Smart Switches, Smart Plugs, Smart Outlets = Smart Home Solutions!
Creating a smart home has never been simpler with the inclusion of smart switches, dimmer switches, smart plugs, outlets, motion sensors, and fan controllers. These additions not only enhance convenience but also elevate safety in your daily life. Easily set schedules and take control through the intuitive My Leviton app, or effortlessly manage your devices using voice commands through Amazon Alexa™, Google Assistant™, or HomeKit™/Siri®. For added flexibility, you can establish a secure and reliable local connection to any “Matter” enabled smart home platform through a straightforward firmware update accessible within the My Leviton app.
Decora Smart presents intelligent solutions tailored for every space within your home, regardless of its age or wiring configuration—even accommodating homes without neutral wiring. Elevate your living experience with the comprehensive offerings of Decora Smart and embark on a journey towards a seamlessly interconnected home.
Exceptional physical controls can enhance the functionality of any smart home setup. Leviton’s second-generation devices exemplify this notion, boasting unwavering Wi-Fi connectivity, effortless installation, and seamless integration with Apple HomeKit. Unveiled in March, Leviton’s latest line of HomeKit-compatible devices encompasses a diverse range of options, from in-wall switches and dimmers to smart plugs and plug dimmers, culminating in the unique Anywhere Switch or Dimmer Companion.
In our own household, we’ve rigorously tested the efficacy of the in-wall dimmer switch alongside the Anywhere Dimmer Companion. While these devices are versatile enough to support IFTTT, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant, our focus remained steadfast on assessing their performance within the HomeKit ecosystem.
The Leviton in-wall dimmer switch is an exemplar of convenience. In-wall smart plugs are a cornerstone of any modern smart home, and while the prospect of wiring might seem daunting, these devices leverage pre-existing physical controls to seamlessly introduce smart home management into your living space.
These upgrades come with our highest recommendations for your home, and it’s easy to see why.
To the untrained eye, they might appear indistinguishable from any regular wall switch. However, these unassuming devices offer a wealth of benefits – they can be seamlessly scheduled, linked to motion sensors, automated for arrivals and departures, and effortlessly controlled using Siri voice commands, among other features.
The installation process is surprisingly straightforward. After disabling the power to our room at the breaker, we removed the existing wall switch. Installing the Leviton smart switch proved to be as straightforward as replacing a standard light switch. The process involved connecting the corresponding wires using the provided wire nuts included in the package.
We do want to emphasize that the presence of a neutral wire is a prerequisite for installation. While most modern homes include this wire, older residences might lack it. If you’re uncertain, we recommend inspecting your existing switches before making a purchase.
Leviton’s intelligent dimmer switch provides a seamless experience during installation. After connecting all the necessary wires, we secured the plate within the receptacle box and effortlessly attached the provided Decora wall plate. The convenience extends further, as these Decora plates are standard and widely available in various colors and designs at local hardware stores, allowing you to harmonize with the aesthetic of your home. Although the option isn’t limited to what’s included in the package, the classic white variant remains a popular choice.
In terms of design and appearance, the dimmer switch adopts an uncomplicated paddle-style design, allowing you to press the top or bottom for instant light control. Notably, the dimmer functionality introduces a smaller rocker along the right edge, facilitating incremental brightness adjustments throughout the room. Adjacent to this design, a row of corresponding green LEDs lines the left side, visually reflecting the current brightness level.
A particularly noteworthy detail is the graceful transition when turning the lights on or off. Rather than an abrupt change, the lights seamlessly take about a second to reach full brightness or gently dim to complete darkness. This meticulous attention to detail creates a refined, upscale lighting experience that feels both polished and premium.
Introducing the standout feature of Leviton’s second-generation Wi-Fi Decora series – the Anywhere Dimmer Companion. This remarkable addition enables multiple control points within a room, revolutionizing convenience and versatility.
Consider expansive living rooms with numerous entry and exit points, open-concept kitchens, or lengthy hallways – scenarios that can greatly benefit from the presence of multiple wall switches. The Anywhere Dimmer Companion answers this need with seamless efficiency.
Compatibility extends to pairing the Anywhere Dimmer Companion with the primary dimmer, switch, mini plug-in dimmer, or mini plug-in outlet from the Decora Smart Wi-Fi second-gen lineup.
Powering the device are two easily accessible cell batteries, concealed by a pivoting face. Protective plastic covers ensure the batteries remain charged until deployment, and a simple pull opens the path for swift setup.
Our installation involved mounting the Companion in a secondary location within a room, which happened to feature a solid brick wall where no previous switch existed. The versatility of installation is impressive – you can securely screw the plate onto the wall or cap off an unused switch, and top it off with a Decora plate for a seamless finish.
