Best Ceiling Fan Wall Controls in 2022

Last update: November 13, 2022

Are ceiling fan remotes IR or RF?

There's a lot of debate on this topic, but the general consensus is that ceiling fan remotes are IR (infrared). This makes sense, because most ceiling fans have a receiver that's designed to pick up IR signals from the remote. However, there are some ceiling fans that use RF (radio frequency) remotes. These are less common, but they do exist. If you have a ceiling fan with an RF remote, it's likely because the manufacturer wanted to make the fan compatible with other RF devices in your home, like a smart home hub.

Are ceiling fan remotes worth it?

There are a few schools of thought on ceiling fan remotes. Some people believe that they are worth the investment because they offer convenience and can save you money on your energy bill. Others believe that they are unnecessary and add an unnecessary expense to the ceiling fan. Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to purchase a ceiling fan remote is up to the individual.

Can a ceiling fan have a remote and a wall switch?

A ceiling fan can have a remote and a wall switch. A wall switch can be used to turn the fan on and off, while a remote can be used to adjust the speed of the fan or to turn the light on and off.

Can I put a variable speed switch on my ceiling fan?

Yes, you can put a variable speed switch on your ceiling fan. This will allow you to adjust the speed of the fan to your preference.


Lutron SFSQ-FH-WH Electronics Slide-To-Off Fan Speed Control, White Review:


My fan control utilizing a dedicated circuit works perfectly. I hooked the fan power cable to this controller, which is now in charge of controlling the electrical power going to the fan, after removing the remote control electronics from my ceiling fan. With three on and one off speeds, it functions effectively. It also has the option to reverse the fan by swiftly turning the fan on and off for reasons I'm not sure of. I can get the fan to change direction if I repeat that action a few times. That, in my opinion, is a feature of the fan, not the switch.One switch controlled the fan, and the other the light, and I first had two switches in a junction box with separate wires. However, the wiring of the power meant that either switch could turn on an electronic control unit that could operate a light and a fan and adjust the brightness of the light. It was awkward and confusing because the second switch was inactive while you had to turn on one switch before using the remote. Instead, I removed the electronic control module from the ceiling fan and individually wired the light and fan to each switch. I used an LED dimmer switch for the light and this controller for the fan. The controls are now simple and logical.



Honeywell Add-On In-Wall Paddle Switch for Honeywell Smart Lighting Controls ONLY | NOT A STANDALONE SWITCH | White & Almond Paddles | for 3 4 & 5-Way Multi-Location Installations, 39350 Review:


Excellent compatibility with SmartThings.Press the up (on) button three times quickly, then the down (off) button once to turn off the blue indicator light (blue LED) on the switch. The blue LED will be turned off, but you must act swiftly. To turn it back on, follow the same procedure. This is essential in my opinion for the switches in the bedroom because the LED is way too bright; nonetheless, it works great for other rooms of the house so that you can find the switches at night.Automate your lighting by combining the switches in each room with motion sensors. Create a number of scenes or automations with varying brightness levels dependent on the time or ambient light, or turn off their automatic activation when in a particular mode (bedtime).In another one of my homes, I had put motion lights, but this is just pushing it to another level that makes more sense. When we leave and set the alarm, all of the lights and fans switch off; just a couple come back on when we get there. Our lights and fans are now automatically regulated for us, and they turn off on their own depending on specific timers, different for each space and its purpose. It is very lovely to no longer need to use switches throughout the house.The dim on/dim off feature just makes your lighting automation feel much cozier and welcome, and these switches are quite responsive. You can alter the temperature (white vs. warm white) with a little more variation depending on the time of day or night when used in conjunction with some dumb (but smart) Phillips dimmable "Warm Glow Effect" bulbs. a considerably less expensive option than purchasing smart bulbs that allow you to manage the temperature.The three-way was quick and simple to set up. The initial wiring done by my electrician made the 4 way switch a little trickier, but I eventually worked it out and it was just a matter of how it was wired. It took me hours to figure out how it was wired up and how to arrange these properly, so if you need to do a 4 way (three switches for a light) or more configuration and you're not an electrician or good with this type of stuff, think about calling someone over who can figure it out for you.



