Zooz ZEN77 800LR Review: The Z-Wave Dimmer That Keeps Your Old 3-Way Switches
The Zooz S2 Dimmer ZEN77 800LR is a Z-Wave paddle dimmer for people who already run a Z-Wave hub such as Home Assistant, Hubitat, SmartThings or Z-Box and want smart control of a 3-way or 4-way light without buying a companion switch for every box. Its Simple Direct 3-Way wiring keeps the existing on/off switches, its 1.16 in body fits shallow boxes, and owners praise how easy it is to install and how reliably it responds. The trade-offs are a neutral wire in the main box, a lower load rating than some rivals (100 W of LED) and a leading-edge dimmer that does not suit every LED bulb, so check your bulbs first.
- Z-Wave hub owners
- 3-way and 4-way circuits
- Home Assistant users
- Shallow or crowded switch boxes
Pros
- Works with existing mechanical switches in 3-way, 4-way and 5-way circuits
- Slim 1.16 in body fits shallow or crowded boxes
- Z-Wave 800 series with Long Range and S2 security
- Verified with Home Assistant, Hubitat, SmartThings and Z-Box
- Scene control with multi-tap and lots of adjustable settings
- Adjustable LED indicator color and brightness
Cons
- Needs a Z-Wave hub; Alexa and Google Home only through that hub
- Neutral wire required
- Leading-edge dimming does not suit every LED bulb
- Load limited to 100 W of LED or 300 W of incandescent
- No Matter, Apple HomeKit or energy monitoring
Who is the Zooz ZEN77 800LR for?
It is built for homes that already have a Z-Wave controller: Zooz verified it with Home Assistant (Z-Wave JS), Hubitat, SmartThings, Z-Box, HomeSeer, Homey and several alarm panels, and owners on Home Assistant, Hubitat and SmartThings report it pairing and working without trouble. It needs that hub: Alexa and Google Home only control it through a Z-Wave hub that links to them, and it has no Wi-Fi, Matter or Apple HomeKit of its own. It is a 120 V North American dimmer for lights only, with a neutral wire required in the box that has power.
What buyers love
The multi-way wiring is the standout for owners: one ZEN77 replaces the switch in the box with power and neutral, and the regular mechanical switches in the other boxes of a 3-way, 4-way or even 5-way circuit keep working, which saves buying an add-on switch for each location. Owners also like the slim 1.16 in body, which fits crowded boxes without breaking off the mounting tabs, the clear printed instructions and the hub-specific setup help, and the long list of settings: double-tap to full brightness, a night light mode, adjustable ramp rates and minimum and maximum levels, and an LED indicator whose mode, color and brightness can be changed. The 800 series chip adds Z-Wave Long Range for direct-to-hub links up to 1,300 ft when the hub supports it, and it still repeats the signal in a normal mesh.
What to know before you buy
Check your bulbs. The current ZEN77 is a TRIAC (leading-edge) dimmer, and some owners found it would not dim LEDs that need a trailing-edge dimmer, or that a fixture flickered at low brightness; Zooz recommends quality dimmable LEDs and caps the load at 100 W of LED or 300 W of incandescent. It must not be used on fans, motors, tube lights or switched outlets. The other boxes in a multi-way circuit have to keep plain on/off switches, not dimmers or illuminated switches. A few owners find the paddle feels plasticky, and the replacement color paddles (almond, brown, black) are sold separately. There is no energy monitoring.
Is the Zooz ZEN77 800LR worth it?
For a Z-Wave home, yes. It is not the cheapest dimmer, but owners point out that keeping the existing 3-way switches avoids paying for extra companion switches, and the deep set of hub settings, the Long Range radio and the slim body make it one of the most flexible paddle dimmers in its class. Zooz backs it with a 12-month warranty that grows to 5 years once the product is registered. If your bulbs need a trailing-edge dimmer, or you do not have a Z-Wave hub, look elsewhere.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Zooz ZEN77 800LR need a hub?
Yes. It is a Z-Wave device, so it needs a Z-Wave controller such as Home Assistant with a Z-Wave stick, Hubitat, SmartThings or the Zooz Z-Box. Without one it works only as a manual wall dimmer.
Does the ZEN77 work with Alexa and Google Home?
Only through a Z-Wave hub that integrates with them. Zooz notes that smart speakers have no Z-Wave radio, so voice control goes through hubs like Z-Box, SmartThings or Hubitat.
Can I use the ZEN77 in a 3-way or 4-way circuit?
Yes. Its Simple Direct 3-Way design works with the regular on/off switches already in the other boxes, in 3-way, 4-way and 5-way set-ups, so only the box with power and neutral gets the ZEN77. The other switches must be plain mechanical switches, not dimmers or illuminated ones.
Does the ZEN77 800LR need a neutral wire?
Yes. A neutral wire is required in the box where the dimmer is installed, the one with the direct connection to power.
What bulbs can I use with the ZEN77?
Dimmable LED bulbs up to 100 W in total or incandescent bulbs up to 300 W. It is a leading-edge (TRIAC) dimmer, so check that your LEDs are compatible, and never connect it to fans, motors, tube lights or switched outlets.
How deep is the ZEN77 800LR?
The body is 1.16 in deep behind the wall plate, 1.75 in wide and 4.1 in tall, which makes it easy to fit in a shallow or crowded box.




