In the UK, one of my main issues with Zigbee and Thread is the lack of wall sockets. There are a growing number of light switches, with options for neutral and no neutral, and various plug sockets. But when it comes to actual wall outlets that integrate smart home capabilities, the market is frustratingly bare….
A few days ago, I reviewed the superb Sonoff PoE Dongle Max, which I was very impressed with. The more I use it, the more I love it. In the past, I used the Nabu Case / Home Assistant SkyConnect / ZBT-1, which I used with multi-protocol and was temperamental at best. But, a few…
I previously reviewed the Aqara Smart Radiator Thermostat E1 and thought it was an excellent, relatively affordable radiator valve for anyone invested in the Aqara ecosystem. Aqara has now launched the W600 thermostat, with the main selling point being that it supports both Zigbee for native Aqara integration and Matter over Thread, allowing you to…
My first experience of smart blinds was the premium-priced Luxaflex PowerView, which I reviewed back in 2021. They are great blinds, but I unfortunately have a lot of sleep problems and need a completely dark room, which they did not provide. I then went in the other direction when reviewing the affordable Aqara Roller Shade…
I have been a big fan of smart home heating since the launch of Tado. I switched from the original Tado system to Heat Genius, now Genius Hub, as they were the first company to offer smart radiator valves. Living in a relatively large 100-year-old four-bed semi up north inevitably means our home is cold…
I have previously reviewed the excellent but very expensive Luxaflex PowerView Smart Home Blinds and the affordable Aqara Roller Shade Driver E1. SmartWings are another popular option and sit somewhere in the middle in terms of price, quality and features. Unlike the Luxaflex, these are self-install options, so you need to measure everything yourself and…
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