TP-Link - Kasa Wi-Fi Smart Light Switch - White

I started my foray with TP-Link Smart Switches with the HS210 kit. Once I got an understanding of the wiring, I have switched several more switches in my house to keep with the TP-Link brand. Partially because I dislike having multiple apps to control different aspects of my Smart Home. I purchased several HS200 switches back in August, 2018 and they installed very easily. I love their functionality so much I bought 8 more recently. In the beginning, I considered Lutron's Caseta line but I realized that they needed a hub. The TP-Link line of Smart Switches don't need a separate hub, they work off your home Wi-Fi. This means that you don't have to worry about a separate hub's range if you know that your home Wi-Fi range is good enough for your Smart Switch locations. Before you install the HS200, make sure you have a set of neutrals accessible in the electrical box. If you're coming from a non-Smart Switch they are most often white and tied together without a line to the switch. Please cut power to the switch before you begin the project and use due caution. Once installed, and power is restored to the switch, it will take a moment to start up and then the Wi-Fi light will alternate between green and orange signaling that the switch is ready to be setup. In the Kasa app, you'll click on the plus sign in the top right corner and specify "Add a Device", then it walks you through connecting the switch to your Wi-Fi and setting up the switch with a name within the Kasa App. As for the Kasa app, over the past year, I've seen several improvements to the User Interface and functionality. I like where it seems to be going so far. Operations within the app are pretty intuitive. However, when setting lights in "away" mode, you need to go into each light and set the schedule. I wish there were an easier way to change the mode for a group of lights. TP-Link switches like the HS200 connect very easily to Alexa and to Google Home. I have also connected it to my Samsung SmartThings hub, but that takes a little more work. You'll need to find 3rd party code and set up a developer account within the SmartThings ecosystem. I've talked up the TP-Link Smart Switches so much, I've brought 3 co-workers into this ecosystem.

I have four flood lights in my backyard. When switched on they illuminate my whole yard. The only problem is that the switch for them is downstairs next to a sliding glass door and covered by curtains. Many times I wished that when I was upstairs I could turn on the lights to see what was going on in the yard, without having to go downstairs. I know it’s a first world problem, but technology came to my rescue! The TP-Link Smart Wi-fi light switch was the answer to my problems. I already have six TP-Link Wi-fi Plug Minis controlling various devices around my home and the Alexa integration is awesome. The light switch made an awesome addition to my burgeoning smart home. The KASA app does walk you through the installation and I watched a few YouTube videos, however, I had to move a couple of other switches, so I hired an electrician. He was done in just over 10 minutes and my switch was added to my network in just a few minutes after that. I already had a KASA account, so you will need to create one if you don’t have one. You then select that you want to add a Smart Switch. The Wi-Fi light will blink amber and green. You then connect the device to your home network, name your new switch and you’re done! I then launched the Alexa app and added the switch to my devices and now I was able not only able to control the switch via the KASA app, but also from telling Alexa to turn on my flood lights. The KASA app allows you to set up a schedule for your devices. I find the app very intuitive. You can also set up an Away schedule. When in Away Mode, during the period of time, your device will be randomly turned on or off. This will help deter those ne’er-do-wells who might be scoping your home. You can control your lights and switches from anywhere you have access to the internet. Inside the box besides the switch and switch plate are four wire nuts. It comes with 2 year warranty and 24/7 tech support. The switch also works with Google assistant. The only suggestion I would have would be to offer these in different colors. I have some crème colored switches in my kitchen that I would love to “switch” out, but the white would not go with the rest of the kitchen. I will keep my fingers crossed! Submitted as part of a free sample program.

I bought one of these switches after I bought a Google Home Mini. I was curious to see how it would work along with the two TP-Link wall outlets. I placed it my living room (existing wall switch box) to control the overhead light. It took me awhile to get it installed because it take up a lot of space inside my single-gang electrical outlet. I had to trim and reposition some wireless so it would all fit without being too tight. This part took most of my time so be patient. Keep in mind this will not work if you have a three-way switch like hallway lights!! You'll need a different kit. The wi-fi switch works very well. Once I loaded the Kasa app on my Android phone, connected to my network, and linked it to my Google Home app, my Google Home mini quickly went to work. It understood the commands without any problems. All I had to do was change the device name to make it easy for me to remember. The Kasa mobile app also allows you to turn the light on and off using your phone or time them to come on at a certain hour if you're not home. Overall satisfied with this purchase. I just purchased two wall outlet switches and they work like a champs too.