The visual authenticity of the Companion is striking; it replicates the appearance of a standard dimmer switch flawlessly. Its responsiveness mirrors that of a genuine switch, enabling light control, on/off functionality, and dimming – all without the complexities of additional wiring for a secondary switch.
The alternative here would be using a HomeKit button that would control the lights in the room when pressed. This is a terrible compromise, however, and not close to a passable option.
HomeKit buttons can control any other switches or devices, but they are slower, less reliable, and don’t look like a traditional in-wall switch, as the Leviton does.
Setting the products up with the app was easy. Once the switch had power and was blinking, we scanned the HomeKit pairing code printed on the product and walked through the standardized onboarding process, including connecting it to our home Wi-Fi.
Once the product appeared in the Home app, it also showed in the Leviton app. Third-party apps aren’t essential for HomeKit, but in our case, we still downloaded it, though there’s no need if you’re sticking to the basic functionality HomeKit provides.
In the Leviton app, you can perform the occasional firmware update. We had at least one update in our time with the device, and it is annoying you need to go through the Leviton app, but this is something Apple only recently changed.
In the future, Leviton could perform updates through the Home app, but there are no promises here.
Other options in the Leviton app include toggling the auto-shutoff feature, where you can specify any from five minutes to 12 hours. You can also change the LED behavior, how long the LEDs stay on, how long the fade off/on rates are, and more.
In our case, we needed the Leviton app to set up our Dimmer Companion, since this isn’t a specific HomeKit product but rather a secondary control for your primary control. We assigned our Dimmer Companion to our dimmer switch, though it could control a smart plug, too, if you have one of those.
The smart plug is a direct way to control a lamp or other appliance that doesn’t currently have a switch.
In the realm of HomeKit functionality, switches offer straightforward capabilities encompassing activation, deactivation, and adjustable dimming between these two states. Siri commands like “Siri, set the living room lights to 50 percent” have become a common refrain in our household, underscoring the seamless integration of voice control.
Being part of the HomeKit ecosystem allows for seamless interconnectivity with your existing HomeKit devices. While an exhaustive list of possibilities is impractical, a few starting points can be highlighted.
In scenarios where other lights are present, such as Hue bulbs or light strips, synchronization can be established to toggle these lights in conjunction with the Leviton light – streamlining comprehensive room control. The inclusion of motion sensors introduces an additional layer of intelligence. For instance, upon entering the room at night, your kitchen lights might softly illuminate at 20 percent, transitioning to full 100 percent brightness during daytime hours. Furthermore, geolocation-based control facilitates actions such as porch lights illuminating upon your arrival and then promptly extinguishing as you depart.
Among our most cherished automations is the “goodnight” scene. A simple “goodnight” command to Siri orchestrates a sequence in which all lights extinguish, window shades descend, the front door secures, the garage door closes, and a concise notification summarizes any open windows – culminating in a comprehensive evening routine.
When contemplating the acquisition of Leviton’s second-gen Wi-Fi switches or plugs, the importance of physical controls cannot be overstated. The inclusion of tactile interfaces significantly benefits guests, elderly family members, and children, who might not engage as effectively with exclusively voice or tech-driven interfaces.
By integrating smart home technology into your existing wall switches, a realm of possibilities emerges while retaining a tangible means of controlling your living space – striking an ideal balance between innovation and familiarity.
Leviton’s latest range of Wi-Fi connected devices has proven to be exceptionally responsive, remarkably simple to configure, and provides impeccable control through Apple’s HomeKit. An added highlight lies in the inclusion of secondary Anywhere Companion switches, extending control to nearly all Leviton devices. This supplementary feature enhances the HomeKit experience.
In comparison to alternative HomeKit switches, Leviton stands out by offering an impressive array of flexibility and features, surpassing many counterparts. What’s even more appealing is that this enhanced functionality comes at a reasonable cost. Regardless of where you stand on the smart home journey, Leviton holds the potential to elevate your experience, making it more intuitive and enjoyable.
Advantages:
- Hassle-free installation
- Unobtrusive appearance
- User-friendly controls
- Dimmer boasts elegant fade on/off transition
- Budget-friendly
- Equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity and HomeKit compatibility
- Impressive addition of Anywhere Companion
- Scarce HomeKit dimmer smart plug option offered
- Diverse settings accessible via the Leviton app
- In-wall switches provide an excellent home enhancement solution
- Utilizes standard Decora plates
Drawbacks:
- In-wall switches necessitate a neutral wire
- Mandatory updates are limited to the Leviton app
Rating: 5 out of 5
