SwitchBot’s tiny robot arm is just what I needed to scare off roaches

A little robotic switch-flipper has become my sidekick in combating cockroaches. Before I got the SwitchBot Bot Rechargeable, I’d tiptoe through the dark every morning, hoping I wouldn’t step on one of those terrible bugs scurrying around as I made my way to the light switch across the room. Now I’m ready for battle before I even enter the room because I can switch it on from afar, thanks to the $33.99 SwitchBot Bot Rechargeable.

The small gadget attaches via adhesive near a switch or button and uses its tiny robotic arm to physically press or pull it for you. You can automate anything with physical power buttons, from coffee makers, light switches, and garage door openers to laundry machines — it makes “dumb” gadgets a little smarter. If you pair it with a SwitchBot Hub, you can then control it hands-free via voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, as well as from outside of your home.

The SwitchBot Bot Rechargeable’s capabilities are identical to the original SwitchBot Bot that costs a little less. But, as you might have guessed from its name, the newer model has a USB-C rechargeable battery instead of using disposable batteries. While more eco-friendly, its advertised battery life is significantly shorter, lasting up to six months on a charge if you only have the switch triggered once per day (versus up to 600 days with the original model). Still, the rechargeable route is just easier for me. I like knowing I can simply plug the Bot in for a while as needed instead of worrying about buying replacement batteries every couple of months.

Installation can vary in complexity depending on how you want to use it. My simple use case, for example, required more trial and error than I expected. The arm needs to be positioned precisely so it can reach the switch, push it in, and pull back. Of course, setting it up is still significantly easier than rewiring a switch or replacing it with a smart one, but it’s not quite the set-it-and-forget-it experience I imagined. Installation might be easy for you, but be prepared for a little bit of experimentation to find the right fit.

The Bot also includes a small plastic attachment that sticks directly to your light switch. Once looped around the Bot’s arm, it allows it to physically turn the switch on with a push and off with a pull. Installing it tripped me up more than anything else. It wasn’t immediately obvious to me where the attachment should go, and I initially kept placing it toward the middle of the switch when it should have been at the bottom. The instructional video hints at this, but the written instructions just vaguely instruct that you attach it to the switch panel. That led to several rounds of removing and repositioning the adhesive before I finally got everything aligned correctly.

Once everything was installed correctly, I was happy with how the Bot performed. Throughout my testing, the Bot remained securely attached, responding reliably from across my apartment, and it never missed a scheduled action. It’s been nice confidently walking into a brightly lit kitchen instead of fearfully tiptoeing through the dark. Beyond that, there’s something oddly satisfying about watching the tiny robotic arm physically flip a switch.

The SwitchBot Bot Rechargeable makes less sense to buy in a house that’s already filled with smart bulbs and smart plugs. But most of us have at least one appliance or switch we’d automate if we could. The SwitchBot Bot Rechargeable is a clever, relatively inexpensive solution. Installation might require more patience than simply sticking the device where you think it should go, and it’s a little chunky. But the automation works like a charm, and it does exactly what I hoped it would: It aided me in a small but helpful way in my battle against the roaches.