Cool Concept, Tricky Install – Review Geek

Nobody likes stumbling around in the dark, nor do they like blinding themselves by turning on the light for a midnight snack or a quick walk to the bathroom in the middle of the night. Guess what? Both of these are issues of the past thanks to the SnapPower GuideLights and SwitchLights!

I often joke that my fatal flaw is the fact that I never sleep through the night. No matter how tired I am, I will inevitably wake up at some point during the night and either need to either run to the bathroom or go to the kitchen for a glass of water. Because I refuse to turn on the lights as I stumble around, this often results in injuries. (Did I mention I’m very clumsy?)

When I learned about SnapPower’s SwitchLights and GuideLights, I saw the solution I’d been looking for. Not only that, but I recognized other ways these illuminated faceplates could prove beneficial, namely with my children who are scared of the dark.

A Design Like No Other

• Light Options: Adjustable, Motion-Activated
• Color Options: White, Light Almond, Ivory, Black
• Outlet Options: Duplex, Decor
• Switch Options: Toggle, Rocker, 3-Way

The idea of outlets with built-in nightlights isn’t new. There are quite a few companies out there that offer some variation of this. Most of the time, these products are replacement outlets that require some electrical work to install. This means you have to pay close attention to what you’re doing and hope there are no issues with your wiring later on.

However, SnapPower’s products don’t require any batteries or wire work. The faceplates are designed to draw power from the screws on the outside of the outlet or switch. They do this through four prongs with metal ends that draw electricity from the outlet, then route it to the night light.

Under the faceplate, there are several LEDs and a light sensor that triggers the nightlights when the room becomes dark enough. For the SwitchLights, the night lights default to “off” when the switch is engaged (meaning the room lights are on). Unlike most competitors’ products, SnapPower also has built-in adjustment switches that let you toggle the nightlights to remain off or swap between two different brightness settings. This gives you lots of flexibility depending on the room and your needs.

According to SnapPower, the LED lights in their products cost less than 10 cents to operate per year, and they will last for 25 years.

In addition to smart engineering, SnapPower offers multiple options for its outlet and SwitchLights. The faceplates come in a total of four color options: white, black, light almond, and ivory.

The GuideLight 2 PLUS is available in three outlet types: duplex, decor, and GFCI. You can also choose between the basic GuideLights with the light sensor, or faceplates with motion sensors so the lights will only come on when you need them. For the SwitchLights, you have the option to get faceplates for traditional toggle switches or rocker switches. You can also get faceplates for three-way switches or double-gang switches.

Stress-Free Installation? Well, Maybe

According to SnapPower, the installation process for both GuideLights and SwitchLights is fairly simple. You remove the faceplate, slide the SnapPower product into place, screw the new faceplate on, and turn your breaker back on.

Seems simple enough, right?

Unfortunately, I ran into a few snags along the way with my own installation. For starters, I found that the prongs didn’t line up accurately with all of my outlets or lights. Four total prongs are aligned to meet with the screws along the edges of the outlet or switch. However, in my home, I noticed that there are only three screws, and the single screw on the left is not aligned with the bottom screw on the right.

The prongs on the SnapPower products can’t be moved up or down on the faceplate. I had a hard time getting everything to align just right to make the nightlights even work, so I eventually turned the breaker back on and played with the faceplate until I got enough of a connection. I do not recommend doing this.

Tip: Pop your light switch’s cover off and check if the screws underneath are compatible with SnapPower’s four-prong design before buying.

I saw other reviews that mentioned similar issues both on Amazon and on SnapPower’s website. This tells me SnapPower is aware of the issue, but possibly not interested in changing the design to make it adjustable.

Sadly, that wasn’t the only issue I encountered during my installation. I also could not get the faceplates for two of the items to line up flush with the wall. The faceplates that were previously installed sat flush, so I believe it is an issue with the product, not my home.

Although they aren’t far enough away from the wall to cause a hazard, it’s still concerning for those who have children or pets (I have both). If properly installed, they don’t move much further away from the wall when pulled, but I did find that some small items like paperclips or thin plastic pieces could fit in this gap.

Note: SnapPower does offer the SafeLight if you’re concerned about children playing around the outlets.

A Helpful Addition to Your Home

Installation issues aside, my family did appreciate these nightlights once they were operational. I installed several of them throughout the house for a variety of purposes, and all of them proved beneficial.

The double-gang switch SwitchLight went in my kids’ room so they could have a night light that was in a more visible area than the floor (as night lights normally are). My youngest daughter said the light made her “feel safe” and allowed her to see the room enough to get to the bathroom if needed.

I also placed a light in each of the bathrooms in our house. This made it easy to use the bathroom at night without turning on the lights. I personally found this invaluable and enjoyed the fact that I wasn’t temporarily blinded from flipping the light on.

The single outlet MotionLight I received went in the hallway between the kids’ bedroom and mine. Although my children usually sleep through the night at this point, the light did help us all not trip over the cat when my youngest child recently ended up with a nosebleed in the middle of the night.

Should You Buy SnapPower SwitchLights and GuideLights?

If you’re looking for some nightlights that don’t take up an entire outlet or hog electricity, the SnapPower GuideLights and SwitchLights may be a great option. They don’t require any wiring work to install, and they are built to last.

Keep in mind, though, that I found the installation process far more frustrating than advertised. I was also irritated to find that the prongs are not at all vertically adjustable. I feel like this should absolutely be possible since not all outlets have screws in the same locations, especially depending on how new the home is.

However, I definitely see the benefit of these nightlights. I have only had them for about a week at the time of this review, yet they have already proven their worth for those times when I need to walk around in the middle of the night, not to mention they set my child’s mind at ease. I also appreciated the fact that I didn’t have to mess with wiring since I rent my home.

I’d recommend unscrewing the faceplates you currently have and taking a look at your outlets and switches before buying a dozen of these. If they will work with your home, I definitely recommend them.