How LED Dimmer Switches Work and How to Choose the Right One

How LED Dimmer Switches Work (and Why They’re Different)

LED dimmer switches are specially designed to handle the unique way LED lights operate. Traditional dimmers for old incandescent bulbs simply lowered the voltage to make the filament glow dimmer. However, LEDs are electronic devices and behave differently – they need a steady current and have built-in drivers. Modern LED dimmer switches use electronic controls to reduce brightness, often by rapidly switching the power on and off at high speed. This method (called “phase cutting”) lets you dim the light output without upsetting the LED’s electronics.

There are two types of phase dimming:

• Leading-edge dimmers: Dimmers that cut the power at the start of each AC wave. These were fine for incandescent bulbs but can cause buzzing or flickering with LEDs, especially with very low loads.

• Trailing-edge dimmers: Newer but not necessarily better dimmers that cut the power later in the wave (at the trailing end). This smoother cut is gentler on LED circuits and is the recommended type for lower wattage dimmable LED loads. In fact, if your existing dimmer is old, it’s likely to be resistive which controlled brightness by adding resistance in series with the load. Or inductive (coil-based) technology – upgrading to an LED compatible dimmer is often the key to getting LEDs to dim properly.

While the scientific aspects of leading edge and trailing edge can appear to be important, they're actually not. Modern, LED compatible dimmer switches such as the Varilight V-Pro series feature both trailing edge and leading edge dimming modes in one. This is a reason why they're LED compatible because you don't have to consider the technological aspects, they'll just work with LED loads providing you select one that meets the parameters of your particular LED load.

Common LED Dimming Issues (Solved by LED Dimmers)

Making the switch to LED lighting can reveal some annoying issues when using the wrong kind of dimmer. Here are some common problems homeowners face – and how LED-specific dimmer switches solve them:

• Flickering or flashing lights: If you’ve seen your lights blink or flutter when dimmed, it’s usually because the dimmer and bulb aren’t compatible. LED dimmer switches prevent this by providing a stable, smoother control of power. The best LED dimmers even use microprocessor technology to stabilize the current and eliminate flicker.
• Buzzing noises: A faint buzzing or humming sound can occur if an LED bulb is on an old dimmer. This is a sign of the dimmer’s method upsetting the bulb’s electronics. Modern trailing-edge LED dimmers operate much more quietly – no annoying buzz or hum while your lights are dimmed.
• Lights won’t dim low or turn fully off: Many regular dimmers have a high minimum load (they need a certain wattage to work). Since LEDs use very little power, a standard dimmer might not recognize a single 5W bulb, causing it to stay bright or even glow when “off”. LED dimmers are designed for low watts – some have no minimum load at all, meaning they can dim even one small LED bulb down to a faint glow or off state. In other cases, LED dimmers allow you to set a minimum brightness level to ensure the light goes completely off at the bottom of the dial.
• Limited dimming range: Perhaps your lights only dim a little before cutting out. LED dimmers typically offer a better range of control. Many have adjustable dimming ranges – for example, you can program the lowest dim level to avoid any instability at very low brightness. This means you get a nice gradual dimming from bright to very cozy low light.

By addressing these issues, LED-compatible dimmer switches protect your bulbs and help them last longer, all while giving you smooth control. Now, let’s look at some of the leading dimmer switch brands and models available from Downlights Direct, and why they’re great for LED lighting in your home.

Varilight: Versatile Dimmers Designed for LEDs

Varilight is a popular UK brand known for innovative, LED-friendly dimmer switches. Their flagship V-Pro series uses intelligent trailing-edge dimming technology by default, which provides smooth, silent dimming with no buzzing sound. Varilight dimmers have no minimum load requirement – you can even dim a single low-watt LED bulb without issues (minimum load 0W) – and they can handle up to 120W of LED lighting per gang (that’s roughly 8–10 LED bulbs on one dimmer). You can only dim a maximum of 8 LED lights per circuit.

Originally produced with a trailing edge dimming mode it can now be programmed to emulate leading edge mode. While this isn't a true leading edge, the emulated version works just as well in the majority of instances. This combination offers more flexibility and a future proof solution in the fast paced world of lighting. These settings can be changed by rotating the knob in a specific sequence, the dimmer will go into programming mode by flashing on and off, then you can select which dimming option to use. All these features make Varilight dimmers extremely versatile for home or light commercial use.

