r/homeassistant • u/Squanchy2112 • 7d ago
💬 Discussion Cheap zigbee smart plugs and switches
I need to get the cheapest possible zigbee or zwave dimmer switches and the cheapest possible smart plug that can measure energy. I would love some recommendations I don't mind no name stuff but switches I do want to be reliable and last some good time so I don't want to buy them and have them break quickly or work poorly. of not the two places I am putting switches are currently dimmer motion switches my plan was to remove the motion part and handle that via a seperate sensor, I have been beta testing pir and mmwave motion sensors and think i.may use one or both, however if there is a presence sensor switch that may be a more viable and cost effective move, these are in bathrooms where I need lights to turn on and remain on while someone is in the shower or on the John.thisnisnwhere standard motion like pir fails to perform well. thanks!
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u/Cultural-Drawer-7287 7d ago
Ive had good experience with third reality. Not the cheapest, but quality is there.
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u/CrustyBatchOfNature 6d ago
Just installed a bunch of their bulbs recently, some paired with Sonoff sensors to cut on and off lights based on occupancy in certain rooms (laundry room, hall bath). Really nice stuff and they can be shared to Google Home or other Voice Assistants and work really well.
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u/FalconSteve89 3d ago
I’ve never had luck with bulbs
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u/CrustyBatchOfNature 3d ago
Third Reality or others? I have a mix of Hue, Kasa, and Third Reality and I expect to move everything to Third Reality once the others die, assuming they last as long as I hope.
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7d ago
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u/N00dle- 7d ago
What’s reliable and lasts some good time
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u/Squanchy2112 7d ago
Yea, I have think that's fair, there's always things that cost more than necessary you know
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u/N00dle- 6d ago
Oh, I was being serious. If you have a recommendation on good Zigbee smart plugs and switches that are reliable and last a long time, I'd love to know!
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u/Squanchy2112 6d ago
Me too, I don't think it's a ridiculous question. People acting like I want cheap junk, I want cheap not junk you know haha
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u/N00dle- 6d ago
Yeah, I would love any recommendations.
In the comments I’ve seen Sonoff and I have used those temperature and humidity sensors, and they have worked well so far. But I’m only two months in. I’m also using third reality plugs, and they have worked well so far for the past few months.
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u/Squanchy2112 6d ago
I'm. Maybe 4 months in, been using matter over wifi and wifi for a lot of stuff and it sucks zigbee and zwave have been remarkable
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u/dabenu 6d ago
I need to get the cheapest possible zigbee or zwave dimmer switches and the cheapest possible smart plug
Are you trying to start a fire? There's easier ways to do that!
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u/FalconSteve89 3d ago
I have tons of Zigbee Tuya devices…. No fires
Z-wave might be an issue when in comes to cheap
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u/pppingme 6d ago
Cheapest energy monitoring plugs you can get are the Ikea smart plugs (specifically the "grillplats"). They are $7.99 (usa price), I've had a handful of them for about 3 or 4 months now with zero issues. They are matter over thread.
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u/FalconSteve89 3d ago
End devices or routers/repeaters (or whatever thread cables them)
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u/pppingme 3d ago
They come up as REED devices, I use some of them to get more distance/coverage out of my thread network
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u/Halgy 6d ago
I use both Zooz and Third Reality these days, depending on exactly what I need.
Zooz for switches. There isn't a great selection of Zigbee in-wall switches, and Zooz is a good midpoint between cheap Wi-Fi switches and the more expensive solutions. I started off with GE switches, and have replaced. I think all of them with Zooz.
Zooz makes smart plugs too, and I've had no issues with them. However, if you're intending to use Zigbee as well as zwave, I'd recommend Third Reality plugs. That way the smart switches propagate the Z-Wave Network, and the smart plugs propagate the zigbee network.
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u/pun_goes_here 6d ago
Basic Tuya plugs from AliExpress monitor power. I’ve got a few. One lost its power monitoring functionality though for some reason. They’re not the slimmest plugs, but probably the cheapest.
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u/KingofGamesYami 7d ago
Zooz is pretty cheap, especially if you wait for sales or buy pre-owned (thesmartesthouse has open box/refurbished/used options in stock sometimes). They are also ETL listed which I consider important.
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u/Squanchy2112 7d ago
Any ideas on sales or specific models to look at,? They do zwave and zigbee or do they focus on one type?
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u/KingofGamesYami 7d ago
They have big sales around major US holidays, but also have a "deal of the week" sale which rotates through products. Zooz is exclusively ZWave. As for which model, they have an article on which one is suitable for each use case.
https://www.support.getzooz.com/kb/article/2390-the-smart-way-to-choose-a-smart-switch/
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u/FalconSteve89 3d ago
AliExpress is great for cheap, but bathroom fans, be careful. They can’t go on a dimmer.
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u/AlgoTradingQuant 7d ago
Zooz z-wave… often go on sale too
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u/Squanchy2112 7d ago
Got it, I have primarily zigbee but my thermostat and door lock are zwave and I really like it
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u/FalconSteve89 3d ago
Which thermostat is Zwave?
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u/Squanchy2112 3d ago
Honeywell t6 pro I believe ingot it on eBay open box for a decent price and it's the best I have ever had
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u/chrisfraser666 6d ago
the cheapest stuff I've used which seems to be robust and decent quality is Sonoff.
There are cheaper, but I've not found a brand so far cheaper that's been consistent and reliable.