Winner
Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official Smlight and Sonoff sites.
2026 verdict
Where a Zigbee network keeps dropping devices, the Smlight SLZB-06p7U is the stronger coordinator, thanks to Ethernet with PoE and a list of extra roles the Sonoff ZBDongle-E lacks.
The Smlight SLZB-06p7U also works over Wi-Fi or USB, runs the Texas Instruments CC2652P7 behind a +5dBi antenna, and doubles as a Thread border router, a Bluetooth proxy and a USB-over-Ethernet bridge for another dongle. The Sonoff ZBDongle-E keeps the basics right: a plain USB stick on the EFR32MG21, the more affordable choice by a clear margin, with a two-year warranty against one. Go with the Smlight SLZB-06p7U if you have a PoE switch or a badly placed server, and with the Sonoff ZBDongle-E for a simple first coordinator near the middle of the house.
vs
$24.90
17% above its lowest price of the last 6 months ($21.37)
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| Feature | Smlight SLZB-06p7U | Sonoff ZBDongle-E | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $78.99 | $24.90 | Sonoff ZBDongle-E |
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.7 | Sonoff ZBDongle-E |
| Warranty | 1 year | 2 years | Sonoff ZBDongle-E |
| Power | USB, PoE | USB | Smlight SLZB-06p7U |
| Connectivity | USB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFi | USB | Smlight SLZB-06p7U |
| Thread Border Router | YES | NO | Smlight SLZB-06p7U |
| Antenna Gain | +5dB | +2dBi | Smlight SLZB-06p7U |
| Bluetooth Proxy | YES | NO | Smlight SLZB-06p7U |
| Zigbee Chip Model | CC2652P7 | EFR32MG21 | Different strengths |
| Zigbee Router | YES | YES | Tie |
| Z-Wave Controller | NO | NO | Tie |
| Matter Bridge | NO | NO | Tie |
What the differences mean
Network connection
The Smlight SLZB-06p7U connects over Ethernet, Wi-Fi or USB and can be powered by PoE, so the coordinator can live in a central spot. The Sonoff ZBDongle-E is USB only and sits beside the Home Assistant host.
Extra roles
The Smlight SLZB-06p7U also works as a Thread border router, relays Bluetooth sensors to Home Assistant as a Bluetooth proxy, and can share another USB stick over the network. The Sonoff ZBDongle-E is a Zigbee coordinator and router, nothing more.
Antenna
Both have +20 dBm of transmit power. The Smlight SLZB-06p7U has a +5dBi external antenna against 2 dBi on the Sonoff ZBDongle-E, and central placement adds more reach than the antenna itself.
Out of the box
Sonoff ZBDongle-E owners describe it as ready to use. Several Smlight SLZB-06p7U buyers had to check or reflash their unit on arrival, which is worth planning for.
Warranty
The Sonoff ZBDongle-E is covered for two years, the Smlight SLZB-06p7U for one.
Which one to buy if
- you have a PoE switch and want the coordinator in the middle of the house
The Smlight SLZB-06p7U runs on one Ethernet cable for data and power.
- you also have Bluetooth sensors for Home Assistant
The Smlight SLZB-06p7U doubles as a Bluetooth proxy, which the Sonoff ZBDongle-E cannot do.
- you want a cheap first coordinator that just works
The Sonoff ZBDongle-E is the more affordable stick, ships ready to use and carries a two-year warranty.
- you would rather avoid reflashing or opening a device
Owners of the Sonoff ZBDongle-E report no setup work, while some Smlight SLZB-06p7U buyers got units that needed recovery.
Winner
- + Power: USB, PoE
- + Connectivity: USB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFi
- + Thread Border Router: YES
- - Price: $78.99 vs $24.90
- - Rating: 4.6 vs 4.7
- + Price: $24.90
- + Rating: 4.7
- + Warranty: 2 years
- - Power: USB vs USB, PoE
- - Connectivity: USB vs USB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFi
What owners say
Owners of the Smlight SLZB-06p7U and the Sonoff ZBDongle-E both run Zigbee through Home Assistant, ZHA and Zigbee2MQTT, and both groups report large networks working well. Smlight SLZB-06p7U owners single out moving the radio to the middle of the house on a network cable, which they credit for devices no longer dropping off, and migrating from another Z-Stack coordinator without re-pairing. Their complaints are about the unit that arrives: several received coordinators that had clearly been opened or wrongly flashed, recovery can mean opening the case, and the web interface feels rough. Sonoff ZBDongle-E owners talk about a stick that works out of the box at a price that makes it the obvious first coordinator, and advise a USB 2.0 extension cable against interference, with a few noting trouble pairing some Aqara sensors.
