Switch recommendations - Zigbee Toggle in Ivory color

Not Smartthings related but hoping someone might have a product recommendation. I have a buddy that has recently got an Echo Plus so any devices must be Zigbee. He is looking for wall switches that are Ivory color and traditional toggle (not paddle). I suggested that he simply change everything to paddle style but he didn’t like my recommendation (I also suggested that he get a Smartthings hub so that he could use Z-Wave switches and he didn’t like that recommendation, either). Is anyone aware of a manufacturer of Zigbee wall switches that are Ivory toggle?

I’m not aware of any for a simple reason that they don’t sell well. Or rather, they get returned at a higher rate.

Smart switches generally rest In the neutral position, neither up nor down. This keeps the switch physical position from getting out of sync with whether the light is on or off when you use a network command.

So this means that the toggle the switch will stick straight out horizontally, which tends to drive people crazy.

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The same thing happens with a rocker, but it’s just much less noticeable.

There are still a couple of Z wave toggles made (like the one I show above from GE), but not many. And the Z wave ones don’t work with the echo plus for local control.

I know there are some people who physically require a toggle switch, so I recognize that there is some demand, it’s just that the manufacturers aren’t making those models in ZIgbee.

One possibility, but adds more work and complexity

There is one option, but it’s something that I would only recommend to someone who has a very specific need for this, such as the accessibility issue I mentioned, because it’s going to increase the cost and complexity of the project.

GE/Jasco does make an auxiliary switch which comes in a toggle and works with any of their master switches to create a three-way set up. The auxiliary switch does not itself have a radio, so you have to also have a master to use it. That means you’re buying two devices for every location where you want one toggle.

But it should be possible to create A three-way set up on most circuits (although it will probably require an electrician), put the zigbee master rocker in some hidden location, and then put the auxiliary toggle where the old switch was.

The exact setup will depend on the wiring layout.

Again, you can’t use the auxiliary just by itself. It has no radio and it won’t work with echo. You have to also get the master. The echo will actually be operating the master, but you will have a physical toggle on the wall.

I looked into this myself because my new service dog has a much easier time with toggles than with rockers. Which I think is true of most dogs. But the school says it will just take time and he can learn the pushbutton switches as well. (Or we may need to go to with what is a very old-school solution, and glue a piece of cork with a poker chip on the end of it to a pushbutton switch to give the dog an easier target.)

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not my dog, but mine knows the same behavior

The future?

Specifically because of the echo plus there are new zigbee devices coming out all the time, so it may be that if your friend can wait a few months more zigbee toggle switches will come on the market. :sunglasses:

Thanks always for your thoughts. Yes, I checked GE/Jasco and others can just can’t find that particular combination of Zigbee/Toggle/Ivory. I’ve even suggested to him to look into in-wall solutions so that he can keep his existing switches…he didn’t like that recommendation either. I have a feeling that he’s going to strike out looking for this item.

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Probably for now. But again, we are seeing a lot more zigbee devices come on the market now because of the echo plus, so if you can wait he may very well find one in less than a year. :sunglasses: