Smart Wi-Fi Switches and Evaluation

My self-imposed limitations include Wi-Fi only (no Hub) and must be supported by Alexa/Echo. So, for example, Lutron Caseta is a very popular light switch, but it requires a hub and doesn't use Wi-Fi.

Much of Home Automation is try, learn and replace. Wi-Fi Switches are an expensive way to learn. They are sensitive, and it easy to destroy them by incorrectly installing them. I broke 3 without too much effort.

Most rooms in my home have a fan with a ceiling light with two wall switches. There are several rooms and hallways with 3-way switches. And I have a mix of colors: black in the home offices and white in the kitchens and bathrooms.

Face plates / Wall Plates

Standard U.S. plastic wall plates will not work with Smart Switches. Smart Switches protrude a bit farther from the wall then a regular switch. Lutron or custom wall plates work fine.

Tom-s Guide to Best Wireless Light Switches of 2019

I have used Tom's Guide for a long time. It is a reliable source of information. Tom's Guide includes wireless technologies other than Wi-Fi, and sadly it didn't include my favorites, which I included in the table below. I also read Amazon reviews, and while Tom's puts GE's C-start at the top, Amazon's reviews are sparse for GE's C-start and overall only gets 3 stars. Also, Tom's seems to focus on high-end ($40+) dimmer switches. More reasonably priced devices are missed.

There are aspects of Wi-Fi switches that don't seem to be fully covered in Tom's Guide: 

• • How often does the light switch drop out?

  • How long until the light switch stops working?

  • How well does the Switch app work with Alexa or Goole App?

A simple rocker switch will work forever and never need to be replaced. This is not true for Wi-Fi switches. The electronics in the Wi-Fi switch may fail and the device will need to be replaced. Updates also seem to impact the longevity of the device, as do power glitches. While I have not had to replace any of my switches due to a failure, I am expecting it to happen some day.

GoSund needs to be added to the table above.

WeMo was removed. WeMo dimmer switches have several known issues: 1) lose connection to Wi-Fi, 2) lose connection to WeMo central server, 3) the WeMo app doesn't synch properly with Alexa app and must be periodically disabled and re-enabled

Notes about the table:

GE through iDevices are listed in order of Tom's Guide Rating as of 22JUN2019. Some brands have multiple models. I am most interested in the dimmer feature.

Colors: B=Black, W=White, A=Almond/Biege, G=Gray, S=Silver

Hub: E=Echo, G=Google Home, HA = Home Assistant, ST = Smart Things, OH = OpenHab

Prices vary based on features. Prices from Amazon JUN2019. Ecobee and Brilliant have built in Amazon Echo.

I have the following installed: Smart Home, TP-Link HS210, and We-Mo. I started with WeMo without doing a competitive analysis.

In  general, I use smart dimmers to control fans. Some people say a special fan switch must be used otherwise the it can be noisy or not work right. If a switch has a check, then I "believe, with no proof" that it can control a fan.

I installed only TP-Link/Kasa switches in Colorado. 

After 1 year of use in this hhome, and 3-5 years in my previous home, I have no issues with TP-Link.

Amazon link to all brands