Varilight V-Pro Dimmer switch programming, Watch the video below:

For larger circuits, Varilight also offers a high-power version (up to 300W of LED) that similarly does not need “de-rating” for LEDs. Every V-Pro dimmer features soft-start technology (gradually brightening the lights when you turn them on) and overload protection, which helps extend the life of your LEDs. If your application really does need a true leading edge dimmer, which might be for dimming a large wattage of LED strip tape, then you should consider the V-COM series.

• Wide compatibility: Varilight’s “intelligent” dimming adapts to most dimmable LED lamps, delivering reliable performance across many brands of bulbs.
• Silent, flicker-free operation: The V-Pro series uses trailing-edge phase control to eliminate the flicker and buzzing that older dimmers can cause with LEDs, giving you a stable glow at any brightness.
• No minimum load: Unlike old dimmers that might require a certain wattage to work, Varilight LED dimmers can operate even a single 4W or 5W LED bulb (0W minimum load design) without needing a dummy load.
• High-capacity options: If you have a lot of lights on one circuit, Varilight’s high-wattage dimmer (300W LED rated) can handle up to about 30 LED downlights on one knob – and it still doesn’t require any special de-rating for LED use.

Varilight V-Pro Dimmers

Hamilton: Intelligent LED Dimming Modules

Hamilton Litestat offers LED dimmer solutions that make it easy to upgrade existing switches to be LED-friendly. Their LED dimmers (such as the Hamilton LEDstat LEDit-B 100 module) are “dual mode,” meaning they can operate in trailing-edge or leading-edge mode and be programmed to suit your lights. Each module also has an adjustable minimum brightness setting. This flexibility ensures you can achieve flicker-free, smooth dimming no matter what brand of LED bulbs or downlights you have at home.

The Hamilton LEDstat module can support from 5W up to about 100W of LED load (approximately 10 LED lamps on one dimmer) and is engineered to give stable, lamp-friendly performance across that range. A great benefit of Hamilton’s dimmer coming as a module is that it can retrofit into many existing dimmer switch plates. In other words, you can replace the internal dimming unit on your current switch with Hamilton’s LED module without changing the outer plate or decor of your switch – a quick way to make an old dimmer LED-compatible.

• Adaptive dimming modes: Hamilton’s programmable dimmers can switch between trailing-edge and leading-edge dimming. You or your electrician can set the mode that works best with your particular LEDs to eliminate any flicker or instability.
• Flicker-free lighting: These dimmers are designed for “effortless and flicker free dimming” with a wide range of LED bulbs and downlights. That means once installed, your lights should dim smoothly without flashing.
• Retrofit friendly: The Hamilton LEDstat comes as a module that fits into standard dimmer switch housings. Upgrading is as easy as swapping out the old module for the new one – no need to change your decorative switch plate or wiring.

Lightwave: Smart LED Dimmers with Smartphone Control

Lightwave smart dimmer switches combine LED-optimized dimming with the convenience of home automation. Lightwave’s in-wall switches are trailing-edge dimmers, which makes them compatible with most modern dimmable LED bulbs for smooth operation. In addition, Lightwave dimmers are wireless-enabled: once installed, you can control your lights through a smartphone app or via voice commands (they integrate with systems like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit). This means not only can you fade the lights to the perfect level, you can also turn them on/off or schedule them remotely, even when you’re not at home.

They’re designed from the ground up to work with low-energy LED lamps and allow you to combine lighting adjustments with LED strip lights, even colour changing versions such as RGB, RGBW or RGBWW.

Each Lightwave dimmer channel typically supports up to around 120W of LED load (plenty for a roomful of LED bulbs), or for higher loads, when you're dimming long runs of LED strip lights you can use the Lightwave smart driver which is available in 100W and 200W versions, these drivers are only suitable for 24V lighting. The latest Lightwave app also provides advanced settings – for example, you can fine-tune dimming profiles to match specific bulbs if needed, and monitor energy usage of your lighting. Homeowners often choose Lightwave for its blend of reliable LED dimming and smart features that add convenience and even energy savings.

• Smartphone & voice control: With Lightwave, you can dim or switch your lights from anywhere using the Lightwave app, or simply ask Alexa/Google to do it – a big convenience upgrade for any home.
• Customisable and expandable: Because Lightwave is a smart system, you can set up lighting “scenes”, schedules (like lights dimming at bedtime), and even check how much energy your lights are using. It’s a scalable solution – start with one dimmer and later you can link many together, all controllable in one app. And of course, you still get the normal dimmer knob on the wall for everyday use.
• LED-optimised dimming: Lightwave smart dimmers feature leading edge and trailing-edge technology tailored for LED lighting, so you avoid the buzzing or flickering that can happen if you use poor quality or unsuitable dimmers. Lightwave produces perfect dimming results with an easily selectable dimming mode in the app.

