Smlight SLZB-MRW10 vs Sonoff Dongle-PZG23

The Smlight SLZB-MRW10 wins overall by covering Zigbee, Thread and Z-Wave with network placement, dual-network mode and a Bluetooth proxy. The Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 is the cheaper, single-purpose pick if you only need Z-Wave.

Scope. Both include a Z-Wave 800 controller, but the Smlight SLZB-MRW10 also runs Zigbee and Thread and can be placed over Ethernet or PoE, while the Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 is a Z-Wave-only USB stick with no Zigbee or Thread.

Yes. Both the Smlight SLZB-MRW10 and the Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 use a Silicon Labs Z-Wave 800 controller. The difference is that the MRW10 adds Zigbee and Thread radios, dual-network operation and a Bluetooth proxy on top of Z-Wave.

The Smlight SLZB-MRW10, which connects over USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi and PoE and can be mounted anywhere on the network. The Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 is USB-only, though it ships with a USB extension cable to reduce interference.

Buy the Smlight SLZB-MRW10 if you want a single coordinator that runs Zigbee, Thread and Z-Wave together for Home Assistant, with flexible Ethernet or PoE placement, dual-network mode, a Bluetooth proxy and stronger antennas.

Buy the Sonoff Dongle-PZG23 if your home relies only on Z-Wave and you want an affordable, plug-and-play Z-Wave 800 controller with S2 security and Long Range for Home Assistant or openHAB, without paying for Zigbee and Thread you would not use.