This Alexa-Equipped Smart Wall Dimmer Is Almost Half Off
Lighting is an obvious place to incorporate smart home technology, and I’m leaning more and more towards smart switches. With a smart switch, it doesn’t matter what type of lamp or fixture you have – the control is done by the switch itself. I find these switches to be more stable than light bulbs and cost effective in the long run. Leviton, a well-known name in lighting, now has a notable wall switch that’s been cut in price by almost half: The Leviton Decora Smart Voice Dimmer with Amazon Alexa, normally $108.99, is just $66.99. Here’s why you should take advantage of it right now.
This is a single pole light switch, which means you need to essentially replace your existing wired wall switch. However, don’t let this intimidate you; Replacing a wall switch is one of the easiest electrical jobs you can do in your home, as long as you disconnect the circuit first. Leviton gives clear instructions.
The switch itself is self-explanatory: press the top button to turn on the light and hold it down to make the light brighter. Press the bottom button to turn off the light or dim it. The magic is in the top and bottom indicator lights. Essentially, Leviton put an entire Alexa speaker into the switch. Press the top button to turn on Alexa or hold it to mute Alexa; The LED lights will change color to show whether Alexa is actively listening. The bottom LED above the speaker at the bottom will light up when the light is off so you can find the switch.
Leviton has an app that this switch pairs with that will allow you to further customize routines when paired with Alexa. It’s worth noting that the switch works with other assistants like Google and Apple, but is designed specifically for Alexa. When I reviewed Leviton switches last year, I noticed that switches can only be used to control Leviton devices, which isn’t a huge ecosystem unless you can access your other devices through the IFTTT integration. Since then, I’ve noticed that there are more brands on IFTTT, which makes it easier.