Lutron vs Leviton
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Lutron vs Leviton Smart Light Switches
We compare Lutron vs Leviton smart light switches in this video blog post. Lutron Caseta and Leviton are two of the leading smart light switch brands that allow you to control your smart light switches using your phone or voice with a compatible voice assistant like Alexa, Google Home or HomeKit.
We teach you what you need to know about Lutron vs Leviton smart switches so you can pick the right smart light switch for your home.
Lutron vs Leviton Smart Light Switch Comparison
What is a smart light switch and how do they work?
Smart light switches are designed to provide you remote control of your light switches with your phone or with your voice when paired with a smart voice assistant. They replace your existing light switches and use the existing in wall wiring for power and then connect to your wifi network for remote control.
They look just like a normal switch and operate like a normal light switch when on the wall, but have the added benefit of remote control once connected to your wifi network.
Why I Installed Smart Light Switches In My Home
I’ve always been a fan of technology and smart home tech. But the first generation of smart home tech was clunky and required hubs or specialized equipment.
Since then a ton has changed, and now smart home tech and smart home light switches are reliable, accessible and can add value to your home and life.
I’ve had smart home light switches installed in my home for over 5 years now and use my voice with Alexa to turn of the lights at the end of every night.
There is literally nothing better than laying in bed at the end of a long day and telling your home to turn off the lights for you without getting out of bed. I never worry about if I left a light on because I can just tell Alexa to turn it off.
If I have my hands full and I’m going up and down the stairs I just tell Alexa to turn on the lights. Or if I’m watching a movie I can tell Alexa to turn off the lights.
It’s a true luxury that I live with everyday, and what’s great is that you can get started with smart lighting for less than $100 and it can cost less than $1,000 to to outfit the most used of your home with smart light switch control like Leviton or Lutron Smart light switches.
I didn’t realize how much I use smart light switches everyday, until I was in a hotel and it felt like an awful chore to get out of bed at the end of a long day to turn the lights off and trip over my shoes on the floor. Now I can’t imagine living without smart light switches and they are one of my favorite upgrades I’ve made to my home.
Lutron vs Leviton Feature Comparison
Lutron Smart Light Switches
Remote Phone Control
Alexa Voice Control
HomeKit Voice Control
Google Home Voice Control
Requires Lutron Hub
75 Device Limit Per Hub
Light Switches & Plugs Available
No Neutral Required For Installation
Set Schedules & Lighting Scenes
Dimmers & On Off Switches
Leviton Smart Light Switches
Remote Phone Control
Alexa Voice Control
HomeKit Voice Control
Google Home Voice Control
No Hub Required
No Device Limit
Light Switches and Smart Plugs Available
Neutral Wire Required
Set Schedules & Lighting Scenes
Dimmers & On Off Switches
Lutron vs Leviton Biggest Differences and What You Should Know:
Both the Lutron and Leviton smart light switches are high quality capable smart light switches that you will enjoy in your home. However there are a few key differences between the two types of smart light switches.
Both of the smart light switches provide you remote control from your home or with a compatible voice assistant like Alexa.
Both of the smart light switches are available in both standard on/off versions or dimmer versions and both smart light switches will allow you to set schedules or scenes from the provided phone apps.
Both smart light switches also come in 3 way light switch configurations which allow you to turn on and off one set of lights from two different switches like you typically find at stairwells.
Overall they are more similar than different and in my testing they both have proved reliable without problems.
However the installation and operation of the Lutron and Leviton smart light switches is slightly different.
Lutron Smart Light Switch on left, does not require a neutral wire and has fewer wires. The Leviton Smart Light Switch on the right does require a neutral wire and has more wires.
Neutral Wire Required vs No Neutral Wire Required
The biggest difference between the two switches is that the Lutron smart light switches do not require a neutral wire, where as Leviton smart switches do require a neutral wire.
Typically newer homes built after 1985 do have neutral wire in the switch box so you can use either type of light switch if you have a newer home. But the video below explains what a neutral wire is and how to check for a neutral wire in your switch box.
Typically a neutral wire is a white colored wire in the electrical switch box as shown in the picture below with the arrow.
If you’re not sure if you have a neutral wire, or have an older home, or don’t know how to check for a neutral wire, the Lutron smart light switches will work in all homes even older homes without a neutral. The Lutron smart light switches will work even if you have a neutral wire but you just won’t need to connect the extra wire which could save you some time during installation.
Lutron vs Leviton: Neutral Wire is the white wire with the arrow pointed at it.
Learn How To Check For A Neutral Wire In The Video Below
Lutron vs Leviton: Hub vs No Hub
Another major difference between the Lutron and Leviton smart light switches is that the Lutron smart light switches require a small smart home hub to connect to your wifi network. Where as the Leviton smart light switches can connect directly to your a wifi network without the need for an additional hub.
