Caséta by Lutron gets mentioned a lot on MPU and I wholeheartedly agree it provides a much better HomeKit light control experience since it is controllable at the switch or via HomeKit - and, critically, everything stays in sync.
Of course, any in-wall switch solution requires some electrical work which requires an electrician or some DIY spirit and possible willingness to violate local ordinances…oh and, yes, it is more expensive. But the setup and daily use is so nice, reliable, responsive and simple.
(I’ve been meaning to write up my HomeKit setup like a desk setup post! Someday.)
At any rate, exciting new announcements CES announcements today, including Caséta. (And unlike some companies, in the past Lutron’s announcements actually make it to the product line - and even fairly soon after CES. Last year’s new product was fan control switches. I installed one and it is awesome. I want to do the other fans soon.)
The following is a screencap of the email Lutron just sent. Personally excited about the motion sensor. Right now I have a cheap HomeKit motion sensor that works pretty well considering it was $20 but I bet the reliability of the Caseta motion sensor will be .
If I had a bigger place I’d probably be excited about the repeater (although the Caséta lamp switch can serve as a repeater already, with limits.)
I love the Lutron Caseta, too. Here’s what I would like to see:
a plug-in smart switch that uses a relay so it can switch a larger load than their plug-in dimmer, and
an in-wall three way switch that can control switched outlets. 15 amps. As a bonus, it should work without a neutral wire, since one place I want to use one doesn’t have a neutral…
As I’ve mentioned in a different thread, one of my favorite things is that they do not use WiFi. I like the added security of plugging a hub directly into my switch and having it talk to its devices.
Funny you should mention that. I ran into the same issue of not having a neutral in my garage. I wanted motion control of the lights and a switch.
I first tried a simple non-smart device motion detector switch that replaces the wall switch. These are fairly inexpensive but require a good ground which I don’t seem to have in that switch. I also don’t have a neutral there.
Caséta dimmer to the rescue since it doesn’t require neutral or ground (although you are supposed to ground it). Of course, I don’t need to dim my garage lights but somewhat oddly the Caséta switch does require a neutral, as you mentioned. Not sure why but I think the switch is an older model/tech. But Caséta dimmer paired with a cheap motion detector and HomeKit automation works like a charm. I also got a bonus going this route: not only does it turn on my garage lights where the motion detector is located but also a couple of other lights inside to light the way in. Then HomeKit deals with turning them all off after an adjustable amount of time.
I’d still like to see Lutron change the switch so a neutral isn’t required since there are plenty of houses with various wall switches that don’t have one. It should be cheaper than the dimmer. And sometimes you don’t want or can’t use the dimming functionality.
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