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Inovelli Blue Series Smart Fan Switch

A Zigbee 3.0 paddle that runs an AC ceiling fan in three speeds or an exhaust fan on and off, with an RGBW LED bar, scene taps and no neutral required.

4.6
7 ratings

4.6 vs the 4.2 average of 46 wall switches we track

$65.00
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Launch Year: 2023

Model: VZM35-SN

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Our review

Inovelli Blue Series Smart Fan Switch Review: Zigbee Speed Control for Ceiling and Exhaust Fans

The verdict

The Inovelli Blue Series Smart Fan Switch replaces the wall switch of an AC ceiling or exhaust fan with a Zigbee 3.0 Decora paddle that sets three fan speeds, adds breeze mode, an auto-off timer, a full-color LED bar for notifications and multi-tap scene control. It suits Home Assistant, Hubitat and SmartThings homes that want fan control at the wall and in their automations, and it installs without a neutral wire at the cost of the high speed. The trade-offs: it needs a Zigbee hub, it handles the fan motor only (not the fan light), multi-way needs an Inovelli Aux or smart switch, and Google Home, Apple Home and Matter are not supported.

Best for
  • Ceiling fans on a Zigbee hub
  • Home Assistant and Hubitat users
  • Bathroom exhaust fans
  • No-neutral installs

Pros

  • Three fan speeds plus breeze mode and auto-off timer
  • Works on ceiling and exhaust fans with AC motors
  • Full-color LED bar with adjustable notifications
  • Multi-tap scene control and a favorites button
  • Works without a neutral wire (low and medium speeds)
  • Home Assistant, Hubitat and SmartThings support
  • Overheat protection

Cons

  • Requires a Zigbee hub
  • No Google Home, Apple Home or Matter support
  • AC fan motors only, no fan light or DC fans
  • No high speed or exhaust fans without a neutral
  • Multi-way needs an Inovelli Aux or smart switch
  • No energy monitoring

Who is the Inovelli Blue Series Smart Fan Switch for?

It is a wall switch for North American homes (120V, standard Decora wall plate) whose ceiling or exhaust fan runs on an AC motor, and 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 the fan counterpart of Inovelli's Blue Series dimmer, aimed at homes that want the fan in their automations and scenes rather than on a pull chain.

What the Inovelli Blue Series Smart Fan Switch offers

In ceiling fan mode the paddle steps an AC fan through low, medium and high, with breeze mode, minimum and maximum speed limits, a default speed and an auto-off timer; in exhaust fan mode it simply turns the fan on and off. A full-color RGBW LED bar beside the paddle shows the current speed and can run animated notifications, and its color and intensity can be set separately for on and off, down to fully off. Multi-tap sequences and the favorites button trigger up to seven scenes, Smart Fan Mode keeps power on to a smart fan and sends commands over Zigbee instead, and Zigbee Bindings let it control another Inovelli switch directly. It also restores a set speed after a power cut and carries overheat protection.

What to know before you buy

It needs a Zigbee hub, and it does not work with Google devices, Apple Home or Matter; through an Echo it turns the fan on and off, but speed cannot be set by voice and the advanced settings are out of reach. It is for AC fan motors only, up to 2.5 A and no more than two fans: DC motor fans, lighting and shared fan and light loads are not supported, so a fan light needs a separate control such as Inovelli's canopy module. Without a neutral wire the high speed is lost and exhaust fans are not supported. Multi-way works only with an Inovelli Aux switch or another Inovelli smart switch, never with the existing mechanical switch. There is no energy monitoring, no wall plate in the box, and the warranty is one year, valid for installs in the United States and Canada.

Is the Inovelli Blue Series Smart Fan Switch worth it?

For a Zigbee home with an AC ceiling or bath fan, it is one of the few switches built for fan speed rather than for lights, and it brings the same deep configuration, LED notifications and scene control as Inovelli's dimmers, at a mid-range price for a single switch. If the fan has a DC motor, the light must be switched from the same box, or the home runs on Google Home, Apple Home or Matter, it is the wrong pick.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Inovelli Blue Series Smart Fan 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.

Can the Inovelli Blue Series Smart Fan Switch control the fan light too?

