Shelly 2L Gen4

Two circuits make the small premium useful

Shelly 2L Gen4 is a good choice when one wall position switches two groups of lights, such as a ceiling fixture and wall lights, and no neutral conductor reaches that position. Its two outputs let the groups remain independent in normal use and in automations. Matter over Wi-Fi is available out of the box, rather than needing the firmware update and activation required by the older 2L Gen3.

Shelly's European store listed the Gen4 in stock at €38.90 including VAT on September 22, 2026. The 2L Gen3 was €36.90 at the same check. For a new installation, I would pay the €2 difference for ready-to-use Matter and the option to use Zigbee instead. Owners of a working Gen3 can add Matter through its current firmware path, so the new generation is not a compelling replacement for on/off lighting alone. Shelly's own IFA announcement had called Gen4 “coming soon”; the store does not give a more precise first-sale date.

Plan around output 1 and the bypass

The two outputs are not electrically identical. Output 1 is rated to 200 W and accepts incandescent or LED lighting without lower-voltage step-down transformers; output 2 is rated to 700 W and also lists fluorescent lights and fans. This is a 220 to 240 V, 50 Hz model. Those limits, not the number of circuits alone, decide whether it fits the loads already on the wall.

For LEDs on output 1, Shelly's exact-model specifications require the included bypass across the load at the light fitting. Incandescent lights are exempt. The store's general description suggests some loads may work without one, but I would plan for access to the fitting when buying for LEDs. This is not a device to order solely because the switch box lacks a neutral; a qualified electrician still needs to check the wiring, protection, load type and space for the relay.

This is on/off control. Shelly does not list dimming or a power meter for the 2L Gen4, so it will neither set the brightness of ordinary lamps nor provide circuit-level energy readings. A different dimmer or metering relay is a better fit if either feature is central to the project.

Matter now; Zigbee as a separate choice

The current Matter path uses Wi-Fi and needs a compatible Matter controller, not a Thread border router or a separate Shelly hub. Shelly's Gen4 documentation describes Zigbee as an alternative profile: changing to it replaces the Wi-Fi/Matter mode rather than combining the two. Local schedules, scripting and MQTT add useful control for a Shelly-based installation, but detailed configuration stays in Shelly's tools.

Choose the Gen3 when its €2 saving matters or one is already installed. With a neutral available at the switch, 2PM Gen3 adds metering and a different motor-control use case. The 2L Gen4 earns its place where two appropriate lighting loads, a missing neutral, and a ready Matter path meet in the same wall box.