November 3, 2024

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D-Link DKZ-201S review: D-Link crams a lot of smarts into its Komfy light switch

We haven’t had a whole lot of luck with D-Link’s smart-home products in the past. Its first-gen Wi-Fi Smart Plug was extremely difficult to set up and use and its Pan and Tilt Day/Night Network Camera didn’t really work at all. Things shifted slightly in D-Link’s favor with its comically ginormous, but mostly functional Full HD 180-Degree Wi-Fi Camera.

But its latest product, the $250 Komfy Switch with Camera (model number DKZ-201S) is something I can comfortably recommend. Believe me, I’m a little surprised too.

Overall, the Komfy works well and offers all sorts of features for your money:

  • 1- or 2-gang light control (that’s up to two lights on the same switch plate)
  • Auto-on/off scheduling
  • 1080p live streaming
  • Optional fee-based cloud storage, a microSD card slot (up to 64GB)
  • Motion and sound detection
  • Ambient temperature, humidity, light and air quality readings, energy consumption stats
  • A related IFTTT channel (but no other smart home product or platform support)

The downside, of course, is that you’d have to shell out 250 bucks (it’s available for $210 on Amazon right now) for a light switch when you could spend just $200 on a Nest Cam or some other 1080p live streaming camera with more mobility. D-Link’s Komfy is also limited to iPhones, automatically rendering this product useless to Android users.

At the same time, the Komfy is comparatively more discreet — way more discreet than the brand’s own massive 1080p camera — and packs in extra functionality when you consider all of the included environment sensors.

It looks nice, too. The Komfy Switch has simple black or white plastic face- and wall- plates that snap on easily after installation. Installation is a bit trickier, though. That’s mainly because it involves electrical wiring and if you aren’t comfortable in that realm, you should absolutely check with an experienced friend or hire a professional to handle this part. The Komfy is also larger than your standard switch and might not fit in the electrical cutout as easily as your previous model.

The video below is a tutorial for installing a similar product, the Belkin WeMo Switch. It will give you the gist of what’s involved, but is slightly different than the Komfy install, especially if you’re connecting two switches. Just make sure you switch the lights, fan or other device off at the circuit breaker before starting any electrical project.

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