The original Curtain Rod could move a large variety of shades and that hasn’t changed that much – keep an eye on the weight because the stepper motors can handle a similar load on the newer device as on the second gen. But, the movement is smoother and apparently much quieter as well, and there has been a very heavy emphasis on compatibility.

The SwitchBot Curtain 3tries to be suitable for multiple sizes of rods and, while the device is mostly made of plastic, I noticed that the arms that go around the rod are made of metal (they’re fairly thick pieces). Another highlighted improvement is the installation process which seems to have been significantly simplified on the newer Rod generation. SwitchBot once again includes the small solar panel but the manufacturer has definitely heard the user complaints considering that it’s now designed in a manner in which actually makes sense.

Before, the solar panel would reach the sun rays only in very specific situations, but now, SwitchBot has added an extendable arm which ensures that the sun shines onto the panel, powering up the Curtain 3 pretty much indefinitely. Considering all the improvements that have been made, let’s put the SwitchBot Curtain 3 to the test and see if it’s going to find its place into a smart home.

Design and Build Quality

I have tested the SwitchBot Curtain U-Rail a couple of years ago and after putting it next to the SwitchBot Curtain 3, the newer unit is pretty much double in size. This is also true for the second generation as well.

The device measures 5.6 x 3.3 x 3.0 inches (14.3 8.4 x 7.6cm）, so it’s about twice as tall and, of course, it’s also heavier not only due to its size, but because it seems that more metal has been used when building the device. Will this have an impact on the unit’s functionality? Not really since as we will soon see, the movement is actually very smooth.

The motors are fairly powerful, but there are a few changes in the design from the first gen, such as the addition of two extra wheels on each arm, while the larger rubber wheel remained mostly the same. It’s worth mentioning that the metallic arms are retractable (accommodating even the thickest curtain rods) and the spring that operates them is powerful, so you do need to put a bit of force to retract the arms. The design of the SwitchBot Curtain 3 remains very similar to the second gen, so the unit is covered by a white matte finish and the two arms do connect to the sides using a couple of side buttons, just like before.

The USB-C charging port has been moved to the bottom and there is an important reason for this. While the solar panel for the previous gen Curtain could be attached to the side of the unit, the solar panel for the SwitchBot Curtain 3 is a bit different and needs to be attached from the bottom (the extendable arm pushes the solar panel lower). What I do like is that the manufacturer could have made the USB-C canal narrower, but they didn’t in order to allow third-party solar panels or any other USB-C cable to charge up the device.

Then again, the inner battery will last for a very long time in normal conditions (it’s advertised at about 8 months on a single charge), so the solar panel is a nice addition, but far from mandatory. The status LED has been moved to the bottom as well and it will start flashing quickly if the unit is in pairing mode, afterwards becoming solid.

When the Curtain 3 is charging, the LED will slowly flash white – the LEDs will behave the same whether we’re dealing with one or two units. The recessed Reset button is next to the LED and USB-C port, so you can’t miss it. To return the SwitchBot Curtain 3 to its factory settings, you need to hold the button for 15 seconds.

The Solar Panel

Just like on the first and second gen SwitchBot Curtain, the solar panel remains an optional device that can be purchased separately. And, while before it was positioned in an odd manner where the sun rays were unable to reach it, the developers thought of a clever trick. Instead of being attached to the side of the SwitchBot Curtain 3, the solar panel hangs from the USB-C cable and, with the help of an extendable arm, it can reach down to about 12 inches and a half.

It should be plenty even if the curtain is installed very near the ceiling. The main part of the solar panel is about as large as the average smartphone and besides the black portion (with the cells), the entire device is covered by a white matte finish. If you look a bit closely, you should be able to see that there is a sort of LED installed within a circular hole and that’s actually the brightness sensor. It doesn’t seem to really serve a purpose for the functionality of the solar panel, so I guess it’s an additional way to expand the functions of the SwitchBot Curtain 3 for better automation.

Now let’s talk a bit about the extendable arm. There are two portions, one moving sideways, while at the end there is a USB-C connector. And yes, there is a locking mechanism that’s strong enough to hold the solar panel into place. The way you can rotate the arm down or to the side is by clicking on the side button which will allow an almost complete rotation.

Again, it’s clearly a much better approach to adding solar power to a smart curtain system than before where the user had to rely on Velcro strips when the unit would not be low enough to reach the sunlight.

The Hardware Installation

This section is going to be brief simply because it’s very easy to install the SwitchBot Curtain 3. Take the main unit from the package and the two arms, put the arms on the rod and then simply extend them to attach the main unit in the middle. That’s about it. I do need to mention that it’s advisable to attach the device before the last ring of the curtain.

If the curtain is grommet-type, then you may need to also add the beads fixer (which is in the package), but in my case, I didn’t really need it, so it’s up to you. There is an extra step which again is optional, but can help make the SwitchBot Curtain 3 more precise – you can add the provided magnet attachments in the middle, exactly where you want the units to stop moving.

The strips need to be glued to the bottom of the rod. If you have a solar panel, simply extend the arm, attach it to the SwitchBot Curtain 3 and then put the panel at a slight angle for the sun rays to reach it better. Ideally, you would use two of the same units, one going to the right, the other to the left to get a better experience, but it’s entirely possible to use a single SwitchBot Curtain 3 if the curtains are not that wide.

The Software Installation

The mobile application accompanying the SwitchBot Curtain 3 is the same SwitchBot app available for both Android and iOS. I also need to mention that SwitchBot has made serious progress in the smart home market and it has released a hub which supports Matter. If you intend to build a smart home where Matter will be at its core, then the SwitchBot hub will be a must. Otherwise, if you’re not afraid to troubleshoot a bit, then the Home Assistant remains the best option for a unified smart home system which is also open-source.

That being said, I opened the SwitchBot app and logged into my existing account to access the GUI. Be aware that using this app will require data collection which can include precise location, data about your smartphone and network, and pretty much anything that’s collected by the SwitchBot device’s sensors. As you can see, even after creating the account, the app still asks for access to precise location (not mandatory, so I suggest against it).

To add the SwitchBot Curtain 3, click on the Plus icon, select Add Device and you can either add the device manually or automatically, via Bluetooth. For the latter to happen, you need to press and hold the button on the Curtain 3 until the LED light starts flashing white. Then, following the guide, you can add the second unit as well (again, press the button until the LED flashes). After that, you can create a Room for the smart curtains and the app will give you access to the Pictorial and the Video Guide for installing the device suitable for Ring Top, Grommet and Tab Top / Back Tab type of curtains.

You can now follow the steps to properly install the device (you can skip it) and then we get to the Calibration section. I noticed that there are two ways to run the calibrating process: automatically (Smart Calibration) or manually (Custom Calibration). I had to try out the first to see how well it functions and it’s what you would expect: the units start from the closed curtains point and then slide until they encounter resistance signaling that they reached the end of the rod.

Afterwards, the SwitchBot Curtain 3 unit/s will just return to the starting position memorizing the path for future use. To get a perfectly accurate closing position, you can use the magnets. And that’s about it, you now gain access to the extra functions on the app.

The App

You will be able to see the smart curtains in the Dashboard under the room you’ve set for them and a quick tap will summon a small window at the bottom. Here, you can Open or Close the curtains, as well as partially opening them (by percentage) without having to go layers-deep into the app, which is a nice touch. Tapping More will show a better animated display of the state of the SwitchBot Curtain 3 units (including the battery life) and tapping the arrow at the bottom will summon a few new settings. The first one is the Sync Control which when disabled, will allow you to control each side separately.

Then, there’s the Delay section which allows you to choose when the QuietDrift feature will be enabled – basically, you can set a schedule for when the SwitchBot Curtain 3 will run very quietly. There is also a dedicated Schedule section and there are two extra options which are only usable if you use a solar panel. I do have a couple of them, so I connected the solar panels to the 3 units. The app detected them pretty much immediately and I do have a hunch that the brightness sensor is used for detection (I guess that third-party panels will not enable these extra functions).

Now we gain access to the Auto-charging section where you can set schedules for when the units will move to find the best place to charge themselves using the solar panels. Lastly, we get the Light Sensor section which will simply show how much power was generated by the solar panels over a set period of time (from 24 hours to 7 days). You thought we were done, but there is more. If you tap on the cogwheel on the right side, it will take you to the Settings section and here, it’s possible to run the calibration again, enable Cloud Services, pair a remote and some other options.

The interesting thing about the Cloud Services is that you won’t be able to use Google Assistant, Alexa, Siri or IFTTT without this feature being enabled. And yes, you do need a hub to use the Internet services properly. The remote also requires the use of a hub, so it’s not an offline option (I have tested the Hub 2 and the Hub Mini if you’re interested in them). There is an Advanced Settings section available and here, there’s only the Touch & Go option which basically tells the device to open or close the curtains if you push it for more than 5cm.

The SwitchBot Curtain 3 in Action

After installing the two SwitchBot Curtain 3 units, let’s see how well they perform. The first thing that I noticed is that the units have a bit of force and could move even some heavier curtains – the advertised maximum weight is 33 lbs (or 15kg) which covers a very wide range of possible curtains. The Touch & Go function worked really well and, by default, the movement is fast, but a bit noisy. It could easily reach close to 50dB which is not loud per se, but could wake up a person that’s sleeping (for example, a newborn and you don’t want that).

The good news is that the SwitchBot Curtain 3 can move very slowly and make a negligible amount of noise, something in the range of 30-35dB, so pretty much close to no perceptible sound. The control from the app is simple and intuitive, plus you get to adjust the position for one or two units down to mere inches. As expected, you do need to have a good WiFi connection, but it doesn’t have to be anything fancy since everything will happen on the 2.4GHz (which is now pretty much left for IoT and smart devices). If you don’t want to deal with the app, then you can use the remote and you can map the keys on the app however you want.
But I do admit an offline means of using the SwitchBot Curtain 3 would have been nice, and I had hoped that the remote would offer this experience. Unfortunately it does not. As for the solar panels, I have ridiculously high ceilings and the curtain is positioned very high, but even in these conditions, the arms extended down enough as to reach the sun rays. There isn’t much else to say as so far everything works as intended and once again, SwitchBot is better than most of its competitors at ‘smartening up’ normal objects (I mean just look at how well they did with the SwitchBot Lock).

