Crestron vs Lutron vs Control4 – Let’s look at each one in turn to find out the winner!
Whether it’s cutting the cost of your energy bills with intelligent lighting control, experiencing your favourite movies, games, and TV shows in a brand new bespoke home cinema, or enhancing the security, presentation, and productivity of your commercial property with the latest AV integration tools, you can do it all with Crestron, Lutron, and Control4.
Collectively, these three prestigious brands boast a reputation as unrivalled leaders in the home automation industry. Individually, each one serves a different function, audience, or property type. As a result, both private residents and business owners alike can enjoy complete control over their environment at the single click of a button.
Which brand is best for your current situation? Let’s look at each one in turn to find out…
Lutron - Leaders in Intelligent Lighting Control
A name synonymous with innovative, intelligent lighting control systems, Lutron create systems which enable property owners to automatically transform the look of any room.
At the heart of the brand’s catalogue of pioneering products sits the Lutron HomeWorks system. This cutting edge technology can be put to work in helping users make the most of their natural light and set beautiful scenes for any occasion, from a romantic dinner or relaxing evening in front of the TV, to an intense workout in a home gymnasium or productive work session in the office.
That said, Lutron HomeWorks is about more than just making properties look their most remarkable. Combined with a wide range of energy saving dimmers, in-wall control panels, and long-lasting bulbs, the company’s smart home lighting solutions can be used to significantly cut the cost of energy bills by as much as 40%.
Whole Property and Single Room Lighting Solutions with a Single Point of Control
Lutron Products can be used to illuminate entire properties inside and out, or to create the perfect environment in a select number of rooms. Whichever solution you use, you’ll be able to manage your entire system through a single, easy-to-use interface, accessible via keypads built into your property, remote control devices, or even via desktops, laptops, and tablet devices.
Why Choose Lutron?
Unlike other leading home automation systems, Lutron do one thing and do it really well. Their focus is entirely on smart home lighting control, making them the top contender if lights and energy use are your primary concern. Cost wise, the company’s range of solutions are on a par with those from Crestron and Control4.
Control4 - Perfect for AV Integration and Bespoke Home Cinema Controls
Control4 may not have been on the market as long as Lutron and Crestron, but there’s no arguing the fact that the company have firmly established themselves at the top of the home automation industry in a short space of time.
Founded in 2003, Control4’s groundbreaking products, high quality AV integration, and award-winning lighting control solutions have earned them much acclaim, making them a natural fit for bespoke home cinema and multimedia installations.
Compatible with over 1,900 Smart Home Products
Compared to Crestron and Lutron, Control4 home automation offers the smallest product range of the three. Yet what it lacks in choice, it more than makes up for in seamless integration with other smart home solutions.
A qualified Control4 programmer can integrate your new system with any over 1,900+ products and software solutions, including those from Lutron and Crestron.
Whilst this does make it a particularly solid option for those looking to upgrade an existing smart home system, it does come with a few limitations. Since home automation interfaces are typically driven by pre-designed templates, creating bespoke commands can prove tricky, if not impossible.
Why Choose Control4?
With a lower cost than other leading brands, Control4 is ideal as an entry-level home automation system, or as the preferred choice for those who don’t need much in the way of special customisation. Thanks to its easy AV integration, we also recommend Control4 for single room solutions with a multimedia focus, or as an upgrade for existing systems.
Crestron - A Versatile Home Automation Solution for Whole and Semi-Home Installations
For over 50 years, Crestron have led the way in home automation and entertainment systems. Their vast array of products (the largest in the industry), covers everything from AV integration and bespoke home cinema set-ups to intelligent lighting control and next-generation energy management solutions.
This comprehensive range of products -combined with extensive third-party compatibility- makes Crestron the most flexible and customisable option for both whole property and single room solutions.
Complete Control at the Click of a Button
One of the key features of all Crestron, Lutron and Control4 Home Automation systems is the easy to use controls, and it’s here where Crestron really comes into its own.
Whether you use an iPad device, remote control, or a touch screen wall panel designed to complement the decor of your home, you’ll be able to manage all aspects of your smart home from a single, user-friendly interface.
You can even pre-set certain events, so that, for example, your main exterior light turns on as your car heads up the drive. This process can also tell your home automation system to turn on the hall light, and load up your favourite, relaxing piece of music, creating the perfect welcome home after a long day at the office.
Customisable User Profiles
Your new Crestron installation can even be programmed to include separate user profiles for each member of your family, with access to individual devices restricted only to certain users.
In the past, we’ve seen families use this to regulate the kind of movies and videogames younger children can access, whilst businesses have employed user profiles to great effect in restricting access to confidential data.
Why Choose Crestron?
On the price scale, Crestron home automation may come out as the most expensive of the three, though if your budget will allow, it’s well worth the investment. Much as with Lutron, Crestron’s smart lighting solutions and energy management systems can play a big role in cutting the cost of your utility bills, meaning you reap back that extra expense in the long-run.
Meanwhile, the sheer scalability and number of customisable features make this highly versatile system the one to beat.