No. It controls the fan motor only and must not be used on lighting or on a shared fan and light load. Inovelli suggests its Fan/Light Canopy Module for a ceiling fan with a light.

Does the Inovelli Blue Series Smart Fan Switch need a neutral wire?

No, but without a neutral only the low and medium speeds are available, exhaust fans are not supported, and a multi-way install needs an Inovelli Aux switch.

Does the Inovelli Blue Series Smart Fan Switch work with DC motor fans?

No. It works with AC motor ceiling and exhaust fans only, up to 2.5 A and no more than two fans on one switch.

Does the Inovelli Blue Series Smart Fan 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, for on and off control; fan speed cannot be set by voice. Inovelli states its Blue Series is not compatible with Google devices, and the switch has no Apple Home or Matter support.

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

Yes, with an Inovelli Aux switch or another Inovelli smart switch linked through Zigbee Bindings. It does not work with an existing mechanical switch at the other end.

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

6.7 oz 191 g

The Amazon Canada listing gives the product as 7.11 x 4.06 x 3.05 cm and 191 g.

AC Load Voltage

120V

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

Resistive Load

NO

Fan motors only: Inovelli says the switch cannot be used with any kind of lighting, nor on a shared fan and light load.

Max Resistive Load Power (Per Switch)

-

Max Resistive Load Current (Per Switch)

-

Inductive Load

YES

AC motor ceiling and exhaust fans up to 2.5 A, with no more than two fans on the switch. DC motor fans are not supported, and there is a known incompatibility with the Broan / Nutone 696-R02 and 688-K fans.

Max Inductive Load Power (Per Switch)

300W

The Amazon listing gives a 300 W rating, the 2.5 A maximum at 120 V.

Max Inductive Load Current (Per Switch)

2.5A

Maximum load 2.5 A (no more than 2 fans on the switch).

Capacitive Load

NO

Not rated for lighting of any kind (LED, CFL, incandescent).

Max Capacitive Load Power (Per Switch)

-

Max Capacitive Load Current (Per Switch)

-

Neutral Required

NO

Works without a neutral wire, but then only the low and medium speeds are available (no high), exhaust fans are not supported, and a multi-way install needs an Inovelli Aux switch.

Overheating protection

YES

Overheat protection is listed among its features, with a read-only overheat parameter (33) and an internal temperature monitor (32).

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

Pairs with an Amazon Echo that has a built-in Zigbee hub. From Alexa the fan turns on and off; speed cannot be set by voice and the advanced settings are not reachable from the Alexa app.

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 publishes setup instructions for it.

Home Assistant

YES

Inovelli lists Home Assistant through both ZHA and Zigbee2MQTT, and Zigbee2MQTT documents the VZM35-SN.

Matter

NO

The Blue Series Fan Switch runs Zigbee 3.0 only; it is not a Matter device.

Switches

1

Dimming

NO

A fan speed control, not a dimmer: Inovelli says it cannot be used with any kind of lighting.

3-Way / 4-Way Control

Companion switch required

Works in multi-way setups with an Inovelli Aux switch or another Inovelli smart switch (through Zigbee Bindings); Inovelli states it does not work with an existing mechanical switch.

Fan Control

Fan speed control

Controls an AC ceiling fan in 3 speeds (low, medium, high) or an exhaust fan on and off, with breeze mode, minimum and maximum speed and an auto-off timer. It does not control the fan light: Inovelli recommends its Fan/Light Canopy Module for that.

Control Type

Decora paddle

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

Energy Monitoring

NO

Neither the product page nor the parameter list includes power or energy reporting, and Zigbee2MQTT exposes no power or energy reading for the VZM35-SN.

Power Off Memory

YES

Parameter 15 sets the fan speed level after power is restored.

Wireless Switch Mode

YES

Smart Fan Mode locks full power to a smart fan and sends on, off and speed commands digitally instead of cutting its power.

Status LED

YES

A full-color RGBW LED bar shows the current fan speed and can run animated notifications.

Adjust Status LED

YES

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

Automations

YES

Multi-tap scene control on the paddle and the favorites button triggers up to 7 scenes on hubs that support it.

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Why it needs a Zigbee coordinator

The Inovelli Blue Series Smart Fan 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.

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