Lutron Diva Smart Dimmer Switch Review
One of the biggest challeges with installing smart switches is understanding if your home's wiring is compatible or not. Many smart switches require a neutral wire as well as a ground. Newer homes have updated wiring and make it easy for your to install smart switch. However, older homes have only two wires which cause a problem, especially if you purchased a smart switch without knowing you had the wrong wire setup. There is one company who makes a smart switch that works with either old or new wiring. It's Lutron and their Caseta smart switches were the first smart switches we tested at GearBrain. The company introduced last fall their new Diva smart switch which we got a chance to tests in a home with average Wi-Fi connectivity. Here is our review.
What is Lutron Diva Smart Switch?
The Lutron Diva Smart Dimmer Switch is a "rocker style" smart dimmer switch that allows you to control your lights from anywhere using the Lutron app, your voice, or a Pico remote. It is part of the Lutron Caseta Wireless system, a line of smart home products that are easy to install, use and work with or without a neutral wire. So, if you have only two wires behind your existing switches, don't worry. Lutron Diva smart switch will work for you. (Note: many smart switches require a neutral wire to operate properly.)
The Diva Smart Dimmer Switch has a sleek, modern design that will match any décor. It features a soft-glow light bar that lets you see the dimmer level at a glance and a slider that makes it easy to adjust the light level. The switch also has a preset button to save your favorite dimming level.
The Diva Smart Dimmer Switch can control any dimmable light bulb, including LED, CFL, and halogen bulbs. It can also be used to control fans with a three-way switch configuration. But what makes this smart switch so unique is how it's wireless connectivity offers electrical professionals and homeowners the ability to add a second “switch” almost anywhere in their smart home by simply pairing the Diva smart dimmer with a Pico smart remote- saving time and money without running wires or cutting holes in walls. And It can be installed in a wired 3-way application using either an existing mechanical switch or wired accessory switch. This is something not many smart switches can do today.
Other key features of the Diva Smart Dimmer include compatibility with Lutron Caseta smart hub. This integration allows users the ability to easily create customized scenes and schedules, like have your lights go on at Sunset and off at Sunrise. You can even activate a geofencing feature which will have events happen when family members come home after sunset and not have to walk into a dark house. The Caseta hub will also help you set up integrations with other smart devices that work with Lutron. (See Smart Home Integrations for more.).
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How to install Diva Smart Dimmer?
The Diva Smart Dimmer switch is easy to install and requires no neutral wire. It can be controlled using the Lutron app (iOS and Android), your voice, or a Pico remote. The Lutron app also allows you to create scenes, set schedules, and manage your lights from anywhere. You can also use the app to control your lights with voice commands if you have a compatible voice assistant, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.
Next, you will need some tools and materials to install a Lutron Diva Switch. The Diva Smart Dimmer switch comes with wire nuts, screws and extension wires. You are going to need a screwdriver, a wire stripper and voltage tester if possible. The tester will help ensure your electricity is not live.
Then you should follow these ten simple steps to install the Lutron Diva Smart Dimmer Switch in your home:
- Turn off the power to the light switch at the circuit breaker.(This is critical.)
- Remove the old light switch from the wall.
- Identify the wires in the electrical box. If you see two wires, just match up the wi or a butwo black wires, a red wire, and a green or bare copper wire.
- Connect the wires to the Lutron Diva Dimmer Switch according to the instructions in the user manual.
- Screw the Lutron Diva Dimmer Switch into the wall.
- Turn the power back on at the circuit breaker.
- Test the Lutron Diva Dimmer Switch to make sure it is working correctly.
- Download the Lutron app and open account. then go to settings and tap on "Add Device"
- Now select the Lutron device you want to add. Note you will have to tap on the "In-Wall Dimmer, switch and Fan Control" to get to the Diva Smart Dimmer and other switches.
- Follow the instructions in the app to add your Diva Smart Dimmer to your Lutron system. Once connected you can now set up your scenes, schedules and automations.