The Lutron Hub is a small square about an inch thick and 3”x3” so it’s not like it takes up a ton of room, and can easily fit next to your wifi router. It requires power and connects via ethernet connection directly to you your wifi router.
The Lutron Caseta Hub also has a 75 device limit per hub which means that if you have more than 75 devices you will need to add a second hub to control the additional light switches in your home. One hub typically covers between 2500-3500 SF and while Lutron lists the range as 30FT from the hub, I’ve found in my testing that devices can work anywhere from 30-90FT from the main hub depending on the construction of the home.
If you are having range issues you can add a Lutron Smart Plug which also acts as a range extender. With the Lutron Caseta system it’s ideal to place the Lutron Smart Home Hub Bridge in a central location to get the most range out of your system.
The Leviton smart light switches do not have a device limit, and don’t require a hub, they just need to be within range of your wifi network. In my home I use the Eero Pro mesh wifi network which gives me great wifi coverage throughout my home. But both the Eero Wifi Network and Google Wifi are good options for extending wifi coverage throughout your home.
Voice Assistant Compatibility
Both the Lutron and Leviton smart light switches work with the most popular smart voice assistants on the market.
This means you can not only control your smart light switches from your phone but you can also control your smart lighting with your voice when combined with a smart voice assistant like Alexa, Google Home or Siri. One of my favorite voice assistants is the Echo Show 5 because it has a built in touch screen, video camera and has a small compact size.
Leviton Smart Light Switch Installed
I’ve found that I use my voice assistants multiple times a day to turn on and off my lighting and there’s nothing better than telling Alexa to turn off the lights at the end of a long day. Adding voice control to your smart lighting system is truly a luxury and something I enjoy everyday. I also find I’m more apt to turn off a light and save energy using Alexa to turn off the lights because I can do it while walking through a room or while sitting at my desk.
Installation
Both the Lutron and Leviton smart light switches offer straightforward installation and if you know how to install a light switch you will be able to install these smart light switches. It takes about 15 - 30 minutes to install a smart light switch depending on your skill level and comfort with the project.
However the Lutron smart light switches do have a slight advantage in the installation because they don’t require a neutral wire for installation it’s one less wire to connect and can make the installation of the Lutron smart light switches slightly quicker than the installation of the Leviton smart light switches.
Other Accessories
Both the Lutron and Leviton smart light switches work with other smart home accessories that provide you with complete control of smart lighting throughout your house and allow you to control devices that plug into the wall. Lutron has smart plugs that allow you to turn on and off lamps that plug into outlets remotely. The Lutron smart plugs also work as range extenders for the Lutron Caseta system.
Leviton also has smart plugs that give you remote control of plug in lamps or devices that plug into standard wall outlets, the Leviton smart plugs are easy to setup and install and work on your wifi network just like the smart light switches.
Summary-Lutron Smart Light Switches vs Leviton Smart Light Switches:
Both the Leviton and Lutron smart light switches are capable switches that provide easy installation and great smart home control of your home with either your phone or voice.
In determining which smart light switch is right for you home it really comes down to a few factors:
Light Switch Styling
If You Have a Neutral Wire
Size Of Your Home
If You Don’t Mind Having A Smart Home Hub
The styling of the smart light switches is really a personal prefrence and just comes down to which smart light switch looks you like more.
If you have a neutral wire in your light switch box you can use either the Lutron or Leviton smart light switches. But if you don’t have a neutral wire in your switch box you will need to use the Lutron light switches which don’t require a neutral wire for operation.
The size of you home is also a factor because the Leviton light switches will work as long as they are in range of your wifi network, which you can easily extend using mesh wifi networks like Eero or Google Wifi. The Lutron Hub has an effective 2500-3500 sf range in my testing and if you have a larger house it might require you to have the Lutron Smart Plugs as range extenders. If you have more than 75 devices it will require a second Lutron hub, which can make the setup more complicated so it might be easier if you have a larger house to use the Leviton smart light switches.
The Lutron Smart light switches also require that you connect the small lutron hub to the wifi router, this is only a minor inconvenience but the Leviton smart light switches don’t require a hub for operation as they connect directly to your wifi network.
Overall both of these smart light switches are capable additions to your smart home. Smart home lighting is one of the most used upgrades I made to my home and use it on a daily basis. Both of these smart switches are designed to used your existing home wiring for installation and don’t require you to open walls or major renovations. The installation is as simple as removing the old light switch and installing the new smart light switch.
Either one of these smart light switches is a great choice for to automate your smart home lighting and you can’t go wrong with either.
