Leviton's Decora Voice Dimmer puts Alexa in a light switch at CES 2019
We might be starting to run out of things to put Alexa into.
- 10 years product testing experience with the CNET Home team
We've already seen Alexa housed in one cloud-connected light switch, but that one, the Ecobee Switch Plus, wouldn't dim the lights. Now, at CES 2019, it's Leviton to the rescue with a new Decora Voice Dimmer.
With a built-in microphone, a tiny little speaker and a built-in Wi-Fi radio, the new Decora switch is a smart dimmer that doubles as an Alexa access point. All you need is a neutral wire. No word on final pricing yet, but Leviton says to expect it by this summer.
Once you've wired it in, just sync it with the My Leviton app on your Android or iOS device, then link your Amazon account to bring Alexa into the mix. In addition to offering full dimming controls and Alexa access right from your wall, the Decora Voice Dimmer also supports three-way switch setups where more than one switch is wired to the same light.
I'll be curious to see where Leviton lands on the cost of this thing. Ecobee's Alexa switch felt overpriced to me at its debut price of $100, and now sells for about $80. I asked Leviton if it's safe to assume that the Voice Dimmer will cost less than $100, but the company would only say that it'll be "competitively priced with similar solutions."
We'll see what that means this summer, when the switch hits the market. Expect a review from the CNET Smart Home at that time.
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