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This guide will provide you with a few tips on how to choose the best dimmer switch in the market plus a few products that we think are top choices to buy.
Why do you need a dimmer switch? Well, for lots of reasons! For one, there are people who don’t sleep well in total darkness. At least a dimmer can lower the light to an acceptable level without totally eliminating it. It also works really well when putting kids to sleep.
Of course, this begs the question as to what the best dimmer switch in the market is. In this guide, we’ll save you the trouble of researching brands and product variants by giving you simple criteria, plus a few products to choose from.
Proceed to find out more:
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How To Buy The Best Dimmer Switch
With our quick guide, you’ll have a pretty concise criteria that will give you some sort of grading system to narrow down your choices to the best dimmer switch 2020.
These are some of the factors that you’ll want to take note of when you’re choosing the most suitable LED dimmer switch.
We will discuss specs, features, and warranty policies below:
Wattage
Wattage is important to note because it determines the power of the light. Now, your dimmer has to be able to take the maximum wattage of the light otherwise the dimmer won’t work. The more wattage compatibility the dimmer has, the better.
Typically, it’d be good for your dimmer to take incandescent bulbs with 400w and LED bulbs with 150w. If you can get a switch that comes with a higher wattage, then that’s even better. There are some switches that have a wattage of 600w which are much more effective.
Operating Temperatures
You need to take into consideration the operating temperatures because it will determine how much heat your dimmer can take. Tin most cases, you’ll want a dimmer that can operate at temperatures from 32 degrees Fahrenheit to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. In Celsius, this will be around 0 degrees Celsius to 40 degrees Celsius. You can see the operating temperature on the box.
Switch Type
There are usually three kinds of switch types to take into consideration, single switch, 2-way switch, and 3-way switch. The difference among the three is just how many locations you can control the light from. For a single switch type, you can control the light only from one place.
For 2-way switches, you can control the light from 2 places. Finally, the 3-way switch types let you control the switch from 3 places. Ideally, a 3-way switch is the best because it gives you more room for control.
Fortunately, all of our top 4 choices for wireless dimmer switches are 3-way switch types. But if you plan on looking for another dimmer switch, at least factor this in your criteria.
Voice Control
Does your dimmer have voice control or not? We prefer our dimmer switches to have voice control so that we don’t need to look for the dimmer to turn down the lights. Most modern switches these days have voice control switches that can be controlled with Alexa or Google Home.
Of course, there are also those switches that don’t have voice control. It’s really up to your preference whether you want one or not.
Timer
Another cool feature that you may want to look for is a timer. A timer usually comes with a remote control that allows you to schedule when the lights will turn on and off. It’s a great feature to have if you want to save money on your electricity bill.
Warranty Policy
Of course, the warranty policy is very important because it allows you to have your product fixed in the event of defects. For most brands, the warranty policy is around one year.
The max warranty period that we’ve seen is 2 years. As much as possible, you’ll want to get the product that has a warranty of 2 years, but you don’t need to use that as your main criteria.
The Best Dimmer Switch Of 2020
1. Lutron Diva C.L LED Light Dimmer Switch
Via: Amazon.com
When it comes to max wattage, this one has the highest number in the list. While most dimmer switches reach up to 400w, this one can be used with incandescent or halogen bulbs up to 600w.
Pros
- Has a compatibility with 150w LED bulbs and incandescent bulbs of up to 600w
- Can be used as a 3-way switch but also with a single pole
- Comes with a slider for easy control of the dimmer
- Has an operating temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit to 104 degrees Fahrenheit
- Can be installed in just 15 minutes
Cons
- Creates this weird buzzing sound
2. Gosund Smart Dimmer Switch
This is our favorite dimmer switch when it comes to dimming range. This one can be adjusted from 0% dimming range to 100% dimming range. It also comes with a brightness memory function that remembers your ideal brightness when you turn the light on again.
Pros
- Has a 0 to 100% dimming range
- Can be controlled via a phone
- Can also be controlled via a LED touch panel
- Comes with a brightness memory function
- Has a voice control that allows you to use the dimmer with Google Home and Alexa
Cons
- Hard to mount the switch
- Tendency to flicker
3. Inovelli ZWave Dimmer Switch
When it comes to innovation, this brand definitely knows what it is doing. It comes with next gen features like a scene controller, energy monitoring feature, and RGB LED notification feature.
Pros
- Does not require a neutral
- Works with a number of smart dimmer switches like Wink, Vera, Smartthings and many more
- Has unlimited RGB notifications
- Monitors remote energy
- Has a scene controller
Cons
- Not that effective with Vera switches
- Dimming is not so smooth
4. TP-Link Kasa Smart Dimmer Switch
Via: Amazon.com
Last on the list is a dimmer from TP-Link. The best thing about this dimmer switch is that it is the easiest to control with a smartphone. Just download the Kasa app and you can easily control the dimmer from anywhere you want.
Pros
- Can be controlled via a Kasa app
- Can be used with both Android and iOS devices
- Has voice control with Alexa, Google Home, and Cortana
- Gentle dimmer switch
- Comes with a switch for scheduling
Cons
- Not very durable
- Not compatible with more than one bulb
Conclusion
With these four choices for the best dimmer switches on the market, you don’t need to do so much work on picking out the most suitable one for your home. All you need to do is choose one of the 4 choices by picking out the one with the most suitable features. With our buying guide, you can choose the best dimmer switch without any trouble.
So, pick out your favorite dimmer switch today and enjoy its benefits.
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