Best Smart Light Switch for Alexa

When it comes to looking for the best smart home lights for Alexa, we’ve got you covered.

A smart light is a useful addition for any home as it will provide you with some great benefits. Such as being able to control your lights using your voice, so basic things like turning all the lights off at night, become simple and efficient. Some smart switches even allow remote control, which is a great tool for when you’re returning home in the evening and having your home all brightly lit waiting for you.

The great news is that you don’t have to spend a lot on an efficient smart light switch for Alexa, as some models such as come at a more affordable price, and still has some great features, such as the LED backlight.

While the Lutron Caseta Wireless Smart Dimmer Switch is set at a higher price range, it’s totally worth it for its user-friendly installation and great compatibility options.

Have a look at the options below, so you can make that decision for yourself. Feel free to use the navigation system to skip down to any part you prefer.

Best 3-Way Smart Dimmer Switches

Want to have the perfect lighting for your dinner?

We bring to you the top four brands of smart dimmer switches that we use today. With these smart switches, you’ll have the full ability to control all of the lights in your home via your smartphone. And you’ll also have the power to connect them to other smart home devices too, like Alexa and Google assistant.

Below, we’ve outlined the best in our opinion 3-way smart dimmer switches for you to choose from. Read on for the full picture, or use our navigation bar to jump right into a specific section.

Top 3 No Neutral Smart Switches

An increasing amount of home users are looking into installing smart switches to control their lighting. Yet they find their existing light switches don’t include a neutral wire. While there are a few options for installing dimmable smart switches without it, let’s first find out if you have one.

Also, feel free to use our navigation or keep reading to learn more about the neutral wire.

Xfinity Home Security vs. ADT

ADT has been around forever, protecting homes since long before the advent of technology. Xfinity Home Security, on the other hand, is a much more recent addition to the smart security industry. Which is better? In this case, we feel like Xfinity takes the cake with better smart home tech and seamless integration with their media services.

Xfinity, owned by Comcast, is a major player in the media industry — primarily making their money by offering TV, Internet, and landline service to a large portion of the United States. Only recently have they started moving into the home security industry, and the features do look promising. We feel that it does a better job than ADT, but you may want to proceed with caution, as Comcast isn’t exactly spotless when it comes to customer service and satisfaction.

We’ll compare the similarities and differences of Xfinity Home Security vs. ADT below to help give you a better idea of what each brand has to offer. Alternatively, you can use the navigation bar to jump directly to the sections that interest you most.

Wink vs. SmartThings Gen 3

Smart technology is more prevalent than ever before, and products that were once reserved for the wealthy techie have become accessible to pretty much any homeowner. Now more than ever before, it’s a real possibility to have a home that is connected, convenient, and that responds to your whims.

There are hundreds of smart products on the market that offer utility or entertainment to your home, but what really separates a smart home from a jumble of technology is the smart home hubs. These bases communicate with your different technology and allow them to work together seamlessly, providing a cohesive experience rather than forcing you to deal with a bunch of self-contained devices.

Below we take a look at the Wink vs. SmartThings Gen 3 to help you get a sense of which smart home controller might be best for your home. Each brand offers their own take on the connected home, but is one better than the other? The answer might not be so simple.

Read on below for a detailed breakdown of what each device has to offer.

Nest Protect vs. First Alert Onelink Safe & Sound

Back in the 1970s, it would normally take about 30 minutes for a fire to completely engulf a room. Today, it can happen in less than 5. Having a smart smoke and carbon monoxide detector can literally be a lifesaver due to its safety features and cutting edge technology. Add in some quality-of-life features like a warning before the alarm goes off — or even a night light to help guide your way to the exits in the dark — and it becomes clear that a smart alarm is a worthwhile investment.

Below, we take a look at the Nest Protect vs. First Alert Onelink Safe & Sound. Over 1,000,000 homes in the United States experience high levels of carbon monoxide each year, and an uncontrolled fire can quickly wreak havoc on a home if it’s not brought in check. Make sure you’re equipped with the information to make the right decision when it comes to outfitting your house with intelligent and accurate smoke alarms.

