Reddit mentions of Lutron Caseta Smart Home Plug-in Lamp Dimmer Switch and Pico Remote Kit, Works with Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and The Google Assistant | P-PKG1P-WH | White

I have an Ecobee4 thermostat (although Alexa doesn’t work as well for me as I hoped) w/ Ecobee remote sensors mounted in every room. Not only is this great for managing the temp in the house overall, but now I can include temp changes in my automations and geo-fencing.

In addition, although I find them a bit slow to respond when using them as room entry motion sensors, the Ecobee remote sensors are great for automatically turning off the lights when a room is no longer occupied.

I also recently added some non-HomeKit “smarter” switches in my bathroom and laundry room. In the laundry room, I put a simple Lutron (not Caseta) motion sensor switch to auto turn the light on/off when someone comes/goes from the laundry room. Works fantastically, it’s simple, and not too expensive.

In my bathroom, I added three new Lutron (not Caseta) switches.

• 1 is a dimmer w/ motion sensor... I use it for the ceiling fixture to come on automatically at 50% brightness (if the room is dark enough). It also turns the light off automatically.
  
  
• 1 is a fan controller with a built-in timer. This thing is great. I set it to a 30-minute default countdown when turned on. The time can be adjusted from 5-60 minutes. Double tapping the fan switch turns it on until someone turns it off.
  
  
• 1 is a plain switch to control the vanity mirror light bar. Manual on/off... that’s it.
  
  The first two of those switches are far more programmable than I thought... reading the instructions really paid off! :)
  
  The Lutron Claro wall plates are really great as well. They are very clean, simple, and modern looking... and their 2-part design makes it really easy to adjust all your switches for a precision installation (i.e. flush and straight).
  
  In my bedroom, my bedside lamps are controlled by 1 Lutron Caseta lamp dimmer w/ remote. I use the same style Caseta lamp dimmer for a few other standalone lamps... and even used one to automate (just on/off) my outside LED holiday lights last winter (the dimmability of which was fantastic, as they are normally way too bright).
  
  In conclusion, before spending a bunch of money, my advice would be to think carefully about how you/others use certain rooms and if a motion detection switch would suffice or if a more complex automation control is needed. Also... do the math. As others have pointed out, one alternative may be way more cost effective over another when you factor in the number of bulbs and/or switches involved.
  
  One last thing... I am renting a room to a guy who's on a totally different schedule than me and as such, I never knew if he was in his room sleeping or out of the house elsewhere. So... since I had previously added him to my HomeKit household... I use a combination of geofencing with his phone, and the Ecobee motion sensor in his room, to switch on/off a particular lamp when he comes & goes. That way... it's easy for me to know if I need to be quiet, or if I can rock out with my socks out.
  
  *EDIT: Added a bunch of links and more...

Closest thing I have seen is z wave based. Lutron makes a plug that you can get a remote with.

Edit: link; Caseta Wireless Smart Lighting Lamp Dimmer and Remote Kit, P-PKG1P-WH, White, Works with Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JJY1QG0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_OeJbBb7389Z6A

Why would you build something when for $9 bucks you can get one that's UL approved and won't look like absolute shit?

You want to go one notch higher? Get the Caseta version and do it wirelessly.

I have a similar situation. I'm in a house built in 1955 and in the process of replacing switches with a Lutron setup.

One thing I wanted to be clear on is what you mention about a lack of neutral wires. From my understanding (and granted, I'm not an electrician, but have done my fair share of wiring jobs around the house), even houses from the 50s would have neutral wires. I'm wondering if you've confused ground wires with neutral wires. Neutrals are usually white wires while grounds are usually green or bare copper. Again, I know this as I'm in the exact situation. My house has no ground wires in most locations, but neutrals are everywhere as expected.

I only have one switch in the house the controls an outlet, but here's now I tackled it.

• First, I removed the switch and coupled the wires together to make the outlet constantly powered.
  
• Next, I got a Lutron lamp controller (https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Caseta-Wireless-Dimmer-300-watt/dp/B00JJY1QG0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484801392&sr=8-1&keywords=lutron+caseta+lamp) and used this for the lamps in the outlet.
  
• Finally, I got this (https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-PICO-WBX-ADAPT-Pico-Wallplate-Bracket/dp/B00JZRAFEA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484801427&sr=8-1&keywords=caseta+pico+wall+mounting) to mount the Pico remote for the lamp controller in the same box the original switch used to be in.
  
  This has actually worked out great, as it means we have an extra outlet in the living room for plugging in things like our laptops, but we still have a switch in the wall for the lamps.

You just set up the lamp dimmer as you would normally. The extender functionality is automatically activated.

You can see which device, if any, is acting as an extender in the Lutron app. Open the app, and tap the gear icon in the top-left corner to open Settings. Then, tap on "Advanced". Choose "Range Extender". If one of your lamp dimmers is acting as a range extender, then it will show up there.

If you want to change which device is an extender, you have to remove the existing device acting as current extender from your Lutron app and then re-add it. (So it might be easier to just physically swap the lamp dimmers in your home and then change their assigned rooms, scenes, and triggers in Lutron and HomeKit).

It's worth emphasizing that only the lamp dimmer (https://www.amazon.com/Caseta-Wireless-Lighting-Dimmer-P-PKG1P-WH/dp/B00JJY1QG0) can act as an extender. None of the in-wall dimmers or switches are capable of acting as extenders.

