Image Slideshow Items

  • Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch
  • Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch photo 2
  • Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch photo 3
  • Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch photo 4
  • Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch photo 5
  • Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch photo 6

Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch

A Zigbee 3.0 paddle that works as a dimmer or an on/off switch, with an RGBW LED bar, scene taps and energy monitoring, for homes that already run a Zigbee hub.

4.4
58 ratings

4.4 vs the 4.2 average of 46 wall switches we track

$60.00
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Launch Year: 2022

Model: VZM31-SN

See the 10 best selling wall switches
Open selection
News by email

Not buying today? Get what's new by email

New releases and the smart home news worth knowing, in your inbox.

Smart home news and new releases, straight to your inbox

New releases, comparisons and the smart home news worth knowing.

No spam. Unsubscribe in one click.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Please enter a valid email address.
Tick the box above to finish signing up.
We couldn't verify you're human. Please try again.
Too many attempts. Please try again in an hour.
Your subscription has been successful.
Our review

Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch Review: A Zigbee Dimmer Built for Tinkerers

The verdict

The Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch is a Zigbee 3.0 Decora paddle that can be set up as a dimmer or a plain on/off switch, with a full-color LED bar for notifications, multi-tap scene control, Smart Bulb Mode, energy monitoring and over 80 configurable parameters. It suits Home Assistant, Hubitat and SmartThings users who want deep control from the wall, and it works without a neutral wire if a bypass is fitted. The trade-off is that it needs a Zigbee hub, it is limited to 120V lighting loads, and Google Home, Apple Home and Matter are not supported.

Best for
  • Home Assistant and Hubitat users
  • Zigbee homes
  • Smart bulb owners
  • No-neutral installs

Pros

  • Works as a dimmer or an on/off switch
  • Full-color LED bar with adjustable notifications
  • Multi-tap scene control and a favorites button
  • Smart Bulb Mode and Zigbee Bindings
  • Energy monitoring in neutral installs
  • Works without a neutral wire using a bypass
  • Home Assistant, Hubitat and SmartThings support

Cons

  • Requires a Zigbee hub
  • No Google Home, Apple Home or Matter support
  • Lighting loads only, no fans or transformers
  • Bypass needed without a neutral wire
  • No wall plate in the box

Who is the Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch for?

It is a wall switch for North American homes (120V, standard Decora wall plate) that already run a Zigbee hub: Home Assistant through ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT, Hubitat, SmartThings, Homey, or an Amazon Echo with a built-in Zigbee hub. It is aimed at people who want to configure how their lights behave rather than just switch them, since most of its advanced features are exposed as parameters on the hub.

What the Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch offers

One switch covers two jobs: a parameter sets it as a dimmer, with leading or trailing edge dimming, adjustable ramp rate and minimum and maximum levels, or as an on/off switch. A full-color RGBW LED bar beside the paddle shows the dim level and can run animated notifications, and its color and intensity are adjustable down to off. Multi-tap scene control and a favorites button trigger scenes, Smart Bulb Mode keeps power on to smart bulbs and sends commands over Zigbee instead, and Zigbee Bindings let it control another device directly. In neutral installs it also reports power and energy use, and parameter 15 sets what it does after a power cut.

What to know before you buy

It needs a Zigbee hub to work, and it does not work with Google devices, Apple Home or Matter. It is rated for lighting only: up to 600 W of incandescent, 300 W of dimmable LED or 150 W of CFL, and never for fans, outlets, transformers, ballasts or low-voltage lights. Without a neutral wire a bypass is needed at the fixture, and energy monitoring and multi-way with an existing switch are then lost. In a 3-way circuit the existing switch only turns the light on and off; dimming from the second location needs an Inovelli Aux switch or another smart switch. No wall plate comes in the box, and the warranty is one year, valid for installs in the United States and Canada.

Is the Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch worth it?

For a Zigbee home that values local control, it is one of the most configurable switches in the category: dimmer or on/off in one unit, notification LEDs, scenes, smart bulb support and energy reports, sitting in the mid-range to premium price tier for a single dimmer. If the home runs on Google Home, Apple Home or Matter, or has no Zigbee hub at all, a Wi-Fi or Matter switch is the simpler choice.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch need a hub?

Yes. It is a Zigbee 3.0 switch and needs a Zigbee hub, such as Home Assistant (ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT), Hubitat, SmartThings, Homey or an Amazon Echo with a built-in Zigbee hub.

Does the Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch work with Alexa, Google Home or Apple Home?

Alexa works when the switch is paired to an Echo with a built-in Zigbee hub. Inovelli states its Blue Series is not compatible with Google devices, and the switch has no Apple Home or Matter support.

Does the Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch need a neutral wire?

No. It works without a neutral, but a bypass must then be installed at the light fixture, and energy monitoring and multi-way with an existing mechanical switch are not available.

Can the Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch be used in a 3-way circuit?

Yes. It works with the existing switch (on and off only from that side, neutral required), with an Inovelli Aux switch, or with another Inovelli smart switch through Zigbee Bindings. Dimming from both ends needs the Aux switch or a second smart switch.

Can the Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch control a ceiling fan?

No. It is for lighting only and cannot control fans, outlets or other motor loads. Inovelli sells a separate Blue Series Fan Switch for ceiling fans.

Company
Inovelli logo

Inovelli

4.4/ 5 avg ratingUSA flagHeadquartered in USA

Inovelli is a US maker of smart wall switches, dimmers, fan and light controls and presence-sensing switches for DIY smart homes. It sells three lines by protocol: the Red Series on Z-Wave, the Blue Series on Zigbee and the White Series on Matter over Thread. Its switches are known for their LED notification bars, deep configuration options and community-driven firmware, and are popular with Home Assistant, Hubitat and SmartThings users.

