part, all you need is a Bluetooth- or Wi-Fi-enabled device, like an iPhone or Android smartphone, to control brightness, hue, and on/off functionality.</div></body>

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The Best Smart Light Switches of 2024

Smart light switches are a great way to control multiple lights in your home with voice assistants and apps---without needing to replace your bulbs. We've found the best ones to suit your needs. What to Look For in a Smart Light Switch in 2024. Smart light switches may seem redundant...

The Best Smart Light Switches of 2024

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