You are way past the point of overthinking this.
I have ever once cared how.many lamps firmware updates I ‘can do in a night’ they get done when they get done.
If I were still working in system management caring for 65000 workstations that need updates sure. But no the lights get the firmware when I get to them IF I’m solving a particular problem. You don’t redesign your zigbee network for that.
IF I’m solving a particular problem
Exactly! I’ve never understood the fascination with updating firmware. That’s one of the draws to the Zigbee network for me, it’s isolated by design, so unless a firmware update fixes a problem or brings new functionality, that I need, there is zero reason to apply it. You are just risking a change they breaks functionality or evem a bad update bricking your device.
@Sawtaytoes To see what Z2M exposes, you can go to Z2M page and see exposures for specific device. For instance for your apparent device: Inovelli VZM36 control via MQTT | Zigbee2MQTT
And don’t forget that you can use Z2M to communicate with other MQTT devices too.
I don’t think I need to convince you between ZHA and Z2M. I close the discussion at this point.
How much trouble/work is creating a quirk and can I access remaining “values” without it?
For instance, I have a aqara h2 eu dimmer. Zha cant control dimming and a lot of configuration options are missing.
Values like controlling the led. Set minimum/max brightness (which is essential)
Why did you buy it?
Isn’t this Home Assistant 101? Before you buy a gadget, make sure it works… 
Because I was under the impression that it would be possible. Their matter installation can do it, their own zigbee hub can do it and I read that it is compatible with HA . Nothing indicated to me that the brightness setter wasn’t available. I believe that z2m has the functionality though.
And from what I read online I was also lead to believe that it would work.
Don’t understand. Your link is to a two-month-old GitHub page which says it doesn’t work… 
That issue I didnt see before buying. Its about a “quirk” which apperently is requires for zha.
Or can be easily returned.
Great network view, great device view with pictures
Unfortunately, this great visualization is no longer available.
The developers removed the original map tool, which was simple and fantastic at the same time, and replaced it with a new, complex tool with terrible visualization.
Unfortunately, they are not heeding the community’s plea for the return of the old map.
That’s why I built my own, give it a try if you use Z2M as a HA addon.
I’m not sure what you guys were referencing, but I saw this picturue in that thread you linked. Looks really clean. You can easily see routers vs nodes:
Much better than ZHA in Home Assistant:
While it colors everything nicely, nodes are placed in random spots. Sure, you can zoom in and see connections, but it’s still not very clear 
. I wish it could make more sense. I also liked how the old one showed you the links speeds with colored lines. It worked great when I had a few devices. These days, it’s insane. I’d prefer to only see lines for the preferred (highest speed) link to make it easier to figure out how stuff is roughly connected. Having hundreds of devices makes this basically unusable.
