Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 vs Smlight SLZB-MR1U comparison

Updated July 2026

Data from Amazon and official Nabu Casa and Smlight sites.

2026 verdict

Between Smlight SLZB-MR1U and Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2, Smlight SLZB-MR1U is the better overall pick in 2026, leading on rating, power, and connectivity. Its biggest wins come from rating, power, and connectivity, and zigbee router and thread border router add more confidence to the verdict. The only strong reason to choose Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 is if price and Z-Wave controller are more important to you than the overall verdict. That is enough to make Smlight SLZB-MR1U the better pick for most buyers.

Price alerts

Dongle prices change while you decide

We check the price of every Dongle in the catalog daily and email you the drops, whichever one you pick.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.

Feature	Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2	Smlight SLZB-MR1U	Winner
Price	$79.00	$102.99	Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2
Rating	4.5	4.8	Smlight SLZB-MR1U
Power	USB	USB, PoE	Smlight SLZB-MR1U
Connectivity	USB	USB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFi	Smlight SLZB-MR1U
Zigbee Router	NO	YES	Smlight SLZB-MR1U
Z-Wave Controller	YES	NO	Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2
Thread Border Router	NO	YES	Smlight SLZB-MR1U
Antenna Gain	+3.38dBi	+5dBi	Smlight SLZB-MR1U
Dual Network	NO	YES	Smlight SLZB-MR1U
Bluetooth Proxy	NO	YES	Smlight SLZB-MR1U
Warranty	1 year	1 year	Tie
Matter Bridge	NO	NO	Tie

Nabu Casa

Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2

$79.00

Buy on Amazon USA

+ Price: $79.00
+ Z-Wave Controller: YES
- Rating: 4.5 vs 4.8
- Power: USB vs USB, PoE

Winner

Smlight

Smlight SLZB-MR1U

$102.99

Buy on Amazon USA

+ Rating: 4.8
+ Power: USB, PoE
+ Connectivity: USB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFi
- Price: $102.99 vs $79.00
- Z-Wave Controller: NO vs YES

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better overall: Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 or Smlight SLZB-MR1U?

Smlight SLZB-MR1U has the stronger overall profile in this comparison, especially for rating, power, and connectivity.

What is the biggest difference between Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 and Smlight SLZB-MR1U?

Price is one of the clearest differences: Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 lists $79.00, while Smlight SLZB-MR1U lists $102.99.

Which one looks better on price?

Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 is listed at $79.00, while Smlight SLZB-MR1U is listed at $102.99. Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 (better spec).

Who should buy Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2?

Choose Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 if your priority is price and Z-Wave controller and that matters more than rating.

Who should buy Smlight SLZB-MR1U?

Choose Smlight SLZB-MR1U if your priority is rating and power and that matters more than price.

Full comparison table

Compare all 35 Dongles side by side

You are looking at two of them. The full table lines up all Dongles in the catalog with the same specs, so you can filter by what you need and sort by price or rating.

35 Dongles
32 specs compared
29 filters

Open the full comparison

More Dongles

Top Dongles to compare next

Compare smart dongles by supported protocols, connectivity, hardware specs, integrations, automations, and compatibility with platforms like Matter, Zigbee, and Thread.

All Dongles