Smart Landscape Lighting Transformers [7 Top Low-Voltage Switches in 2021]

In this article, I examine seven of the best smart landscape lighting transformers [wifi low voltage transformers and controls] that will give you better control over the outside lights that adorn your yard.

Yard Birds Rejoice

If you’re a yard bird like me, you want your yard to be the envy of your family, friends, and neighbors alike.

One way to completely bedazzle your outside space is by using smart lighting to illuminate your lawn, landscaping, gardens, walkways, stairs, and driveway.

Once you start to add several lights, you’re going to want to centralize the control over getting them to work together.

But how do you orchestrate control over all those cool lights in a smart way?

The answer is a smart landscape lighting transformer.

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Smart Landscape Lighting Transformer Recommendations

Following is a list of smart landscape lighting transformers and controls that I recommend, based on over 30 hours of research. While I really like the Ring Transformer for control over both Ring and non-Ring lights, there are also some solid offerings at a variety of price points from Orbit, Malibu, Sterno, DEWENWILS, Lightkiwi, and VOLT.

Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

In the remainder of this article, I will do my best to help you first decide if you need a smart landscape lighting transformer, and then decide which is best to meet your needs.

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What Is a Smart Landscape Lighting Transformer?

A landscape lighting transformer gives you more control over your outside lighting configuration. It offers the following key benefits for control LED, CFL, halogen, and incandescent bulbs.

Benefits of wi-fi connected landscape lighting transformers include:

• Wirelessly control on ON/OFF functions of ALL landscape lighting
• Schedule ON/OFF functions and create custom scenes
• Remotely control lighting using smartphones, tablets, PCs, and smart universal remote controls
• Energy monitoring capability allows remote monitoring of watt- and kilowatt-hours

Do I Need a Wifi Landscape Lighting Transformer?

So do you really need a smart landscape lighting transformer?  It depends. While you can get by without one, it really is the only way that you can orchestrate control over your entire outside landscape lighting configuration.  As an added bonus, some of these will allow you to also control large load, hard-wired applications such as waters heaters, landscape lighting, spas, pool pumps, and heaters.

You can check out this helpful installation video from Cal at the Lighting Doctor to get a general sense of what is involved with the installation.

⚡Pro Tip: When in doubt, please contact a certified electrician to set up your transformer.

It is important to note that most of these require a special hub to control your smart lights.  I will note the hub for each of the products below.

OK, on to my top seven landscape lighting transformer picks!

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#1 – GE Enbrighten Z-Wave Plus

My Rating (Out of 100)

SEE IT AT AMAZON

The GE Enbrighten Z-Wave Plus is a heavy-duty, 40-amp smart switch that is both indoor and outdoor rated. It is rated at 120-277V and also provides robust energy monitoring capabilities.  While it requires a Zwave hub in order for it to work, it is compatible with Samsung SmartThings, Wink, and Amazon Alexa. Pretty bright.

For these reasons, this gets my top recommendation for a smart landscape lighting transformer. Oh, and as of this writing, it is also “Amazon’s Choice” as well. When added to a Z-Wave network, the heavy-duty switch enables wireless control of on/off functions for a large load, hard-wired applications such as waters heaters, landscape lighting, spas, pool pumps, and heaters.

Check out this handy overview video:

Hub Required?

Yes, Zwave

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#2 – Ring Transformer

My Rating (Out of 100)

SEE IT AT AMAZON

The Ring Smart Lighting Transformer allows you to connect your compatible low-voltage non-Ring landscape lights to the Ring Transformer and Ring Bridge to enable smart controls over non-Ring lighting.  For example, if you have a mix of Ring smart lights and traditional low-voltage outdoor lighting, you can manage all of your landscape lighting using Ring’s dashboard. You can also receive notifications when motion is detected, and turn lights on and off using the Ring app on your mobile devices.

This is my pick for simple, affordable control over smart Ring and traditional landscape lighting. The Ring Bridge connects the Ring Transformer to your Ring App to put smart lighting at your fingertips. You can connect the landscape lights to all your Ring Smart Lights, Ring doorbells and cameras via the Ring Bridge. This way all of your Ring and non-Ring lights will be connected to the Hub. The benefit?  For example, if one Ring device detects motion, it can turn on all your connected lights.

Hub Required?

Yes, requires Ring Bridge for smart controls. Sold separately. One Ring Bridge supported per household.

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#3 – Orbit LightMaster 83700 Landscape LED Lighting Controller

My Rating (Out of 100)

SEE IT AT AMAZON

Orbit’s Landscape LED Light Controller is a great choice for large yards that you want to separate off into multiple zones.  It includes a built-in 60 Watt power supply and lets you program three independent zones to allow for a landscape to be sectioned off.  This will allow you to create some really cool lighting configurations by area, function, or type of light fixture.

For example, one zone can control spotlights that highlight the architectural and landscape beauty of the house while another zone can control pathway lighting for easy nighttime entry into a home long after the spotlights are off.

