The Enbrighten Zigbee Smart Light Switch (model 43078) is worth buying if you already run a Zigbee 3.0 hub and have a neutral wire at the switch box, since it pairs fast, holds a stable connection, and doubles as a Zigbee router for the rest of your mesh. It only handles on and off control, so if you want dimming, skip ahead to the dimmer version below. This review covers install, hub compatibility, and 3-way wiring next.
Dimmer or plain switch, which one do you need? This page covers the 43078, a plain on/off switch. If you want to fade lights up and down instead of just switching them on and off, see our Enbrighten Zigbee Smart Dimmer Switch review instead.
About the Enbrighten Zigbee Smart Light Switch
Product Features:
- Zigbee smart light switch
- Locally controlled and connected
- Slimmer body to fit better in tight switch boxes
- SimpleWire auto-detect line and load terminals
- Dual ground ports designed for cleaner daisy-chaining in multi-switch boxes
- Energy monitoring when paired with a compatible hub
- Acts as a Zigbee router
Enbrighten Zigbee Smart Light Switch Details
The Enbrighten Zigbee Smart Light Switch is a hardwired smart switch that works with Zigbee hubs and pretty much any smart home system that has Zigbee. It uses a QuickFit housing that is up to 20 percent less deep than older Zigbee models from the same brand, which can help when you are dealing with shallow or crowded switch boxes. The design also gets rid of break-off tabs, which can make it a bit easier to fit into multi-gang boxes or older boxes that do not have much space.
The switch also uses SimpleWire, which means the line and load terminals auto-detect which wire is which during setup. This can cut down on guesswork during wiring. There are dual ground ports that are offset from the mounting screw area, which can help when you need to daisy-chain grounds in a multi-switch setup. It is meant to be wired like a standard in-wall switch, while adding smart control through Zigbee.
For voice control, you can pair the Enbrighten Zigbee Smart Light Switch directly with 1st and 2nd generation Echo Plus, Echo Show 10, or Echo Studio. With those models, you do not need any extra hub to use voice commands for the connected lights. Other Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant devices can also control the switch when you connect it through a compatible Zigbee hub. When used with a hub that supports it, the switch can report energy use, though the detail and features for energy monitoring depend on what the hub supports.
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Model number | 43078 |
| Protocol | Zigbee 3.0 |
| Wiring | Neutral wire required |
| Zigbee router/repeater | Yes |
| Dimming | No, on/off only |
| 3-way support | Yes, with the Enbrighten Add-on Switch (up to 4 add-ons, 5 locations) |
| Install system | QuickFit housing, SimpleWire auto-detect terminals |
Here is the current listing for the Enbrighten Zigbee Smart Light Switch (43078):
Our Review
I installed the Enbrighten Zigbee Smart Light Switch to replace an older switch that used a timer for my outdoor lights. The install itself was pretty simple for a basic swap, but I did run into a problem because I was replacing a three-way switch and I lost track of my traveler wire. Once I sorted that out, the rest of the wiring felt straightforward, and the switch fit right into the spot of my old non smart switch. One note, if you are planning on using this switch as a three way like I am, you will also need the Enbrighten Add-on Switch.
Pairing the switch with my existing Zigbee network was quick and easy. It joined my network without trouble and has stayed stable and reliable since then. I use it to control my outdoor lights, and they now turn on automatically at night without me needing to adjust anything. My old timer switch would sometimes lose its time memory and just not turn the lights on or off, but this new switch has been consistent and on time every night.
I also like that this switch has energy monitoring, so I can see how much power my outdoor lights are using. It can act as a Zigbee router too, which helps extend the range of my Zigbee network in that part of the house. For what I needed, this switch has done what I wanted without any issues.
Wiring the Enbrighten Add-on Switch for a 3-Way Setup
The 43078 goes in as the master switch, wired the normal way with line, load, neutral, and ground. Each extra location gets an Enbrighten Add-on Switch instead of a second smart switch. The add-on connects to the master through the traveler wire that already ran between your old 3-way switches, plus its own neutral and ground.
