Wemo Light Switch Review

Even though in the past, home automation appeared to be a thing of the far-off future, technological advancements have proved the opposite. That’s why, today, we can discuss about equipping your home with smart lights.

Without a doubt, the convenience of these smart switches is the most attractive feature. But they do more than that. They can simplify your routine while helping you to cut down on energy costs. These smart switches are also great for security reasons.

To that end, today I would like to present to you my experience with the Wemo light switch – a top-selling product. I’ll outline the features that make the Wemo switch and Wemo app one of the best smart light switches on the market and mention its pros and cons so that you can take in the whole picture.

About The Wemo Switch

The Wemo Switch could be a decent light switch for you for many reasons. Not only that the device is highly reliable and convenient, but it has other benefits, as well. Here are its core features at a glance:

• It is equipped with Wi-Fi connectivity
• It is compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa; this grants you hands-free voice control of the smart switch
• It is also compatible with Nest; Nest knows when you’re away or at home. You can use the Nest compatibility in order to turn the lights or ceiling fans on and off when you’re away from home
• It works with IFTTT (If This, Then, That) – this means you can turn fans, lamps or other electronics off or on, as you please
• The away mode is meant to create the impression that you’re at home, when in fact, you’re away. This mode turns the lights on and off by using a random pattern
• Product dimensions: 5.1 x 3.3 x 2.1 inches
• It weighs 9 ounces
• Wemo App for easy use

Wemo Switch Installation and Wemo App

Belkin suggests you contact an electrical contractor to replace your meter switches for protection against personal damage. Many of the time it’s easy to do DIY electrical work with wire nuts, circuit breaker, and white neutral wire. Offers Smart Switch Installation and Wireless Dimmer Diagrams. Warning : Dimmers need neutral wire. The use of neutral wire or creating new wires for avoidance of use of neutral wire is highly dangerous. CAUTION: when installing switch and light yourself, turn off the light supply and test to see if the lights are on. You need to download the Wemo app.

Security And Privacy for Smart Switches

Wemo phones have widespread vulnerabilities. In 2014 a bug had been detected in its software, but it quickly became fixable by Belkin. A new threat was identified in 2016, but Belkin considered that this was a minor threat as the threat was required during the device setup. A number of smart devices are also vulnerable to similar vulnerabilities. Belkin is an important IoS software provider and has a well-trained security department who monitors their systems continuously and gathers data to analyze. All communications on these sites are encrypted using SSL technology.

About the Wemo

The Belkin Company was started in 1983 by Chetting Pipkin who now operates the firm. It began manufacturing computers cables which are still used today. Their brand names include Belkin, Linksys & Wemo. The company is an independent firm owned by an affiliate of Foxconn which produces iPhone phones from Taiwan. The firm has faced controversy. They were accused of using payment methods and sending reviewers modified products which did not match the retail version of products. The IOTpad never received payment from Belkin and no reviews have been done on the device.

Smart Light Switch Results

I’ll start by saying that the Wemo light switch is quite easy to install – as long as you’re comfortable with working with wires. The entire process lasted approximately five minutes. You should watch the manufacturer’s installation video, as it is quite helpful.

A good thing is that all WeMo lighting products are now compatible with both iOS and Android devices. Nevertheless, if you’d like to monitor your switch from your PC, I have bad news for you – the manufacturer hasn’t created an app for this purpose – at least not yet. So, this could be a disadvantage for some people.

Another issue you might be prone to encounter is the following: the wires you get across in the electric box might not be the ideal match. To be more precise, some electrical boxes don’t have the white neutral wires. And this wire is critical in the installation process.

That is why I advise you to check the electric box before investing in this smart switch. On a different note, this product is a tad larger than typical light switches, which could be problematic, as well. Moving on to the ease of use of the switch, I can assure you that both the app and the switch are a breeze to use.

A nice feature is that you can use the Wemo app in order to fully program the lighting in your home and smart light switch and dimmer switch– now we’re talking about serious home automation, aren’t we? To be more precise, there are various ways in which you can personalize the switch.

Plus, the fact that there smart light switches are compatible with IFTTT, makes everything more fun. For instance, you can use IFTTT, and program it to send you notifications whenever the temperature outside is below 47 degrees. And it works like a charm on this smart light switch and smart plugs for your smart home.

During my tests, both the app and the switch worked fine. The basic features were impeccable every single time, as well as the special programming settings. What is more, you can successfully control multiple light switches or WeMo home automation devices.

What Others Say

Customer reviews can be quite helpful when it comes to making a fully informed decision. Therefore, I researched the Internet for feedback, and Amazon alone featured no less than 15,000 individual customer reviews for Wemo devices.

This indicates one thing: we’re dealing with a best-selling, popular product, and for a good reason. According to clients, it makes it effortless to control lights, fans, and switch-plate-connected devices through a compatible smartphone or tablet.

Of course, the Alexa and the IFTTT connectivity are two additional features enjoyed by most customers. On the other side, some users indicated that the setup process was a hassle – but this matter is pretty subjective.

What We Liked

For one thing, this is a great smart switch, featuring a neat, durable construction. While the installation might appear complicated, it can be done in a matter of minutes. I find the app to be quite helpful, as it allows you to fully customize the lighting in your house, depending on your needs and preferences.

What We Didn’t Like

While I like this product pretty much, there are some things I’d like to change about it. For one thing, I dislike the fact that this item doesn’t work with multi-way lights. What is more, it isn’t compatible with wiring configurations that don’t feature a neutral wire.

Plus, as I mentioned beforehand, the sizing of the smart switch is a bit larger than that of a regular switch. This might be a bit inconvenient, making the installation process more complicated than it should be.

Buying Advice

For approximately $50, this smart switch might seem a bit pricey to some buyers. However, it is a worthy investment, since it a high-quality product. Plus, the manufacturer supplies a one-year warranty.

Source: belkin.com

I do most of my shopping on Amazon, and I bought this smart switch from this site, as well; it’s great for free shipping and occasional discounts. If you want to do more research we created a complete guide.