Click: Reliable LED Dimmers with Smooth Performance

Click Scolmore offers a range of LED-compatible dimmer switches that have been developed to tackle the common issues with dimming LED lighting. The latest Click dimmers use trailing-edge phase cutting (MD9011 modules) and come with built-in adjustments to cure problems like flickering or poor dimming range. Based on feedback from electricians, Scolmore designed these dimmers to “eliminate flickering” – you can actually program a minimum brightness level on the dimmer, which ensures the light stays above the point where an LED might start to stutter or flicker at very low power.

Click Scolmore also have a more advanced LED module which they don't supply as part of a complete dimmer switch (supplied with a wall plate), you have to buy it separately as an upgrade. The module is the MD9014 (shown below) which has leading edge and trailing edge in one. This module rivals the other dimmers in this article as its more universally compatible with a broader range of LED lighting. It would have been better to supply the MD9014 with their other dimmers as they've potentially got a market leading product that's sat on the sidelines unless you want to pay extra. Unlike the other dimmers which are programmable with a control knob, the MD9104 has dip switches located on the back of the module that allow you to select which dimming mode you want to use.

Each Click dimmer is rated for up to 100W of LED load (roughly 8 to 10 LED bulbs on one switch), which is sufficient for most rooms and fixtures. Additionally, Click’s dimmer modules are now fitted as standard in all their popular switch plate styles. This means whether you need a simple white plastic dimmer or a decorative metal-finish dimmer, the Click range likely has an LED-ready product in the style you want – you get the aesthetic choice without worrying about the dimming technology inside, since it’s LED-optimised in all cases.

• No more flicker: Click’s trailing-edge LED dimmers are specifically designed to cure the flickering issue. They provide stable, smooth dimming so your LED lights don’t flash or blink at lower settings.
• Set your dimming level: These dimmers allow installers or users to program a minimum brightness. This means you can set the “lowest” dim level to exactly where the lights are stable – below that, the switch won’t dim further, thereby avoiding the common flicker or faint glow at near-off levels. It gives you confidence that when the lights are dimmed right down, they’ll stay steady.
• Ample LED capacity: Each Click dimmer unit can control up to ~100W of LED lighting (around 8–10 LED lamps), which covers typical home lighting needs. For example, you could dim a set of 8 LED downlights together on one Click dimmer without exceeding its limit.
• Matches your decor: The Click dimmer mechanism has been incorporated into a wide range of switch plate designs (including the Mode, Polar, Deco, Deco+, Define, and Definity collections). Whether you prefer a basic white switch or a stylish chrome or brass finish, you can get it with an LED-compatible Click dimmer built in. This makes it easy to maintain a consistent look in your rooms while upgrading to modern dimming performance.

Choosing the Right Dimmer Switch for Your LEDs

When selecting a dimmer switch for LED lights, always ensure it’s labeled or advertised as LED-compatible. This usually means it will be a trailing-edge or intelligent dimmer by design. All the brands above – Varilight, Hamilton, Lightwave, and Click – offer excellent LED dimming solutions, so the choice comes down to your specific needs:

• If you want a straightforward one-for-one replacement dimmer with proven reliability, a Varilight V-Pro dimmer is a great all-round choice.
• If you have existing dimmer switches and just want to swap the internal module to make them LED-friendly, Hamilton’s LED modules are very handy.
• For those looking to add smart home features alongside dimming, Lightwave’s smart dimmers will give you app and voice control on top of smooth LED dimming.
• And if you’re particular about the style of your switches, Click’s range lets you pick out a decorative finish knowing the dimmer inside is up-to-date for LEDs.

By using a proper LED-compatible dimmer, you’ll avoid the frustration of lights that flicker or buzz. Instead, you’ll get the full benefit of your LED bulbs – smooth adjustability, longer bulb life, and energy savings from dimming when full brightness isn’t needed. All that’s left is to choose the dimmer that suits your home and install it (always turn off the power or consult an electrician when doing so!).

Downlights Direct carries a wide selection of these LED dimmer switches, including the Varilight, Hamilton, Lightwave, and Click models mentioned. This means you can easily find the right dimmer in one place. With the right dimmer in place, you’ll be able to set the perfect mood in any room, protect your LED lights from damage, and enjoy a truly modern lighting experience. We hope this overview has helped you understand how LED dimmer switches work and feel confident about selecting the right product for your needs. Happy dimming!