Philips Hue vs. Lutron Caseta Wireless

Choosing between Philips Hue vs. Lutron Caseta Wireless is basically choosing between smart bulbs vs. smart switches. However, there’s a little bit more to it!

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons between Philips Hue and the Lutron Caseta Wireless to help you figure out which option is better suited for you and your home.

Lutron Smart Bridge vs. Wink 2

When it comes to comparing the Lutron Smart Bridge vs. Wink 2, they are both suitable options for use with Caseta Wireless dimmers and switches.

However, there are some major differences between the two devices when it comes to smart home integration. While Lutron Smart Bridge is the top pick for HomeKit support and space-saving design, the Wink 2’s third-party support is also extremely impressive.

Below, we detail what exactly sets these two devices apart and break down what the better product will be for your situation.

Lutron RA2 Select vs. RadioRA 2

Comparing the Lutron RA2 Select vs. RadioRA 2 may seem difficult at first glance, as the two systems have a number of similarities. However, these smart lighting systems are definitely designed with different consumers in mind.

For medium-sized homes and third-party integration, the RA2 Select is one of the best smart lighting systems on the market. The all-in-one, comprehensive system of the RadioRA 2 is excellent for large homes and works with a wide variety of Lutron products and sensors, however, making it a worthy competitor.

Let’s break down the similarities and differences of these two smart lighting solutions to try to make your decision a little bit easier.

Lutron Caseta vs. RA2 Select

When trying to decide between the Lutron Caseta vs. RA2 Select, you’re really looking at two quality smart lighting systems that are better suited for different situations.

With the Lutron Caseta Wireless, you’ll enjoy an accessible and easy-to-install system with integration with a wide number of products. It’s the perfect option for smaller homes and those looking for the perfect DIY smart lighting system. However, if you plan on installing more than 50 devices in one lighting system, you should definitely go with the Lutron RA2 Select.

But, first things first, let’s check what the two systems have in common before we get to their differences to help you decide the better Lutron lighting solution for your home.

Lutron Caseta vs. RadioRA 2

Comparing the Lutron Caseta vs. RadioRA 2 smart lighting systems can be a difficult task, as they are designed on completely different scales.

For smart functionality in a small home that works right out of the box, the Lutron Caseta is difficult to beat. The RadioRA 2, on the other hand, is the ultimate in smart lighting configuration. It’s seriously expensive but, if you’re willing to shell out a bit, it’s one of the best options for bigger homes and businesses.

Sonos PLAY:3 vs. Bose SoundTouch 20

Comparing the Sonos PLAY:3 vs. Bose SoundTouch 20 can be a difficult task as the speakers both excel in different areas. With an audio line-in, the SoundTouch 20 supports more voice assistants than the PLAY:3 — making it a competitive speaker for those with controllers like Google Home. The Sonos PLAY:3 audio, flexible expansion into a full sound system, and huge amount of supported services make it a competitor that may be difficult to beat.

Let’s dive into the main differences between Bose and Sonos so you can make an informed decision as to which smart speaker is right for you.

Smart Home Technology

In 2017, our homes deal with more data than ever before. Whether through a cord connection or WiFi, a regular home has a constant stream of information. This is doubly true for the smart home.

There are a wide variety of different data formats and protocols that are used to keep your smart home online and functioning properly. Many of these protocols interface well together, working together to provide the ultimate in convenience and home security.

In this article we’ll discuss the basics of smart home technology, and get into more detail about how your connected home stays online and communicative.

Decora Smart Leviton vs. Lutron Caseta Wireless

In 2017, many people have started to recognize that the idea of a smart, interconnected home may be more possible than ever before. With recent advancements in technology, functionality that was previously reserved for the wealthy techie is now accessible to pretty much everyone. If you’re looking into a smarthome, you probably already know some of the basic functionality — and one of the major benefits of a smarthome is on-demand control of dimmers, outlets, and switches.

In this article, we’re going to take a look at the Leviton Decora Smart Collection and compare it to the Lutron Caseta Wireless System. Leviton Decora Smart Collection offers three types of dimmers, outlets, and switches:

  • DW-Series (Decora Smart™ with Wi-Fi Technology)

  • DH-Series (Decora Smart with HomeKit™ Technology)

  • DZ-Series (Decora Smart™ with Z-Wave Plus Technology)

Each Decora Series has it’s own benefits, and we’ll compare them to the Lutron Caseta Wireless System.