Check out this helpful video from Orbit Irrigation:

Hub Required?

No.

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#4 – Philips Hue Lily

My Rating (Out of 100)

SEE IT AT AMAZON

While this isn’t a “landscape lighting transformer” per say, I love Philips Hue outdoor lights. And you certainly can use them to “transform” your outdoor landscape lighting configuration. You can use Philips Hue Lily and other outdoor lights to achieve the same effect as a smart transformer and traditional lighting.  You can also use these lights as the basis for a new configuration or simply if you want to smarter up a certain part of your yard.

Best of all? You can mix and match with other outdoor lights in the Hue family, including some really cool colorful path lights and two types of outdoor LED strip lights. If I were starting from scratch with adding smart lights to my yard, this is the way I would go. No question. They are a little on the pricey side, sure. But I have had great quality with Hue indoor lights and the outdoor lights are just plain cool.

Hub Required?

Yes. Requires Philips Hue Hub.

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#5 – Unique Lighting Light Logic Plus

My Rating (Out of 100)

SEE IT AT AMAZON

Unique’s Lighting Light Logic Plus system lets you set up and control your outdoor landscape lighting system via the Internet or smartphone application. So what makes this smart landscape lighting controller “unique?”  Well, it has probably the smartest timing settings out of all of the products in this review.

It can be configured to automatically adjust for dusk and dawn times in accordance with where you live. It can even accommodate for seasonal changes, and it automatically adjusts for Daylight Savings Time. Over the long haul, this will save you money.

The system runs via a secure Internet gateway and supports all current Wi-Fi protocols. Technically speaking, it communicates with LPCU-A via a proven and dependable radio frequency signal. Oh, and it’s power outage safe. You won’t lose your programming even when the power goes out.

While the current description over at Amazon is a little light on the details, you can download the full manufacturer’s brochure here.

Hub Required?

No.

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#6 – Lightkiwi for Landscape Lighting

My Rating (Out of 100)

SEE IT AT AMAZON

Next on my list of best smart landscape lighting transformers is Lightkiwi for Landscape Lighting.

This is a low voltage, professional-grade, landscape lighting 300 Watt transformer with stainless steel housing, multi-tap 12V, 13V, 14V, 15V, photocell, and timer. The 600 Watt transformer, will not let you control your lights with your smartphone but you can add an optional timer or photocell to automate certain features.

This includes turning on your lights on at dusk, with an option of waiting one to nine hours to turn them off. You can also automate them using a  Dusk to Dawn option or override it with an optional photocell and connect it to a plug-in timer.

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#7 – Malibu 300 Watt Power Pack

My Rating (Out of 100)

SEE IT AT AMAZON

The Malibu 300 Watt Power Pack is a one of the best smart landscape lighting transformers that ships with a sensor and a weather shield that is built to withstand the harshest of outdoor elements. This is good news for those of us who live in the Northeast.

Malibu transformers reduce household electrical current output from 110 volts to a much safer 12 volts output, providing a safer more practical electrical current level. This reduces power consumption and lowers the risk of fire. The transformer is easy to install with a little electric and DIY handyperson knowledge. All Malibu transformers come with a digital reading, automatic timer, and clock controls facilitating simple automation.

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Best Smart Landscape Lighting Transformers: Your Turn

I hope you enjoyed my review of the top landscape lighting transformers you can buy today.

So what do YOU think about these transformers? Do you agree with my picks?  Perhaps there is a product you like better than didn’t make my list?

Do you plan on purchasing one of these controllers?  What features do you look forward to using the most? Is voice control integration a factor with Alexa, Google Assistant, or HomeKit a factor for you?

Please leave me a comment below and let me know.

Also, if you liked this review of the best smart landscape lighting transformers, would you mind sharing it using the colorful social media buttons at the top and bottom of this page? It really helps us out a lot – thanks!

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Related Posts

If you enjoyed reading this review of the best smart landscape lighting transformers, you might also like some of our other articles:

• 7 Best Smart Outdoor Lights [with Pics and Videos]
• What Are The Best Philips Hue Outdoor Lights? [Calla vs Lily]
• 3 Best Smart Paver Lights for Retaining Walls [Wi-Fi, Solar & Wired]
• What Is the Best Smart Standby Home Power Generator?

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About the Author

Tim Brennan, Technical Writer & Blogger

Tim Brennan [a.k.a. "Tec Timmy"] is a senior technical writer with over 20 years of experience writing for companies and organizations in and around Greater Boston, including GE and MIT. In addition to actively writing for this smart home blog, Tim is also a regular contributor over at UniversalRemoteReviews.com. Tim holds a BA in Journalism from Northeastern University. Brennan is a father to two sons, an active blogger, a Star Wars nut, and loves a good taco🌮. There is a strong chance he is developing a crush on Amazon Alexa. You can learn more about Tim here.