I love the smell of candles, but I hate the anxiety that comes with an open flame. There have been multiple times I’ve had to turn around after leaving to double-check that I’ve blown out a candle. That is why the SwitchBot Candle Warmer Lamp caught my eye. It promises all the ambiance and smells of a candle with zero risk of burning the house down. Best of all, it supports Matter right out of the box, making it a native citizen in your HomeKit/Apple Home environment.
HomeKit Weekly is a series focused on smart home accessories, automation tips and tricks, and everything to do with Apple’s smart home framework.
What is a candle warmer?
If you haven’t used a candle warmer before, the concept is simple. Instead of lighting a wick, you place your favorite jar candle under a focused halogen bulb. The heat from the bulb melts the wax from the top down, releasing the scent without any smoke or live flame.
Because there is no flame, the candle actually lasts longer. You aren’t burning the wax away; you are just warming it to release the fragrance smells. When the scent eventually fades after a few weeks, you pour off the top layer of wax and start fresh again.
Matter over Wi-Fi
The big news here for HomeKit users is the connectivity. Unlike some of SwitchBot’s other gear that requires a Hub 2 to bridge into Apple’s ecosystem, the Candle Warmer Lamp supports Matter over Wi-Fi. Matter over Wi-Fi means you can add it directly to the Home app without needing a secondary bridge. Once it is in HomeKit, it appears as a standard dimmable light. This allows for some fantastic automations:
- Good Morning: Have the lamp turn on at 10% brightness to gently scent the kitchen with a nice smell first thing in the morning. You can set it to turn off right before you leave for work as well.
- Coming Home: As you head home from work, you can time the Switchbot Candle Warmer to turn on so you always come in with a nice-smelling home.
The hardware is surprisingly nice for the price point. It features a weighted base to prevent tipping over easily, and the arm is crafted from a matte metal alloy. It fits candles up to 3.74 inches wide and 5.5 inches tall, which covers most standard candles from most major stores. It also features a physical controller on the cord, allowing you to adjust it manually. However, once I set it up in HomeKit, I never touched the physical button again.
Wrap up on the Switchbot Candle Warmer
This is one of those smart home products that solves a real problem. It removes the danger of an open flame while keeping the benefits of a candles. The fact that it integrates seamlessly into HomeKit via Matter makes it a no-brainer for anyone who is already in the Apple ecosystem.
You can buy the SwitchBot Candle Warmer Lamp directly from SwitchBot or from Amazon.
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