4 Best Smart Light Switches With No Neutral in the UK

With smart home appliances gaining traction by the day, swapping over to smart home products like switches seems to be the most rational step. However, if your house's light switches lack a neutral wire, it may become a tad difficult to find appropriate products. Well, worry not, as we have curated a list of the best smart light switches without neutral wires in the UK.

These smart switches bypass the requirement for a neutral wire. However, some switches may need additional wiring and setup to make up for the absence of a neutral wire.

So, without further ado, let's check out some of the best smart light switches with no neutral wire. But first,

Conventionally, no neutral smart switches comprise closed circuits. Here, the neutral wire supplies the power continuously. However, the wattage is kept low in order to keep the connected lights in the Off state, and at the same time, keep the switch running to receive commands.

While most smart light switches work in a similar manner, some make use of capacitors and external power sources like batteries to deliver the required power for the smart switch to function efficiently at all times.

Buy

If you do not want to spend much and want to try your hand with smart switches (and the eventual installation), TP-Link's Tapo switches are your best bet. It's a 1-Gang switch that is compatible with Google Home and Alexa. And since it's a smart switch, you get all the bells and whistles like Schedule, Voice commands, and an Away mode. It needs a hub to function, and you can also pair other Tapo devices with the hub in the future.

The TP-Link Tapo smart switches are apt for older homes that don't have neutral wires. It makes up for the power with the aid of external batteries. To that end, a TP-Link Tapo switch requires two triple-A batteries to function properly. Interestingly, you will get alerted when the batteries are low on charge too.

The hub is compact, and it acts as the bridge between your home's wireless network and the switch. Interestingly, it also comes with a chime that can be customized to your liking.

The TP-Link Tapo smart light switch looks elegant and the odds are that it will gel well with modern home decor. At the same time, it's small and compact. However, installation may need time, depending on your house's wiring. While a few people have had issues with the installation, some have reported little to no issues. On the upside, the back of the switch is magnetic it latches on to metallic surfaces seamlessly.

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Another smart switch that can work without a neutral wire is the one by Yagusmart. Similar to TP-Link's offering, the Yagusmart switch is compatible with both, Alexa and Google Home. That said, the feather in Yagusmart's cap is that it doesn't need a separate battery to power itself. To wit, you will have to connect a capacitor between the live and neutral wires to get continuous power. More notably, it doesn't need a hub and connects directly to the home's Wi-Fi network.

It comes with all the essential features too, including Voice Control, App Control, and Timer, among others. It has a flat design and comprises a touch-sensitive button which gives off a premium vibe. Note that it needs a deep back box for installation.

Per several user reviews, the switch and the companion app can be set up seamlessly. It's worth noting that some users have faced flickering issues with the light. However, that's bound to happen when the bundled capacitor is not connected.

The Yagusmart Wi-Fi smart light switch has more than 2,000 user ratings on Amazon. Users adore that the switch is compliant with Alexa, touts a premium look, and can be installed easily.

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The BroadLink Smart wall switch brings the best of the switches prefaced above. For one, it can function without an external battery or a capacitor. Secondly, it comes in a set of 2-Gang switches, which gives you the flexibility of controlling two lights at an affordable price.

The only limitation is that these switches work over a 2.4GHz connection, and you will need to reset your router's network band if you want them to work flawlessly. At the same time, the companion app — BroadLink App — is not the easiest app to work with. Furthermore, the switches require the S3 Hub to function properly, which adds to the overall expense too. The good thing is that once the initial setup is done, you can interface the switch with Alexa and use the virtual assistant to toggle the smart features.

The Alexa integration works as advertised and several users have noted this in their reviews. Unfortunately, you may want to skip this smart switch if you have Google Home.

The BroadLink Smart switch has buttons instead of a touch-sensitive surface. Moreover, it requires a 35mm back box. And, if you don't have one, you may have to get some spacers for the back boxes. While the instructions are a tad difficult to follow, the installation process in itself is not difficult. In fact, several users have described the installation as smooth and easy.

Buy

The Aqara Smart Wall Switch H1 is a tad different from the others. For one, it's a two ways switch. Secondly, it operates over Zigbee and needs a Zigbee AQARA HUB. The good news is that the AQARA HUB is also compatible with other Aqara smart products. It works as advertised, and as the one prefaced above, it's on its way up the popularity ladder.

If we go into specifics, this smart wall switch uses Zigbee 3.0. As you may already know, this wireless technology is known for its wide compatibility and superb stability.

Interestingly, you can also configure the switches to respond to various actions, such as single presses and double presses. Further, you also get the option to decouple the relay and use the switch for other actions, without affecting the connected smart light. Cool, right?

As is the case with most smart switches on the list, the Aqara Smart Wall Switch H1 is easy to install and set up too. In fact, several users speak highly of the product's straightforward setup process. Plus, the premium look enhances the overall look of your wall by several notches. That's not all as the switches are compatible with Apple's HomeKit, which is the cherry on top.

No, all switches do not have neutral wires, especially if you live in an older home. However, most modern homes have neutral wires, and rockers and switches need a neutral wire to operate.

In the UK, the neutral wires behind switches are color coded. For older homes, the neutral wire is usually black, while modern homes have Blue neutral colors as per the new UK 3-Phase colors.

These were some of the best smart switches that you can buy in the UK. However, before you buy one, do a quick survey of the back boxes and the electrical layout of your home. Smart home products are not inexpensive and you would want to be absolutely sure of the products and the layout of the circuits before you buy them.

At the same time, we’d recommend you to get an electrician if you are not familiar with electrical, primarily from a safety point of view.

Last updated on 09 June, 2023

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Namrata loves writing about products and gadgets. She has been working for Guiding Tech since 2017 and has around five years of experience writing features, how-tos, buying guides, and explainers. Previously she worked as an IT Analyst at TCS, but she found her calling elsewhere.