Both Leviton and Lutron will serve as a welcome addition to any connected home, but there are some aspects that are worthy of note. We’ll go over some of the main differences below, and try to give you a sense of which device is right for you.

Lutron Caseta vs. Maestro Wireless

Lutron was one of the first companies to offer smart home lighting. Besides standard dimmers and switches, Lutron has two wireless collections for smart homes — Caseta Wireless and Maestro Wireless. Products from both collections use Lutron Clear Connect technology to provide comfortable remote control of dimmers and switches. And while the two collections are very similar, there are some major differences between them. We’ve compared the differences of Lutron Caseta vs. Maestro Wireless to help you choose the right one for your home.

Wink vs. SmartThings

Choosing between Wink vs. SmartThings is like choosing between iOS and Android — they’re both great and offer a lot of smart features. But, there are a few minor differences between the two that we think are worth being mentioned.

Osram Lightify vs. Philips Hue

When someone talks about smart home lighting, the first thing that usually comes to mind is Philips Hue. Yet, Philips Hue is far from being the only option on the market. The Internet of Things offers us a great variety of smart home lighting solutions, like: Lutron dimmers, GE Link, LIFX, Lightify bulbs, and way more we cannot list. And even though Philips Hue is reputable and very well-known, in some cases it’s better to choose other brands of light bulbs over them. So, today we’ll compare Osram Lightify vs. Hue by Philips to help you make the right choice.

Insteon vs. Wink

Every year that passes, more smart home devices get released. And it’s incredibly important to have a great hub that lets you easily control them all. So, when it comes to choosing between Insteon vs. Wink, for us the choice is obvious. And to make it easier for you, let’s guide you through the differences between these two smart home hubs.

To begin with, let us clarify that as of now Insteon offers 3 types of hubs: original Insteon 2242, Insteon Pro hub 2243, and the new Insteon hub 2245. The original one and the new one are very similar, and even though the original Insteon hub is officially discontinued, you can still buy it from Amazon. To learn more about the differences between the old and new Insteon hub, please refer to this article: Insteon 2245 vs. 2242 — What’s the Difference?

And then there’s a Pro version 2243. The Pro hub is very different from the original and the new one. The Insteon Pro hub is designed to be used specifically for Homekit devices. You can still control a few Insteon devices, but you’ll need to sacrifice Insteon cameras, motion and leak sensors in favor of Homekit. For a comparison with the Wink hub, we’ll take the most complete and absolute version of the Insteon hubs — the new Insteon hub 2245.

Wink hub also has two versions which are the Wink hub and Wink hub 2. As it usually happens, the newer version has better features and aspects, plus it’s been around for a while already. So, for our comparison with Insteon, we’ll take Wink hub 2. And if you’re interested in reading the differences between the two Wink hubs in detail, feel free to check out our Wink Hub comparison article: Wink Hub vs. Wink Hub 2: What’s the difference?.

Insteon 2245 vs. 2242

If you’re choosing between the Insteon 2245 vs. 2242, or are looking to upgrade your Insteon 2242 to the upgraded 2245 version, then you’ve come to the right place.

With the Insteon hub, you can simply control your smart home devices from any smartphone or tablet, anywhere in the world. Both the Insteon 2245 and 2242 allow for control of Insteon light bulbs, outlets, wall switches, and thermostats. Whether you’re at home or away, you always have access to your home. And in case something goes wrong, you’re the first one to know thanks to instant email or push notification alerts. The alerts can be triggered via water leak, door and window, motion, and smoke sensors while you’re away from home.

Both hubs have almost identical features when it comes to Insteon device control, and yet there’re some technical differences between them:

Insteon Hub vs. Pro

As with any technology, there’s a lot of excitement when an upgrade comes out for an existing version. And with the Insteon Hub Pro, there was a lot of hype. Unfortunately, the Insteon hub pro version didn’t quite meet peoples’ expectations.

