Luxaflex PowerView Smart Home Blinds Review

In-Use

With me just having one blind, I have quite a basic automation set-up.

• The blinds rise in the morning at 7am.
• The blinds rise at 2pm (because I wake up at a ridiculous time and sometimes need a postprandial nap).
• The blinds close again at 7pm
• Aqara Wireless Remote Switch H1 mapped to open blinds, turn on plugs and switch on hallway and office lights.

When I first had the blinds installed, there were some connectivity issues, this could have been teething problems, but it could have been a range issue. Beckys offered to fit a repeater for me, but I declined and moved the hub to my office which is closer to the blinds. Since then, I have had no issues at all.

Overall, there is not a great deal to say other than the blinds work perfectly.

PowerView Pebble Remote Control

The Pebble acts as a remote control, for me, I only have one blind, but it can control up to six. Most of the time I leave the home automation to control the blinds but this is a convenient way to manually control things.

Black Out Performance

As I have an unusual sleep pattern, I wanted blackout blinds. The blinds I chose don’t offer amazing blackout performance. Part of the problem is my fault, I had the blinds fitted into the window frame, which then leaves small gaps, Beckys did offer to fit it over the frame.

Then blinds themselves don’t block out 100% of the light which you get with some of the cheap PVC coating blinds.

I would expect most people won’t have an issue, but people that specifically want total darkness, such as night workers sleeping during the daytime, may need to ask for a better option.

Battery Life

I needed to use a battery pack to power my blinds and went for the rechargeable option. It is quite simple to detach the battery, then just plug it into the charger.

As I write this the battery is at 82% and the blinds have been installed for just under 3-weeks with approximately 3 closes & open activations per day. So the battery life isn’t too bad, they may require a charge every 3-4 months.

Price and Alternative Options

The price breakdown for the blinds I received is:

• Manual Blind: £580.00
• Motor: £157.00
• Battery: £64.00
• Handset: £76.00
• Hub: £245.00
• Total: £ 1,122

That’s a lot of money. The blinds themselves come with a massive premium, but it is worth remembering that no other brand offers the extensive range of designs that Luxaflex has, plus you need to factor in the additional cost of these being measured and fitted.

Looking at PowerBlinds (by Somfy) the base blind is £213 for a boring flat grey blind that you measure and fit yourself.

Their 5-channel remote control is £43 vs £76 for the 6-channel Pebble. The Somfy Tahoma switch is £179 vs £245.

They also don’t have a rechargeable battery, you need to get a Reloadable Lithium Battery Tube for £14.99, then install your own AA batteries.

So while there is a massive price difference, all these superior premium features add up. Whether or not you can justify the final cost is another question.

For alternative options, there is not that much choice, to the best of my knowledge, there is basically four competing products all at very different price points.

Lutron

Lutron is a specialist home automation company that offer smart blinds. These appear to be strictly a full-service option, and I suspect will cost considerably more than  Luxaflex.

Somfy Electric Blinds

Somfy is a well-known name in home automation, I have reviewed their indoor camera before. They don’t specifically produce blinds, but they do make a small blind roller which the company then integrate into a blinds package.

Most of the blinds companies you see offering smart blinds use this system, and it looks like it will cost about £450 for 120cmx150cm, which I would then need to fit myself.

Ikea smart blinds

The Ikea smart blinds sit at the opposite end of the spectrum to Luxaflex. These come in just one colour, plus a blackout option, they are fixed sizes, and you install them yourself. Pricing is from as low as £90 for the smallest option, and they have mixed reviews.

Overall

If you are looking for a full-service option for smart home blinds, the Luxaflex system is an excellent option.  They are very expensive, but the overall quality of the product and the service is superb.

I think there are three big reasons that help justify the cost here:

• Full-service experience – everything is measured up perfectly and set up for you.
• Not only a much wider range of colours but unique physical designs that make these blinds different than boring and generic roller blinds.
• An extensive range of 3^rd party home automation integrations, including the likes of Control4 & Creston which make the cost of the blinds seem cheap in comparison.

James Smythe( Editor-in-chief )

I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.

As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.

In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.

I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.