If you saw my last post you would know I have an Amazon Alexa device. One of the nice features of the Amazon Alexa is the ability to control smart devices around the house. One of the smart devices I use is a smart plug, this allows me to turn an outlet on and off by asking Alexa to turn the outlet on or off from any where in the house.
Another cool use is a dimmer switch such as the one above. This allows you to ask Alexa to turn on or off your light, and even to dim the light. You can also control these dimmers via programs that allow you to do things like have a movie mode in your house where certain lights are dimmed or turned off completely depending on your needs. These modes can be triggered via iPhone apps or asking Alexa.
The switch is a standard dimmer with Z Wave support. While the smart plug in my other post does not require a hub, this dimmer does. This is where things get less than ideal. While Z Wave is a popular technology, it's another ecosystem you get locked into where you have to keep all your smart devices (that require hubs, not all do) in the same ecosystem to avoid having to run two systems.
Installation can be done easily by yourself or an electrician.
You can find the switch on Amazon for $44.95 shipped.
All images are from Amazon product page