No products found.

Now, in a comparison between most standard hubs vs. their pro versions, usually the pro version has a few new features and a hardware redesign that make it stand out from the standard one. But, the Insteon hub pro is an exception. We’ve compared the Insteon hub vs. pro purposefully to warn you about the limited features of a pro version.

Insteon vs. Lutron

Both Insteon and Lutron are veterans in home automation scene. Insteon emerged from a home automation company that was created in 1992. And the Lutron company comes from the late 1950s, when its founder invented the dimmer. The fact that these companies have been successfully around for that long means you probably can trust them both when it comes to quality. And yet, when it comes to our comparison and choosing between Insteon vs. Lutron — we’d go with Lutron.

Before we get to all the differences between the two, let’s briefly look at all four of the Lutron and Insteon hubs. Each brand of hub has a “standard” version and a pro version. In this article, we’re going to compare the pro versions of each hub — the Lutron Smart Bridge Pro and Insteon Hub Pro. And, if you’re looking for a more detailed review on the “standard” vs pro versions, feel free to check out Lutron Smart Bridge vs. Smart Bridge Pro and Insteon Hub vs. Pro — What’s the Difference?.

How to Make Your Home Energy Efficient

Today we’ll talk about how to make your home energy efficient. We live in a century where it’s hard to imagine a day without electricity. And with each passing day, due to different reasons, people start thinking about saving energy more and more. Not only does it save you money, but it also decreases pollution by wasting less primary fuel like coal, oil, and gas.

So, how to make your home energy efficient? First of, you need to find out what’s consuming the most energy at your home. It can be heating/cooling, lighting, or appliances. That will help you figure out the most efficient ways of how to save energy.

Smart Home Lighting Automation with the Lutron Smart Bridge Pro

Today, we’ll talk about smart home lighting automation with the Lutron Smart Bridge Pro. As the digital home automation becomes more and more popular, the Lutron Smart Bridge Pro is actually sounds like a good idea. Not to mention, when we are talking about Lutron—we are talking about a leader in lighting control systems.

With the Smart Bridge Pro, you can turn your Lutron’s un-smart dimmer switches into digital home automation pros. And not only dimmers. The Lutron Smart Bridge Pro is also compatible with Serena battery-powered shades and Honeywell Wi-Fi thermostats. Sounds incredible? Because it is!

Lutron Caseta Wireless Dimmer Switch • A Smart Solution

As the world gets more digital and a wide array of smart home solutions enter our homes. Wouldn’t it be great to get total remote control of your home appliances with one simple device? From smart locks to smart lights, home automation systems offer more than just absolute control — it’s peace of mind, comfort, and convenience. And an incredible item in the world of smart home technology is a wireless dimmer. The Lutron Caseta wireless dimmer, to be more precise. It’s a switch that can totally bring remote lighting control to a whole new level.

Adjust the brightness of your light and create the perfect ambiance in just one click. With Lutron Caseta Wireless dimmer, you can control the light output and even reduce overall energy costs. And just imagine — you can do it all remotely.

How to Install a Dimmer Switch • Lutron Caseta Wireless Collection

Today, we’ll show you how to install a dimmer switch from the Lutron Caseta Wireless collection. In general, installing a dimmer switch can be a pain, but not when we talk about the Lutron Caseta Wireless dimmers. In this installation dimmer guide in particular, we’ll go over a step-by-step instruction of how to replace a single-pole switch with a Caseta Wireless in-wall dimmer.

A single-pole switch is a one wall switch that controls a light or group of lights. Lights that are controlled from two or more locations, such as stair lights, use 3-way switches. If your stair light has two or more switches please check how to replace 3-way switches with Lutron Caseta Wireless dimmer installation guide. You can also check the video on how to replace a single-pole switch or 3-way switch with the Lutron dimmers.
So, let’s start!

Honeywell Lyric Thermostat Review

Today, in this Honeywell Lyric thermostat review we’ll go over the good and the bad aspects that you should know before buying it. All information is briefly summarized and based on helpful customer’s reviews and an official Honeywell website. Let’s find out if buying Lyric thermostat is a good idea.