The Conclusion

The SwitchBot Curtain 3 is without a doubt the best solution to retrofit your existing curtains to make them smart. Are they an essential part of a smart home? Not really, but it’s nice to have most of the stuff automated – at a certain hour, the curtains open or close, working together with other smart objects. Additionally, the people that have disabilities will appreciate the higher degree of independence that comes from using smart devices. If you need another reason, I suppose it could also be seen as a security measure when you’re not home – to give the impression that someone is always at home. That being said, the SwitchBot Curtain 3 is easy to install, easy to use and versatile enough for most people.

Mark B

Mark is a graduate in Computer Science, having gathered valuable experience over the years working in IT as a programmer. Mark is also the main tech writer for MBReviews.com, covering not only his passion, the networking devices, but also other cool electronic gadgets that you may find useful for your every day life.

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There are a few interesting features that justify its existence, but the most important technology implemented on the SwitchBot Hub is Matter. The idea behind Matter is as old as the first couple of smart devices to hit the market: unify everything under a single standard already. But I heard this story from Z-WAVE, ZigBee, Thread and so on, and it all lead to more confusion. Then again, the software layer where Matter seems to operate does seem a lot more promising than proprietary protocols, so we may finally be on the right track.

So, SwitchBot Hub 2 wants to position itself in the perfect place to help unify multiple types of smart devices from various brands and there is a special emphasis on the HomeKit support, but the Google Nest is also mentioned, so it should be fine regardless of the automation system you may have installed.

If this didn’t convince you, know that The SwitchBot Hub 2 also comes with IR decoding, taking it a step farther than the Hub Mini and the developers decided that it would be cool to integrate the the SwitchBot Meter functions into the Hub 2, so yes, there’s a display that will show the temperature and humidity in the room. That’s about it for the intro, so let’s put the device to the test and see how it performs.

The Design and Build Quality of the SwitchBot Hub 2

I did mention that the SwitchBot Hub 2 has integrated the functions of the Meter devices, but there are a few key differences. Yes, both rely on a Swiss-made sensor for measurement accuracy and both show the temperature and the humidity, but while the Meter (and Meter Plus) has a traditional display (that looks like glass – it’s plastic though), the SwithBot Hub 2 relies on LEDs that shine through a thin piece of plastic. As a consequence, the entire case seems to be made from the same material that’s covered by a white matte finish.

It’s kind of bland actually until you get to connect it to a power source, thus lighting up the LEDs. Doing so will dramatically improve the look of the SwitchBot Hub 2, but while the Meter lacked a backlight, the LEDs will brighten the room in the night. Fear not because you can turn the lights off – see those two icons underneath the temperature reading? They’re capacitive touch buttons and tapping on Off will turn off the LEDs, leaving only a very faint light underneath the aforementioned buttons. The hub also includes a beeper which will sound when you press the buttons or when the device is turned on.

At the back of the SwitchBot Hub 2, there is a small stand that can be retracted, allowing the unit to sit at a visible angle. And it’s pretty much necessary to move it in order to access the USB-C port. Yes, the SwitchBot Hub 2 does not have an inner battery, so it needs to be connected to a power source all the time and I do have one complaint, well, maybe two.

One is that the area where the cable needs to be inserted is very narrow, so only a particular type of USB-C cable can enter – I wouldn’t say it’s proprietary, but very much near it. Second, the measuring sensor sits on the USB-C cable which SwitchBot says was necessary for accuracy reasons. I won’t deny that it’s true since it may experience some sort of interference with other built-in systems if it was embedded into the case, but it does solidify the now certainty that the USB-C cable for the SwitchBot Hub 2 is indeed proprietary.

So yes, let’s hope that the manufacturer will sell it for a very long time or that the cable will survive for many years – by the way, the USB-C cable is 6.5 feet long. As a clarification, you can use other USB-C cables (if the head is short enough), but the readings will no longer be available.

The Accuracy of the Sensor

SwitchBot says that the Hub 2 uses a Swiss-made sensor chip to measure both the humidity and the temperature which should mean that we have to get accurate readings, right? I am not very familiar with Swiss-made sensor chips, but I do have the Meter Plus that uses the same technology, so I just put the devices next to each other to see if both show the same readings. The SwitchBot Hub 2 doesn’t show the decimal, just the rounded temperature and yes, it was the same as on the Meter Plus.

The curious thing was that the humidity readings were different on the two devices. The Meter Plus has the sensor built into the case, so I made sure to put the external sensor of the Hub 2 very near it. Even so, one showed 66%, while the other showed 69%. The app is absolutely terrible for the Meter units (the data downloading likes to fail constantly and I could no longer change the degree types), but I could see the decimals on the Hub which pretty much matched with the Meter Plus.

Bear in mind that the SwitchBot Hub 2 sensor will need some time to calibrate and I could see after about an hour that the humidity was now 66% as compared to the 67% reading of the Meter Plus. So, which one is the most accurate?
I would be inclined to believe that the SwitchBot Hub 2 may be more accurate. And that’s only because an outer sensor should be getting more accurate readings due to being immediately exposed to the elements.

The Installation and the App

The hardware installation process is a straight forward as it gets. Connect the USB-C cable to the hub and to the brick (that’s provided into the package – very much a rarity nowadays) and, after the beep, there should be a flashing LED indicating that the device is ready to be paired. Install the SwitchBot app and I have used it before with other devices, so I didn’t have to create a new account. But you do need to know that the hub relies on Bluetooth to pair and connect to most devices, it will send Notifications and most importantly, it ‘requires’ access to your location.

That’s because they apparently need to locate devices in the network (I can add them manually, thank you very much) – the manufacturer mentions that the location data is not tracked, nor stored which is better than what other apps are doing, if true. Afterwards, I gained access to the GUI where I could add the hub – tap on the Plus sign and select Add device. The app detected the SwitchBot Hub 2 immediately and then it asked that I pressed the two buttons on the unit at the same time.

After the beep, the LED started flashing quickly and then I could connect to the WiFi network. As expected, there is support for the 2.4GHz band only and, after choosing the name and room, the unit was added to the Dashboard. There is much more info and a better layout than when I tested the Hub Mini, so the app got better over the years. At the top, you should see the live measurements from the sensors, including the Room Light – the hub relies on the IR receiver to calculate the output. You can tap on any of them to see the fluctuations over set periods of time.

A bit lower, you can add and control IR appliances and further down, you can change the behavior of the Touch buttons by adding a scene. The process involves adding an action – select a device, such as the smart Curtain, so when you turn off the LED on the SwitchBot Hub 2, the curtains will close; alternatively, you can just set it to turn off the light in the room. There is more because after tapping the Settings icon from the top right corner, we can change the display behavior (for example, you can enable the Auto-adjust Brightness which is off by default), set Alerts when a humidity/temperature limit has been reached and you can also calibrate the unit.

If you have an instrument that’s proven to be more accurate, then you can adjust the Hub 2 to provide better readings. I’ve also seen that you can pair devices via NFC and that the Matter was in Beta, so it required a Firmware Update to become active. A few minutes later, I could add it Matter-enabled ecosystems, so let’s do that.

Matter and Google Home

I don’t know why I expected the Nest Protect to have received the Matter update, but the good news is that Google Home Mini did receive it, so I decided to connect the SwitchBot Hub 2 to the Google ecosystem.

That’s because I did not have an Apple hub or Apple TV. The process is simple, but do be aware that there are some hiccups that I experienced (nothing major, don’t worry). After updating the SwitchBot software, I went to Settings of the SwitchBot Hub 2 and selected Matter Configuration (Beta) once more. This way, the app generated a QR and a PIN code which can be copied, and above them, you can see that it’s written ‘Not Configured’. Tap on it and follow the instructions: press the On and Off buttons for 15 seconds until the hub enters in pairing mode – the LED should flash slowly.

Don’t be like me and press the two buttons only a couple of seconds until the LEDs start flashing rapidly, then being confused why the process doesn’t work… The LEDs need to flash slowly. Tap on Connect and you should be taken to the Google Home app. I am going to assume that you have the latest firmware and that the app is properly set up, so go to Devices and click on the + icon. Choose New device, select the Home and tap on Matter-enabled device. The app will ask for a QR code, but you should click on the ‘Set up without a QR code’ tab, paste the previously copied code and the SwitchBot Hub 2 should now work with Google Home.

In my case, the device appeared as being connected, but the LED continued to flash. Yes, it got disconnected from the SwitchBot app, so I re-added it (after deleting the hub) and then it appeared as being connected to Google Home without me having to redo the entire thing again. So all was good after that. SwitchBot says that it’s a Beta feature, so it makes sense, but it does work and I could see and control the SwitchBot devices under the Google Home environment. We are not done because it’s necessary to choose which devices will be shared with the Google Home app.

This can be done from the SwitchBot app > Hub 2 > Settings > Matter Configuration > Secondary Devices. Here, you should be able to choose which of the already connected devices can be shared using Matter – in my case, it was the smart Curtains.

Does it work with Home Assistant?

Home Assistant has integrated Matter, but it is currently in Beta mode. If you intend to use it, make sure that you’re on the version 2023.5.4 in order to be able to install the Matter add-on. After installing the add-on, go to integration and add Matter, and then prepare the SwitchBot Hub 2.

It’s pretty much the same steps as on the previous section: reach the Matter Configuration, get the code and return to Home Assistant. Now, go to Add Integration once more and select “Add Matter device”. Since I used the same smartphone for both apps, I chose to enter the code and then I got the message ‘Device Connected’. It’s worth mentioning that the Home Assistant is installed on a Raspberry Pi 4 and it seems to have everything that’s needs to work with Matter.

The last step is to share the Secondary Devices > choose whichever device that you want and is available (again, it’s the smart Curtains). I returned to the web-based GUI and I could see the available entities. It’s curious that the Hub 2 remained paired to the SwitchBot app afterwards, but did not do so after being paired to the Google Home, so maybe the issues are at the Google app level. It would not surprise me one bit.

Adding Infrared Remote Controls

The process is incredibly simple. Click on Add remote control from the main window (dedicated to the SwitchBot Hub 2) and then choose the type of device that’s controlled by the existing IR remote control. I chose to use the LG air conditioner that I have installed in one of my bedrooms, so I selected Air conditioner from the list. Then, I could choose between three options, Smart Matching, Select Manually and Learn Buttons.

