Works great! It does what it’s supposed to, and (like any well designed products should) it “just works”. Setup is honestly so easy, that after spending $50 on the thing, it feels kind of weird to spend less than 5 minutes doing things with it, and then just be done. It just sits there - but it works when you need it, and it solves the forever annoying problem of having people flip the switches the wrong way!
I put one in my guest bedroom, as there are three separate lamps controlled by the group in there, and people staying over inevitably mess with them all. After liking the simplicity of it, I decided to add one to our main bedroom as well, as it’s nice to just not have to say “Alexa, turn on the lights” sometimes! Sometimes you’re closer to the switch, or one person is already asleep and you don’t want to wake them to add a little light (the rotate to turn on slightly dim feature is really nice) - and sometimes when you’re, er, spending “private time”, it’s nice to be able to dim the lights down low without having to shout at Alexa to do it, and kill the mood ;)
Setup literally does take just five minutes - you screw the thing on (easy, but if you buy the one without the screwdriver, you’ll want a small glasses-type screwdriver to do it), go to the accessory section of the app and add the switch, pick the room(s) you want it to control (the hard work was already done when you set up the room setups), and that’s it! I like to go in to the accessory settings, and change the default setting to “Last on state”, so it remembers the dimness/color settings from when you last turned it off, which is what you’d expect it to do anyways (don’t know why that isn’t the default already). And that’s really it! Then you just let it be, and use it when you need it! Philips Hue adds a nice dimming effect when turning it off and on, which is a nice touch as well!
If I had any complaints (and they’d be extremely minor), these are the things I’d mention:
- Not a problem with the switch per-se, but when using the dimming functionality in a room with multiple separate lamps, Hue has a tendency to not perfectly sync the bulbs, resulting in a weird offset dimming effect that is slightly off-putting. In no ways a deal breaker, and not something the switch designers can really control, but it’s worth noting as you might notice it occasionally.
- Just a personal design aesthetic for me, but I think the little white light that flashes on the switch when you toggle it would look better in the middle of the switch, rather than the top. Might be a limitation of the design (that’s where the old switch is underneath), however.
- The switch does stick out a bit more than a “regular” dimmer switch, with a little bit of the grey plastic from the mount showing underneath. Not a big deal, as you get used to the look pretty quickly, but it looks a little unusual at first if you’re expecting something exactly like a normal dimmer switch, or expecting the switch to snap fully down over the mounting plastic. It really does look nice however - see my images for an example!
- It’s a bit pricey for what it is - but it IS part of the Hue ecosystem, so what do you expect 🤷♀️. It serves its purpose well, so as far as I’m concerned, it’s worth the money. I have the official Hue dimmer switch/remote in my living room, which is definitely cheaper, and also works really well - however it doesn’t serve the dual purpose of covering the switches to keep people from flipping them. This depends on your experience, but I’d argue that feature alone is worth some money, especially in rooms where guests/others who don’t know the system are likely to be using the lights. The Hue dimmer is perfect in my living room, where there are no readily accessible switches anyways, and having the removable remote to put on the coffee table is a nice touch! I mounted it where a switch Should be in my house, and it works great. Each is their own thing really, and they each have their own well-suited purposes!
A note to people who don’t have ‘standard‘ light switches (necessary to place this on): if you’re reasonably comfortable with DIY, it’s pretty easy (and cheap - a good switch and plate together cost like ~$2-3) to just buy a new switch at a hardware store, and wire it in. Look up a video for how to do it online, be SURE to turn off the power at the panel before working on things, and if you’re in any way uncomfortable or don’t know what you’re doing, call an electrician. I’m not one - I’m just a random person on the internet, so I can’t be held responsible for anything that comes of your choice to follow my instructions - however it really is easy to do once you know what you’re doing, and it can allow you to use this switch even if you have the flat-style “decor” switches, or existing dimming knobs. I actually used these both on switches I replaced from some very old dimmers, which had a tendency to buzz, and cause the Hue bulbs to act wonky when the dimmer wasn’t turned up to 100%.
That’s it, really! It works well, it solves a problem that all smarthome owners know and experience, and it does so in a sleek, elegant, and easy to use way!
A note to Amazon: I have no idea what the “Sheerness” rating you’re asking me for is, as I can’t for the life of me figure out what about this product is “sheer” 😆.
| Operation Mode | ON-NONE-OFF |
|---|---|
| Current Rating | 3 Amps |
| Operating Voltage | 100 Volts |
| Contact Type | Normally Closed |
| Connector Type | Crimp |
| Brand | Lutron |
| Terminal | Through Hole |
| Item dimensions L x W x H | 1.54 x 1.54 x 0.75 inches |
| Circuit Type | 2-way |
| Actuator Type | Rotary |
| Contact Material | Plastic |
| International Protection Rating | IP51 |
| Number of Positions | 1 |
| Upper Temperature Rating | 160 Degrees Fahrenheit |
| Controller Type | vera, Amazon Alexa |
| Control Method | Voice |
| Connectivity Protocol | ZigBee, Wi-Fi |
| Color | White |
| Unit Count | 1.0 Count |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Manufacturer | Lutron Electronics Co., Inc. |
| Part Number | Z3-1BRL-WH-L0 |
| Item Weight | 2.39 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 1.54 x 1.54 x 0.75 inches |
| Country of Origin | Mexico |
| Item model number | Z3-1BRL-WH-L0 |
| Batteries | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
| Size | 1 Pack |
| Style | Smart Bulb Dimmer |
| Shape | Circular |
| Voltage | 3 Volts (AC) |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Included Components | (1) Aurora Smart Bulb Dimmer |
| Batteries Included? | Yes |
| Batteries Required? | Yes |
| Battery Cell Type | Lithium Ion |
| Warranty Description | Warranty |
