Top pick
This reliable, affordable dimmer switch uses Wi-Fi, so it doesn’t need a hub, and it’s easy to use both at the switch and in the app.
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Matter, Samsung SmartThings
The TP-Link Kasa KS225 Matter Smart Wi-Fi Dimmer is the best smart light dimmer. It’s reliable, easy to use, and affordable enough that you could reasonably install smart dimmers all over the house. It works with TP-Link’s Kasa and Tapo apps (Kasa and Tapo are both TP-Link brands); both are very user-friendly, but we recommend the Tapo app for tying the two TP-Link brands together. It’s also the only one of our picks that’s compatible with Matter, a relatively new compatibility standard that can mix and match from all of the major platforms, including Alexa, Apple Home, and Google Home.
It’s versatile but uncomplicated. This is a standard single-pole dimmer, which means it can control just one circuit from one location. And despite having a few buttons, it’s incredibly simple to use—which is exactly what you want in a light switch. A large button turns it on and off, and the two small buttons adjust dimming. That’s it!
Both apps available for iOS and Android devices are incredibly easy and straightforward to use, and they include presets for one-touch access to your preferred lighting levels. Between the two apps, I prefer the Tapo because it lets you combine devices from both TP-Link brands under one app. For instance, I have this dimmer, the TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Slim (EP25), the TP-Link Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Light Strip L930-5, and multiple TP-Link Tapo Wire-Free Magnetic Security Cameras all in the one app.
It’s compatible with lots of other smart-home devices. This dimmer supports Matter, a smart-home standard that allows you to connect devices from different manufacturers across pretty much any current smart-home platform, including Alexa, Google Home, and Apple Home. Our previous pick, the Kasa KS220, can connect to all three of those platforms as well, but not to Matter, so if that’s not important to you, this is a great option.
The value of Matter support is that it adds a bit of future-proofing and increased security. It also provides the option of local control—so you can set it up to work without requiring access to the internet outside your home (though restricting local control also means sacrificing remote control and notifications). For all of those reasons, it’s worth it to spend the extra couple of bucks for the Matter model. I was able to connect the Matter dimmer to all three of the major platforms without issue, but I’ve found that I typically have the best result if I connect to Apple Home before trying out Alexa and Google Home.
The LED is customizable. The dimmer has a faint circular LED in the center of the large button. On the KS220, you could turn this on or off. This version has an Auto Mode that will turn the LED on when the dimmer is off and vice versa. It also has a Night Mode, which will turn the LED off during a specified time, and it has the option to turn it off completely. It’s the little things!
It has extras. This Matter dimmer includes a Device Sharing feature that allows you to let others in your household or guests access and control your lighting, as long as they have a TP-Link account (it’s easy to share but also to revoke access). It also has the option to monitor runtime, keeping tabs on hours used for the day, the week, and the month. For security, it has an Away Mode, which will randomly turn the switch on and off during a set period of time. I use this feature a lot when I am out of town, so it looks like someone is home (and flipping lights on and off).
Flaws but not dealbreakers
- Unlike our previous pick, the Kasa KS220, the TP-Link Kasa KS225 Matter Smart Wi-Fi Dimmer does not include the option to program the dimmer to react based on how you touch it. So, for example, a long press or a double tap can instantly turn the switch on or off, instruct it to fade to off, or tell it to go to a preferred preset dimming level. Instead, you can program it to do those things in the app.
Privacy and security snapshot
- For new users, the Tapo app enables two-factor authentication by default; existing users will be prompted to enable 2FA.
- Limited data is shared with service providers for sunrise/sunset scheduling, but not for marketing.
- Without an internet connection, you can use local control to operate the dimmer from the app. For control outside of the home, an internet connection is required.
For more details, read the TP-Link Tapo privacy statement.
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