A Relative Newcomer to the Z-Wave Space

I first heard about the Zooz line of switches on a Reddit thread. A commenter mentioned that the Zooz Z-Wave switch could be used in a three-way circuit (where two light switches control a single light fixture) without the need for a dedicated add-on switch. I looked it up and found that the Zooz appeared to be well made and was priced below any of the comparable Z-Wave switches available. Zooz is the house brand of Z-Wave devices sold by The Smartest House and also on Amazon through The Smartest House’s Amazon storefront. Since I have to prioritize my gadget budget, I added a Zooz on/off Switch (Model ZEN21 version 2.0) to my Amazon wishlist and my lovely wife was gracious enough to stuff it in my Christmas stocking.

Capabilities and Specifications

The standout feature of Zooz switches is that they can be used in a three-way circuit without the need for a special remote switch. The Zooz does require a neutral wire, and you will probably have to rewire, but not replace, the existing remote switch. Although Zooz doesn’t advertise it, the switch will also work in four or more way circuits as long as the wiring is configured correctly.

The switch is a Z-Wave Plus device, meaning it is compatible with newer Z-Wave Plus devices and older Z-Wave devices, but when used with a Z-Wave Plus hub, it has a wireless range of up to 100 feet in line of sight. This means that when installed inside a typical residence, range will be a non-issue. It is rated for 120 VAC (sorry, Europe) with a maximum load of 960W for incandescent lights and 150W for LED and CFL bulbs. When used with LED or CFL, there is a minimum load of 15W in order for the switch to work correctly.

The Zooz switch is rated for indoor use only, with operating temperature ranging from 32-104° F (0-40° C). It reports status to the controller instantly and restores on/off status after a power failure. The switch does not report power usage, however. This is a nice feature included in some higher-end Z-Wave power devices.

Pairing and Compatability

Pairing the Zooz switch is quick and easy, and the switch is compatible with any Z-Wave controller which supports the basic on/off device type. This includes SmartThings, Wink, Vera, Homeseer, and many more. For a longer but still incomplete list, check out the product details on GetZooz.com.

What Others Say About It

On The Smartest House, the Zooz switch has 18 reviews. Out of five stars, thirteen reviews gave the switch 5 stars, and the other 5 gave it 4 stars. It should be noted that these reviews include the ZEN21, (the on/off switch reviewed here), as well as the ZEN22, ZEN23, and ZEN24 which are the paddle dimmer, toggle switch, and toggle dimmer, respectively.

On Amazon, there are 48 reviews for the on/off paddle version alone. It gets 4.4 out of 5 stars, and the reviews are overwhelmingly glowing. A few users did experience frustration since original instructions said to pair by clicking on/off/on, but the actual pairing process is tapping “on” three times. The current manual has this corrected. A few users said the switch didn’t work or didn’t work correctly in a three-way configuration, but as far as I can tell, this was because of user error in every case. The “top” negative review claims that it doesn’t align with other switches, but that doesn’t seem to be the case based on my experience and those of others.

Cost

As of this writing, the on/off switch is $29.95 direct from The Smartest House and shipping is free with any $70 order. On Amazon, it’s and eligible for prime shipping. This makes it cheaper than any of its major competitors in the Z-Wave space. If you’re going to be using this in a three-way configuration, considering the price of the add-on switches required with other brands, the Zooz is the runaway best value.

The Verdict

My experience with installing and using the Zooz on/off switch has been very positive. Installation in a three-way configuration was simple. Pairing only took a few seconds, and there was no need to move my hub closer to the switch. In my case, this was a distance of about 35 feet, passing through a concrete block wall. I like the look of the switch, the feel of the rocker, and the price simply can’t be beat. I had no trouble with my order, but in my experience, TheSmartestHome has superior customer service, should you need any help.