Honeywell Z-Wave Plus Smart Light Dimmer Switch, In-Wall Paddle, Interchangeable White & Almond | Built-In Repeater & Range Extender | ZWave Hub Required - SmartThings, Wink, Alexa Compatible, 39351 Review:


This Honeywell switch has the exact same appearance as the GE 14291 switch that I just installed and linked to my Samsung Smartthings hub. Each switch is produced by JASCO. They have similar language and diagrams in their manuals. Where their similarities end is this:Pro: The Honeywell switch was quickly identified by my Smartthings hub, but the GE 14291 required a reset before being recognized. Con: The GE manual is printed in a much smaller, less readable booklet than the Honeywell one.Con: The LED indication setting on Honeywell cannot be altered. The manual's related instructions are ineffective. Therefore, LED on when switch off is the default setting that I am stuck with. I can modify the GE 14291's LED settings in my Smartthings app.



Broan-NuTone 66W NuTone Ventilation, Independent Switches for Heaters and Fans, 15 Amp, 120V, White Three-Function Wall Control, 20 Review:


Other reviewers bemoaned the absence of "screw type" connectors in their switch. The one that was mailed to me, however, did have them. It was simple to replace with this. The switches appear to be better manufactured than the previous kind I had (which lacked screw terminals).The face plate screws seemed to be too short, which was my only complaint. To make the face plate fit properly, I had to slightly raise the switch bracket from the wall using washers. The fact that the previous switch's on and off positions were flipped on the new one also intrigued me. (Before you assume that I had it backwards, I made sure. The "top" of the switch is labeled on both of them.)It didn't matter that the face plate's "Light, Vent, and Heater" labels were absent because they had long since fallen off due to frequent cleaning. However, I have thought about creating labels. Family members don't have any issues, however visitors appear to get puzzled about what each switch performs readily.



Honeywell Add-On In-Wall Paddle Switch for Honeywell Smart Lighting Controls ONLY | NOT A STANDALONE SWITCH | White & Almond Paddles | for 3 4 & 5-Way Multi-Location Installations, 39350 Review:


Excellent compatibility with SmartThings.Press the up (on) button three times quickly, then the down (off) button once to turn off the blue indicator light (blue LED) on the switch. The blue LED will be turned off, but you must act swiftly. To turn it back on, follow the same procedure. This is essential in my opinion for the switches in the bedroom because the LED is way too bright; nonetheless, it works great for other rooms of the house so that you can find the switches at night.Automate your lighting by combining the switches in each room with motion sensors. Create a number of scenes or automations with varying brightness levels dependent on the time or ambient light, or turn off their automatic activation when in a particular mode (bedtime).In another one of my homes, I had put motion lights, but this is just pushing it to another level that makes more sense. When we leave and set the alarm, all of the lights and fans switch off; just a couple come back on when we get there. Our lights and fans are now automatically regulated for us, and they turn off on their own depending on specific timers, different for each space and its purpose. It is very lovely to no longer need to use switches throughout the house.The dim on/dim off feature just makes your lighting automation feel much cozier and welcome, and these switches are quite responsive. You can alter the temperature (white vs. warm white) with a little more variation depending on the time of day or night when used in conjunction with some dumb (but smart) Phillips dimmable "Warm Glow Effect" bulbs. a considerably less expensive option than purchasing smart bulbs that allow you to manage the temperature.The three-way was quick and simple to set up. The initial wiring done by my electrician made the 4 way switch a little trickier, but I eventually worked it out and it was just a matter of how it was wired. It took me hours to figure out how it was wired up and how to arrange these properly, so if you need to do a 4 way (three switches for a light) or more configuration and you're not an electrician or good with this type of stuff, think about calling someone over who can figure it out for you.



Lutron S2-LFSQ-WH Skylark Dimmer & Fan Control, White Review:


My fan can be controlled properly (3 speed detents), and a smooth dimmer regulates the illumination. I'm able to confirm that this DOES function with LEDs. Although the dimming range isn't quite as wide as I'd like it to be—it dims to around 40% instead of the 10% I'd hoped for—it does appropriately dim the Soraa High-CRI "Vivid" series GU10 LEDs I'm using. Low light flickers on occasion can be eliminated by increasing the brightness. Overall, it functions well and seems sturdy. However, since it is practically impossible to find a single-space switch that is specifically designed for LEDs and has lighting and fan controls, this one will work for the time being.



