Instead of replacing all the downlights in your home with smart bulbs, it’s possible to just replace your light switch with a smart wifi light switch.
If you’re using HomeKit, I’ve also put together a guide with HomeKit light switches. And if you’re lights are Zigbee compatible you can use a Zigbee light switch.
These smart switches connect directly to the Wifi and none of them need a hub. This can make setup quick and easy.
The Best Smart Wifi Light Switches
These are the best Wifi light switches currently available in Australia:
LIFX Smart Wifi Light Switch – My Pick
The Lifx Wifi Light Switch is the most expensive smart switch on this list. Lifx makes high quality smart home devices that tend to be better than most of the cheaper brands.
If you pair this smart light switch with Lifx bulbs you’ll also be able to use it to dim your lights using the switch. This is something that many of the other smart switches can’t do (or can do with a complicated setup).
The Lifx app is also a step above the other apps. It’s easy to use and setup is a breeze. The LIFX switch also lets you customise the haptic feedback, light colour and style. If you’re concerned about the lights being annoying on some of the other switches, then I would recommend getting this one as it’s customisable.
This is the only Wifi Light Switch that is also compatible with Apple HomeKit. If you have any Apple Devices, I would recommend you get this switch as it integrates well into the Apple Ecosystem and will work with Siri.
Yes this is a more expensive switch, but you’ll have fewer connection issues than some of the smart switches and the build quality is top of the pack.
Useelink Smart Wifi Light Switch
The Useelink Wifi Light Switch is a reasonably priced smart switch that works with the Jinvoo/Smart Life smart app. It’s also compatible with Google Home and Amazon Alexa.
In my testing I found these to be one of the best quality smart switches available, they feel better made them many others. And I had no problems with the setup process.
The Useelink switches come in both black and white glass finishes and are available in a variety of gang configurations.
If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to the LIFX switch, this would be my pick.
Jinvoo Wifi Light Switch
Jinvoo make both Wifi and Zigbee smart switches. The Jinvoo Wifi Light switch is one of the cheapest smart switches available in Australia and is usually priced around $20. The Jinvoo switch works with the Smart Life App and it also integrates with Google Home and Alexa.
3A Smart Wifi Switch
The 3A Smart Switch is a Wifi smart switch and requires no hub. It works with the Smart Life app and is also compatible with the Kogan SmarterHome App (although I still need to test this).
Smart Wall Switch with Buttons
If you’re looking for a Wifi light switch with actual buttons The Smart Wall Switch from Kogan is one of the few smart switches I could find in Australia with a physical switch mechanism.
Deta Grid Connect Smart Switch
Bunnings sells a range of Deta Light Switches. They work with the Grid Connect app, which is used by a number of Australian manufacturers. I don’t much like the Grid Connect app, and have found that it is quite buggy. These switches will work with Google Home and Alexa. The LED on the switch is quite bright and there is no option to turn it off.
If you’re using other Deta or Grid Connect products, this switch will integrate well with those products.
Why Use a WiFi Light Switch?
If you have exisiting downlights replacing them all with smart downlights is going to be pretty expensive. Instead of replacing the bulbs you can just replace the light switch with a smart wifi switch and now your downlights will be connected to your smart home.
You’ll be able to turn them on and off using your phone or voice assistant and setup smart automations. You’ll also be able to control your lights remotely, which is great if you have pets or are going away on holidays.
The Pros and Cons of Wifi Light Switches
Pros
- No Hub Needed – Wifi Light Switches connect directly to your Wifi router. No expensive hub is needed.
- Fast Connection – Smart Devices that connect with Wifi tend to have less lag than many bluetooth devices. Wifi smart devices will be as fast as Zigbee devices.
Cons
- Not as Reliable – I’ve found the smart devices that don’t use a protocol like Zigbee or Thread tend to be a little less reliable. Zigbee and Thread use a mesh network to connect to one another, where as these Wifi devices need to all connect to the router . If you have signal issues with your router (connection dropping out) I wouldn’t recommend these Wifi light switches. Its better to get a Zigbee switch which I’ve found to be super reliable. But if you have no Wifi issues these switches should work well.
- Most Don’t Offer HomeKit Support – If you own an iPhone I would recommend getting a smart switch that supports HomeKit. HomeKit is Apple’s smart home system and is deeply integrated into the operating system. Products that support HomeKit will just work on Apple devices and don’t even need third party apps. So it’s worth getting a HomeKit Light Switch if you use Apple devices in your home.
