I read a lot of reviews regarding this product before I decided to purchase and a lot of them were quite negative...
I wanted something simple to control the lights in my porch without the need to re-wire, etc... and this product works perfectly! It just snapped onto the toggle and with a minute or 2 of setup and pairing with my phone, it was ready to go.
It did what I wanted - automatically turn on/off the lights as scheduled and I now never need to do it myself!
If you want a simple solution, this is it, without any other hassle.
I'm not thinking of replacing 1 of my smart light bulb with this Switchmate. With the smart light bulb, the switch needs to always be on and to turn it off, I need to voice control using Alexa or Google Home, which I think it's annoying... I just think it's quicker to push the Switchmate.
I'm definitely going to buy another one, just thinking where I should put it.
This is exactly what I needed. My family's business is in a very old building, so the wiring is not exactly up to snuff for the fancier timer light switches. Most of the new switches require a neutral wire, which I do not have. I needed a way to make sure that my sign was turned on by a certain time, and would turn off at a certain time. This is perfect for that. Initial setup was very easy, as was setting the timer. Now, my sign turns on at 4:30, and off at 10. And if I have to turn the sign on earlier due to overcast weather, it still turns off at 10. I have not used the Bluetooth functionality really at all, besides the initial setup, but that went very smoothly on my Galaxy S7. The only thing I wish it would do would be in the timer setup. You can set the switch to either turn on or off at sunrise or sunset, but not within a certain time of sunrise or sunset. For example, I would like my sign to turn on an hour before sunset, but you can only have the switch activate at a certain time, or at sunset exactly, not at a set time before. Otherwise, this thing is great. I plan on purchasing another soon.
Just got this today. It was very simple to "install", I use quotes because it isn't really an installation at all. The switch comes with the batteries you need (2 AA) and uses super strong magnets to attach to the screws in the light switch cover. After you get the app, you need to pair the switch with your phone via bluetooth. Go though the instructions on the app, not the paper instructions in the box. Following the app is super easy. This switch works with bluetooth, I'm not sure if it works over wifi as well. It took me a bit of wiggling to get the switch to catch the toggle on the wall and work. For me, I needed to put the switch on when the toggle was in the off/ down position. It works great! Super happy with this and will probably get a few more for other rooms in the house.
This switch works great for an existing light switch. The magnets are strong and holds the switch securely in place. The motor that flips the switch is a bit noisy but tolerable. It's main drawback is that it is bluetooth and to use it remotely with the free app, you have to be within range of the bluetooth. I am using it with a wink 2 hub for true remote control. I have found that using it this way, you must turn the light on, then off, and back on again for the switch to work. It acts like the bluetooth connection goes to sleep. I plan to buy more.
I purchased the toggle switchmate to control outside security light switch. When I installed the switch controller over the toggle switch and activated the controller it fell off the wall switch. I believe that this happened because the toggle switch is old and is harder to switch. I remedied the problem by constructing two metal angles which hold the switcher onto the switch (see photo). When I programmed the off and on times the switcher actually activated 1 hour earlier then the entered times. This may be due to not accepting the daylight savings time which required setting clocks ahead by one hour. Interestingly about a week later the switch started to display the correct time. After performing the fixes the switcher is working great. I have set the times to sunrise and sunset which allows automatic adjustment of the times to coincide with changes in daylight. I received a $15.00 coupon toward the purchase of another switchmate after I registered the product. To receive the new switchmate at the discount required ordering directly from the manufacture. I ordered the switchmate which fits on a rocker switch to use on my office ceiling light switch. I received the device today and installed it over the rocker switch. I found that it works better on this wall switch by removing the rocker adapter. The switchmate holds firmly to the wall switch plate using built in magnets. I am happy with both switchmates. I rated the toggle switchmate at a 4 because of the modification I had to make.
Feature Product
- Instantly Snaps Over Your Existing Light Switches: No tools or wiring
- Built In Voice Commands: Turn Lights On/Off Through Your Voice - Ready out of box & no voice hub required
- Keep Existing Light Switches & Light Bulbs
- Welcome Home : Lights Turn On Upon Arriving Home & Turn Off After A Preset Time
- Multiple Timers: Schedule Lights Around Daily Routines & Make It Look Like Someone Is Always Home
- Sunrise/Sunset: Lights Turn On At Sunset & Off At Sunrise
- Control from Your Phone Or Manually with Wall Switch
Description
Switchmate is the world’s first smart light switch that instantly snaps over your existing light switches to bring voice controlled smart lighting into your home, all without having to replace or rewire a light switch or light bulb. Taking less than 1 minute to install, Switchmate responds to voice commands, turns lights on automatically when you arrive home, and has multiple timers for total smart lighting control. Download the free companion app to control on your phone or control at the wall switch or with the Google Assistant - with upcoming compatibility with Amazon Alexa. Finally, smart lighting has never been easier.
Working great so far for a fireplace switch. I had tried a hardwired switch, but the lack of 110 was a deal killer. I had read the mixed reviews, but decided most wouldn’t apply and sure enough, the switch is working exactly as I needed. Can’t get Google Assistant to work, so -1 star until that gets fixed. Also, would be nice to have a timer function for how long the device is in operation.
This is a solid, quality product. Hoping not to sound like a canned, fake review. I’m real - neutral purchaser. Works like a charm. Set up in seconds. Strong magnets really attach it to the switch plate. App takes just a few seconds to connect then it responds quickly. I do power point presentations in different venues so thought this would be a cool way of not having to ask someone to turn down the lights - works amazingly.
This does not currently work with Alexa, nor even Apple Homekit. It is, however, extremely reliable as a way to put a timer on a normal light switch or to just control the switch when you are nearby. It is super easy to control using their Apple or Google app. You can control it via bluetooth (using their app), or just push the button to flip the switch on or off just as you have always done. The packaging and the setup were extremely easy and I am very pleased with the ability now to automate normal light switches without the need to change out the actual switch.
For what this product provides, it is great. It simply works over the top of your normal light switches - talk about a no-brainer!
First, I would say that you have to know why you're buying this item. If you're trying to integrate it into some sort of smart home system, well, the other reviews here seem to indicate that that's NOT the right use.
However, if all you're looking for is a very simple and effective way to put a timer on an existing light switch (not an outlet, but a switch), then this thing is great.
In my case, I wanted to have an outdoor light turn on and off at certain times. For one set of outdoor lights, I got bulb bases I could screw in that sensed the light and turned on and off automatically, but that solution wasn't really an option for some of my other lights where size or bulb type didn't allow those light sensor adapters to work.
And you can also buy timers that replace the switch, but that involves removing the existing switch and re-wiring, and then replacing the faceplate as well. Yeah, you can do it, but as noted, this is just easier. It pops right over your existing switch via 2 VERY strong magnets and doesn't look bad.
The reason for one star off though is that the phone app gave me a bit of trouble. First it just wouldn't complete the download, and then when I started using it, it just wasn't as intuitive as I look for most things to be....but that certainly wasn't a problem that stymied me. My one email exchange with tech support was answered within 10 minutes and was helpful.
So integration into a smart home system? Probably not (again, based on other reviews). Just want to put a timer on an existing switch? Great solution.
Wasn't sure how easy this would be to use but I love it! The App is super easy to use and even includes sunset/sunrise timer options. Download and install and follow the directions for syncing your device to your app. Clean and modern style compliments any modern interior.
Make sure you enable the timer in addition to setting it!
Each Switchmate includes a $15 off coupon if you register. For those with multiple switches this won't work with two side by side switches. I hope they sell an option for that soon.
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