(edit: corrected "set it" to "set up" in the first sentence)

A Caseta plug-in lamp dimmer along with a wireless remote can do this. https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Wireless-Lighting-P-PKG1P-WH-Assistant/dp/B00JJY1QG0

You can mount the remote on the wall using the wall mount kit (not included with the kit above, but should be pretty easy to find). If you no longer use the switch that you’re trying to replace, you could remove that switch, tie the wires together to make that receptacle always on, then mount this wireless remote right on top of the old switch location.

Generally speaking, it's not recommended to put a dimmer on an outlet. Lutron has on/off switches, but they also require a neutral.

But you may be over thinking it. You can just do this and then get the "switch" wall mount for the remote.


Edit: I didn't fully read your post. You can program any of the Lutron remotes to control multiple Lutron lights. Mounting one and having it control multiple I think is the best solution.

The Lutron Lamp Dimmer doesn’t cover both outlets. See photos here: https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Wireless-Lighting-P-PKG1P-WH-Assistant/dp/B00JJY1QG0

Lutron Caseta will take care of that for you. Bonus: you can plug two lamps in to one, however they can't be independently controlled.

If you end up getting a hub then you can use your iPhone, or Alexa, amongst other devices to control them, however I wouldn't bother with the hub unless you expanded the switches to multiple areas of your house...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JJY1QG0/

Take a look at the Lutron lamp dimmer: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JJY1QG0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You do need the Lutron hub to make it Homekit capable though.

Put in any light fixture and bulbs you want and use a Lutron Caseta in wall dimmer switch. First light switch is about 100 bucks,

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-P-BDG-PKG1W-Caseta-Wireless-Selected/dp/B00MXCRAX8/ref=sr_1_3?s=lamps-light&ie=UTF8&qid=1482958038&sr=1-3&keywords=lutron+caseta

This includes the Smart hub needed to make it internet accessible.
Each additional switch thereafter is around 50$.

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Caseta-Wireless-Dimmer-150-Watt/dp/B00KLAXFQA/ref=sr_1_2?s=lamps-light&ie=UTF8&qid=1482958148&sr=1-2&keywords=lutron+caseta

You can also purchase them with remotes for $60

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Wireless-600-watt-150-watt-Multi-Location/dp/B00JJY0S4G/ref=sr_1_1?s=lamps-light&ie=UTF8&qid=1482958148&sr=1-1&keywords=lutron+caseta

and you can purchase plug in versions that allow you to control standard lamps and such ($60)

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Caseta-Wireless-Dimmer-300-watt/dp/B00JJY1QG0/ref=sr_1_7?s=lamps-light&ie=UTF8&qid=1482958148&sr=1-7&keywords=lutron+caseta

Lutron Caseta is not only compatible with alexa, ("alexa turn my living room to 50%" "alexa turn off my bed room" "alexa turn my living room to 10%" etc.) it is also fully homekit enabled. ("Hey siri, set my chamber to 2%" ) and utilizing the home app on your iDevice, you can set up schedules and such, for example my bedroom light turns on to 10% 30min before my alarm, and up to 50% 5 minutes before my alarm. This really helps me wake up on time.

Lutron caseta work great. worth the money

The Lutron Caseta plug-in dimmer might be a good choice. Amazon Link.

http://www.amazon.com/Lutron-P-PKG1P-WH-Wireless-300-watt-100-watt/dp/B00JJY1QG0

I'm a big fan of Lutron. Their in-wall and plug-in dimmers can work without a hub. Then if you eventually decide you want Homekit and other such features, you can easily add in a hub.

In-wall dimmer: https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Wireless-600-watt-150-watt-Multi-Location/dp/B00JJY0S4G

Plug-in dimmer: https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Caseta-Wireless-Dimmer-300-watt/dp/B00JJY1QG0

Lutron has a lamp outlet dimmer switch but you'll need to get the hub as well. There's a home assistant component which would then allow you to feed in the sunrise schedule.

I'm doubtful that a standalone dimmer like you're describing exists.

Lutron Caseta Wireless Smart Lighting Lamp Dimmer and Remote Kit, P-PKG1P-WH, White, Works with Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and the Google Assistant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JJY1QG0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Q7GPCbYBJ7WJ8

Yes. The Lutron dimmer is a physical switch that controls the device wired to it just like a normal non-smart switch.

These are the plug in dimmers: https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Wireless-Lighting-P-PKG1P-WH-Assistant/dp/B00JJY1QG0

You can pair them with wireless remotes to control lamps.

I'm just using a plug-in lamp dimmer for mine, but there are several ways to go about it...lamp dimmer, smart bulb, smart switch...

This one has prime, same thing: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00JJY1QG0/ref=twister_B07RR5V7SN?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

You don't need the pro hub anymore, it works with the regular hub. I don't think the pico remote is individually programmable with HA yet but you could use this lamp dimmer if you just want to turn it on and off.

Lutron makes a Dimmable Plug.

I was going to get a few Lutron plug in switches but I found the bluetooth auto-off fairly reliable. Now that latest steamvr beta allows the entire system to be turned on from the wands and headset, I think that's actually superior to a third party switch setup.

You may also want to try the lutron dimmer plug you could set different light levels different periods of the day: 11pm-7am 40%; 7am-10:59 100% etc. you can set two homekit automations for when motion detected and when not detected (turn off) for each time period. I’ve found the hue motion sensor to be very responsive in this scenario, make sure firmware is updated.

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Wireless-Lighting-P-PKG1P-WH-Assistant/dp/B00JJY1QG0 (needs hub and it’s worth it)