GE In Wall dimmer switch install and review

Check out my newest upload where I unbox, install, and set up a GE In Wall Smart Dimmer Switch.  If you want smart lights but might want to save a little bit of money.  This might be the solutions for you.  For me I have a lot of lights that are not recommended for using smart light bulbs in so using a smart switch was the answer.

The Phillips Hue light bulbs that I have in a lot of my open light sockets are great, but at $14 for a white light or $49 for a color bulb the cost can add up quickly.  

I picked these in wall switches(normally $39) on clearance at a could of local Walmart's for less than $20 each.  Both the Hue bulbs and these switches require a hub to work, but I wait till I was able to find the Samsung SmartThings(Normally $99) hub for $50 after Christmas.  The SmartThings hub works with pretty much all the smart tech I have purchased.

If you have any questions don't hesitate ask and feel free to add your email to the mailing list to receive updates when new videos and blog posts go up.

Video review and set up of Wemo Smart Switch

Check out my newest YouTube video where I review and set up a Wemo Smart Switch.  If you haven't subscribed to my channel please take a minute to does so.  If you like the video please click the like button.  Sharing the video is also appreciated.  

Review: GE Plug-in EZ Smart Switch

------------ How I rate it -----------

Easy of Setup/Install:

Set up was a breeze after restarting my SmartThings hub after having issues getting the SmartThings app to recognize the new device I was setting up.

Features:

This smart plug seemed to have the same features that most smart plugs I've looked at, but the flow through outlet is a nice touch that I had not seen before.

Design:

Design is simple and will allow for two devices in an outlet.  The manual button is easy to see, but with no back lighting might be hard to see in the dark in a pinch.

Easy of Use:

Very easy to use and configure through the SmartThings app


Today I am going to take a look at the GE Plug in Ez Smart Switch.  The first thing to note about this switch is it does require a smart hub, such as the SmartThings or Wink hubs,  to work.  So if you do not have a smart hub this is not a switch worth considering as you will not be able to communicate with the switch.  Retail on this switch is listed at $39.99, but I was able to find it clearanced out at one of my local Walmart's for $19.99.

Review: Samsung SmartThings Hub

Today I'm going to take a look at the Samsung SmartThings hub.  As the smart home market has heated up over the last couple of years, companies have all been trying to get a piece of the market.  This has led to a bunch of different wireless communication protocols being used.  With a smart hub you can have pretty much a one stop shop for connecting all your devices in one place.  The Samsung SmartThings hub happens to be one of the more popular choices for smart hubs.  I have been wanting to pick up a hub for some time now and was waiting for the right price.  Well happened to walk into Best Buy last week and see them on sale for $49.99 down from the normal $99.99 price.

Review: Insignia Wi-Fi Smart In-Wall Switch - Updated

So I picked up a couple of Insignia Wi-Fi Smart In-Wall switches from Best Buy a couple of weeks ago and I finally got around to installing one of them. Why did I select these switches compared to some of the other ones.  First was price at a $29.99 price point they were the cheapest option I found and second was the fact that these switches did not require a hub.  Installing one of these switches does require working with the electrical wires in your house, overall most people should be able to follow the install instructions, but if you are not comfortable working with wiring then I would recommend hiring a professional to install them.  Let's get started by taking a look at the product and some of my initial thoughts.

IFTTT What is it?

IFTTT what is it?  Well it stands for If This Then That, and it is a free Web service that lets you create simple "applets".  What is an "applet"?  Well an applet is a simple program that triggers an action is some other thing occurs.  So what does that mean let look at an example and fill in the blanks.  "If it is raining outside Then change my Philips Hue lights to blue."

IFTTT works with a lot of devices different devices and services and the list continues to grow.  Getting devices and services connected is not a difficult task, but due to the number of devices and services that are supported it can take a little bit of time.  

Review: Phillips Hue Lights

So who wants to have to get up to turn off a light switch once you are comfortable on the couch or in your bed.  I know I didn't so I started looking at solutions and found the Philips Hue lighting systems.  Overall I think Philips provides the most options when it comes to starter kits and bulb combination.  While trying to outfit a complete home with Hue lights in one shot is probably out of the question it is something you should be able to do if you start with on of the starter kits and then pick up more bulbs as you can.  

You can check out the full product line by following the link below:

Philips Hue Product List

Review of iHome iSP5 Smart Switch

In this post I will do a review of the iHome iSP5 smart switch.  I picked up a few of these units when they were on clearance at my local Walmart.  At the price it was worth a shot. 

So let me start by saying if you are planning to set these up using an Android device just forget about it.  I tried with several Android devices and was never able to get them set up.

I would have to say I like the design and size of the switches when compared to some of the Wemo switches that are a lot bigger and bulkier.  You can easily use two on these switches in a single wall socket and this to me is a big plus for these switches. 

Luckily I had an iPad in the house otherwise I never would not have been able to get any of the switches setup.  The set up with the iPad was pretty straight forward and worked as expected when the setup instructions where followed.  Now I will say that once the plugs were configured using the iPad I was then able to see them on my Android device when I logged into my account.

Once the configured it was very easy to link get them setup for use with my Google Home.  Like was stated above if you use only Android devices I would steer clear of these switches.  If you do have an Apple device to setup the switches then I would say these will work great.