Smart Switch Review: The ecobee Switch+ and Lutron Caseta

Home upgrades are my hobby. I am constantly looking to improve my living spaces through comfort, careful design, and automation.

Purchasing my robot vacuum and smart lock was a mistake, because now I'm hooked. They've simplified my life and help make little tasks easier. The ecobee Switch+ was released on Monday for $99. Since I pre-ordered one of them, I figured I might as well change all three of the switches in the living room at once.

I ended up ordering the Switch+, a Lutron Caseta dimmer with hub, and a Lutron Caseta on/off switch. Before you buy any of these, look around. Best Buy happened to have a great deal on the Caseta, but only for rewards members. I see now, a few days later, Amazon has matched that price.

Our old 3 gang switch setup.

Overview: The Switch+

Cost: $99

I chose this bad boy because it allowed for the automation of my lights and the integration of voice control without adding items, taking up counter space, or using up extra plugs. Having voice control built into the wall feels futuristic and elegant. The slim design is unobtrusive because it replaced an older light switch.

Some of the Switch+ highlights:

1. Installation is a DIY project, so no expensive electricians required. I know nothing about electrical work and managed just fine.
2. You have wireless control via the ecobee app, as well as various smart hubs, like SmartThings.
3. The Switch+ can do anything Alexa can do, such as dim the lights, check the weather, give news updates, play music or podcasts, give calendar reminders, add things to your grocery list, and meow at your cat.
4. There's a built-in, day-light-sensing night light. We aren't using it, but pressing a button can turn it on.
5. And there's a sensor that turns lights on when the room is occupied, but only if it's dark. This feature can also be deactivated via a button on the app.
6. Plus ecobee has a sensor that turns lights off when the room is unoccupied. This feature can also be deactivated via a button on the app.

Some things I'm less keen on:

1. ecobee and Alexa have different apps. Once everything is set up how you want, I don't know that the apps are needed, which simplifies things, but figuring out what app does what things was confusing at first.
2. The Switch+ is not on SmartThings yet (even thought it should be), so I can't fully integrate the device. Alexa can control my SmartThings items, but isn't actually on the list of things I own.
3. The Switch+ is just a smidgen thicker than a regular switch. This isn't really noticeable unless you're the one installing a switch plate, but I still noticed it makes the switch plate not-quite-flush against the wall.

Overview: The Caseta Switches

Cost of dimmer with hub: $79.99

Cost of on/off switch: $54.99

I went with Caseta because of the reviews. The system is reliable and has a variety of switch types. The dimmer is perfect for the recessed lights in our vaulted ceiling, while the on/off switch can handle the lighted ceiling fan.

Despite user concerns about bulb types, I am having no problems using LEDs, but Caseta has a list of compatible bulbs if you want to verify what bulbs will work.

The Lutron Caseta Dimmer with hub and remote.

What I like about Caseta:

1. Installation was a simple, even with some wiring frustrations I had (due to my confusing wire box, NOT Lutron). I called customer service twice to verify my setup. They were extremely helpful, kind, and knowledgeable. 
2. Getting the switches to connect to my wifi and hub was extremely simple. I held down the off button until the small green lights blinked rapidly. Then I was done.
3. The dimmer does not require a neutral wire. Our living room has neutral wires, but no other room does. I want to streamline my devices, which means that a system I can use in any room is important. Caseta dimmers offer me that option.
4. The basic on/off switch can handle more than just lights. It does require a neutral wire, however.
5. The Caseta system integrates with SmartThings, allowing customization. I can set the lights to act however I want, given different variables.
6. The switches use a logical setup. Some smart switches require you touch and hold buttons certain ways to dim, which seems confusing for guests. This Caseta switches are intuitive.

The downsides of Caseta:

1. A separate Caseta hub is needed, which ups the cost.
2. You must install the Lutron app to get everything set up. Luckily, you can uninstall it as soon as the switches are connected to your smart hub.
3. It's expensive.

Installation

Like many people, I get anxious about delving into a new home improvement skill. Installing light switches isn't difficult, but it does require some knowledge, especially if someone before you screwed something up. When it comes to electrical work, there are some concerns you might have. Now that I've installed not one, but three different smart switches, I feel confident in saying that it's really not so bad. As long as you don't mind Googling what the green wire does or calling customer support to verify that you won't accidentally cause an explosion, you will be fine.

I figured I would change out all three switches at once so that I wasn't going back into the wall multiple times. This did mean I had to learn more skills at once, but it was worth it. Now the living room is upgraded and I never have to tackle those particular wires again.

Honestly, the worst part of the process was getting everything to fit back into the electrical box. It took some time to get it all situated. Seriously, that was more challenging than connecting the wires.

To change out a light switch you start by shutting down the power. If your wires are still hot (or on), you will severely hurt yourself. Verify the power is off multiple times. Then remove the switch plate, and you'll start to see your outlet's inner workings.

As you unscrew each switch, the wires will become visible. Sine all the wiring is in it's own little box, don't worry about accidentally discovering how nasty the insides of your wall are. It's just a little box with color-coded wires behind these switches.

When you look at the switches, you'll see that each one has a metal rim along with a top and bottom screw. Even though all four of these are different switch styles, the design has the same essentials. The same goes for the rest of the switch. There may be a little variation, but at the heart, they have similar workings. With this in mind, installation is mostly about mimicking the first switch's setup using the original switch as a template. There may be some differences though, so always follow the manufacturer's instructions. What they say goes, even if your wiring ends up looking a bit different. If you're uncertain, always call them or a licensed electrician.

Left: Caseta Dimmer     Right: Old Pole Dimmer

What I found during this process is that the smart switches have a box in the back. Fortunately, my old pole dimmer also had this box, so the original electricians selected a larger electrical box during installation.

And see those little knobs? The ones that are mostly yellow? Those are easy to use and come with the switches. The only supplies you need are a screwdriver and, potentially, pliers.

Once everything is replaced, you haggle with the wires and beg them to fit back into the box. You may swear at the switches and be forced to move things around. Eventually, the wires will agree and you can screw the switches into place. Finally, you can jazz it all up with a switch plate cover. 

I had to buy a 3 gang cover, but the ecobee and the dimmer switch came with their own covers. The on/off switch did not.

After the physical installation, you download the appropriate app for each device. This connects the switches to your wifi and any hubs you have. From there, you can explore the lighting options to your heart's content.