ENERLITES Dual, 3 Speed Ceiling Control and LED Dimmer, 2.5A Single Pole Light Fan Switch, 300W Incandescent Load, No Neutral Wire Required, 17001-F3-W, White Review:


We frequently forget that our two bathrooms have fans running all day, so when I spotted this price, I couldn't pass it up. I've needed fan timers for our two bathrooms for a long time. It was easy to interchange the timers with the existing switches because they were nicely packed with their wall plates, fasteners, and wire nuts. They also function as intended.There are six buttons that indicate how long the fan should run. Simply push the desired one, then leave knowing that you contributed to clearing the air without removing the heat from the building. The larger button on the bottom will either turn on the fan or put it into manual override so that it stays on for the duration of the last usage (during which one of the timer lights will be lit to let you know how long it was running for).There is a light on each button. When the timer is running, the huge button's light turns off (fan is on). When the timer is set to run in manual override, which is done by holding the main button in for roughly three seconds, all of the lights go off. The lights on the individual buttons light only for the one that is now selected and blink just before the timer is ready to time out. All of the LEDs are very small but quite brilliant. This shouldn't be a problem, but I felt it was important to mention.Keep in mind that this switch needs four wires to function while thinking about it. a switched output (red), a ground (white), a hot (black), and a neutral (white) (green). If this is replacing a switch where there is already a fan circuit, all four will nearly always be present. You probably shouldn't be doing electrical work in the first place if you have any doubts about this.



GE Enbrighten Z-Wave Plus Smart Fan Control, Works with Alexa, Google Assistant, SmartThings, Wink, Zwave Hub Required, Repeater/Range Extender, 3-Way Compatible, White & Light Almond, 14287 Review:


Review of a Fan Switch Only: I have so far installed four of these intelligent switches for fans. The model (new # 14287) was recently modified by GE so that there are now three (not quite different) settings as opposed to a continuous adjustment (aka dimmer). The rate at which the LED flashes indicates each setting. Moving the speed setting has NO physical feedback. This means that you must pay close attention to the flashing light. For individuals who have never used these (GE Z-Wave dimmer) switches, there may be a learning curve. I haven't yet paired or used my most recent installations with a smart hub because they are at a house that is still being built. Vera hubs are the intended controller hubs.The fan's speed could be changed from zero to 100% using the earlier style fan switch (GE # 12730). This was a problem with some fans since the motor had to run at a certain speed or voltage in order to prevent buzzing. However, using Alexa to control the fan speed made it simple to change it. For instance, tell Alexa to turn the bedroom fan to 40%. Using an Alexa-connected SmartThings controller, I installed two of these switches.Switches for GE Z-Wave On/Off: 12722, 12727These are excellent for building intelligent circuits. Despite having both installed, I prefer utilizing the paddle type. Some toggle kinds, I discovered, don't seem to line up with face plate holes. When using many switches, these could serve as the master.Dimmers for GE Z-Wave: 14294, 12729same remarks as before. You might also need to teach the end user how to adjust the dimmer. The toggle switch in particular may not be intuitive. When using many switches, these could serve as the master.14289 GE Z-Wave Dimmers (Edit 1/21/2019)This new smooth-faced dimmer switch is a new model. For on/off and dimming, just tap or drag your finger across the surface. Although the design is intriguing, I believe the execution could be better. On/off is accomplished with a single tap. The lights turn off when you touch the switch with your finger up and then touch it again to dim them. My initial installation was somewhat frustrating. (Edit: 2/6/2019) This house's female resident detests it to the hilt. I anticipate replacing it soon.Add-On for GE Z-Wave: 12723, 12728These switches are a necessary component of a 3- or 4-way circuit. These switches are NOT stand-alone devices. They MUST be utilized along with one of the aforementioned switches (not the fan switch). It can be challenging to convert a three-way circuit from analog to digital. Hire an electrician if you are not confident handling this type of work. one who is also knowledgeable on how to install these switches. To operate, these add-on switches need a neutral and a trailer wire from the master switch (where the load is situated).A neutral wire is necessary for the operation of EVERY switch listed above.Installing any of these switches requires proficiency in electrical work. However, these are the best value for your money if you intend to transform your house or place of business into a smart home and want to have the fewest transition problems and maximize the use of existing wiring.None of these required any pairing concerns from me. It is easy to confuse switch locations while pairing, therefore I do advise adding them one at a time and naming them right away.Edit 2/9/18 - 14289 only Smooth Dimmer switch Okay, the level of irritability has surpassed my capacity for patience. TODAY, a new switch will be installed in its place. Although the concept is intriguing, the execution is WRONG. My tolerance has run out, and the wife has been frustrated for a while. AVOID purchasing Smooth Dimmer #14289! It turns on and off whenever you touch it, making it nearly hard to control as a dimmer. Using Alexa or an app to manage the dimmer setting is your best option. Go reconsider this, GE!



