Smart light switch with Amazon Alexa voice technology.

Amazon's Alexa two-way voice technology is built into clock radios, thermostats, TVs and even lights. Ecobee Switch+ comes with a simple light switch.

No, it's not a "works with Alexa" switch. There are dozens. It's a switch with a legitimate Alexa hub, blue light, and more. Speak into the built-in microphone and you can do pretty much anything you can with a standalone Echo device with a light switch. You can also press the button to turn on the lights.

If you have a working smart switch, the Switch+ is relatively easy to install. The design is clean, and thanks to the wired pigtails emerging from the back of the unit, the unit is small enough to use, so you don't have to use barbed terminals or screws (some people prefer .ed stitching). Note that the Ecobee includes a set of wire nuts to make connection easier, but like most smart switches, it requires your home's neutral wire to work.

Also, be careful if you have a lot of 3-way or 4-way lights, as this switch only works with monopole lights. If you're looking for something more sophisticated, check out daylight systems (but be aware they're much more expensive).

While everything was easy with the hardware, things bogged down a bit on the software side. Ecobee barely acknowledges that there's an Ecobee app in its manual and it certainly doesn't walk you through how to set it up and configure the switch to work with Alexa. If you only want to use the Switch+ as a wall-mounted light switch, then you don't need the app; but then you don't need a $100 switch for that either.

Amazon’s Alexa is fun and useful, especially now that it can interact with other smart devices. So why not use a smart plug to control them? The Switch+ by TP-Link is a simple, affordable way to make your dumb plugs smart. You can tell it to turn the lights on or off, or have any other Alexa device in the house do so on your behalf. You can also set alarms or play music, or ask (via Alexa) what the name of that kid was in Whiplash.