Lutron Caseta vs Lutron RA2 Select — Which One Should You Actually Buy?
The decision between Lutron tiers. Caseta caps at ~75 devices and is DIY-friendly. RA2 Select scales to ~100 devices, adds wired keypads, and typically requires a pro installer. Same dimming quality on both.
The decision in one sentence
Caseta for 5-15 switches you'll install yourself. RA2 Select for whole-home (15-100 switches) with a pro installer.
Head-to-head — Lutron Caseta vs Lutron RA2 Select
| Dimension | Lutron Caseta | Lutron RA2 Select |
|---|---|---|
| Hub | Smart Bridge ($80) or Pro ($130) | Main Repeater ($300) |
| Max devices | ~75 | ~100 |
| Install | DIY-friendly | Pro installer typical (mains wiring) |
| Dimming quality | Excellent — same as RA2 | Excellent — same as Caseta |
| Picos keypads | Same Pico hardware as RA2 | Same Pico hardware as Caseta |
| Wired keypads | No | Yes — additional keypad types |
| Scene flexibility | Basic — fine for most | More flexible — multi-scene Picos |
| Sonos / Apple Home | Yes (requires Bridge Pro) | Yes — native |
| Price for 10 switches | ~$700-$1,000 DIY | ~$3,500-$5,500 installed |
Lutron Caseta wins when…
- You're upgrading 5-15 switches
- You're comfortable replacing a wall switch (or willing to learn)
- Your home is under 4,000 sq ft
- You want to start small and expand later
- Budget is tight — Caseta is 3-5× cheaper for the same dimmer count
Lutron RA2 Select wins when…
- You're wiring whole-home lighting (40+ switches)
- Your home is over 4,000 sq ft
- You want wired keypads in addition to Picos
- You want a pro installer to handle everything
- You're likely to hit the 75-device Caseta cap
★ Rick's verdict
Caseta if you're DIY-friendly and have 5-15 switches. RA2 Select if you're wiring more than 15-20 switches whole-home. The dimming quality is identical — you're paying for installer convenience and the higher device cap, not better dimmers.
How we make money: Some links on this page are affiliate links. Kasa, Caseta, and Hue products are linked via Amazon Associates. RA2 Select and RadioRA3 are dealer-only — we don't earn affiliate commission on those (we install them at SWAT A/V in the DC area; route through Contact if you want a quote). Full disclosure.