I chose the first since it looked very promising and the instructions said to wait until the LED on the SwitchBot Hub 2 turn off or when I hear I prompt tone to point the remote at the hub. I heard a faint beep, so I pointed the remote and the app immediately said that it found three templates available. The first one worked fine and I could now ditch the remote for the app.

The thing is that the Hub Mini could also connects to IR remote controls, so what does the SwitchBot Hub 2 bring new to the table? The new function is the IR decoding which should help synchronize the IR signal transmitted by the AC remote control with the app.

The Conclusion

Does Matter really matters? After seeing how it can bring together such various ecosystems that were previously closed off is very promising to the future of the smart home devices industry and the SwitchBot Hub 2 does help us get closer to a unified standard. I have tested it with Google Home and the open-source Home Assistant and it worked well (others have also successfully connected the Hub 2 to HomeKit). The IR function is better than on the Hub Mini and the app seems to be improved. Additionally, we get temperature and humidity readings to persuade us to keep the SwitchBot Hub 2 in the open (for the IR communication) which was quite clever. Overall, the Hub 2 is a very welcomed addition to the SwitchBot ecosystem and it will definitely help create a better smart home experience.

Mark B

Mark is a graduate in Computer Science, having gathered valuable experience over the years working in IT as a programmer. Mark is also the main tech writer for MBReviews.com, covering not only his passion, the networking devices, but also other cool electronic gadgets that you may find useful for your every day life.

www.mbreviews.com

Indeed, the Elemake smart fingerprint door lock with deadbolt adds the option to lock or unlock the door with your fingerprint, a PIN code, RF card and even via an app (although the support is there, I would advise against connecting it to smart assistant). And, as a last case scenario, the smart lock can also be operated using keys, like a traditional deadlock would. The device is also made of zinc alloy and it’s designed to survive outdoor conditions, which is pretty much mandatory for this type of smart locks.

So, all that sounds great, but are there any compromises? Not really, it offers a very similar feature set as the more expensive devices, such as the Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro WiFi, but at a lower price tag. Do bear in mind the consequences of using a smart lock and that’s the required continuous connection to the Internet and the app that will collect data, but, unless you have some hacker burglar in your neighborhood, then a device such as the Elemake smart fingerprint door lock with deadbolt can be a surprisingly effective burglar deterrent.

Design and Build Quality

The Elemake smart fingerprint door lock with deadbolt comes as a complete replacement for your existing deadbolt lock, so inside the package, there are quite a few pieces that need to be put together.

Outer Escutcheon

First, there’s the outer escutcheon that measures 5.5 x 2.3 x 0.8 inches and which is mostly made of metal (the frame and some of the inner parts), but the access panel is made of plastic (covered by a black glossy finish, a veritable fingerprint magnet). Within this plastic panel, there is the fingerprint sensor and it’s very easy to identify since it has an LED ring that surrounds it.

Underneath it, Elemake has included the touchscreen panel for the security code and yes, this was the reason why the manufacturer had to rely on plastic for this front panel. A bit lower, you will notice that there is a circular cover and the way to remove it is by using the small suction cup which can be found on the provided keychain. This cover is magnetic and it hides the area where you can insert the keys in case the electronic parts have failed, such as when the battery is completely dead. The cover is magnetic and if you slam the door a bit harder, it will easily fall of the unit, so the suction cup is not really necessary – it’s also a bit too easy to lose that cover.

Still, the manufacturer has added an additional way to make the Elemake smart fingerprint door lock functional again, and it’s by powering it up using a microUSB cable and a powerbank or any other power source. This means that there is a tiny battery inside the outer escutcheon, and I admit that I would have liked USB-C, but it’s still nice that we do have this option available. The manufacturer says that the smart lock is IP65-rated, so it should withstand both water sprays and dust ingress into the enclosure and I had a look around the unit to see if there were any openings.

There is a cover over the microUSB port and I noticed an opening on the side, but it seems to be for the speaker, so no water can get from that side. There is also a silicone seal where the outer escutcheon gets in contact with the door, so make sure that you install it correctly. I think that includes the stability screw which I suppose it can be seen as optional, but it may help keep the unit watertight – we will see if it’s truly needed in the ‘Installation’ section.

Inner Escutcheon

The manufacturers didn’t cut any corners when building the inside escutcheon, so it’s pretty much all-metal. And yes, that includes the battery section cover as well, a design decision that’s not very common. The unit measures 6.5 x 2.7 x 1.1 inches, so it does go a bit higher than the outer unit and it also means that the smart lock is not really compatible with doors that have handles. Then again, there is an Elemake smart lock and door handle available to accommodate the users that do have a different system.

The main element is, obviously the locking mechanism (both left and right handed – horizontal and vertical positioning) and next to it, there’s the Reset button. To return the device to its default settings, remove the batteries, hold the Reset button, put the batteries back while still holding the button and then after about 30 seconds, a voice prompt should say that the reset has been successful. To access the batteries slot, you need to push the small button above the locking mechanism and, once you do, the cover will just pop out. The manufacturer does not provide the four needed batteries, so you will have to purchase them yourself.

This section is also water and dust resistant, so you don’t have to worry about it experiencing weather damage, plus the all-metal build ensure that it will also survive mechanical shocks.
There is a silicone seal where it gets in contact with the metallic bracket so again, make sure that it’s properly aligned so no water or dust will enter the enclosure.

The Bolt and other components

The bolt is designed in a traditional manner, so nothing electronic about it – everything is metallic and feels solid. The bolt does have beveled edges and, by default, it can fit into a 2-3/8″ (6cm) backset, but it is possible to extend it up to 2-3/4″ (7cm). The way to do it is by pressing down the latch and then rotating the cylinder and retracting it (or pushing it back, if it’s too long). Another important component is the door position sensor which is connected by a cable to the interior escutcheon.

I am not really a fan of this approach because it’s an extra piece which hangs and can easily get damaged – I do hope that the manufacturer will include it within a next iteration of the Elemake smart door lock. Lastly, I need to mention another component, the smart gateway which again, in my opinion, it should have been an integrated part of the smart lock, but I digress. The gateway is small, made of plastic and it has four silicone feet to stay unmoved. It can be powered via a USB-C cable (there is one in the enclosure) and there are two LEDs at the top, as well as a button on the side.

The LEDs will flash red and blue when the device is ready to be paired (broadcasts Bluetooth signal) and will become solid red and blue after it’s connected to the mobile app. The button needs to be used to re-start the pairing process in case the blue LED turns off.

Installing the Elemake Smart Fingerprint Door Lock With Deadbolt

For this specific test, I decided to not use an actual door, but put together something that resembles one. That being said, I inserted the bolt and since I designed the size of the hole, it didn’t have to be extended (but it is possible, as I said in the previous section). Then, using two of the four screws in the package (the user manual named them J), I attached the bolt to the faux door panel (make sure that the UP sign is pointing upwards).

Then, I took the outside escutcheon and inserted the pins into the bold section, making sure that the cable safely runs to the other side (I ran it below). After that, I took the bracket and using the three identical screws (named H in the manual), I attached it to the outer unit. I also made sure that cable is safely prepared to be connected to the inner side of the Elemake smart deadbolt. There is an optional threaded tube which could offer additional stabilization to the smart lock, but it does require drilling a hole into the door.

So, unless you already have one drilled, I suggest you don’t install it, especially if you intend to change locks with a new non-smart one – you just get an extra hole in the door. I did ask whether this would have an impact on the weatherproofing aspect of the device and after having it installed, I can attest that it sits properly attached and no water or dust can enter the enclosure.

Now it’s time to install the interior escutcheon. Before actually mounting it, ensure that the locking mechanism is positioned properly (for left or right handed people) and then make sure to connect the door position sensor, as well as the outside unit cable. it’s a bit annoying that I had to pull a good portion of the cable to connect it to the board, but then it’s necessary to push it back into the outer unit in order to mount the interior part. There is a small hole into the silicone seal that allows you to guide the sensor cable out from underneath the unit – make sure not to strangle it.

Test that the key and the locking mechanism work (if it’s blocked, it’s more likely due to not adjusting it for left or right-handed use) and afterwards, you should install the striker plate and the box, but do be aware that the former is very fragile and will easily bend, while the latter is made of plastic. I suggest you get a sturdier one from a third-party manufacturer.

You should also install the contact part of the door position sensor, so that the smart lock will be able to react to the door being opened or closed. At this point, I connected the four batteries and the outer unit made a faint beep to confirm that it’s now powered up.

The App Installation

By default, Elemake offers the option to connect to the app (Smart Life) via Bluetooth and the communication between the smart lock and the app would remain through Bluetooth. But, considering the limited range and the susceptibility to interference, the manufacturer has still decided to add a optional gateway so that the connection is done via WiFi and yes, it only supports the old 2.4GHz radio band. That being said, I first decided to see the pairing process via Bluetooth only and it was a very simple process.

The app that you need to install is called Smart Life and it does require the creation of an account and for the user to accept its privacy policy. The collected data includes geo location data, mobile device data, such as IP address and other network-related info. And yes, some of the collected data will be used for marketing purposes plus the data can be shared with subsidiaries, as well as third parties if there’s any change to the structure of the company (merger, sale, transfer and so on). To start the process, I had to tap on the touch-sensitive area of the Elemake smart door lock so that the LEDs for the numbers would light up and then the Smart Life app automatically saw the Elemake Smart Door Lock (as long as Bluetooth is enabled on the phone as well).

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Mark B

Mark is a graduate in Computer Science, having gathered valuable experience over the years working in IT as a programmer. Mark is also the main tech writer for MBReviews.com, covering not only his passion, the networking devices, but also other cool electronic gadgets that you may find useful for your every day life.

www.mbreviews.com

The people that would most benefit from this type of devices are those that want to (or need to) keep track of how much water they drink, such as the outdoor workers (which are often vulnerable especially during the summer) or those that work in an office (especially if you’re a programmer, professional gamer or working in any other IT-related job, where you are required to focus for longer periods of time, so it’s easy to forget you have to drink or eat). The elderly are also one of the most vulnerable category of people to dehydration, that actually poses a serious threat for their health and may need to be regularly kept in check and, lastly, a smart water bottle will be suitable for people that like to keep track of everything that happens with their body (such as active people that practice outdoors sports – there actually are smart water bottles that will work with FitBit for more detailed stats – when will we actually see a FitBit water bottle?).