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-06p7U
- Sonoff ZBDongle-E
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Frequently Asked Questions
Smlight vs Sonoff: is the Smlight SLZB-06p7U better than the Sonoff ZBDongle-E?
Yes on features. The Smlight SLZB-06p7U adds Ethernet, PoE and Wi-Fi, a Thread border router, a Bluetooth proxy and a stronger +5dBi antenna. The Sonoff ZBDongle-E is the simpler, more affordable USB stick with a two-year warranty.
What is the biggest difference between the Smlight SLZB-06p7U and the Sonoff ZBDongle-E?
Placement. The Smlight SLZB-06p7U is a network coordinator you can put anywhere on Ethernet or PoE, while the Sonoff ZBDongle-E is a USB stick tied to the host machine.
What is the Smlight SLZB-06p7U?
The Smlight SLZB-06p7U is a Zigbee 3.0 coordinator on the Texas Instruments CC2652P7 with +20 dBm of transmit power. It connects over Ethernet, PoE, Wi-Fi or USB, and also works as a Thread border router, a Bluetooth proxy and a USB-over-Ethernet bridge.
Do both work with Home Assistant and Zigbee2MQTT?
Yes. The Smlight SLZB-06p7U and the Sonoff ZBDongle-E both run with Home Assistant (ZHA) and Zigbee2MQTT, as coordinator or router.
Who should buy the Smlight SLZB-06p7U?
Home Assistant users with a PoE switch, a large or unreliable mesh, or Bluetooth sensors to relay, who are ready to check the unit's firmware on arrival.
Who should buy the Sonoff ZBDongle-E?
Anyone starting out with Zigbee on a centrally placed Home Assistant host who wants a proven, affordable stick with a two-year warranty.
Full comparison table
Compare all 36 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.
- 36 Dongles
- 32 specs compared
- 29 filters
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SmlightSLZB-MR3
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SmlightSLZB-MR5U
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SmlightSLZB-07
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SmlightSLZB-MR1U
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SmlightSLZB-07p7
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ZBDongle-E
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SmlightSLZB-06M
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SonoffDongle Plus PP10
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SLZB-06p7U
$78.99 
SmlightSLZB-MR2
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SonoffDongle Lite MG21
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4.5(6)$82.99
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3.4(7)$84.99- DonglesSmlight
SLZB-06 U
5.0(5)$72.99 
DonglesSmlightSLZB-06
4.2(182)$72.99- DonglesSmlight
SLZB-06M
4.6(111)$72.99 
DonglesSmlightSLZB-06P10
4.4(11)$85.99
DonglesSmlightSLZB-06p7
4.4(11)$79.99- DonglesSmlight
SLZB-06p7U
4.6(33)$78.99 
DonglesSmlightSLZB-07 MG24
3.3(5)$45.99
DonglesSmlightSLZB-07 MG26
4.5(86)- DonglesSmlight
SLZB-07
4.9(20)$34.99 
DonglesSmlightSLZB-07P10
3.0(1)$48.99- DonglesSmlight
SLZB-07p7
4.8(8)$36.99 
DonglesSmlightSLZB-MR1
4.4(11)$103.99- DonglesSmlight
SLZB-MR1U
4.8(16)$102.99 - DonglesSmlight
SLZB-MR2
4.6(8)€111.97 - DonglesSmlight
SLZB-MR3
5.0(1)€158.13 
DonglesSmlightSLZB-MR4
4.0(5)$130.00- DonglesSmlight
SLZB-MR5U
5.0(1)$119.99 - DonglesSmlight
SLZB-MRW10
5.0(11)$100.00
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Air Quality MonitorsSonoffSAWF-08P Air Quality Monitor
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CamerasSonoffCam Outdoor DUO
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CamerasSonoffCam Slim Gen2
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4.5(452)$24.90 
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ZBDongle-E
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