Kasa Smart Light Switch, Dimmer by TP-Link – WiFi Light Switch, Neutral Wire, Works w/ Alexa & Google (HS220)

October 01, 2019

Kasa Smart Light Switch, Dimmer by TP-Link – WiFi Light Switch, Neutral Wire, Works w/ Alexa & Google (HS220)

Kasa Smart Light Switch, Dimmer by TP-Link – WiFi Light Switch, Neutral Wire, Works w/ Alexa & Google (HS220)

I really wanted to give this a 5 rating (or 4.5 if that was an option) but I went with 4 for two main reasons: installation and setup. First though, let me say how well it has worked in the hours that I've been using it. Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are both controlling even better than I'd hoped. It dims easily by voice commands, via all the apps for Alexa, Google Home and Kasa, and of course using the physical buttons on the switch. I can dim it to pretty much any percentage that I want and, contrary to some of the answered questions I've seen, the switch remembers the last dimmer setting when it turns back on instead of full brightness.

Here's where I avoided giving it that 5th star. For the installation, the face plate came pre-assembled and was ridiculously difficult to remove in order to install the switch. After several minutes of struggling, it finally came off but only after it cracked the plastic upper piece where it attaches to the the body of the switch. Fortunately, it was not too damaged to properly install it and the crack was not visible since it is behind the face plate. Kasa people: it's great that the face plate fits so tightly once completely installed, but please don't pre-assemble it in the box if it is going to be such a challenge. Once installed the switch worked perfectly as a standalone unit, but then the setup via the Kasa app took a dozen or so attempts before the device could finally be discovered over Wifi. That was very aggravating. I've got both 2.4g and 5g networks and tried using one or the other to see if that was the issue but it didn't seem to make any difference. Additionally, this device is closer to my router than an existing Kasa non-dimmer smart switch and my phone was literally just inches away from the device, so those helpful hints on how to resolve it were not helping at all.

In the end, it was well worth the money and minimal trouble. I love that it does not require a hub like other products which I won't name and I'm happy that I chose this Kasa product instead. I only wish I'd bought two of them at the great price offered during Cyber Monday...

Most reviews for this listing are for the HS200 Smart Switch. This is NOT that product. This product is actually the newly released HS220 Smart Dimmer. Yes, it is a dimmer and works great with the Kasa app and Amazon Alexa. Very easy installation and setup but you must have a neutral wire at the switch location for this to work. Alexa integration is also a snap to configure. Be advised that this is only rated at 300W incandescent which is pretty low if controlling a bank of incandescent ceiling can lights. LED is a hefty 150W though. I also have a TP-Link Smart Switch (HS200) and 2 Smart Plugs (HS105) that work equally as well.

I'll update the review if anything goes badly but so far I like the switch. The one bad thing is that this thing is HUGE for a lightswitch, they must've used the largest size allowable for a single gang, decora style switch. I have older romex wire, so very still and I think I may invented a new curse word or two while trying to make it fit. It did go in though and connects easily enough. Just make sure you have dimmable bulbs and may be wise to check behind your old switch before upgrading! You will need both hot and neutral for this to work back there.

 I've had this switch installed for three days now and I'm quite happy with it. The only thing that it needs is Homekit compatibility, but since I usually talk to Alexa to control my lights, it still works for me even if it isn't in Apple's Home app. I'm using it to control a chandelier that is fitted with multiple dimmable LED bulbs and it works like a charm -- no issues whatsoever with the LED bulbs. It responds quickly and accurately.

The price was also good in comparison to the others I looked at. As long as it doesn't fail or something, and continues working as it is now, I can recommend it without qualification, as long as you can handle not having Homekit.

One other thing, though -- yes, the plate that comes with it is difficult to remove. You feel like you're going to break it. But eventually, it does come off.

I ordered the dimmer switch version of this switch (model HS-220) and I can say that I love it. The physical installation of the switch was straightforward and installed like any other switch, with the exception of the neutral wire. The switch is pretty bulky, but I was able to make it fit just fine. Setting up through the Kasa app is fairly simple.

The switch integrates nicely with Google assistant on my phone. I have an older nexus phone, and I use it with google assistant to turn my lights on and off, as opposed to using the Kasa app. The Kasa app just takes a little while to load on my phone, but with google assistant the operation is almost instant.