Here are two additional tips for installing a Lutron Smart Diva Switch:
- If you are not comfortable working with electrical wiring, you should hire a qualified electrician to install the Lutron Diva Smart Dimmer Switch for you.
- Make sure that the light bulbs you are using are compatible with the Lutron Switch.
Smart Home Integrations
Lutron has one of the more robust smart home ecosystems. Besides working with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant enabled-devices, Lutron Caseta is compatible with Apple HomeKit, Alarm.com, smart thermostats by Carrier, ecobee, and Honeywell. They also have smart inegrations with Ring, Sonos and even your Apple Watch. You just need to make sure to set up these integrations using the Lutron app and your Lutron Caseta hub. Also, if you go to The GearBrain, our compatibility find engine, you will be able to find, buy and connect any smart devices that work with Lutron. And if you sign up, you will be able to see if any of your existing smart devices are compatible with Lutron.
What is the cost of the Lutron Diva Smart Dimmer?
The Lutron Diva Smart Diommer has a MSRP of $69.95 and is available on Home Depot stores nationwide, Amazon, Lowes and at Electrical Distributors. The switch comes in six colors - white, black, brown, gray, Ivory and light almond. Is this a good price? It is more expensive than other smart dimmer switches like Treatlife, Leviton's Decora or TP-Link's Tapo switches. However, Lutron switches are not as expensive as Brilliant switches which is also a smart home hub. Though it is high, it is a smart switch that is made by a company that has a long history in manufacturing light switches and knows what it takes to make a good smart switch.
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Performance - How did Lutron Diva Dimmer Switch perform during our Testing?
We are very familiar with Lutron switches. They were one the first smart switches we installed and really enjoyed testing them because our test house is an older home ( over 50 years old) and we only mostly two wires behind our switches in the home. And since a majority of smart switches require a neutral wire, we had a hard time testing these smart devices, Not with Lutron switches.,
During our testing, we did have the Lutron Caseta smart hub controlling our Diva Smart Dimmer. We found it quite easy to add the switch to our existing Lutron app. Setting up scenes for the switch was easy. The switch we replaced with the Diva Dimmer controlled our Porch lights. We were able to set up a schedule using the Lutron app and also setup voice commands using Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant smart speakers and displays. We even tested the Apple Watch integration. It came in handy when we needed a little more light on the porch and we didn't have our smartphone or smart speaker nearby.
As for connectivity, Lutron Diva Smart Dimmer does work on a wireless connection but not directly to your Wi-Fi network. it uses Clear Connect, Lutron’s patented wireless technology to connect your Lutron smart switches to the Lutron smart hub which connects directly to your home router. Clear Connect works on a different frequency so it’s not dependent on the speed of your Wi-Fi network. This is good.
Overall, the best feature we found with the Diva Smart Dimmer is its versatility and how it can work with and without a neutral wire. This was one of the pain points we harped on when first testing smart switches. So many older homes didn't have a neutral wire and it was expensive to upgrade their wring just to install a smart switch. Thanks to Lutron, these homes can now enjoy the benefits of a good smart dimmer switch no matter what type of wiring exists behind their walls.
Summary
Caséta is a smart lighting control system that is a great solution for anyone looking for smart lighting control. They purposely built their system to work in homes of all ages and wiring. And they made it easy to install. We have found this true over the past seven years we have been testing their products. The Diva Smart Dimmer is just a new addition to their smart home ecosystem and we would recommend this switch for anyone who is looking for a good reliable smart switch. It also has a good integrations with leading voice platforms, smart home security companies (Alarm.com compatible) and smart thermostats by Honeywell (Resideo). And it is is easy to install and setup.
So, if you are looking for a stylish and easy-to-use smart light switch that can work with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant enabled devices and offers a variety of smart features and control options, the Lutron Diva Smart Dimmer is a good choice. It might be a little expensive compared to other low cost options like TreatLife or Leviton, and you will need a Caseta smart hub, but it is easy to install and it works with two wires which many don't today.
Pros
- easy to install
- works without a neutral wire (only two wires)
- Great robust smart home ecosystem
Cons
- Price
- Need Caseta smart hub for smart home integrations
