Shelly 1 Mini Gen4 Review: The Tiniest Multi-Protocol Smart Relay
A miniature Wi-Fi, Zigbee and Matter relay with dry contacts that fits where others will not, for DIY automation, with an 8A limit and a neutral requirement.
The Shelly 1 Mini Gen4 is the miniature version of Shelly's multi-protocol relay: it does everything the full-size Gen4 does (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee and Matter, dry and wet contacts, local control, broad platform support) in a body small enough to fit where the standard unit will not. It rates 8A rather than 16A, requires a neutral wire, and has no energy monitoring, but it is a brilliant building block for retrofitting lights, garage doors, pool lights, boilers and more while keeping the existing manual switch. Setup is easy via the app or its own web interface, it runs locally for instant response, and it integrates cleanly with Home Assistant, Alexa, Google, HomeKit and SmartThings. The catches: 8A limits the loads it can drive, it needs a neutral, this model is not UL/ETL listed, and a few units have had reliability issues. For tight boxes and DIY automation, it is hard to beat.
- Small / crowded switch boxes
- Multi-protocol (Wi-Fi or Zigbee) setups
- Home Assistant and DIY automation
- Lights, garage doors and low-power loads
Pros
- Extremely small: fits switch and fixture boxes where a standard relay will not
- Multi-protocol: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee and Matter in one module
- Dry and wet contacts for garage doors, pool lights, boilers and more
- Configurable via the app or its own web interface, with instant local control
- Works with Alexa, Google, HomeKit, SmartThings and Home Assistant; preserves the manual switch
- Eco mode to cut power draw, OTA updates and strong Wi-Fi even in metal boxes (plastic faceplate)
Cons
- Requires a neutral wire (line plus neutral)
- Rated 8A, so for lighter loads than the 16A full-size Gen4
- This model is not UL/ETL listed
- No energy monitoring, no DIN-rail mount and no physical on/off button
- Tiny printed instructions; rely on online guides, and metal faceplates block Wi-Fi
- A few units have arrived dead or lost connectivity after months
Who is the Shelly 1 Mini Gen4 for?
This is the smallest member of Shelly's Gen4 relay family, for people who want smart control in spaces too tight for a standard relay. Despite its size it is fully multi-protocol: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee (via a Zigbee hub, and it acts as a Zigbee router) and Matter, with both dry-contact and wet-contact modes. It handles up to 8A at 110-240V AC (or 12-48V DC), requires a neutral wire, and works with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings and Home Assistant, with OTA updates and full local control. It best suits crowded or small switch boxes, retrofits that must preserve the existing manual switch, and DIY projects like lighting, garage door openers, pool lights, boilers and contactors. Because it is rated 8A (versus 16A on the full-size Gen4), it is aimed at lower-power loads; pick the standard unit for heavier loads.
What buyers love
The size is the headline: owners repeatedly call it tiny and say it fits in a switch box or fixture box where a standard relay would not, which is exactly why some choose the Mini over the full-size version when a box is crowded. The multi-protocol radios (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Matter) and the choice to configure via the app or the device's own web interface draw praise, as does the local control that makes response near-instant and keeps automations working without the internet (one device can even act as a hub for another). People love the dry contacts for clever projects: garage door openers without an expensive proprietary kit, pool lights wired into an existing timer, flood lights triggered by the garage door, boilers driven via a virtual thermostat, and security lamps combined with a motion sensor in detached mode. They also highlight that it preserves the manual switch, works in metal boxes (with a plastic faceplate), holds a strong Wi-Fi signal even at distance, supports an eco mode that cuts power draw, and integrates immediately with Home Assistant (including via Zigbee2MQTT).
What to know before you buy
A few caveats. It requires both line and neutral, so older boxes with only a line wire will not work, and although it is small, it can still be a tight fit when a box is packed with wires (using multi-strand wire helps). The printed instructions are tiny, so most owners rely on Shelly's online guides and wiring videos. This particular model is not UL or ETL listed (some other Shelly devices are), which matters if certification is important to you, and a couple of buyers felt the price was not the lowest. In metal boxes it works only with a plastic faceplate (a metal one creates a Faraday cage). It is rated 8A, so it is for lighter loads than the 16A full-size Gen4, and it has no built-in energy monitoring, no DIN-rail mount and no physical on/off button. Reliability is mostly good, but a few units have arrived dead or lost connectivity after a few months. There is no Z-Wave or Thread.
Is the Shelly 1 Mini Gen4 worth it?
For DIY automation in tight spaces, yes: it packs Wi-Fi, Zigbee and Matter, dry contacts, local control and wide platform support into a body small enough to fit almost anywhere, which makes it the go-to when a switch box is crowded. It is a superb building block for lighting, garage doors and low-power loads, and it keeps the manual switch working. Choose the full-size Gen4 instead if you need to switch heavier loads (up to 16A) or want UL/ETL certification; choose the Mini when space is the constraint and your load is within 8A. Confirm you have a neutral wire, lean on the online install guides, and you get a remarkably capable relay in a tiny package at a fair price.
Frequently asked questions
How is the Mini Gen4 different from the standard Shelly 1 Gen4?
It is physically smaller, so it fits in tighter boxes, but it is rated 8A instead of 16A, so it is for lighter loads. Both share the same Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee and Matter connectivity, dry contacts and local control. Choose the Mini for space, the standard for heavier loads.
Does it need a neutral wire or a hub?
It requires a neutral wire (line plus neutral), so check your box first. It needs no hub for Wi-Fi/Matter; using it over Zigbee requires a compatible Zigbee hub. Either way it supports full local control.
Which platforms and protocols does it support?
It supports Matter and works with Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings and Home Assistant. You can connect it over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or Zigbee, including via Zigbee2MQTT with Home Assistant.
Will it fit in a small or metal junction box?
Its small size helps it fit in crowded boxes, though it can still be tight, and using multi-strand wire makes it easier to cram in. It works in metal boxes, but only with a plastic faceplate; a metal faceplate creates a Faraday cage that blocks the wireless signal.
Does it measure energy, and can it open a garage door?
It does not include energy monitoring (choose a Shelly PM model for that). It works well as a momentary dry-contact trigger for a garage door, a cheap alternative to proprietary opener kits, while still letting you use it for other projects later.