Full specifications

Every spec, organized

Browse the full breakdown by category. Tap the on any row for what it means, or the for sources and documentation.

Dimensions

2.8 × 1.6 × 1.2 in 71 × 41 × 30 mm

Depth Behind the Wall Plate

1.2 in 30 mm

Inovelli gives the switch body as 1.2 in (3.0 cm) deep, 1.6 in (4.1 cm) wide and 2.8 in (7.1 cm) tall.

Weight

?

AC Load Voltage

120V

Rated 120 V AC, 60 Hz. Inovelli states it does not support 240 V or 277 V.

Resistive Load

YES

Incandescent bulbs up to 600 W.

Max Resistive Load Power (Per Switch)

600W

Max Resistive Load Current (Per Switch)

?

Inductive Load

NO

Lighting only: Inovelli says it cannot control fans, outlets, motors or any other inductive load, nor transformers, ballasts or low-voltage (ELV/MLV) lights.

Max Inductive Load Power (Per Switch)

-

Max Inductive Load Current (Per Switch)

-

Capacitive Load

YES

Dimmable LED bulbs up to 300 W and CFL up to 150 W, with leading and trailing edge dimming.

Max Capacitive Load Power (Per Switch)

300W

Max Capacitive Load Current (Per Switch)

?

Neutral Required

NO

Works without a neutral wire, but a bypass (not included) is then required at the light fixture, and energy monitoring and multi-way with an existing switch are lost.

Overheating protection

YES

Overheat protection is listed among its features, with a read-only overheat parameter (33) and an internal temperature monitor.

Overvoltage protection

?

Overcurrent protection

?

Overpower protection

?

2.4 GHz WiFi

NO

5 GHz WiFi

NO

Bluetooth

NO

Z-Wave

NO

Zigbee

Zigbee Hub required

Zigbee 3.0 (certification ZIG22160ZB331395-24), with Zigbee Bindings for direct switch-to-device control. Inovelli states the switch requires a hub that supports Zigbee.

Thread Protocol

NO

Google Home

NO

Inovelli states its Blue Series (Zigbee) devices are not compatible with any Google devices.

Alexa

Zigbee Hub required

Inovelli lists Amazon Echo among the compatible hubs, which requires an Echo model with a built-in Zigbee hub (Inovelli keeps an Echo compatibility chart).

Apple HomeKit

NO

A Zigbee-only switch with no HomeKit profile and no Matter support; Apple Home is not among the platforms Inovelli lists for it.

Samsung SmartThings

YES

Inovelli lists SmartThings as a compatible hub, and the Amazon listing carries the Works with SmartThings badge.

Home Assistant

YES

Inovelli lists Home Assistant through both ZHA and Zigbee2MQTT, and Zigbee2MQTT documents the VZM31-SN.

Matter

NO

The Blue Series 2-1 runs Zigbee 3.0 only; Inovelli's Matter switch is the separate White Series (Matter over Thread).

Switches

1

Dimming

YES

A 2-in-1 switch that works as a dimmer or, set by parameter, as an on/off switch, with adjustable dimming speed, ramp rate and minimum and maximum levels.

3-Way / 4-Way Control

YES

Works with the existing mechanical switch in a 3-way set-up (on/off only from that side, and only with a neutral), with an Inovelli Aux switch, or with another Inovelli smart switch through Zigbee Bindings.

Fan Control

NO

Inovelli says the switch is for lighting only and cannot control ceiling or exhaust fans; it sells a separate Blue Series Fan Switch for that.

Control Type

Decora paddle

A full-size paddle with an RGBW LED bar alongside and a separate config (favorites) button.

Energy Monitoring

YES

Energy monitoring with power and energy reports, available on hubs that support it and only in neutral installs.

Power Off Memory

YES

Parameter 15 sets the level after power is restored: off, a fixed level, or the previous state.

Wireless Switch Mode

YES

Smart Bulb Mode locks full power to a smart bulb and sends on, off and dim commands digitally instead of cutting its power.

Status LED

YES

A full-color RGBW LED bar shows the dim level and can run animated notifications.

Adjust Status LED

YES

The LED bar color and intensity (off to 100%) are adjustable separately for when the light is on and off, and each LED is individually addressable.

Automations

YES

Multi-tap scene control on the paddle and the favorites button triggers scenes on hubs that support it.

Ask Chip

Got a question about the Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch?

I know its spec sheet, what owners say about it and the rest of the catalog. Ask me about compatibility, alternatives or how it stacks up.

AmazonOur store on AmazonShop our ideas on AmazonLists of the smart home setups we would put together ourselves, ready to add to your Amazon cart.Shop on Amazon
Required to work

You need a Zigbee hub for this

View all
Why it needs a Zigbee coordinator

The Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch speaks Zigbee, not Wi-Fi. On its own it cannot reach your phone, your voice assistant or any automation: it needs a Zigbee coordinator to join. These are the ones in our catalog that can run it.

On sale now

More Wall Switches on sale

View all
Full comparison table

Compare the Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch with the other 50 Wall Switches

All Wall Switches in the catalog in one table: filter by what you need, sort by price or rating, and see exactly where this one lands.

  • 50 other Wall Switches
  • 46 specs compared
  • 43 filters
Open the full comparison
Head to head

Inovelli Blue Series 2-1 Smart Switch vs the competition

View all
Inovelli

More from Inovelli

View all