Inovelli to Launch Matter Over Thread Dimmer Switch
Inovelli have been around as a smart home product manufacturer for a while now, although they’ve never been on the HomeKit New radar, due to not supporting the Apple HomeKit platform. That looks set to change, however, with the pending release of their new Matter over Thread dimmer switches.
Currently, the company offer their ‘on/off or Dimmer’ switches in Zigbee 3.0 and Z-Wave variants, but according to their website, come March they’ll be selling the Matter over Thread variant, with preorders already available via the company’s online shop. You’d think that would be enough of a guarantee of a sale for many US HomeKit users, but Inovelli has gone a fair bit further, by ensuring that these also work without a neutral wire, if necessary. They’ll also work without a neutral in certain multi and three-way situations, which is pretty impressive.
Whilst they are paddle style dimmer switches, they can also act as standard on/off paddle switches if preferred. In addition, as long as you do have a neutral wire connected to them, they can also act as ‘smart’ switches, meaning they can be set to control other smart products in your home other than the lighting they’re connected to. So for example, if you have smart colour bulbs, that wouldn’t normally be of use with a smart switch, with this feature you can program the switch to control the smart bulb’s state, colour, and brightness depending on how you programme it.
The switch also comes with a couple of nifty features not often seen on other similar products. At the top left of the toggle switch is a small button that can be programmed (we assume via the company’s own app) to trigger up to seven different scenes. Below this, there’s a multicolour LED strip that is ostensibly designed to relect the dimmer percentage your lights are se, but can also be programmed as a ‘notifier’, displaying different colours, to indicate the state of other devices – a door left open? Turn the strip red, for example. Finally, the company states their switches can be used to control fans, although this would require a neutral wire setup for the best use of this option.
The switches are available for pre-order, starting at US$50 per switch, although you can save a little money with a five or ten pack. One word of caution, however, is that you should always be cautious of purchasing on the promise of a feature that has yet to be made available. The online tech specs for switch have a ‘To Be Determined’ next to both Matter and Thread certifications, so it’s something to bear in mind.
Finally, a Matter over Thread dimmer switch! Looking forward to the release, but not preordering.
Also in Europe?
These are only for North America. I don’t think they make switches or other devices for the EU.
I was a very early buyer of inovelli red zwave dimmers and I still use them all today. I prepaid before the product was shipping, a bit like a startup commitment. They deliver on what they say.
Inovelli is exceptionally good at these switches and I’m looking forward to the chance to try them.
Sorry, but how are you “looking forward” to the chance to try Inovelli’s switches, when you just said you have been using them since 2022 (when the zwave dimmers came out)?
He probably means trying out the Matter over Thread devices, at least that what it appears to mean.
What other Matter switches exists for the EU market?
Hi, I believe Aqara will be introducing Matter (over Thread) switches to the EU later this year, but effectively, you can already exposed them to Matter via one of their hubs, as long as you update the hub to Matter.