The Wemo Wi-Fi Smart Light Switch is a great entry product for your home automation system. This light switch is one of the many connected products offered by Belkin. You can control it thanks to the Wemo app to remotely turn your lights on or off, but there are other interesting features to explore.
What Is The Wemo Lightswitch And How Does It Work?
Belkin’s connected light switch makes it possible to turn your lights on and off regardless of where you are. The Wemo light switch connects to your home Wi-Fi network so you can control it via the Wemo app, whether you are home or not.
The design of this light switch is very discreet. It will easily blend into your home and can be used for regular lights, porch lights, and even ceiling fans.
Once your connected light switch is installed, you can download the Wemo app on your Smartphone and synchronize it with your light switch. You can use this connected light switch with other services, including Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT (If This, Then That).
You can use voice control with a smart speaker compatible with Alexa or Google Assistant, and create a schedule or automated behaviors via IFTTT if the Wemo app doesn’t have the functionalities you were looking for.
What Makes The Wemo Lightswitch Unique?
The Wemo lightswitch stands out for a few reasons. First of all, this is a product manufactured by Belkin. This company has been around since the 1980s and is quickly becoming one of the major players on the home automation market.
Belkin is currently offering some of the best home automation products via the Linksys and Wemo brands. These products have the most interesting range of features and are safer than other connected devices on the market.
The Wemo lightswitch is an interesting choice if you want to get started with home automation because you don’t need a hub to use it. A home automation hub is a device that is connected to different connected electronics and appliances to control their behaviors.
Using a home automation hub makes the setup process more complex and increases the cost of your home automation system. Being able to use a connected light switch that doesn’t require a hub to function makes home automation more accessible.
This connected light switch also stands out because of its easy installation. Anyone who has a basic understanding of wiring can remove an old light switch and install the Wemo connected device instead.
The Wemo app itself makes this product worth considering. The app interface is very accessible, even if you are new to using home automation products. You can use this app to remotely turn your lights on and off and to schedule when your lights will come on.
The Wemo app includes a randomized mode that will cause your lights to turn on and off to simulate a human presence when you are away from home. This feature makes this light switch a good investment if you are often away for extended periods of time.
If you have other connected devices from Belkin such as a smart thermostat or connected outlets, you can use the Wemo app to manage all your connected devices from a single interface. You can turn a light or another connected device on or off with a simple tap.
The new generation of connected light switches includes a dimmer feature. This feature works with any bulb and allows you to automatically adjust the brightness of your lights throughout the day. Note that switches made before 2017 won’t have this feature.
The compatibility with IFTTT is worth mentioning as well. IFTTT is short for If This, Then That. This is a free web-based home automation service that allows you to integrate several connected devices and create automated behaviors based on what happens with another device or app.
You could, for instance, have a connected motion detector outside of your home and use IFTTT to automatically turn on a porch light controlled by a Wemo light switch whenever the motion detector is activated.
Pricing
After shopping around for the Wemo lightswitch, we found one site selling it for around $40 while another offers the same product for around $50. The Wemo app itself is free.
The $40 to $50 price range is comparable to what other manufacturers are offering. You won’t find a connected light switch with similar features for under $40.
What People Are Saying About The Wemo Lightswitch
Overall, the Wemo lightswitch has received positive reviews from shoppers. Google has compiled more than 300 reviews for the product and gives it an overall rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars.
Shoppers like being able to easily install this connected light switch. They like the modern design, the automation features, and the fact that they can use voice control with a Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa speaker.
People also mention how flexible this product is. You can use one of these light switches to control a single light or use this product with other connected devices. This could be a good way to get started with home automation and progressively add more connected devices to your system since Belkin also offers a connected thermostat and connected power outlets.
There were a few issues mentioned in some reviews. This light switch isn’t compatible with older wiring and with 3-way switches. Some shoppers also mentioned connectivity issues with their Wi-Fi network.
How Does The Wemo Light Switch Compare To Other Products?
We compared the Wemo connected light switch to three similar products.
Philips Hue Dimmer Switch
The Philips Hue Dimmer Switch is more affordable than Belkin’s product since you can purchase this connected light switch for $25. While the Wemo switch has an on and off button built into the switch itself, the Philips dimmer switch features an on and off button as well as a dimmer control directly built into the switch.
The Philips Hue Dimmer Switch comes with a small remote control. This is a plus if you don’t want to use a phone to control your lights.
The Wemo light switch has more automation features than the Philips Hue Dimmer Switch. This product comes with a basic app that allows you to turn the lights on and off or to adjust the hue if you installed the Philips Hue light bulbs.
You will need to purchase the Hue bridge if you want to access more automation features, such as scheduling when your lights come on and off.
This is an alternative worth considering if you want bulbs that can change colors or need a remote for your smart light switch. Otherwise, the automation features that come with the Wemo app make Belkin’s product more interesting.
Logitech Pop Add-On Home Switch
Logitech offers a connected light switch with a modern design. The pricing is similar to what Belkin offers.
The installation process is easy, and the light switch comes in different colors. It is compatible with different smart light bulbs and allows you to turn lights on and off, adjust brightness, warmth, and color levels. The Wemo light switch only allows you to turn lights on and off and to dim the lights.
The Pop Add-On Home Switch doesn’t allow you to schedule when your lights come on. This product doesn’t include any additional automation features unless you are willing to purchase a more expensive home automation starter kit from Logitech.
It is an interesting alternative to the Wemo light switch if you want to be able to adjust warmth and colors and won’t need advanced home automation features. Note that Logitech’s product can be used to control a Sonos music system, which can make this product more interesting if you own one of these music systems.
Leviton Decora Smart Wi-Fi Switch
This connected switch has a design that is very similar to the Wemo light switch. The price is in the same range, and the features are comparable.
This light switch is compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT. The My Leviton app has features that are similar to what you can do with the Wemo app. Just like with the Wemo switch, you don’t need a hub to access automation features, and you can dim your lights.
The only difference we noticed is that Leviton’s product is compatible with multi-way wiring. However, this might not be a viable alternative to Belkin’s product since there are shoppers complaining about connectivity issues and bugs with the app.
What We Think
The Wemo light switch is one of the best entry product you will find if you are interested in home automation. Being able to use it without purchasing an expensive home automation hub is a plus, and compatibility with IFTTT gives you access to customization if the features of the Wemo app don’t correspond to the kind of home automation system you want to build.
