First unveiled at CES, the Belkin WeMo Light Switch is finally ready for its closeup… and the WiFi accessory will be hitting retail outposts any day now for $50. Of course, WeMo is Belkin’s attempt to bring home automatation to the masses with broad distribution and an IFTTT approach. And while WeMo is another self-contained system, unlike Nest, the company offers multiple modules (that can be configured to work together). Further, unlike my $70 bedroom RF Lutron dimmer, WeMo doesn’t require new remote clutter and relies on our existing (iPhone or Android) smartphone for control.
I’ve yet to install the WebMo Light Switch, but did want to pass on a few considerations for those in the market… First, this truly appears to be a ‘switch’ versus a ‘dimmer’ – which is probably a deal breaker for me. Also, the WeMo will only work in a single pole configuration, requiring a neutral wire, and isn’t compatible with 3-way multi-control switches. Lastly, while it’s also rated for CFL and LED, if you go with incandescent the max load is 600W.