Want to dim your lights? Buy smart bulbs, not a dimmer switch.

Short answer: for dimming, smart bulbs beat a dimmer switch almost every time.

The dimmer switch route.

A smart dimmer switch works, but it carries baggage. It needs a neutral wire at the switch point, so you may have to pay an electrician to pull one. It usually comes in a single colour and a single gang, so several groups of dimmable lights mean several switches. And the control feel is limited. Fully fitted with app setup, one dimmer switch runs about $120 to $150. For one gang. In one colour.

The smart bulb route.

Fit smart bulbs and pair them with a normal smart light switch. The switch powers the circuit; everything else (dimming, brightness, colour) happens in the app. No neutral wire. No special switch for each group. Smart bulbs cost more than regular ones, roughly three times. A smart spotlight bulb is around $32 at retail. But you skip the dimmer switch, the extra wiring, and the one-colour limit.

Decide before you buy your lights.

Here is the trap. Plenty of people buy their lights first, often from a well-known lighting shop, then find out the fittings are normal, non-smart. If you want app dimming after that, a dimmer switch becomes your only route. So make the dimming call before you buy the lights. Buying through us? We refer you to Zenterra for smart lights with 10% off, which often works out cheaper than the $32 retail figure.