UPDATE 03.13.2023: The Hidrate Spark 3 bottle has been added to the best smart water bottles list

Hidrate Spark 3 Smart Water Bottle	LifeFuels Smart Water Bottle	REBO Smart Water Bottle
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H2OPal Smart Bottle	Ozmo Active Smart Bottle	Noerden LIZ Smart Water Bottle
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We’ve already gotten accustomed with these new smart devices and having a smart home has pretty much become the norm, so since we’ve already had a look at the best smartphones on the market (at an acceptable budget), as well as the best waterproof smartwatches, some smart speakers (such as this one from Edifier) and had a slight incursion into the world of the smart smoke detectors, it’s now time to have a look at which manufacturer managed to create the best smart water bottles.

1. Hidrate Spark 3

Read the full review

The Hidrate Spark 3 is the third iteration from the main series of smart water bottles developed by the US-based manufacturer and, while the side Steel series went with a stainless steel container, the Spark 3 continued to use a Tritan plastic bottle, just like its predecessors. But, the manufacturer has improved some of the key elements, making sure that there is now a better syncing between the device and the app, the bottle is sturdier and that the glowing LED is better at letting the user know it’s time to take a sip.

One of the main selling points of the Hidrate Spark 3 is the design of the smart bottle. I know that most other manufacturers of smart bottles (which are not that many) did prefer to use stainless steel containers, the Hidrate Spark decided that their plastic bottle is safe enough, considering that it’s BPA and BPS-free, and it does not use phthalates. And the Hidrate Spark 3 did not go with the traditional bottle look, but it preferred to use a cylindrical container with a geometric pattern all around that will improve the grip. The Hidrate Spark 3 tracks the water intake using a sensing stick which lies inside the bottle and is attached to the base section (which is powered by a single CR2477 coin cell battery).

And inside this sensing stick, the manufacturer has embedded a series of LED lights which will glow in specific patterns, its intensity and brightness being able to be set from the app. The bottle that I purchased is yellowish-green and the light inside is green – that’s the only color available. A multicolored LED can be found on the Hidrate Steel smart water bottle, while the Spark series seems to be more limited in this regard.

The Hidrate Spark 3 reads how much water you have drank only when you put the bottle down on a flat surface, so I suppose it can frustrate some users that want to check their stats while jogging or practicing any other outdoor sport, but then again, you are going to put the smart water bottle down at the end of the exercise, so the app will update then (minor compromise, I guess). Obviously, a smart bottle is usually better suited for people that work in an office environment because when concentrating for long periods of time, it’s easy to lose track of time and forget to hydrate, so a glowing smart water bottle on your desk will help you have a more healthy life style. If you don’t ignore its glowing LED.

The Hidrate Spark 3 has a 20 ounces capacity (slight cut from the 24oz of the Spark 2.0) and, if you want to wash it, know that only the lid is dishwasher safe, while the rest needs to be washed by hand. It is advisable to remove the sensor stick before washing the device to avoid any damages. Also, know that the bottle is not insulated, so the water will eventually have the room’s temperature. The Hidrate Spark 3 has an app which will work with iOS and Android smartphones and, similarly to most other smart bottles on the market, the setup process is simple and straight-forward: create an account, pair the bottle and then calibrate it.

The app will also want to know your location, compulsively – the reason that’s stated is that it will help you find your bottle easily, as well as create a more personalized goal based on the temperature and humidity in the area you live in.

The app will let you see how much water you need to drink, check the History logs (Week and Month), to Add Water manually (it is possible to add from other sources than the smart water bottle) and the Settings. It includes setting up the Profile, changing the Goal, the option to configure the Notifications, change the Units, and more.

2. LifeFuels Smart Water Bottle

Read the full review

LifeFuels has recently entered the smart water bottle market and, while its device does offer the expected set of features, such as a water intake tracking system and a reliable mobile app, the manufacturer decided to also include a nutritional layer to the device. I am happy to see new players entering this market since there really aren’t enough manufacturers to constantly support their product series – there is currently only one (Hidrate Spark), but the way LifeFuels built its smart water bottle suggests that they’re here to stay. Of course, I am talking about the FuelPods which can fill the water container with various types of vitamins (and not only) to both improve the taste of the beverage (those that don’t drink water very often probably aren’t that fond of it being tasteless) and to help boost your immune system and energy level. And yes, you can buy more FuelPods when the included ones are finished (or subscribe to a monthly plan).

You don’t necessarily have to purchase any additional FuelPods and the bottle can be used as a regular smart water bottle. That being said, the device itself is larger than expected and also a bit heavy, so at its 10.0 x 3.0 x 3.0 inches and 1.1 lbs (2.2 lbs when filled), you’re going to definitely feel the difference between it and a regular bottle (or even an insulated one). LifeFuel knew that the bottle will be a bit on the heavy side, so it added a lanyard for an easier carrying. But there is a reason for its weight and that is the bottom half of the device (the base) which is covered by anodized aluminum and if you turn it upside down, there’s a cool transparent cover that let’s you have a sneak peek to the three dedicated areas for the FuelPods (yes, these add quite a bit to the total weight).

That cover can be removed and needs to if you intend to turn the bottle on (the Reset and the Power button rests within that area). The top half of the smart water bottle is made out of transparent BPA-free tritan (with a dark tint) and it can be removed from the base to clean it (only this part is dishwasher safe, while the bottom part is to be cleaned with a soft cloth only), but, to pour water, I suggest to simply unscrew the cap since the mouth of the bottle is big enough to ensure that the water is not spilled everywhere (has a diameter of 1.37-inch).

The bottle can be recharged using the provided cable which gets connected to the front-facing microUSB port (yes, no USB-C here) and the battery can deliver up to 5 days on a single charge, but it will be heavily dependent on how much you’re using the FuelPods since the mechanism uses an internal motor and there are lots of LEDs that do take a toll on the battery life.
Note: The FuelPods that come with the device are Lemon Lime (rich in electrolytes), Blackberry (rich in antioxidants) and Peach (rich in multi-vitamins).

The LifeFuels smart water bottle has a dedicated app available for both Apple and Android users (be aware that the app can’t be installed outside USA – I tried it with an Android device) and, after installing the application, you will have to enter some personal info (regarding your well-being and body measurements) to create a personalized profile. After logging into the app, you can immediately see the status of the bottle, what type of FuelPods are already installed (each with the remaining amount of content) and you can also see a FuelLog to get a better understanding of your progress. You can dispense a dose of a specific FuelPod from the app or directly from the bottle itself (there is a central button for this specific reason) and each pod should suffice for about 30 beverages, but you will need to adjust the dosage from the app. And that’s another interesting aspect of this device because it allows you to create personalized beverages by specifying the amount of each type of pod content that will get into your water.

I also do have to talk about the water tracking accuracy which is decent, relying on a continuous level sensor to detect any change in the liquid quantity at a certain place within the bottle, so it won’t really register any ounce of water that you drink, but only when the water gets to a certain level – and you can see it in action in the app, where the icon of the bottle gets updated every quarter. It’s also worth noting that the app updates the icon almost instantaneously.

3. REBO Smart Water Bottle

Read the full review

Even though the smart devices market is in full bloom right now, only a few manufacturers are willing to give the smart water bottle niche a try, so we are still left mostly with start-up companies that rarely find the balanced formula between the design, functionality and the price point. One of the latest available smart water bottles comes from a new company which mainly wants to associate the idea of using a reusable bottle with helping the environment. And, of course, it’s a solid argument since you are using less plastic. Additionally, I noticed that the app that comes with the smart bottle also helps you find nearby fountains, helping you refill it for free.

While it’s good to know that there is more to the bottle, we still need to get a proper device that will accurately track how much water is being consumed and to have a good notification system. Otherwise, what’s the point of an IoT device? – there are already plenty regular reusable bottles on the market.
The REBO smart water bottle looks pretty unassuming and you could hardly differentiate it from the regular reusable water bottle, if it wasn’t for that large cap. The device itself features two main parts, the stainless steel recipient (SUS304) and the aforementioned fairly large lid (BPA free plastic and Food Grade PP). The bottle capacity is 20.29 ounces and it measures 10.0 x 2.9 inches, so it isn’t the most compact, but should still easily fit in a bag.

Also, because of its ergonomic shape and the matte finish, the bottle has a decent grip. The most interesting part of this device is, obviously, the bottle cap which contains the entire electronic circuitry. The lid can be opened by pressing on the dedicated plastic piece (it’s a bit stiff) and I saw that the mouth of the bottle is fairly big. I don’t think you’ll easily push ice cubes through there, but you can easily detach the lid from the bottle to allow the cubes to slip in. At the top of the lid, there is an LED ring which lights up to let you know the status of the device and to remind you when it’s time to drink again. Unfortunately, there is no sound effect included, just the light and the mobile notifications.

If the LED disturbs you during the night, then you can schedule when it’s going to be active from the app. The LED will also let you know when the battery needs to be recharged and yes, the manufacturer has included a USB-C port on the side of the lid. It’s obviously covered by a protective silicone piece.
The way the REBO smart water bottle is detecting how much water is left in the container is by pointing some laser beams (from inside the cap) and trying to guess how much you added or drank. It’s not a perfect system, especially when left uncalibrated. After calibration, it does become a bit better, but it can also miss the mark by up to 10% (which is kind of acceptable).

The aluminum part of the smart bottle can be washed and fully immersed under water, but the cap should only be cleaned with a soft cloth. The app that comes with the smart bottle is called REBO and it’s compatible with both iOS and Android devices. The GUI is simple and I liked the fluid animation that followed the movement of the bottle. Here, you can see if you have reached your daily goal, check a longer-term progress, check the map for nearby fountains and you can also sync it with Apple Health.
REBO says that the battery should last up to two weeks on a single charger and, after a disappointing first experience, the bottle does seem to hold a lot better. It’s been a bit over a week since I last charged it and I have 45% of battery left, so yeah, two weeks seem to be realistic.

4. H2OPal Smart Bottle Hydration Tracker

The H20Pal smart bottle is the latest product (and the only one, so far) to come from the technology-based startup ‘Out Of Galaxy’, a device that was designed to challenge the smart bottles from the competition by choosing to go for a different approach: instead of incorporating the electronic parts into the bottle itself (some have LED indicators or a small display to show you how much water you drank), the manufacturer decided to leave it as a separate part, so it can be used with different types of bottles.

