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Dongles · Head to head

Smlight SLZB-06 vs Sonoff Dongle-PZG23

Full Smart Dongles comparison in 2026

Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official Smlight and Sonoff sites.
2026 verdict
Judged as a smart home radio for Home Assistant, the Smlight SLZB-06 comes out ahead of the Sonoff Dongle-PZG23, because it connects over Ethernet, PoE, Wi-Fi or USB.
Smlight SLZB-06
Winner
Smlight SLZB-06
$72.99
Buy on Amazon USACheck price
It also acts as a Zigbee router, a Thread border router and a Bluetooth proxy, and carries a +5dBi antenna. But the two do not really compete: the Smlight SLZB-06 speaks Zigbee, while the Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 is a Z-Wave 800 controller on the Silicon Labs EF32ZG23, a USB stick that is the more affordable of the two. If your devices are Zigbee, the Smlight SLZB-06 is the one; if they are Z-Wave locks, thermostats and switches, only the Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 will talk to them, and many homes end up running both.
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FeatureSmlight SLZB-06Sonoff Dongle-PZG23Winner
Price$72.99$39.90Sonoff Dongle-PZG23
Rating4.24.6Sonoff Dongle-PZG23
PowerUSB, PoEUSBSmlight SLZB-06
ConnectivityUSB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFiUSBSmlight SLZB-06
Zigbee RouterYESNOSmlight SLZB-06
Z-Wave ControllerNOYESSonoff Dongle-PZG23
Thread Border RouterYESNOSmlight SLZB-06
Antenna Gain+5dB+2dBiSmlight SLZB-06
Bluetooth ProxyYESNOSmlight SLZB-06
Warranty1 year1 yearTie
Matter BridgeNONOTie
Transmit Power+20dBm+20dBmTie

What the differences mean

Protocol

This is the whole story. The Smlight SLZB-06 is a Zigbee 3.0 coordinator and the Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 a Z-Wave Series 800 controller. Neither can talk to the other's devices, so the right one is decided by what is already installed in your home.

Connection and placement

The Smlight SLZB-06 connects over Ethernet, Wi-Fi or USB and can run on PoE, so it can sit centrally away from the server. The Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 is a USB stick that plugs into the host, with an extension cable in the box.

Extra roles

Beyond Zigbee, the Smlight SLZB-06 can serve as a Thread border router and a Bluetooth proxy for Home Assistant. The Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 does one job, Z-Wave control, with S2 security and Z-Wave Long Range.

Size

At 160 mm long the Smlight SLZB-06 is a box you place and see; owners call it large. The Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 is a compact stick that owners describe as discreet.

Which one to buy if

What owners say

Owners of the Smlight SLZB-06 and the Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 both describe a radio that fixed or stabilised their network with Home Assistant, but for different reasons. Smlight SLZB-06 owners credit placement: on an Ethernet cable with PoE it sits in the middle of the house, and several say it cured a flaky Zigbee mesh that cheap USB dongles could not hold. Its complaints are the large, visible housing and a minority of units that needed frequent power cycling. Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 owners talk about being up in minutes with no flashing, strong Z-Wave range and no dropped devices, even with a Schlage deadbolt or gear migrated from an old Vera hub. They barely complain, mostly noting it is too new to judge long-term durability, and they keep repeating the advice to use the included extension cable.

Price history compared

Every price change of both, in the same store, so the gap between the two lines is what one costs more than the other.

  • Smlight SLZB-06
  • Sonoff Dongle-PZG23

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better: Smlight SLZB-06 or Sonoff Dongle-PZG23?

The Smlight SLZB-06 has more features, with Ethernet, PoE, Wi-Fi, Thread and a Bluetooth proxy, but it is a Zigbee coordinator. The Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 is a Z-Wave controller, so the better one is the one that speaks your devices' protocol.

Is the Smlight SLZB-06 a PoE Zigbee coordinator?

Yes. The Smlight SLZB-06 is a Zigbee 3.0 coordinator that can be powered over PoE and connected by Ethernet, and it also works over Wi-Fi or USB. The Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 is USB powered only.

Can I use the Smlight SLZB-06 and the Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 together?

Yes. They cover different protocols, Zigbee on the Smlight SLZB-06 and Z-Wave on the Sonoff Dongle-PZG23, and both work with Home Assistant, so a home with both kinds of devices can run one of each.

Does the Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 support Zigbee or Thread?

No. The Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 is Z-Wave only. For Zigbee or Thread you need a radio like the Smlight SLZB-06, which does both (one at a time).

Who should buy the Smlight SLZB-06?

Home Assistant or Zigbee2MQTT users with Zigbee devices who want to place the coordinator centrally over Ethernet or PoE, or who want Thread and a Bluetooth proxy in the same box.

Who should buy the Sonoff Dongle-PZG23?

Anyone running Z-Wave devices in Home Assistant or openHAB who wants an affordable, plug-and-play Z-Wave 800 stick with Long Range and S2 security.

Full comparison table

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