Typically, smart plugs will allow you to remotely access the on and off state of your lights. Lighting systems now allow for remote control, automation, and schedules to turn lights on and off at preset times. That’s about as much as it goes, though.
On the other hand, smart plug dimmers may control the brightness of your lights in addition to the previously mentioned functions. Dim your lights means to turn down the brightness of a single bulb or multiple lamps, depending on whether or not your smart plug dimmer supports multiple plugs.
Have you ever wondered, “Can Kasa smart plugs dim lights?” We reveal the truth and teach you how you can dim your lights using smart technology to give your home that perfect atmosphere!
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Can Your Kasa Smart Plugs Dim Your Lights?
Lights can be dimmed with a smart plug and gradually dimmed with each passing minute. However, only a limited set of smart plugs, known as dimmable smart plugs, actually have this feature.
One of the primary functions of a smart plug is to either fully power an appliance or to turn off the power to it. Dimming, on the other hand, calls for voltage variations in the supply.
No, the Kasa Smart Plug can not dim your lights. This is because all it does is control the power going to the appliance you’ve plugged into it.
However, adjusting the brightness of an electric light by decreasing its voltage involves additional control mechanisms. If you want to dim your lights in a smart way, however, the Kasa Smart Dimmer Switch is one of the best options available to be able to dim your lights.
How Smart Plugs Can Control Lights
You can use a smart plug with any appliance that can be plugged into a standard wall socket (or power strip). As long as you don’t push the limit of the plug’s power capacity, that is.
Regardless, this suggests that a smart plug can be used in place of a standard wall socket to control electrical devices such as table lamps and ceiling fixtures.
After that, you can use voice assistants like Amazon’s Echo or Google Home or your smart plug’s companion smartphone app to turn the light on and off.
Of course, given the nature of a smart plug, the kind of control I’m referring to is still quite restricted. It is possible to:
- Adjust the light’s intensity or toggle it on/off.
- Automate the on/off cycle of your lights by setting up a timer or schedule.
That’s pretty much all there is to it, actually. Most smart plugs can’t be used to adjust the brightness of a room’s lights.
However, if you’re serious about learning how to smartly manage dimmable lights, keep reading.
Option #1
Though this first choice is limited, it is ideal if you like a single level of light dimming for a bulb or other fixture.
Simply put, the light can be dimmed to a certain level and left on permanently. This is then connected to the smart plug, and the light’s on/off status may be managed remotely.
If you like to read by lamplight in the evening, but only want a little portion of the light on, this is a great feature to have.
Option #2
Second, you can look at more specialized smart home kits, like the one made by Insteon, the makers of the “world’s most advanced remote control wall switch”
Of course, it can turn lights on and off and dim them, but it can also gradually brighten or dim them, which is useful in conjunction with the programmable scene routines.
Lutron makes a variety of smart switches as well, some of which include dimming features. The Sunnata dimmer is a touch switch that seems both modern and user-friendly. Lutron also makes traditional, non-touch dimming switches in case you prefer those.
Option #3
Another choice is to forego the use of smart plugs and instead invest in a smart light, specifically a smart dimmable light.
While there may not be as many options available to you as there are with smart plugs, smart dimmable lights are designed for this very purpose and perform wonderfully.
To begin, there is the Philips Hue Smart Wireless Dimming Kit, which includes a smart switch dimmer. Advantages include the ability to dim using either the switch or the Hue app, and the ability to connect up to nine additional Hue bulbs to a single dimmer.
The issue is that you require additional equipment, specifically a smart switch and perhaps the Hue hub.
Other lighter (no extra equipment needed) alternatives include:
- The Wyze app and Wyze Bulb 800 A19s, both of which are compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant for dimming. This Wyze feature eliminates the need for a separate switch, which is a nice convenience.
- In addition to being compatible with the Amazon Alexa and Google Home systems, the A19 line of Sengled smart bulbs can be controlled with the Sengled Home app.
Depending on your specific needs, a smart switch may be more practical than the Wyze or Sengled bulbs especially if it has motion detection, allowing you to instantly turn on your smart lights upon stepping into a room.
Our home’s illumination has a significant effect on our state of mind. Having the option to adjust the light levels is quite useful.
A smart plug dimmer is a cheap and simple way to achieve this control, and while there aren’t many of them on the market right now, the ones that are there do a good job.
Can Kasa Smart Plugs Dim Lights? Final Thoughts
So, can you adjust the brightness of your lights with a Kasa Smart plug? Unfortunately, the Kasa Smart Plug can’t. The reason for this is that all it does is regulate the flow of electricity to any item you’ve hooked into it.
Dimming an electric light requires a different set of controls than simply lowering the voltage. However, the Kasa Smart Dimmer Switch is a great choice if you want to intelligently control the brightness of your lights.
We’ve established by now that even the greatest smart plugs on the market can’t automatically adjust the brightness of your lights. Of course, that doesn’t mean their aim has been defeated. They excel at their only intended purpose, which is turning home appliances on and off.
If you enjoyed this article, check out our “Does Kasa Smart plug work with Apple Home Kit?” article here!