So, H2OPal consists of two separate parts, one is the bottle itself, which is a borosilicate glass bottle (it’s transparent, so you can see how much water you’ve sipped) with various silicone bands positioned towards the top and on the middle for a more sporty look and, connected to the bottom, lies the second part of the H2OPal, which incorporates all the electronic parts and has the role of tracking your water intake.

The H20Pal smart bottle can be filled with 18.6 ounces of water (the mouth of the bottle is a bit narrow, so it may be a bit difficult to insert ice), it is dishwasher safe (you need to remove the bottom part) and it comes in two color variants: pink and yellow or black and blue. If you fear that the bottle may break (and it will if you drop it), you can take off the silicone sleeve (towards the bottom part) and add it to a plastic bottle (for a perfect fit, it needs to have approximately a 3-inch diameter and it needs to weigh at least 2.9 oz when empty) and then simply reconnect the bottom mechanism to regain the smart features (it works fine with gym bottles which are usually made of plastic and it will give you some peace off mind if you think glass is too heavy, slippery and fragile).
Note: The smart bottle uses a single coin cell battery, which should be able to last up to 6 months.

The H20Pal can be connected to an iOS device and all you have to do is download and install the app (an Android app is currently in the beta stage) – the H20Pal app will work with Fitbit, the Apple Health app and will also sync with the Apple Watch.
After you’ve installed the app, you will be required to enter your name, choose your gender, set your birthday, height and weight, and you will be asked to select ‘How active are you?’ (can be Not very active, Lightly active, Normal active and Very active). Afterwards, you can enable some Additional Services (such as Location Data – can use the weather reports to adjust your daily goal, the Motion Data and Health Data) and add your H20Pal Tracker (you will be given instructions on how to activate the device which includes activating the Bluetooth and pairing the smart bottle – you will need to insert the PIN number).

After the process is done, the H20Pal will ask you if it should send you notifications and you can visit the user interface (the menu includes Home, Profile, Statistics, Levels and achievements, Entry log, H20Pal Tracker, Tutorial and Settings (here, you can also enable Fitbit sync)).
Note: The H20Pal smart bottle can also be connected to Amazon Alexa, which will give you the possibility of asking Alexa to tell you the amount of water that you drank today.

Be aware that the way this smart device works is that you need to put the bottle down every time you fill it with water, so the tracker can take all the necessary measurements and, after you drank the water, you have to put the bottle down once again, so it can measure the changes in the quantity. This means that it is less suitable for joggers and more for people that work in an office or those who go to the gym. If you don’t want to keep the Bluetooth enabled all the time or simply don’t have your phone nearby, the H20Pal will also work offline, so, even if you refill the bottle several times, after it can be re-synced to the app, it will take into account all the data.
Note: Every time you add a new bottle, you have to re-calibrate the tracker: it can be done by going to the H20-Pal Tracker option on the app, selecting Advanced settings and choosing calibrate (you will need to enter the volume of the bottle, calibrate it empty and then calibrate it when it’s filled).

5. Ozmo Active Smart Bottle

The Ozmo Active Smart Bottle is one of the two devices available from the Hong Kong-based startup company ‘Groking Lab’, especially created for people that need to keep track of their water consumption and, in order to bring a unique feature to the table, it has sensors that can detect whether you have filled the bottle with water or with coffee. The manufacturer decided to steer clear of the fragile glass bottle and the material choice for the Ozmo Active was ABS plastic, which should provide better protection in case you accidentally drop it and it will look more at home while you’re jogging or biking (although it’s not transparent, so you won’t see how much water is left inside the bottle). That being said, the smart bottle doesn’t really have an attractive design, but it does make up for it with the robust built quality (the bottle also weighs 12.7 ounces and it has a 16 ounces capacity).

The smart bottle comes in blue, grey, purple, red, seafoam green, pink and white, it has a top handle for easy carrying and, towards the bottom, there is a removable tab which exposes the recessed Reset button and the micro-USB charging port (to fully charge the battery, it should take roughly two hours and the battery life is rated at about 3 weeks).

On the side of the device, you’ll notice three LED lights: if the middle LED is enabled, then the lid isn’t properly closed, so the bottle won’t be able to track your drink; if one light is enabled, then you’re reached 20% of your hydration goal, otherwise, if two LEDs are active, then you’re reached 50% of your goal and three lights indicate that you’ve reached your goal (the three LED lights will also become active to let you know when the device is fully charged). Furthermore, the Ozmo Active smart bottle will let you know when the lid is securely closed by vibrating once, will alert you that the lid is open by vibrating three times and, if you haven’t been drinking water for over an hour, it will vibrate six times.
Note: Unlike the H20Pal, which has the tracker and the bottle separately, the Ozmo Active doesn’t have two separate parts, which means that you’ll have to clean the device as a whole: you’ll have to do it by hand, as it is not dishwasher safe.

While the Ozmo Active Smart Bottle will work fine on its own as it has integrated inside the bottle a way of notifying you on your progress (the LED lights), you can connect the bottle to either an Android or to an iOS device using the Ozmo app (the app won’t send any notifications and you’ll have to rely solely on the bottle’s LEDs and vibrations). The Ozmo Active is also compatible with FitBit, Garmin, Misfit and Apple Health apps, and it has an integrated barcode scanner which can be used to scan the nutritional info from all the new food labels.

To do so, you need to download, install and open the app, and tap Get Started: this will open up the Profile window, which will ask for your gender, age, height and weight (all this info will help the app determine your daily water intake goal). Afterwards, you will have to connect the Ozmo bottle to the app: keep the mobile phone close to the bottle and wait until it vibrates and until the trio of LED lights will blink.

After the pairing process is done, you can start adding water (you’ll see a live representation of the amount of water that’s being poured inside the container). From now on, every time you take a sip out of the bottle, the sensors will automatically detect it and you can see in the app how much close you are to your goal. You can also add coffee inside the container and the sensors will immediately pick it up and you will be able to see in the app that a different interface is loaded, especially designed for the coffee intake (the system is not perfect as sometimes, the sensors can mistake water for coffee or vice versa).
Note: After you’ve added the necessary quantity of water, make sure that the lid is securely closed to activate the Bluetooth (when it is tightly sealed, the middle LED will turn off).

6. Noerden LIZ Water Bottle

Read the full review

The French-based start-up company Noerden has recently released their first take on a smart water bottle and it’s quite different than its main competitors, offering an unusual set of features than we are accustomed with the likes of Hidrate Spark or DrinKup. Instead of an app and the tracking of the water intake, the LIZ bottle can sterilize the water using UV, it can tell the temperature of the beverage (if it’s cold, warm or hot) and it will notify you every two hours to drink water through a pulsating LED.

The HydraCoach was another smart water bottle that lacked an app, so it also couldn’t connect to a smartphone, to a FitBit device or to a smart home environment, but it did have a small built-in display to help you keep track of your progress, but the Noerden LIZ doesn’t have any of these elements and the only way to interact with it is through the touch-sensitive lid (for this reason, I did have some trouble seeing it as a smart water bottle and, as I said in the full review, it’s more like an enhanced water bottle).

The bottle itself is made of 304 stainless steel on the exterior and out of 316 stainless steel on the inside, while the only plastic element (food-grade BPA-free polycarbonate) is the thick lid. The LIZ bottle comes into two variants, one has a volume of 16 ounces and measures 9.8 x 2.9 inches, while the other, which is shorter, has a volume capacity of 12 ounces and measures 7.6 x 2.9 inches. The model that I tested is covered by a white glossy finish (doesn’t seem to retain visible fingerprints), while the lid is matte white and, thanks to its weight (0.7 lb) it’s not easy to tip it over (even when it’s empty) – there is also a silicone anti-slip pad attached to the bottom of the bottle to keep it from moving around.

Just like with most other smart water bottles (except for the H2OPal), the lid is the part that contains all the sensors and other circuits and the same is available for the Noerden LIZ which has a couple of exposed pins on the outside to which you can attach (magnetically) a small piece of plastic that contains a micro-USB port. If you remove the lid (counter-clockwise movement), you’ll be able to see the UV emitter and the temperature sensor, both pointing downwards and to activate either of these functions, you will need to use the touch-sensitive top section of the lid (where rests the LED). After taking the water bottle out of the package, make sure to remove the plastic cover from the bottom of the lid and then tap and hold for a couple of seconds on the top of the lid.

This way, the LED will flash white and every two hours, the LED will flash a few times to let you know that you need to drink water. To see the temperature of the beverage, tap once on the lid: blue will mean that the liquid is cold (underneath 98 degrees F), yellow will mean that its warm (between 98 and 140 degrees F) and red means that the beverage is hot (above 140 degrees F). If you were wondering whether the UV emitter can actually kill the bacteria and remove the odor, the answer is yes, considering that the rays should easily penetrate such a small quantity of water (it may not work that well will colored beverages, such as coffee or juice).
The manufacturer says that the battery should last for a full month when using the UV sterilization once a day and I have been using it for about a week and, so far, it’s still working fine – there is no indicator for the battery life, but the LED will flash red when it goes below 5%.

Mark B

Mark is a graduate in Computer Science, having gathered valuable experience over the years working in IT as a programmer. Mark is also the main tech writer for MBReviews.com, covering not only his passion, the networking devices, but also other cool electronic gadgets that you may find useful for your every day life.

www.mbreviews.com

Well, the Hidrate Spark 3 keeps the same soft plastic body with lights shining through, so that hasn’t really changed that much over the years, but the developers did work at making the sensors more accurate and at offering a better integration with the mobile app.

And it’s clear that the public appreciated these changes due to the brand’s popularity, but it’s still a relatively under-served niche, so the manufacturer is pretty much on the front lines to convince more people about the usefulness of a smart water bottle. And I think that despite being considered an accessory for the fitness-conscious people, those that work long hours are the more likely candidates to benefiting from a smart water bottle.

I don’t really tend to forget to drink water when working out or generally when I am not very busy with projects. No, I need a device such as the Hydrate Spark 3 when I go through crunch times at work and need to be reminded to stay hydrated. I suppose the elderly could also benefit from a smart water bottle, so let’s put the smart water bottle to the test and see if it rises to the hype.

