LED Dimmer Switch Recommendations?

Other Devices & Integrations Lighting & Load Control
#1

First off, I don’t own a Vera or any Z-Wave devices but I would like to (finally) add some automation to my home and after checking out SmartThings and HomeKit, Vera seems like it might work best for me (web control, multiple protocols, etc.)

In the process of a new kitchen build and will have 10-12 LED recessed lights that I would like to control with 1 or 2 dimmers.
I understand that not all dimmers are created equally.
Ideally I want full control on the dimmer unit itself, but with Z-Wave (or other compatible protocol) feature.
No buzzing, no flickering, and very low dim levels are a plus.
The switch should be able to be in gang with other non-connected switches (lesser important stuff like closet lights).
So far, I’ve read that the Leviton VRMX1-1LZ is a good dimmer. Yes/No? Something better? Thoughts?

Side note: This is my first foray into HA since way back 10 years ago with X10 when I completely automated an old apartment from 1834 with old cloth bound wires. Managed to get voice commands in any room, every light, drapes, countertop appliances, security, motion scenes, web interface control, custom scripts to get the latest news, weather, stock quotes all via voice commands etc.

#2

You mention Vera and multiple protocols. That’s true, in that Vera can communicate via TCP/IP and it can be used with add-on radios like Insteon(x-10) and RFX433, but Vera does not support any built-in radios besides Z-Wave. While the other companies support Zigbee and possibly others, Vera does not.

The Leviton VRMX1-1LZ is an excellent dimmer and is most likely to be compatible with your chosen LED bulbs. But compatibility without buzz or flicker is not guaranteed, as some bulbs simply may not be as good as others. Here is an example from yesterday. The only way to know for sure is to test your desired switch with the bulb. With the VRMX1-1LZ, if a bulb doesn’t work another bulb will.

Cooper RF9540-NAW Aspire Single-Pole Multi-Location Master Dimmer are also good dimmers with similar feature sets(Instant Status) to the Leviton.

2gig(Linear) WD500Z-1 Z-Wave Wall Dimmer is also a good dimmer, but it lacks Instant Status which may be important to you later when you are implementing automation.