I also have the switch set up under IFTTT, so I can have my switch turn on if my Hello Nest detects motion, and to turn the switch off automatically at a certain time. IFTTT could use more support though as it would be nice to limit more complex operations to certain hours of the day.

The only con is the indicator light on the switch, which can be seen at night. There is nothing wrong with it particularly, it is just noticeably different from my other switches at night in the dark. This is not really a deal breaker, and will be less apparent if and when I replace other switches.


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Feature Product

  • CONTROL FROM ANYWHERE - Turn electronics on or off from anywhere with your smartphone using the Kasa app (Compatible w/ Android & iOS)
  • VOICE CONTROL - Works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Microsoft Cortana supported devices for a hands-free experience
  • GENTLE OFF - Tailor your lighting to fade on with a click of the switch or a double-click to gently fade off the lights while your child drifts off to sleep
  • SCHEDULING - Use Schedules to set your Smart Switch to automatically turn on and off while you're home or away
  • NOTE: Requires a neutral wire / Works in a single-pole setup only / Secured 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network connection

Description

Control your lights from anywhere with the Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Light Switch, Dimmer. With the Smart Wi-Fi Dimmer, you can control the ambiance of any space with the push of a button. Plus, easily control it from anywhere using the Kasa app or you can use your voice to control when paired with Amazon Alexa, Google assistant and Microsoft cortana. Protocols Supported: IEEE 802.11b/g/n; System Requirement: Android 4.1 or higher iOS 9.0 or higher; Wireless Type: 2.4GHz 1T1R



Originally had Belkin Wemo smart dimmers installed, but I had too many issues with them and finally replaced them with dimmer switches that actually work.

Setup was a breeze, but installation was slightly annoying for me. The other TP-link switches I have installed had wires extending out that you connected via wire nuts, so you could bundle multiples of these in the same switch box. This one had screws and anchor plates on the side that required wires be inserted and screwed down to make the connection. It required me to split some speaker wire, and connect the split wires from the neutral to the devices. It's not pretty, but it works, and it's hidden behind the cover plate. I take off a star for that. If I could do a half star, I would because it wasn't that much of an inconvenience for me.

Operation-wise, these work as designed. I have Kasa smart switches all over my house and I've only ever had good experiences with setup and configuration. These integrate wonderfully into Alexa, and are quick to respond.

Don't mess around with other smart switches that require you to get a hub, get these and be done with it. You'll be glad you did.

I have a bunch of these. I like them, and I like the Kasa app and Alexa interface that comes with them. I'm disabled, and these devices are a godsend for someone with family members who forget to turn off lights. Setup is easy and painless once they're installed.

My only peeve is that they take up a lot of space in the junction box. I've needed to spend some time moving the existing wiring around, mainly in boxes with more than one switch. You may also find that you don't have a neutral wire in the box you install it in, so you might get lazy and tie the neutral lead to a ground until you get around to pulling a neutral wire through the conduit. Not up to code, so you should not do this, but it does work.

I waited a month to write this review to see if the product failed after installation. I have installed other "smart dimmers" in the past and they went offline constantly and needed to be reset numerous times. I ripped them out and threw them in the trash they were so frustrating. I would be away from home and want to turn the lights on remotely, and the app would say "dimmer unavailable/offline. This one has been rock solid. It has the ability to program multiple schedules, has 3 preset level buttons within the app. The app is great. Very user-friendly, and easy. I believe you must have a neutral and hot wires for it to work. I did not have a ground wire- Just the neutral and hot and it works.

Great dimmer switch. Easy to install (as long as you know basic electrical), easy to setup and integrate with my network and control devices (Alexa). Looks great. Functionality is great as well. Works well with my LED bulbs. Setting it up in the app was easy to do and I like the recommendations it makes for the dimming range for each bulb (different bulbs require different minimum power levels to turn on).

This was exactly what I needed. I was going to be spending a lot of time in bed (surgery) and needed a way to control my overhead light from the comfort of my bed. This was perfect! The dimmer is a great bonus.

It was very easy to install (video in the pics section) and installation was quick. Took me less than 15 mins. I would buy these for my whole house!

I would highly recommend to anyone with mobility issues as this can be a great Benicia to to times you forget to switch off the light and don’t feel like getting back up. I will be purchasing these for my elderly mother as well. Works great with Alexa and can even control the dimmer through Alexa!

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