Design and Build Quality

I usually prefer using stainless steel bottles since they manage to feel more robust and the idea of microplastics has really made me more conscious on how I handle both my food and my beverages. The interesting thing is that the manufacturer actually makes a case against single-use plastic bottle for containing phthalates, trihalomethanes and the even more ill-famed microplastics, but is the all-plastic container of the Hydrate Spark 3 better?

The smart water bottle is BPA-free, but that’s not really enough because BPS remains harmful to people. The good news is that the device is also BPS-free and it also has no phthalates, which is good to know. The Hydrate Spark 3 smart water bottle unit that I got is yellow and it can be filled with 20 ounces of liquid (or a bit over half a litter) which I suppose is enough for a few hours to stay hydrated. The bottle itself can be divided into three main parts.

And we’re going to start at the bottom, where there’s a base containing sensing rod which is basically a long plastic piece that goes towards the lid. And, if you check at the bottom, you will see a metallic locking mechanism which holds a plastic cover into place. Removing it will reveal a compartment for a battery and yes, there is one provided in the package (alongside a lanyard). The lid can also be removed (rotate it counter-clockwise), so you can easily fit ice cubes or anything else that’s similarly sized.

The mouthpiece is not too large, just enough to allow a good flow for the beverage and the open/close mechanism is spring-operated which means that it should last for quite a bit. I have tested some bottles over the years that only had plastic holding plastic, and that approach had a high rate of failure after a few months. The container of the bottle is actually covered by the soft plastic material, while within (the part that gets in contact with the water), it’s actually transparent and of different consistency.

I think that this could have been the perfect opportunity to add glass which would then be covered by the same soft plastic to protect it from shattering. Perhaps this would be an option in the future, although it’s not going to be easy to implement and it would raise the price tag substantially more than when using only plastic.

The LED status light

The Hidrate Spark 3 has the LED embedded within the sensor rod from inside the bottle and, since the plastic is slightly transparent, the light forms a very nice pattern. And the developers made sure that it’s not just a turn on and off effect, the brightness changes in intensity. The light is just green and from the app, there is no way to change it to something else, so yes, it’s not as colorful as on the Hidrate Steel, but I think that the effect is nicer on the Hidrate Spark 3.

There is still some degree of customization since you can change the glow intensity and how often the LED will activate during the day, but yes, the options are a bit limited.

How does the Hidrate Spark 3 smart water bottle work?

The Hidrate Spark 3 uses the sensing stick to detect how much water is left in the container. It’s a fairly simple concept and most likely more accurate than a sensing base which measures the weight of the bottle.

There are other approaches, such as the sensing cap of the REBO smart bottle which shoots a beam of light to detect any changes in the water level and there’s also the continuous measurement system of the LifeFuels bottle. So, in a sense, the approach of the Hidrate Spark 3 may seem a bit more antiquated and some may not like that the bottle needs to stay flat for a few seconds for the water amount to update in the app, but overall, it’s a good system, so why fix what’s not broken?

The Installation

The app that you need to download and install is called Hidrate and it’s available on both Android and iOS. After installing it, it asked if I would let it use Bluetooth for connecting to the bottle (I said yes), which was then followed by the prompt to create an account. It wants an email and then it wanted for me to accept the Terms and Services, as well as the Privacy Policy. Let’s see what data is collected.

The app will use some data from the social networking websites if you signed up this way, but the data collected from the device is the liquid consumption amount, the time when it was consumed, the location when it happened, as well as the IP address, the time and the battery level. Furthermore, the reminders will also be stored, the geolocation data and a few more. At the moment, the company does not offer a ‘do not track’ option so that the users can opt out anytime they want.

About the data sharing with third-parties, Hidrate Spark may share your personal info with companies that provide them with services (fulfillment, email management and credit card processing). Also, they will share you data if requested by a legal entity and in case of corporate restructuring. Lastly I saw that there is more about sharing collected data with third-party companies because they said that it is possible for them to enter in agreement with other companies where your data may be shared. And they said that they do not hold any control for how your data will then be used. Overall, it’s your standard privacy invasive app that undergoes the now normalized practices of collecting data and sharing it with whomever they want.

We are not done yet because the app asked if I wanted to receive notifications, if I wanted it to track my activity across apps (absolutely not!) and then I got to the profile setup. After inserting the necessary data, I gained access to the app interface and it was possible to add a new bottle. At this point, the installation wizard required that I chose the type of bottle that will be paired (I chose Bluetooth) and before the connection was done, I was asked if I wanted Hidrate to use my location.

I know that they asked me because there is a ‘locate my bottle’ tool, but I didn’t need it so I set the location precision to off. Now, it was time to calibrate the bottle and the process is incredibly simple. First, put the empty bottle on a level surface, wait a few seconds (as instructed by the app), add water and let it sit flat once again. That’s it, now the bottle will glow when you need to take a sip of water.

The Mobile Application

The app will immediately show if you are near reaching your daily goal and you can see your progress across the days of the week. Scroll down a bit and you should be able to see a Drink Log and the Hourly Goals, as well as the Breakdown.

What I really liked was the possibility to add a Drink – if you drink from a different bottle or glass, then you can manually insert it into the app, so that it aligns with your daily goal (and you can choose between different types of beverages). The next main section is the Social, where I could apply to various challenges and see how other people did (it can include my Friends as well). This is a very successful approach and it worked wonders for Peloton as well.

Moving forward, we can check the Bottles section where I could change some basic aspects about the smart water bottle, including the type of beverage, the Glow Reminders, I could Snooze the program and it was also suggested that I could but the GlowStudio. I didn’t need it (and I am not sure it will work for the Hidrate Spark 3), so I moved forward to the Settings section. Here, I could change the Account settings, adjust the Goal (as well as change between Ounces and Mililiters), set Reminders, see Trophies and more.

How accurate is the water level measurement?

The water amount measurement is actually surprisingly accurate and that’s without constant calibration; just the initial empty bottle – full bottle seems to be enough.

But, as we saw on the LifeFuels smart water bottle, the app only showed how much water was consumed only after the amount went after a certain level. So, taking a couple of sips would not register – drinking a glass of water would change the water amount in the app. The Hidrate Spark 3 went for a more continuous representation of the water amount that’s left in the bottle and, after taking some sips of water, I could see that the daily goal would change, even by less than a couple of ounces.

But there is a minimum which will trigger the communication with the app, so don’t expect to take a very light sip and see it being registered. Even so, it’s still a more accurate system than on most other smart water bottles.

It is easy to clean?

The sensor stick needs to be hand washed only and the manufacturer says that the outside of the bottle should also be washed by hand. You can rinse the interior side of the bottle after every use and it’s recommended to so to avoid bacteria from developing. The rest (the lid and the bottom ring) are top-dishwasher safe.

Battery life and some final tests

The Hidrate Spark 3 does not have a rechargeable battery, it uses a replaceable CR2477 battery which the manufacturer says that it should last about 2-3 months, but it will depend on how you set up the smart water bottle. How often the light will glow, the brightness and more. I have not used the Hidrate Spark 3 for that long (only a couple of weeks), so I can’t yet confirm that it will last for at least a couple of months, but I will update the article when I reach that milestone.

The Conclusion

The Hidrate Spark 3 is one of the best smart water bottles on the market and it’s not because it offers more features than other similar devices. The first important factor is the longevity of the brand which means continuous support for its products and secondly, the bottle actually does a decent job at keeping track of your water intake. There are some shortcomings because the Hidrate Spark 3 is not that great at keeping beverages cold or hot since it’s made of plastic, and the design may not be on everyone’s taste, but overall, if you want a smart water bottle, then I guess you already know that the Hidrate Spark devices are one of the safest choices.

Mark B

Mark is a graduate in Computer Science, having gathered valuable experience over the years working in IT as a programmer. Mark is also the main tech writer for MBReviews.com, covering not only his passion, the networking devices, but also other cool electronic gadgets that you may find useful for your every day life.

www.mbreviews.com

I have tested quite a few smoke detectors from X-Sense and even a smoke/CO combo (the SC01), but they have been a bit inconsistent in regards to the certification. X-Sense has not mentioned whether the XC04-WX is TUV or ETL certified, so I will assume that it’s not, but it does have the CE marking and it is RoHS compliant.

There is also the UL 2034 safety standard compliance, but I don’t think the alarm is UL certified. That being said, the X-Sense XC04-WX does have a few interesting features, you know, despite being able to detect CO. There is the possibility to pair the device to WiFi and use the app to check the CO level in your home and to get notifications when you’re outdoors. If you’re in the house, the notifications won’t matter much because the horn is very loud, so you can’t miss it.

There’s also a display to check the CO accumulation in real-time. These are pretty much the main highlights, so let’s check out the X-Sense XC04-WX and see how well it performs.

Design and Build Quality

The Carbon Monoxide detectors don’t need such large openings as the smoke alarms because there is no sensing chamber for smoke particles. Instead, there is an electro-chemical sensor (that looks like a battery), so the CO alarms can be more compact. Well, at least thinner because the X-Sense XC04-WX measures 5.3 x 2.5 x 0.9 inches (13.5 x 6.3 x 2.4cm), so it’s actually less compact than the X-Sense XS01. I suppose it’s fine considering that the manufacturer went for a vertical standing case, which is why it added two small plastic feet to keep the device upwards.

And overall, it’s an interesting design, keeping the screen in the middle, the speaker on the left and the button (which is huge) on the right side – it kind of resembles the Kidde KN-COPP-B-LPM. The case is completely made of plastic covered by a white matte finish, so it will not look completely out of place when mounted on the wall.

Indeed, besides staying upwards, you do have the option to simply mount the X-Sense XC04-WX on the wall using the two mounting holes from the rear side (there are screws in the package). I have mentioned the display, but don’t expect it to be large and colored. It’s a very narrow, basic display to show you the CO ppm value and yes, it’s always on, but it’s difficult to see in direct sunlight and during the night. It’s not because there is no backlight, there is, but enabling it often may lead to you becoming deaf.

That’s because the display will light up only when the TEST/mute button is pressed and doing so will also start the horn which is very loud when keeping the X-Sense XC04-WX in hand. Like 85dB loud. Underneath the display, there are three circular LEDs. The LEDs will shine green from time to time if the CO alarm is powered on and, when it flashes red, it means that the alarm has been triggered (rising CO levels).