The add-on switch has no radio of its own. Enbrighten’s add-on switch documentation confirms it is not wireless and is not built for stand-alone use, and it works only by relaying your paddle press to the master switch over that traveler wire.
The one linked above shows up on Amazon as a “Z-Wave Add-On Switch,” which looks off for a Zigbee product. The listing describes a passive accessory instead, one that works with Enbrighten Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, and Zigbee master switches alike. You can link up to four add-ons to one master switch for control from as many as five locations.
Pros and Cons of the Enbrighten Zigbee Smart Light Switch
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy install | Neutral wire required |
| Slimmer body | 3-way setup needs an add-on switch |
| Fast and reliable pairing | Energy monitoring depends on hub |
| Energy monitoring available | |
| Acts as a Zigbee router |
Which Hubs and Voice Assistants Work With It
The Enbrighten Zigbee 3.0 switch pairs directly with four Amazon Echo models and needs no separate hub: 1st and 2nd generation Echo Plus, Echo Show 10, and Echo Studio. Every other Zigbee hub or app talks to it through a hub in the middle.
SmartThings recognizes the switch through its Zigbee edge drivers, and Home Assistant’s ZHA integration pairs it too, though it can register as a light entity by default rather than a switch, which you can change in configuration.yaml if you want a plain switch entity. Zigbee2MQTT lists model 43078 by name and exposes on/off control plus wattage and kilowatt-hour reporting. Hubitat users pair it with the built-in GE Zigbee Switch driver.
New to Zigbee gear beyond this one switch? Our guide on things to know before buying Zigbee devices covers hub compatibility basics that apply to more than just this switch. If you are building a Home Assistant setup and need Zigbee radio hardware, a USB coordinator like the one in our Conbee II review is one way to add Zigbee support without a dedicated smart hub.
Which Enbrighten Zigbee Switch Should You Buy?
Enbrighten sells more than one Zigbee switch, and the model number tells you which one you are looking at. The 43078 covered in this review is a plain on/off switch, no dimming, with energy monitoring built in when your hub supports it.
If you want to fade lights up and down instead of just switching them on and off, the Enbrighten Zigbee Smart Dimmer Switch (model 43080) is the paddle dimmer version, and it uses the same QuickFit housing and SimpleWire terminals as the 43078. Both models work with the same Enbrighten Add-on Switch for 3-way and multi-location setups.
Enbrighten also lists Zigbee plug-in switch and plug-in dimmer models on byjasco.com for lamps and other plug-in fixtures, for anyone who does not want to wire anything into the wall.
FAQ
Does the Enbrighten Zigbee switch need a neutral wire?
Yes. The 43078 will not work in a switch box that only has line, load, and traveler wires. Check for a neutral before you buy, since older homes and some 3-way setups do not have one at every switch location.
Does this switch work as a Zigbee repeater?
Yes. It acts as a Zigbee router, so it stays powered and extends your mesh to devices further from your hub. Zigbee2MQTT notes that a handful of Enbrighten devices in very large networks, over 100 nodes, can stop relaying for child devices, so it is not a guaranteed fix for a spotty mesh in a huge install.
Can I use this switch in a 3-way setup?
Yes, with the Enbrighten Add-on Switch at each extra location. The add-on wires in through the traveler and its own neutral, and you can run up to four add-ons off one master switch for control from up to five locations.
Does the 43078 work with Home Assistant?
Yes, through the ZHA integration. It pairs like any Zigbee 3.0 device, though it can show up as a light entity instead of a switch entity until you set it otherwise in configuration.yaml.
Summary
The Enbrighten Zigbee Smart Light Switch is a steady option for someone who wants basic smart control without a lot of extra features. It works with common Zigbee hubs, keeps a simple look on the wall, and handles on and off control the way most people expect. The setup process may take some patience, and the lack of advanced options may not fit every smart home plan, but for a person who wants a standard switch that ties into a Zigbee system, it does the job in a plain and reliable way.
