I made the jump to a "Smart Home" a little over a month ago after Alexa joined our family. After talking to some friends, doing some research and assesing my needs I settled on TP-Link because of the variety of Smart products they offered, no requirements for a Hub, the lower cost and the ability to control everything from one simple app on my Smart phone and Amazon"s Alexa.
I have not been disappointed. After a very short learning curve, I surprisingly found the installation and set-up of all the TP-Link Smart devices extremely easy and intuitive. I have installed several different Smart devices including three different bulbs (LB-100, 120 & 130) depending on the area, as well as, Smart Switches (HB-200) and Smart Plugs. All of it has installed, programed and worked with few problems.
The only criticism I have is the Kasa App. I have found it to be a bit bugy at times, but since I use it primarily for programming and setting up new devices and scenes, rather than operationally, it has not been an issue since Alexa handels most of that work. So far, in the six weeks my Smart Home has been in operation I have only had one problem where Alexa and the Kasa app lost communication with most of (but not all) of my TP-Link devices. But after a bit of head scratching I was able to restore communication.
So here's a tip to remember: I first tried rebooting the devices by cycling the power breaker, but that didn't work. Probably due to multiple devices signaling simultaneously and overloading Kasa. But, powering each device down for a few seconds then back up, and testing it before moving on ro the next one worked without a problem.
I also recommend using a different control application. I only have experience with Amazon Alexa, but it also interfaces with Google Home among others. I have found that controlling scenes from Kasa not to be reluable for some reason, while issuing the scene commands to Alexa works 90% of the time, with repeating the command becoming necessary about 10% of the time. But even with an occasional repeated command being necessary, TP-Link devices respond extremely well through Alexa's control. Plus Alexa is able to easily "group" multiple devices so you can control areas with a single command, or program macro activities that Alexa can perform with a single command. Capabilities Kasa does not have.
This is another deficiency of the Kasa app. Without the ability to group devices or run macro routines, it relies on programmed scenes which are very limiting for operational control. So another controlling app like Alexa or Home is essential to the TP-Link Smart Home system.
For me, because I have Alexa for operational control, both at home and away, these short comings in the Kasa app are non-issues. But if I didnt have this capability I think I would look to a different Hub controlled platform for my Smart Home lighting and device control.
HS-200 Smart Switch:
I am a retired electrician, so I found the installation easy. Most DIY homeowners with a basic knowledge of electricity and components should also have few problems with the installation.
I found this Smart Switch easy to control and the installation is about the same as replacing a standard light switch. But, a big drawback is not have a dimming capability. To me this should be a no-brainer and i cant understand why this featire is lacking. Because that would makevthis a 5 star product.
So before you procede there are a couple of precautions that should be noted.
First, you must three wires plus the ground (usually bare or green), and one must be the neutral (usually white) third wire, or the switch simply will not work. This can be an issue in some older homes (and even in some newer ones too).
The neutral wire is the "common" wire that runs throughout the house and is common to all circuits. It completes the loop in the circuit from the electrical box to the receptacle. The "hot" (or "line") wire (usually black) carries the electrical load for that circuit only (usually 15-20 amps max). And finally, the "load" wire (usually black, red, or it could even be white) completes the hot side of the circuit between the switch and the receptacle. To save time and money some electricians when wiring homes "old school" would complete the light circuit by running the neutral to the light receptacle and then run a 2 conductor (plus ground) to the switch. So even though you may have a white and black wire at the switch, the white wire is not a neutral, but the load wire that that completes the hot circuit when the switch is turned on (closed). So if you don't have 3 wires, one of them being the white neutral, you are out of luck using a Smart Switch. You can control the light however, by using Smart bulbs and then grouping them in the controling app (like Alexa).
Another caution is wire management. Standard light switches don't take up much room, so the original installing electrician had lots of room in the box to stuff extra wire. This is a luxury you don't have since the Smart Switch is much deeper and takes up most of the box. The new switch also uses leads that are wire nutted to the circuit wires and not terminated on the switch itself. Because of this, it may be necessay to shorten the wires to make room in the box for the extra electronics and wire nuts.
My advice is to open your intended switch boxes to survey your electrical wiring BEFORE you order the switches, so there are no surprises when it comes time to install.
One last safety precaution. Be sure to turn off the circuit at the electrical panel (breaker box). Also don't assume that all switches in a multi-switch box are on the same circuit. It is often the case that multiple circuits are in the box. This is especially true when a switch is controling a plug. So check all wires in the box with a meter to insure nothing is hot.
Finally, when wire nutting multiple wires it is VERY EASY to leave a wire loose. This can be very dangerous, as loose wires can work themselves free and cause arking and sparking that can damage connected equipment, and worse, start a fire. This is a common cause of electrical fires, and you might not know there is a problem until it's too late. So to ensure all wire nut connections are tight and secure, tug on each wire at the nut with needle nose pliers. If you can't pull it loose it should be good to go. Also make sure there are no bare wires poking out of the nuts. The switches use stranded wire so it's easy to have some stray strands loose outside the nut.
