![]() Speaking of integrations, the light switch automatically connects to your Sonos speakers and finds your WeMo light switches. We’ll get into that a bit later in the integration section. For example, when you ask Alexa the weather using the Brilliant switch she says the current weather and also displays a forecast for the next few days.īut that functionality is very limited. The switch doubles as an Alexa interface and can also show off information requested from Alexa. The faceplate slides on the switch after it is installed in a switch box and allows the consumer to interact with the light controlled by the original switch, other smart lights and more. The Brilliant light switch is a two-part switch that contains a basic module and electronics and a second faceplate that has a 5-inch touch screen. For a dedicated smart home enthusiast, none of these issues are deterrents, but for people who have lots of visitors or are forcing normal people to adopt smart home tech, this device may not be the tool to convince them. One didn’t even recognize it as a light switch. I decided to let my family and some friends just attempt to engage with the switch sans instruction and it took roughly two or three minutes before they figured it out. ![]() But for the one-gang switch you have to tap and swipe on the screen in a gesture I took a few days to master. For the boxes with more switches, there is a capacitive touch groove next to the touch screen that handles the on/off and dimming function. ![]() Even as a light switch, the cheapest model designed for one-gang switches (that means there is one light switch), doesn’t provide an intuitive way to turn on the lights. But when acting as a controller for what can be dozens of devices in the home, the Brilliant switch needs some work. The $99 Wink Relay falls into that category and now so does the Brilliant Control, which sells for $299 as a one-gang switch all the way up to $449 to replace four-gang switches. And the third is to bring a touchscreen in and try to control lighting and other elements in the home. The second is to focus on creating highly professional lighting implementations such as Noon or Ketra has done. The first is basic integrations with Alexa, Google and other smart home systems such as Lutron, WeMo and even Ecobee. In the last few years those making light switches have tended to follow three paths. Plus, who doesn’t love the ability to tell Alexa or Google to turn on the lights and have it happen? While these do require a bit of an installation, (many people are intimidated by wiring) once installed they giave a homeowner the power to schedule, remotely control lights and even arrange for automations that trigger lights when specific events happen. One of the most useful ways to make your home smart is by replacing existing light switches with smart switches.
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