If the LEDs get yellow, it means that the X-Sense XC04-WX has experienced some internal error. The TEST/mute button is huge and it’s so very easy to press if you move around the CO alarm too much and again, the horn is loud when near my ears.

X-Sense XC04-WX Teardown

Before doing the actual teardown of the X-Sense XC04-WX, know that there is a battery slot on the rear side of the alarm and you do need to take the cover out to reach one screw (also, take the battery out as well). There are two screws that need to be removed, both on the rear side of the XC04-WX and then use a prying tool to gently detach the upper part. Doing so will expose the PCB and we can immediately see the speaker and the WiFi chip + antenna (ESPRESSIF ESO32-WROOM-32E).

But what’s interesting is the electro-chemical sensor which is a Figaro 5141 and it looks pretty much identical to a pill-shaped battery. It’s quite the contrast to the electrochemical sensor used on the SC01.

The Installation

Before anything else, you need to pull the tab from the battery and prepare your ears for some loud beep. The LEDs will also shine in different colors signaling that the X-Sense XC04-WX has been powered on. Let it check the CO levels for a few seconds, position it somewhere near a stove or gas appliance and you’re done. Not really though because there’s the whole app part. It’s not a mandatory part of the device, but those notifications can prove useful so let’s install it.

I have used this app with the X-Sense Home Security System and a smoke detector, so after logging in, I simply tapped on the Plus sign and chose the CO alarms from the list. Next, there was a single option, the WiFi CO Alarms and then, the app showed a tutorial on how to install the battery. Afterwards, I got to the pairing step where I had to press the TEST button for 5 seconds until the LED started flashing blue. Then, I was asked to enter the WiFi password (works only with 2.4GHz networks) and, after an unexpected loud beep, the device was paired to the app.

The App

After adding the X-Sense XC04-WX Carbon Monoxide alarm to the app, you will be able to see some stats before entering the actual dedicated page, such as the battery life and the CO level. Tapping on the XC04-WX will show some status info, including an Event History (log).

A bit lower, you can set which functions or triggers will send a notification to your phone. There’s also the possibility to add a user and share the stats. And that’s pretty much it.

The X-Sense XC04-WX in action

Testing the X-Sense XC04-WX is more difficult than a smoke alarm because the CO gas needs to accumulate for much longer inside the room, up until the Figaro sensor is able to see that the value is above the maximum allowed. And, as for the actual process, the sensor oxidizes the CO to CO2 at one electrode and it consumes O2 at the other end – a signal current will be generated which will be proportional to the amount of Carbon Monoxide that is near the alarm.

The horn will sound if the X-Sense XC04-WX senses no less than 30ppm for at least 2 hours, when it sense 50ppm between one hour and one hour and a half, and when it detects 100ppm for at least 10 minutes. If the value goes above 300pp, then the alarm will be triggered either immediately or before 3 minutes have passed. When I tested smoke detectors, I used cans of fake smoke which would accumulate quickly enough as to trigger the sensor.

But that’s not that simple with the CO and, unless there’s a sealed room where you can control the amount of CO that you push inside, it’s going to be difficult to actually get an objective reaction difference between the X-Sense XC04-WX and other CO alarms. For this reason, all professionals suggest to rely on the Test button since that’s why it’s there – it checks if the circuits are in working order and ready to sense any amount of CO. Don’t use real fire since you may end up harming yourself, others or even burning the house down. Also, these devices should be replaced after an actual fire has started, so using fire for the occasional test will most likely made the X-Sense XC04-WX more sensitive and perhaps even defective.

The Conclusion

Even if lots of people prefer having a smoke and CO detector combo device, it’s not a bad idea to have them separately since you can put them in different locations, closer to a stove or oven (where the smoke detector would go crazy immediately). There’s also the aspect of cost and hardware failure which favors two devices instead of one. The X-Sense XC04-WX does work as a traditional CO alarm and it does provide some new features, such as the app with the notifications. So, if you need new CO alarms in your house, do check out the X-Sense XC04-WX.

Mark B

Mark is a graduate in Computer Science, having gathered valuable experience over the years working in IT as a programmer. Mark is also the main tech writer for MBReviews.com, covering not only his passion, the networking devices, but also other cool electronic gadgets that you may find useful for your every day life.

www.mbreviews.com

The YoLink water leak sensor 1 doesn’t rely on an external power source, since it uses two batteries (which are replaceable) and even if there is no Internet, the YoLink devices will continue to communicate between each other. So, it’s best to pair the YoLink water leak sensor with a valve controller, ensuring that in the worst-case scenario (no power, no Internet and you’re out of the house), the water is automatically turned off. Furthermore, one particularity of the YoLink water leak detector is that it uses the LoRa technology.

It’s a nice way to ensure that the small amount of data that needs to be transferred can reach very far, but I am not sure it was truly needed for indoors applications. In a warehouse, I suppose it makes sense and then again, it’s a nice addition to have as an equivalent to WiFi and BLE, but it’s worth mentioning that it’s currently close to being one of a kind since very few other smart home devices use LoRa. Also, it’s important to understand that the YoLink water leak requires the connection to a hub and will not work without it. So, without further ado, let’s put it to the test and see if it has a place in a smart home.

The Design and Build Quality

As you may have anticipated, the YoLink Water Leak Sensor is available in two versions (at moment of writing), there is a version 2 available which follows the approach of the other smart water leaks from the market. But the YoLink Water Leak Sensor 1 does not have a probe attached to its case and instead it relies on some sensing pins to detect water leaks. The lack of a probe allowed the version 1 of the sensor to be much more compact, measuring 2.44 x 2.44 x 0.96 inches (6.2 x 6.2 x 2.4cm), but both devices are made of plastic covered by a white finish (a combination between matte and glossy).

So, we’re essentially dealing with a puck which needs to be positioned near a water source (or pipe) and you don’t really need to worry about powering it up because it relies on two AAA batteries to last about 5 years or more. These batteries are already installed and, even if there isn’t an immediately obvious way to open the case, you can replace these batteries when they run out. I have mentioned the sensing pins before but do know that there are two at the top (useful if water is dripping from the above) and there are four sensing pins at the bottom which are useful for accumulating water.

Also on the bottom, there are four feet with silicone covers and there is also a SET button. This button needs to be pressed once to turn on the device – there is also a LED which will turn red once and then flash green a few times to show that the YoLink Water Leak Sensor 1 is connected to the Cloud via the hub. Also know that the device is completely sealed, so there’s no chance for either dust or water to enter the enclosure.

And, if you’re wondering about the heat management, the sensor will keep room temperature since the chip is very energy efficient and there isn’t really that much processing power needed.

The YoLink Hub

The hub that comes with the YoLink Water Leak Sensor 1 is a bit larger than expected, but its low profile and the neutral color (white) should allow you to position it on the furniture, in the proximity of the router. Still, considering that it measures 4.33 x 4.33 x 1.06 inches (11.0 x 11.0 x 2.7cm), its footprint is a bit wider, but the good news is that the manufacturer has added a mounting hole so it’s easy to just install the hub on a wall.

How would that work when you have the router on the desk, you may ask? Yes, you do have the option to connect the YoLink hub to the router using the provided Ethernet cable, but it’s also possible to use WiFi, so you can position the hub anywhere you want, as long as it’s within the router’s range. The YoLink has a simple, minimalist design, with curved angles and at the top, there are three LEDs.

The first LED will show the status of the device (if it’s powered on or not), the second will light up when the hub is connected to the Cloud and the third LED is called the Feature light. This LED will flash red when you are factory resetting the hub and will slowly blink red when the firmware is being updated. Just like the YoLink Water Leak Sensor 1, the hub also has four small silicone feet to keep the device into place and they do a good job, even if the case is very lightweight.

The rear side of the YoLink hub is occupied by the Ethernet port which is, as expected, just Fast Ethernet. And it makes sense since it doesn’t need to transfer large packets of data (it may even be overkill).
Then, there’s the microUSB port that’s used for charging and it’s a bit of a shame that it’s not USB-C.

Lastly, there’s the Set button which restarts the pairing process when pressed and held for 5-10 seconds. You can use this button to return the YoLink hub to its default settings by pressing and holding it between 20 and 25 seconds.

The YoLink Water Leak Sensor Teardown

As I mentioned before, there is no obvious way to open up the YoLink Water Leak Sensor 1, but that option is still available, and it should not void the warranty. It’s because that’s the only way to change the batteries, even if it’s going to be after 5+ years.

There are four screws on the bottom of the device, one underneath each silicone foot and, after removing them, you should see part of the PCB and the battery slot. Next to it, there is also a contact spring, and I did try to detach the board and see what’s on the other side, but it was permanently attached to the plastic case using four melted plastic heads.

The Installation

If you wish to use the YoLink Water Leak Sensor 1, you need to install the YoLink app and connect the hub to the Cloud, there is no way around it. So, after installing the app, I was asked to allow some critical notifications which makes sense considering the importance of the sensor and then, I was asked to create an account. It didn’t ask for a phone number, just for an email. After that, you should see that there are no devices connected and that it’s necessary to Scan the QR Code from the senor to start the pairing process.

The app should see the YoLink Water Leak Sensor 1 immediately and then there was the option to Bind the device. Now we need to do the same for the hub (QR code to scan and room binding), then, I saw that it was necessary to Set Up the WiFi Connection. It makes sense considering that I did not use the Ethernet cable. And here is where the whole thing took a bad turn, for privacy. I was asked to press the Set button on the hub for five seconds up until the blue LED in the middle will start flashing. I did so and I connected the phone to the broadcasted WiFi network.

Then the app wanted to see my location so that it could detect the nearby WiFi networks at any time. I decided to set the Precise Location to off, but the app did not like that and started throwing a programmed fit. I said fine, check my precise location which led to nothing because I was still asked to enter the WiFi and password manually. Kind of, because the moment I clicked on the WiFi name to write it, I was asked to let YoLink detect devices in my local network. Again, I said no since I could just enter the WiFi manually, but the app was having none of that, it wanted that sweet access.

All this data is collected and sent to the servers of course and it’s funny that at the end I still had to choose the WiFi SSID and manually enter the password. So, what was all that about? In any case, I wanted to see the Ethernet-only connection, so I unpaired the hub and it’s far less invasive, just scanned the QR code and that’s about it, the hub was online. The curious thing is that the YoLink Water Leak Sensor 1 units that came in the same package as the hub all paired immediately, but I did have a separately bought unit which refused to go online.