Compared to the smart plugs and smart light bulbs, I initially felt that installing this switch would be a little intimidating or that I would need a qualified electrician. However, the Kasa App guided me through the entire process, which was surprisingly easy. There are also great videos on Youtube, in case you want a more visual guide or to get a little comfortable with the process before you begin. TP-Link also include wire connectors so you do not need anything extra to install this light switch. Speaking of which, this is not quite a switch, it is more of a button that looks like a switch. It takes some getting used to, when using it in the manual mode. In terms of design, this switch is very sleek and looks modern. This switch is perfect for controlling an array of lights controlled by a single switch, or even devices that do not have a “smart” alternative yet, like a ceiling fan. Alexa integration works great, and the scheduling feature within the KASA App is fantastic. You have so much flexibility in scheduling/automatic/controlling the light switch. Two things that I would like to see in the next model is the ability to dim lights, and also the ability to turn off the LED indicator. Overall, this is a very versatile switch and though it may seem intimidating, both the installation and configuration are very easy. Submitted as part of a free sample program.

I was looking at various options, mostly on amazon and home depot, but came across this TP-Link which was priced competitively at Best Buy and available same day. I bought this to replace a switch that had a digital timer built in, but wanted more control and ease of programming it, especially when the day light savings time changes. This fit the bill and felt that the app (I'm using the android version) is better than other smart home plug devices. There are cheaper no name brands made in China and the software/app is a bit questionable and I don't feel very secure when giving my contact info, but TP-Link's seems legit with an actual website, good interface, and full support. I have this smart switch connected to my porch light. It has a nice vacation feature too where it will turn on and off the light at random times to mimic an actual person turning the switch on and off. It's not the cheapest smart switch that's out there, but you pay a little extra for a quality built product with good software, support, and instructions. I felt this was important especially when you are wiring something directly to your house. Buying at Best Buy gave the option of getting it same day and option to return if it didn't work out. Make sure you have a neutral wire in order to use this.

When I purchased, I accidentally thought the HS200's were dimmers. Though disappointed the HS200 was just an on-off smart switch, we decided to keep the three of them installed in our kitchen — and they’ve been working flawlessly! We already had the Kasa app so set-up was nearly effortless (we had the TP-Link mini outlets on the app). I did chat with their customer service about their HS220 dimmer wall switch regarding a review I had just read and was surprised to learn it had been true— the HS220 can only dim one fixture per switch, and that one fixture must only have one bulb. As there was only one light in the kitchen that matched that criteria we decided it was not worth the expense or hassle to switch it out. I suppose I could buy manual Lutron dimmer switches but I am hooked on WiFi control. One of the features I love about these TP-Link smart wall switches (and their outlets) is how simple it is to set up any variety of on-off schedules to make our home look lived-in when we are away. Prior to installing them, that part of our house was always dark when we were away. If they fail prematurely, I’ll update this review

The new Echo compatibility works well and allows grouping controllers under a single group name. Using the assigned groups you can control more than on device at the same time! TP-LINK support for the HS200 is extremely easy with the use of the KASA app. The devices easily integrate with Alexa with no issues. The controllers can be configured with Kasa to be connected away from home or locally. To be controlled by Echo each individual controller must be set to Remote Control ON, in the Device Settings menu. The light switch is easy to manage but installation for me was difficult not because of wiring but because I have an older home with smaller space for wiring behind the light switch. I did manage to test the device though but wasn't able to fit it for use after testing. Installation is easy though and it does lay out and suggest if your not comfortable with wiring to seek an electrician. The button on the front controls lights off by turning off the WI-FI!

Pros - 1. looks nicer (in appearance) than its competitor products 2. step-by-step installation instruction in the Kasa app 3. Works with both Google Assistant and Alexa (no concerns if I want to switch my smart home speaker/assistant) 4. Kasa has a complete collection of smart devices (common switch, 3-way, dimmable, etc.). I have a few ordinary 3-way switches at home and I'm considering replacing them with Kasa (while other brands generally don't offer smart 3-way switches) Cons (why not 5-star) - 1. Flaws in the Kasa app (but do not affect its functionality) 1.1. It doesn't consider the corner case where my WiFi goes out as I turn off the circuit breaker while installing the smart switch. The app repeatedly asked for WiFi connection, producing frustrating user experience 1.2. The Kasa app doesn't track the sunrise / sunset time in my location (as far as I know, timestamp at 2018/07/28) Bought 4 so far. Will give updates on their durability / other aspects in the future.