A very cool light switch.
Added on Sunday 07 October 18
Okay, i know its a bit odd to review a light switch but please bear with me. There’s more to it than the switch itself.
Hue is the name for the Phillips smart lights platform. I’ve had a set of the light for years and reviewed them back in 2016. The Hue platform includes lights, lamps, outside light, controllers, hubs and strips. They can be brough in high streer stores like Homebase and Argos.
This review is for one is for the Hue Dimmer. It’s the most basic battery powered hue controller.
The switch itself has four button, an on button, and off button, and lights up and a lights down button. The buttons are big and squishy. They work well even when my hands are number. The switches stick the wall holder with magnets. So it’s possible to take the switch off and carry it around.
Lastly, if you hit the one button multiple times it moves between a number of preset “scenes”. They can apply to one room, multiple rooms or the whole house.
The last bit is the powerful bit. The hue dimmer switch break the connection between a switch always being tied to the room it is placed in!
This flexibility is extremely useful. One of the ways i make us of this feature is in my bedroom.
I have a switch stuck to the wall buy my door. That switch is programmed with a number of “whole room” scenes. All three lights in the room have a matching shade of white and brightness set. These are pretty traditional, varying levels of warm and cool white.
The second switch in the room is attached to the inside of my bed. It’s preloaded with bedtime related scenes which turns off the main light and sets the side lights to various colours at a low brightness.
Control of the lights like this allows me to sleep better. I can bring the lights up or down as required. I have preset modes to help me relax at bedtime, but hitting the switch by the door still brings up all the lights (useful if i am looking for something!)
Another way i use the Hue Dimmer switch is as a master switch. It’s stuck to the back of my front door. As i leave the house i press Off on the master switch and all lights in the flat turn off.
When i get home, i press the master switch “on” and all lights in the flat turn on as they where when i left.
This is simple, but really reassuring. It helps me to transition from place to place and has become part of my leaving the flat routine. It helps save power, but it also helps to stop me worrying about wasting power.
Most nights there is someone sharing my flat with me. Normally a friend or a support worked sleeping in the lounge.
The carers need access to some lights (like the lounge and hallway) but not other lights (like the office and bedroom). In the lounge we have programmed a Hue Dummer for the carers to use. With one button they can prepare for bed or bring the lights up. Most of the carers take the Dimmer off the wall, and place it beside the sofa.
I know light switches are no the most exciting topic…. however these are exciting light-switches. They have a positive practical impact on my day to day life and the are super affordable and reliable.
Like the very best of technology, they have become indistinguishable from magic!
