The switch can be used as a remote control or paired with a bridge to control lighting throughout your smart home. This switch is battery powered, so you can attach it anywhere in your home. Installation, as with most other smart switches, requires a neutral wire, but it's fairly straightforward. The switch includes an ambient light sensor (so it can be set not to come on in daylight) and a motion sensor to automatically trigger the light. The latter feature worked seamlessly. If you turn it off with the switch, after a few minutes it will engage the motion sensor again, or you can disable the sensor via the app in case you don't want it switched on in the middle of the night. Thanks to the Switch's adoption of USB-C, the console can theoretically be charged up by a wider range of products. Gangs and ways are the terms used to describe light switch connections. They tell you how many light fittings the switch can control and how many other switches control the same light. Here’s an explanation. But 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 are going to suit your needs. So what should you look for?

A long-press can be used to either dim whichever lights the Smart Button is programmed to control, or turn all of your Hue lights off. The latter can be useful if the Smart Button is fitted by the front door, ready to be pressed when you head out. We’d like to see the option to set a certain scene with a long press, such as one that turns all the lights out apart from a couple of lamps that act as a burglar deterrent, but that isn’t currently possible. This module comes with cables and plugs to connect up to two switches. If you have a lighting circuit with two or three switches, you’ll need additional Philips Hue Wall Switch Modules (one for each switch), plus you may need a push-in connector with four inputs.Smart light switches are relatively easy to test. In each case, we added the switch to a lighting system (such as Philips Hue or Wiz), then configured the switch using the companion phone app. We played around with each switch to see what options were available and how it responded to different circumstances. We also set them up with voice assistants and other smart home systems, where applicable. As Hue bulbs need power to work, they need the light switch to be left on. That’s usually alright, but visitors rarely seem to understand this, and I always find that my lights are turned off at the switch when guests have been.

Read our full Jasco Enbrighten Z-Wave No Neutral Smart Dimmer review Smart light switch accessories Even if you don't have a three-way switch, there's an easy way to get around it; many smart light switch makers now offer a remote, or companion switch that's battery-operated. All you have to do is attach the switch to your wall using screws or adhesive — no wiring required. Note that as this is a Zigbee controller, it works with all Hue lights in a room, not just the bulb that the original switch controlled. In my house, my Wall Module turns on a Hue bulb plus two light strips. The only downside is that the switch, like all of Lutron's products, must be linked to the Smart Bridge. The bridge itself must be plugged into your router so that you can control it from your smartphone. The most common light switches are white plastic. But there’s a wide range of other, more decorative colours and finishes available, so homeowners can match their switches to their décor.Yes, but only some can. As you may have seen from the above products, some are designed to work only with certain smart lighting systems, like those by Wiz or Philips Hue. Others, however, like the Tapo Smart Switch by TP-Link, are designed to control your existing, non-smart lights. They replace your existing light switches and operate just like a manual switch, but with the added ability to be controlled remotely with a smartphone app, voice assistant, or pre-programmed schedule. The Philips Hue Wall Switch Module solves both problems but needs a bit of electrical know-how to get it to work, as you need to rewire your light switch, which means turning the power off. Dimmer switches are ideal for rooms where people want to relax in softer light, such as living rooms and bedrooms. So, consider if a dimmer switch is needed. If so, ensure the light bulb used in the connected fitting is compatible with a dimmer switch. If not, simply change the light bulb. Smart light switches are a better option if you have lots of bulbs though or multiple rooms you want to control. They also tend to be much more cost efficient than splashing out for lots of smart light bulbs.

The second option lets you set three scenes. The first scene is accessed by turning the switch on, the second by turning it on and off, the third by turning the switch on and off again. App: How easy was it to use the app that works with the switch? What sort of features do you get, such as scheduling when lights turn on and off?

Part of the Tapo Ecosystem

Design: Is it an attractive switch? The best will come in multiple colors to best match your decor.

If you're planning to change or add switches throughout a home, it's worth thinking ahead about how many switches you need to ensure you get the right amount. Go from room to room and count how many lights need to be controlled. Then work out if any of these can be combined on a 2-gang, 3-gang or 4-gang switch and whether, in some cases, you need to control one light with multiple switches. In addition, most smart light switches will require some 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.For those who have one of the best smart home hubs, the Jasco Enbrighten Z-Wave dimmer is a very good smart light switch. It's a cinch to install, as there's no neutral wire needed and the terminals are agnostic. A simple paddle switch handles both on/off duties as well as dimming functions. Smart switches are often bulkier than their traditional counterparts, however; so if they don't fit in the electrical box properly, you may need to get a new box, which is probably a job for an electrician. Similarly, some older homes don't have the right wiring, so an electrician is a good idea here, too. How we test smart light switches The Philips Hue Dimmer Switch is a lightweight and inexpensive way to gain full control over the smart lights in your home. It is one of a handful of “Hue Accessories”, most of which run off of battery power to ensure that you can easily carry the dimmer switch around your home.