From weather stations and smart plugs to contact sensors and light switches, smart home manufacturer Eve Systems has had its fingers in a wide range of device categories, which is why we were surprised that its latest product is a first for the company.
Slated to ship next month, the Eve Dimmer Switch marks a new category for the HomeKit pioneer, which has recently been making a full-court press into Matter connectivity.
The $49.95 dimmer switch boasts a hybrid touch button/rocker design, allowing for precise and “flicker-free” control of dimmable light sources, Eve says.
The Eve Dimmer Switch can operate as either a single-pole or a three-way switch. While it does require the presence of a neutral wire in the box it’s installed in, it does not depend on a companion switch or switches being installed on the other legs of the circuit controlling the load in a three-way scenario. If you’re unfamiliar or uncomfortable dealing with home wiring, consult a licensed electrician to install it.
Once it’s in place, the Eve Dimmer Switch can work with Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, and other platforms compatible with the Matter standard.
The Eve Dimmer Switch boasts a hybrid touch button/rocker design, allowing for precise and “flicker-free” control of dimmable light sources.
Eve Systems
The switch can control your lights via voice commands, the Eve app, or your Matter controller app of choice (the Alexa, Google Home, and Apple Home apps will also work, for example), and you can also set schedules and automations for the switch.
Even better, the Eve Dimmer Switch works locally, without reliance on the cloud. That means schedules and automations are stored and run on the device itself, perfect for keeping your lights on their routines during internet outages.
Because the Eve Dimmer Switch connects via Matter over Thread, you’ll need a smart home hub on your home Wi-Fi network that acts as a Thread border router.
Luckily, there’s good chance you already have a compatible hub in your home, with devices such as the Apple TV 4K (2nd and 3rd gen), the HomePod (2nd gen) and HomePod mini, several Amazon Echo smart speaker and Eero Wi-Fi router models, the Google Nest Hub (2nd gen) and Nest Hub Max, the Nest Wifi and Wifi Pro, and the Samsung SmartThings Hub v3 and Station all offering Thread border router functionality.
While Eve has long had a paddle-style light switch in its product lineup (the company released a Matter-enabled version last September), the Eve Dimmer Switch marks the first time the manufacturer has ventured into dimmer-switch territory.
Eve is also known for its Eve Energy smart plugs, the Eve Weather station, the Eve Door and Window contact sensor, and the Eve Water Guard water-leak detector, among other products.
Until recently, most of Eve’s devices only worked with Apple HomeKit, but that all changed with the arrival of Matter, the new protocol that promises to unite the big smart-home platforms.
Late last year, Eve finally made good on its promise to release a native app for Android users.
Author: Ben Patterson, Senior Writer, TechHive
Ben has been writing about technology and consumer electronics for more than 20 years. A PCWorld contributor since 2014, Ben joined TechHive in 2019, where he has covered everything from smart speakers and soundbars to smart lights and security cameras. Ben's articles have also appeared in PC Magazine, TIME, Wired, CNET, Men's Fitness, Mobile Magazine, and more. Ben holds a master's degree in English literature.