NuTone Variable Speed Wall Control for Ventilation Fans, Dial Knob Control, 3 Amp., 120V, White Review:


After first being rather underwhelmed by its reviews, I went with the general consensus and got the Lutron three-speed control for my two Broan 512 room-to-room fans. Big error! Even on medium, the Lutron's high and medium speeds produced a burning smell, and the lowest setting, while odorless and soundless, fell a little short in terms of air circulation. To make matters worse, the GFCI bathroom outlet on the same circuit was frequently tripped by the Lutron.Anyway, I placed an order for the NuTone 57W on Amazon, but it never showed up. I was kindly given a refund with a $5 credit, so I could buy another one somewhere else. The item I eventually obtained differs significantly from the one shown here in that it doesn't have the Broan logo below the dial (see attached photo); otherwise, it appears to be the same. My two Broan/NuTone 512 fans function PERFECTLY with LSS: there is no whine or hum, no smell, and the GFCI is no longer tripped. I can no longer hear the fans when I turn the dial merely 90 degrees, but they still move enough air to prevent my bedroom from being stuffy. I'm overjoyed!I suppose the majority of the bad comments on this page come from people who used this control with unsuitable fans? The 57W is only designed to draw 3A max, which is less than some attic fans. However, the Broan 512 only. You should be able to group up to four of them on one of these controllers because of the 7A specification.



Westinghouse Lighting 7787200 Ceiling Fan Wall Control Review:


The switch is identified as 1-4. If anything, you'd expect that 1 would be the slowest pace and 4 would be the fastest. The switch operates similarly to a fan's pull-chain, with the exception that it has four speeds rather than three: the first time you pull it, it is at the maximum speed; the next time, the lowest; and so on. The maximum speed is therefore the first speed from the off position, and the lowest speed is the last...fourth speed. Simply designating the speeds as 4-1 as opposed to 1-4 will solve this perception issue. Everything else is relatively simple. Great results.


Can you install a ceiling fan without wiring?

Most ceiling fans come with all the necessary hardware for installation, including a mounting bracket, screws and wire nuts. If your ceiling fan does not come with a mounting bracket, you will need to purchase one separately. To install a ceiling fan without wiring, simply screw the mounting bracket into the ceiling joists. Then, attach the fan blades to the motor housing and screw on the light fixture. Finally, hang the ceiling fan from the mounting bracket.

Do ceiling fan remotes interfere with each other?

Do ceiling fans need a special switch?

Most ceiling fans come with a standard switch that will turn the fan on and off and control the speed at which the blades rotate. However, some ceiling fans may require a special switch in order to function properly. If your ceiling fan is not working properly, check to see if it requires a special switch before calling a professional.

Do universal remotes work on all ceiling fans?

Most ceiling fans come with a remote, but sometimes the remote gets lost or broken. If you need a new remote, you can buy a universal remote that will work with most ceiling fans. You can also buy a remote that is specific to your brand of ceiling fan.

Does a ceiling fan have to be wired to a switch?

A ceiling fan does not have to be wired to a switch, but it is recommended. If you wire your ceiling fan directly to the power supply, it will be difficult to control the fan speed and the light.

Does a remote control fan need a wall switch?

A remote control fan does not need a wall switch, but it can be helpful to have one. If you have a ceiling fan, you can use a wall switch to turn it on and off. If you have a floor fan, you can use a wall switch to control the speed.