So that's about it. The install is pretty easy most of the time, but if you don't think you're experienced enough to do the job safely, put this phase of the job in the hands of a professional. It should be an easy job for any professional electrician, and should not be terribly expensive. Consider it cheep insurance!
Kasa Smart Light Switch HS200, Single Pole, Needs Neutral Wire, 2.4GHz Wi-Fi Light Switch Works with Alexa and Google Home, U
4.6 | 62,081 ratings
Price: 10.99
Last update: 11-13-2024
About this item
Easy guided install: Neutral wire is required, standard wall plate size. No need to understand complex switch wiring or master vs auxiliary switch configurations; The Kasa app guides you through easy step by step installation. Need 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connection
Control from anywhere: Monitor your light status. Turn electronics on and off from anywhere with your smartphone using the Kasa app, whether you are at home, in the office or on vacation
Voice control: Enjoy the hands-free convenience of controlling the lights in your home with your voice via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant; perfect for times when your hands are full or entering a dark room
Scheduling: Use timer or countdown schedules to set your smart switch to automatically turn on and off while you're home or away. Enable ‘away mode’ to randomly switch on and off to trick potential intruders
Trusted and reliable: Designed and developed in silicon valley, Kasa is trusted by over 4 million users. UL certified for safety use. Dimensions without panel 4.13*1.71*1.74 in. (105*43.5*44.21 mm). System Requirements : Android 5.0 or higher, iOS 10 or higher
Control from anywhere: Monitor your light status. Turn electronics on and off from anywhere with your smartphone using the Kasa app, whether you are at home, in the office or on vacation
Voice control: Enjoy the hands-free convenience of controlling the lights in your home with your voice via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant; perfect for times when your hands are full or entering a dark room
Scheduling: Use timer or countdown schedules to set your smart switch to automatically turn on and off while you're home or away. Enable ‘away mode’ to randomly switch on and off to trick potential intruders
Trusted and reliable: Designed and developed in silicon valley, Kasa is trusted by over 4 million users. UL certified for safety use. Dimensions without panel 4.13*1.71*1.74 in. (105*43.5*44.21 mm). System Requirements : Android 5.0 or higher, iOS 10 or higher
From the brand
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Leading Smart Home Brand
Launched in 2015, Kasa Smart quickly became a leading smart home brand giving convenience, fun, and security to over 7 million delighted users and has garnered praises from PCMag, Wirecutter, and more. Users can control their lights, appliances, and view security camera footage from anywhere, anytime. Kasa offers terrific synergy between devices for enhanced automation.
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Top reviews from the United States
AlarmGy
An Easy way to control multiple devices on a single circuit.
Reviewed in the United States on January 20, 2018
Ben Powell
Paired switches to turn on multiple lights from 1 switch
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2024
Ben Powell
Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2024
I bought (2) Kasa Smart Light Switches (HS200) which I then added to my new Home Assistant setup (not required) and it works great and was easy to install / setup. Installing these switches cost less than $30. You do need to be comfortable replacing and wiring a light switch. You need to have a “neutral” wire in the light switch box. If you have an older house this might not work for you. Our town home was built in 2001 so it’s not that new but not that old either and had the appropriate wires needed.
You can install these switches and use the native app on a smart phone to program a variety of tasks. There is no need for a home automation system / hub. From the app I was able to set the switches so that if I turn on/off one switch it turns on/off the other switch. Essentially pairing them together. They still function as individual light switches (non-smart switch) if the wifi goes out - so the pairing feature only works with an Internet connection but they still function as single light switches if the Internet is down.
This smart switch has a small circular indicator light on the bottom of the switch which I set to only turn on if the lights are on. So, if I forget that the outside lights are on - the indicator light on the wall switch will be on. I like the visual clue so I don't leave them on all night. I like being able to use the smart switch just like a regular non-smart switch by pressing the switch - mostly because my wife won't bother with voice or phone app controls so we need a physical switch. I think it's fun to be able to control the lights from my phone and also from Google Home / Assistant. I can ask Google (or Alexa or my Home Assistant) to turn the lights on or off with voice commands too.
They can also be programmed to come on/off at particular times of the day but I haven't used this feature.
Another cool thing is that I can turn the lights on or off remotely with an internet or data connected phone - if I'm not at home. I use this feature if friends or family are going to arrive at my place before I do and I want to have the lights on for them.
These smart switches were just the thing I was looking for and it gave me a real sense of accomplishment since it took me a few years to get around to solving this issue. I can now turn on 3 lights using 1 switch without having to hire an electrician and without running new wires in the house. For under $30 this was an outstanding value and I'm very pleased with the results.
Images in this review
David
Love these
Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2024Rick
iPhone + Ubiquiti Works Great
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2024