Lutron finally made its smart remote look just like a regular light switch

Smart lighting manufacturer Lutron is expanding its line of smart switches that don't look like smart switches, adding a new Pico Paddle Remote ($19.99) to its Cassette Smart Lighting line. The wireless remote looks like a wired switch but can control all cassette switches, Lutron Serena smart shades, wired fans, Sonos speakers, and more.

For those unfamiliar, the Caseta line is one of the best DIY solutions for smart switches to control regular LED lighting. This is thanks to Lutron's rock-solid Clear Connect RF technology, wide integration (Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings, and more), and no need for neutral wires, making the switches compatible with more homes. Are. Are. Are.

However, the line is expensive, starting at around $60 for an on/off switch, and requires a proprietary bridge to be used as a whole home lighting solution. The original design of the cassette was also very distinctive and quite technical looking, consisting of icons and many buttons. The new Pico paddle remote matches the new classic paddle switch style Lutron launched last year with its Diva and Claro smart switches.

The benefit here is a more familiar-looking switch that anyone can use, but with the added functionality of a smart switch. "It's a less disruptive aesthetic," Adam Mack, product manager for Cassette Wireless, told me at a briefing ahead of the launch.

The new Pico Paddle Remote is a redesigned version of its existing Pico wireless remote control. It can be used as a standalone remote but is actually designed to be wall mounted using a standard switch wall box for a traditional look. It can serve as a second point of control for any Lutron cassette switch in a room, giving you three-way lighting without having to deal with three-way wiring.

The Pico Paddle Remote has up to 10 years of battery life and can control up to 10 devices without a Wi-Fi connection. It will work with all existing cassette switches and compatible accessories including wall mounts.

The new look changes the way it controls. When paired with a cassette dimmer switch, one tap of the Pico will turn the lights on when the dimmer slider is set to any level. This is a nice upgrade from the previous Pico, where a tap would turn the lights to full brightness every time.

If you tap the pico twice, the light comes to full brightness. However, there is no micro-dimming option that the original allows. The original Pico is available for purchase. Like that version, the new Pico also works with Lutron's Serena Shades line to fully open, fully close or pause the shades.

The Pico Paddle Remote costs $19.95 standalone or $29.95 with the wall mount and wall plate. The bundle of remote, wall mount, and Diva Smart Dimmer ($79.95) or Clara Smart Switch ($69.95) is also discounted. The products will be available at Best Buy, Lowe's and The Home Depot starting today, September 7, and soon on Amazon.

I checked with Lutron about plans to adopt Matter; The company is a member of the Connectivity Standards Alliance but has not yet said whether it will support the new smart home protocol. "Our stance remains the same – while a lot has changed with Matter over the last few months – in terms of customer benefit, we want to make sure it works and works well," Mack said. "So, we don't have any timeline in terms of when or if we will support it."

With this week's news that Samsung and Amazon have finally added full support for bridging in Matter (which is most likely how Lutron's products will be added to the standard) and with Leviton and Philips Hue on board Its smart lighting competitors have been strengthened since. The pressure on Lutron to step up has now increased.