Shelly 2PM Gen4 Review

The Shelly 2PM Gen4 is one of the more ambitious smart home relay switches on the market right now — a tiny module that can control two independent loads, monitor power consumption, handle roller shutters and garage doors, and connect via Wi-Fi, Zigbee, or Matter. On paper, it sounds like the last smart relay you'll ever need to buy. In practice, it's excellent for the right setup, but it has some rough edges that could genuinely frustrate you depending on how you plan to use it.

What Makes It Stand Out

The Gen4's headline feature is its dual-channel design with built-in power metering — you get actual wattage readings per channel, which is rare at this price point. Users replacing older, bulkier control boards (like NordElettronica shutter controllers) report that the Shelly handles the job in a fraction of the space. The wiring is straightforward: 230V in, motor up/down/common out. For garage doors and roller shutters, it supports cover mode with position calibration and even has enough power-sensing intelligence to detect when a motor has stopped drawing current — useful for setups with mechanical end-stops where the shutter physically cuts its own power at the limit.

On Wi-Fi, the experience is polished. Users running Gen4 relays over Wi-Fi consistently report solid, stable operation. One Home Assistant user noted their Shelly Gen4 relays had been "solid for about a month, no issues at all" — which may not sound like a long track record, but in the smart home world, rock-solid daily operation is never guaranteed.

The Zigbee Situation: A Real Frustration

This is where things get complicated — and where you need to pay close attention before buying.

The Gen4 is marketed as supporting Zigbee, and technically it does. But Zigbee mode on the current firmware is significantly stripped down compared to Wi-Fi mode. Users trying to use it in cover mode via ZHA in Home Assistant have found that power consumption readings are unavailable, shutter position calibration is not exposed, and firmware updates cannot be performed over Zigbee. That last one is a real problem: to update firmware or recalibrate, you have to physically access the device and hold a button for five seconds to switch it back to Wi-Fi mode — which means pulling it out of the wall every time.

There's also a compatibility quirk: one user successfully added the Shelly 2PM Gen4 to IKEA Dirigera via Matter through Home Assistant, but found the IKEA app had limited control compared to what HA exposed. The ecosystem integration is improving but remains inconsistent.

The community has been waiting on firmware 1.8, which reportedly adds the missing Zigbee exposes for detached mode, but as of the time of writing there's no confirmed release date. If Zigbee functionality is your primary reason for choosing this device, be aware you're buying into a feature that's still maturing.

How It Compares to Sonoff ZBMINIR2

The most direct competitor question being asked in the community right now is: Shelly 2PM Gen4 vs. Sonoff ZBMINIR2. Four ZBMINIR2s run around $50. Four Shelly 2PM Gen4s cost roughly $140. That's nearly triple the price for devices that, at a surface level, do similar jobs.

The Shelly earns some of that premium: dual channels per unit, built-in power metering, cover/shutter mode with position calibration (over Wi-Fi), and a more mature local API. If you're running a Home Assistant setup over Wi-Fi and you need power monitoring or shutter control, the Shelly is clearly the better tool. If you just need basic on/off switching over Zigbee and every dollar counts, the ZBMINIR2 is hard to argue against right now — especially while the Gen4's Zigbee feature set is still being filled in through firmware updates.

Worth noting: neither device is UL certified, which matters if you're in the US and have concerns about insurance or code compliance.

Practical Buyer Tips

• If you're planning to use this in cover/shutter mode, do it over Wi-Fi — not Zigbee — until firmware 1.8 lands and the community confirms calibration is properly exposed.
• For roller shutter replacements: the Shelly can detect motor stall via power drop, but you should still calibrate travel time to get accurate position percentage in Home Assistant.
• Wi-Fi and Zigbee cannot run simultaneously. Don't assume leaving both enabled is harmless — it adds unnecessary Wi-Fi load even in Zigbee mode.
• If you're building a Zigbee-first setup and want to avoid pulling devices out of the wall for firmware updates, factor that inconvenience into your decision.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the Shelly 2PM Gen4 worth it over the Sonoff ZBMINIR2?

A: If you need dual channels, power metering, or roller shutter/cover mode with position calibration, yes — the Shelly's feature set justifies the higher price. For basic on/off Zigbee switching, the ZBMINIR2 at roughly a third of the price is hard to beat right now.

Q: Can the Shelly 2PM Gen4 replace a traditional roller shutter control board?

A: In most cases, yes. It handles motor up/down/common wiring and can detect motor stall via power consumption drop. Users have successfully replaced bulky older control boards with the Shelly module. Calibration over Wi-Fi mode works well.

Q: Does the Shelly 2PM Gen4 work well with Home Assistant?

A: Over Wi-Fi, integration with Home Assistant is excellent — full control, power monitoring, and cover mode all work reliably. Zigbee via ZHA is functional but currently lacks power metering and calibration features, which are expected in a future firmware update.

Q: Can I use Zigbee and Wi-Fi at the same time on the Gen4?

A: No. The device cannot run Zigbee and Wi-Fi simultaneously. Leaving Wi-Fi enabled while in Zigbee mode still adds load to your network and is not recommended.

Q: How do I update firmware when using Zigbee mode?

A: Currently, you need to physically press and hold the device button for 5 seconds to switch back to Wi-Fi mode, connect to the Shelly app, update firmware, then switch back to Zigbee. This requires physical access to the device — a notable inconvenience if it's installed inside a wall.

— Home Lead Editor, CPrice