Last night, I had forgotten to take my upstairs Nest off Eco mode, and I was shocked to see the difference in one of my son’s rooms based on my Nest Temperature Sensor.In my dream world, I’d have a variable system that could heat and cool rooms independently, but nevertheless, I didn’t buy bitcoin when it was $1, so I cannot afford that.With that being said, I do like having the knowledge of what’s happening in individual rooms and having that data in HomeKit.
The new Aqara W100 Climate Sensor is a new way to do that with a built-in screen.Some of my favorite gear eufyCam 2C Upgrade your home security with wireless cameras that includes HomeKit compatibility.What can you track with it? The Aqara W100 does more than just tell you the temperature and humidity.
That part is nice and accurate with a clear LCD screen (I would have preferred e-ink) that’s easy to glance at, even from across the room, but it’s what it adds to your HomeKit setup that makes it interesting.Here’s what it can track: Temperature Humidity Battery level Signal strength External sensor data (if paired) Local weather info (if no sensor is paired) What you can do with it There are also three physical buttons on the device, and each one can be assigned single, double, and long press actions.That opens up a lot of possibilities for automations within the Aqara ecosystem.
You can turn off the lights, close the shades, or even trigger a “movie night” scene with multiple accessories.I’ve said for years that I love having physical buttons on devices so I can control my smart home environment without needing an iPhone around.On the back, there’s a little reset button and a spot to hang it on a wall with a screw or nail.
If you pop the back off, you’ll find two CR2450 batteries.Aqara says you’ll get around two and a half years out of them, but I haven’t owned it long enough to verify.Some of my favorite gear Aqara Smart Lock U50 Upgrade your doors with Apple Home Key and the Aqara U50.
Setting up in HomeKit The Aqara W100 instruction manual includes a Matter code for basic sensor monitoring.I wish it was printed on the back of the device directly, but you can find it under the rear cover.I recommend storing the code in either an Apple Note or an app like HomePass.
Once you have it in HomeKit, you can trigger automation based on the temperature in the room it reads.For example, you could easily have a fan come on if the temperature rises above a certain point or have your AC turn on if it gets too hot in a child’s room.Wrap up The Aqara W100 is a solid addition to any HomeKit home.
It offers accurate temperature and humidity readings, a clear LCD display, and three programmable buttons that can trigger various scenes or automations.The dual support for Zigbee and Thread means you have some flexibility in integrating with various ecosystems, and the battery life claims, if accurate, are solid.However, it’s not without its quirks.
The choice of an LCD over an E-Ink display might be a downside for some, and the button functionality can be limited depending on your specific platform.I wish more of the functionality was explosed directly in HomeKit.Overall, if you’re looking for a reliable climate sensor that integrates well with HomeKit and offers some additional control options, the Aqara W100 is worth taking a look at.
I wish it were more of a HomeKit sensor than an Aqara sensor, but I understand the product choices.Some of my favorite gear Abode Home Security System Abode is the best home security system and includes compatibility with HomeKit.You can buy it from Amazon or from Aqara.
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