HomeKit Weekly

HomeKit smart plugs are one of the most useful smart home products you can buy. Everyone can find a use for them. They work with anything that has a 110-volt plug that auto turns on, and they’re really affordable. They’ve been around for years as well, so the hardware has become incredibly reliable as well. Linkind’s new Matter-enabled smart plug that comes in a 2-pack is an incredible value for those looking to automate multiple rooms in their home.

Automating your shades is one of the easiest ways to feel like you’re living in the future, as the Jetsons predicted. If you already have existing shades, you might want to look at the RYSE SmartShade, which lets you convert existing shades to HomeKit-compatible ones with minimal installation.

Air purifiers are fantastic products to have in your home to ensure that your air is clean, and having them in HomeKit makes them even better. There are several HomeKit-enabled air purifiers on the market today, but WELOVE (part of the AiDot family) has just released the first Matter enabled Air Purifier so you can add it to the smart home platform of your choice.

I love Aqara’s products, and if you love HomeKit, it’s a vendor you’ll want to follow. They make incredibly easy-to-use and reliable smart home products at prices that won’t empty your bank account. They’ve released a new motion and light sensor called the Aqara Motion and Light Sensor P2.

It’s that magical time of year when the sun is shining, the grass is growing, and flowers bloom. It’s almost time for near-perfect weather. Spring generally brings plenty of showers as well. It won’t be long until it’s the dog days of summer where it’s 95 degrees, full sun, and not a raindrop in sight, though. I’ve generally opposed professionally installed irrigation systems because of the maintenance, though. I’ve long enjoyed the Eve Aqua, a way to deploy a maintenance-free and HomeKit-enabled sprinkler system quickly.

Aqara makes some really fantastic smart home (that are usually HomeKit compatible) accessories at really incredible prices. Last year, they launched the Aqara Smart Lock U100 with Home Key support. They’ve long supported HomeKit and, more recently, Matter. This week, Aqara introduced a new HomeKit/Matter-compatible Smart Ceiling Light.

There are countless options for HomeKit native bulbs that you can buy to transform how your smart home operates completely. The problem for many people is that when you’re looking to change your entire home from traditional bulbs to HomeKit bulbs, it can get pricey in a hurry. Options like Philips Hue are fantastic, but they’re more costly. What if there was an option for a low cost bulb that worked great with HomeKit? That’s what I’ve found in the SYLVANIA SMART+ Bluetooth Soft White A19 LED Bulb. It’s HomeKit compatible at a price that isn’t that much higher than normal LED bulbs.

I’ve been a big proponent of HomeKit cameras built into flood lights as they eliminate the need to get an additional wire or rely on batteries. Sometimes, you want to put a camera somewhere that isn’t easy to wire. HomeKit battery cameras have come a long way in terms of reliability, though. I recently picked up the eufyCam 2C 2 Cam Kit to augment a few areas outside my home that I wanted coverage of but didn’t want to fool with running wires.

I recently took a fresh look at Eve’s indoor HomeKit camera, and it inspired me to get my trusty Logitech Circle View camera and see how it continues to stack up against the competition. Circle View offers a straightforward, motion-triggered home security camera solution, avoiding constant video recording. It boasts a robust, weather-resistant design with an IP64 rating.

Last week, I looked at the state of HomeKit Secure Video. While I agree that it will take a lot of work to meet users’ needs in 2024, I also agree that it’s still the best way for privacy-focused people to use smart home cameras. The Eve Cam is one of the best cameras on the market for HomeKit Secure video.

HomeKit Secure Video was launched by Apple in 2019. It was introduced as part of the iOS 13 update, enhancing HomeKit with secure video capabilities designed for better privacy and security in home surveillance. Although a few updates have been seen since then, not much has changed. It’s time for Apple to double down on its commitment to secure smart home camera storage to work with cameras the Eve Outdoor Cam and Logitech Circle View.

It’s been a while since I’ve found a fantastic new indoor HomeKit camera, but the TP-Link Tapo 2K is proving to be an excellent option. With support for local recording over an SD card, HomeKit Secure Video, and TP-Link’s cloud service, there are plenty of options to choose this camera for indoor recording needs. One thing I especially want to call out: it supports Wi-Fi 6!

Onvis is up there as one of the most reliable HomeKit vendors around. They make quality products and are typically among the first to use new technology like Thread. I recently picked up the new Onvis Smart Motion Sensor to automate some of our living room lights while tracking the temperature.

SwitchBot is a unique smart home vendor that has made various pretty amazing products over the years. The SwitchBot Button pusher is a prime example of a relatively uncommon item with no alternative from another vendor. What powers the SwitchBot experience is the SwitchBot Hub 2. With Matter support, it comes to HomeKit, and you can now use the Switch Curtain Opener with HomeKit.

HomeKit smart plugs are generally the first step new users take on their smart home journey. Nearly everyone has a lamp, coffee maker, or other home appliance they want to “HomeKitify” (yes, I just created a new word), and a smart plug is the easiest, fastest, and least expensive way to do that. I’ve had the CozyLife HomeKit plug in my box of items to test for a while now, but frankly, it’s so small, that it was hidden under another box.

Yeelight is an underrated HomeKit vendor. They make a wealth of products for an extremely fair price. The company’s bulbs avoid the dreaded ‘No Response’ that many HomeKit vendors also end up with. This unique kit includes a slick floor lamp that’s perfect for a bedroom and consists of a HomeKit bulb as well.

Last week, I ran through the Homey Pro, and I think it’s a fantastic device and ecosystem. Suppose you’ve gotten into where you want HomeKit to do more than it can functionally. In that case, I think it’s a great ecosystem to invest in as you can continue using all of your HomeKit devices, but now you can start to build an ecosystem outside of it. Today, Homey is announcing that the Homey Pro can now download a free software update that enables its built-in Thread radio. Through the update, Matter-over-Thread devices can be directly connected to Homey Pro without needing a secondary Thread Border Router.

Smart home platforms are like the famous xkcd comic. Every new one is designed to become the “one ring,” but it usually becomes just another standard to follow. Homey Pro attempts to bridge that gap by acting as a hub for everything. It supports Matter, Zigbee, Z-Wave, and, coming in 2024, Thread.

I have become a massive fan of all things retro in recent years. I love the Tidbyt clock. I am ready for Apple to bring the iPod back. Old stuff is back. I’ve recently been testing a really fun Tidbyt alternative with HomeKit support. It doesn’t have nearly the same amount of third-party app options, but it’s still a great desk accessory. I am looking at the Yeelight Cube Clock Kit this week.

Yeelight sells a lot of products to liven up your home through some really fun ideas. I’ve recently been having some fun with the new Yeelight Cube Smart Lamp Panel, which includes some basic Matter support so you can leverage HomeKit.

The ideal HomeKit accessories are ones that run themselves. Turning off and on lights from an app is a nice feature, but it’s a similar level of effort to using a light switch. The real magic is when you can “set it and forget it.” The THIRDREALITY Smart Color Night Light is the perfect example of this reality when you need a night light for a kid’s room or to light up a hallway/stairwell at night. Once installed, you can turn on an automation and never think about it again.