I did try to reset the device (pressed and held the set button until the LED started flashing green, and then I waited until the LED turns off), but that didn’t help, so I decided to take out the batteries and put them back hoping for some sort of reset, but still no. I also tried re-installing the app and still nothing. The LED lights up, everything seems fine, but the device appears offline. Maybe I got a dud unit which is more likely or maybe there is an issue with the pairing process when trying to add units from different batches.

The App

There are two main areas of interest, the first is the dedicated page for the YoLink hub and the other is for the YoLink Water Leak Sensor 1. And you don’t really get that many options in either case. The hub does have a few settings available, such as the possibility to switch between WiFi and Ethernet, as well as to change the Alarm Strategies.

There’s also a log history. And you get pretty much the same set of options on the sensor side as well, plus a lot of status info.

The Performance

The most important test that we need to run is, obviously, if the YoLink Water Leak Sensor 1 accurately detects water leaks. And to do so, I put a drop of water on one of the upper pins. Nothing happened, so I put another drop on the second one which meant that there was contact between the pins and the alarm was quickly triggered. By quickly I mean in less than a second. The LED does get red and flashes once every five seconds up until you clean the water which returns the state of the device to Normal (as seen in the app).

As for the range, the manufacturer has advertised up to 1,000 feet and, even if the house where I tested is not small, the signal reached everywhere without issues. Even if the doors were closed or multiple walls were between the hub and the sensor. Since the status of the app would change almost instantaneously, the mobile notifications were also very quick.

The Conclusion

After testing the YoLink water leak sensor 1, I found the LoRa standard to be an excellent choice if interference messes up with your other smart devices. This does mean that you do need to use the YoLink hub and the app (which is not really privacy-oriented). Also, the pairing process has proven to be very simple, as long as the units work as intended. Even so, the water detection is quick and accurate, the notifications arrive almost immediately and overall, this is one of the few smart devices that everybody should consider having in their homes.

Mark B

Mark is a graduate in Computer Science, having gathered valuable experience over the years working in IT as a programmer. Mark is also the main tech writer for MBReviews.com, covering not only his passion, the networking devices, but also other cool electronic gadgets that you may find useful for your every day life.

www.mbreviews.com

There are actually two versions available, one that receives both power and enables data transmission via PoE, while the other is using WiFi to communicate with your network and the wiring of your old doorbell to power itself up. The WiFi version cannot use the existing chime, but it does have a separate chime module which will occupy one power outlet. What makes the Reolink Video Doorbell WiFi (as well as the PoE version) so special is the 5-megapixel sensor which ensures a good video reproduction both during the day and even during the night, in a lot of instances even outdoing the performance of the UniFi G4 which costs a lot more.

And this is important because a video doorbell needs to evolve past just the immediate proximity surveillance and be able to identify people farther than just 4-5 feet in front of the lens. The Reolink Video Doorbell WiFi will also offer local storage via microSD card (256GB), or you can just hook up the device to a Reolink NVR. So, there is support for ONVIF, RTSP, P2P as well as other protocols and, while the video doorbell is dual band, it does not support 802.11ac and above, which is a bit of a shame. There are some other interesting features to explore, so let’s put the Reolink Video Doorbell WiFi and see how it performs.

Design and Build Quality

The Reolink Video Doorbell WiFi shares the same design traits as most other smart doorbells on the market, so there’s a camera lens on the top half and a button in the bottom half of a narrow plastic case. And Reolink decided to cover it by a black matte finish which I suppose does help it match with pretty much any wall cool and door style out there. The case measures 5.2 x 1.9 x 0.9 inches (13.3 x 4.8 x 2.3 cm) and that makes it one of the more compact video doorbells on the market which I see as an advantage since I dislike those oversized flashy doorbells.

And I would argue that even the logo is unnecessary since anything in relation to home security, including the brand should not be evident to anyone else than the owner. With that in mind, next to the lens, there are two built-in microphones, so it’s possible to hear the person in front of the doorbell and underneath it, there is a daylight sensor.

The Reolink Video Doorbell WiFi does not have a built-in floodlight which makes sense considering its size, so it does have some IR LEDs for black and white footage. Surrounding the doorbell button, there is a status LED which will light up white for a brief moment when it starts up successfully and it will flash white when it’s not connected to the network. The LED will become solid blue when you’re talking with the other person, and it will start gradually flashing blue when the device detects motion or a person. The LED will show other status info, but you will have to check with the manual, as with other single-LED systems.

On the rear side of the Reolink Video Doorbell WiFi, you can see that a lot is going on and the area of interest lays in the middle, where you can see the two wiring screws and the LAN port. There is also a microSD card slot there and it’s worth mentioning that the LAN port is 10/100Mbps only (Fast Ethernet), but it’s fine since Gigabit is not really necessary for this type of devices. The data transfer rate is always lower than 1Gbps. Next to the wiring screws, there is also a Reset button that you can use to return the device to its default factory settings.

As for mounting the Reolink Video Doorbell WiFi, you get two options. The first is to use the mounting plate which will allow you to install the doorbell flat on the wall, while the second option is to use the side bracket which will allow you to install the device at an angle. This is important if the field of view includes some of your neighbor’s property, therefore invading their privacy.
I would have also liked to see the option to tilt the doorbell as well. It’s worth mentioning that the mounting plate is not easy to remove, and it requires the use of a pin to detach it from the video doorbell.

How rugged is the Reolink Video Doorbell WiFi?

Every smart doorbell needs to be built in a manner as to withstand outdoor conditions such as rain, heatwaves and even snow. The Reolink Video Doorbell WiFi is IP65-rated which means that it is completely dust proof, and it should be able to withstand powerful jets of water, as it would be the case during a storm.

The temperature range where the video doorbell will remain operational is 14 degrees F to 131 F (or -10 to 55 degrees C) which is the usual maximum and minimum in most countries, but the device may stop working if the winters get especially harsh (Canada or northern Europe). The chime module doesn’t need to be rugged since it will be installed indoors and you should not mistake it for a hub, it’s just a chime replacement, the Reolink Video Doorbell WiFi connects directly to the WiFi.

The Reolink Chime

I have mentioned that the Reolink Video Doorbell WiFi can’t use the existing chime, which is a bit of a shame since any retrofitting will render those wires useless. But the manufacturer did come up with a solution for better or for worse, providing a separate chime module which connects wirelessly to the video doorbell. The module is also made of plastic, but it’s covered by a white matte finish in a manner as to better fit in with the wall (assuming that it’s white).

You still lose one power socket, a design decision of which I am not a fan of. The chime module has a circular LED which will light up blue when someone is using the doorbell. There is a speaker which faces the wall and produces a digital chime sound (again, not a fan), while on the side, there are three buttons.

The first will adjust the volume level (there are three levels and a mute mode), the second will change the sound and the last one has a cogwheel icon which suggests it may be a settings-related option. I have pressed it, and nothing happened, so no idea what its role is – there is no documentation about it either.

Reolink Video Doorbell WiFi Teardown

I do not suggest you attempt opening the case unless you know what you’re doing since changing the angle of the lens or any other micro adjustment could lead to a worse performance. If that’s alright with you and don’t mind potentially voiding the warranty, then, go ahead and gently detach the front cover.

Use a prying tool and then, after detaching it, you should be able to see the six screws. Take them out and then, use the same prying tool to detach the bottom section of the video doorbell. This way, you should be able to see the two boards and the circuits. I didn’t go any farther than that, so I can only tell you what components I was able to identify. There was the Novatek NT98566 main chip and the 8MB of flash memory from GigaDevice (25Q64CSIG).

The Installation

Even if Reolink Video Doorbell WiFi does have an Ethernet port, it’s not PoE, so you do need to hook up the device to a power source. Ideally, that should be the old doorbell wiring, so the first step is to remove the old device and prepare the area for the new Reolink doorbell. Then, use the guided lines provided into the package and drill a couple of holes into the wall. Use the screws in the package to attach the metallic bracket or, if you want the doorbell to sit at an angle, then use the addon as well.

Be aware that the camera must not point towards your neighbor’s house or yard, just in the public space, so, while it will work great for open front yards (common in US), I am not sure it’s the best solution for closed yards, as it’s usually the case in the EU.

That being said, Reolink has added multiple ways to connect the Reolink Video Doorbell WiFi to a power source, so even if you don’t already have the wires installed, you can use the short or the long cable provided in the package. And the idea is to slightly remove the two screws on the back of the device to insert the metallic connectors, tighten them back and then simply insert the doorbell into the bracket. After that, the video doorbell should turn on and a voice will move between various languages telling what you need to do next.

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Mark B

Mark is a graduate in Computer Science, having gathered valuable experience over the years working in IT as a programmer. Mark is also the main tech writer for MBReviews.com, covering not only his passion, the networking devices, but also other cool electronic gadgets that you may find useful for your every day life.

www.mbreviews.com

Regardless if we talk about a converted ceiling fan or a full-fledged smart ceiling fan, there aren’t any design differences between them and the traditional fan since the initial concept will remain unchanged (it still needs blades and a mounting part), while in the case of the wireless controller, it usually is an external device that needs to be positioned relatively close to the fan, but there are some controllers that can replace your wall switch or need to be installed inside the fan itself.

Do you need a smart fan?
There are smart devices which have become a necessity while others are simply guilty pleasures. For example, we have become dependent to our smart phones, the smart thermostats have solved the ever-increasing complexity of the traditional device, the smart motion sensor light switches do make our lives a lot easier (and so on), so what does the smart fan offer that would make it an indispensable part of our home? It offers all the features of the traditional fan (such as the speed control, the dimmable light or the summer/winter modes), but since it gets integrated in an IoT home network, it can work together with other smart devices (thermostat, air conditioner or other).

This way, the ceiling fan can turn on or off and adjust its speed and direction depending on the room temperature detected by either the air conditioner or by the thermostat in order to rotate the air and keep your room cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter – this helps a lot with the energy bill. You can also create schedules, so the house has the perfect temperature before you get home, it can be paired with sensors that detect when it’s day and when it’s night, so it dims the light accordingly (these are the main advantages, but, depending on your IoT network, there could be other functions available).

UPDATE 10.05.2022: The Carro Icebreaker has been added to the best smart ceiling fan list.

Which are the best smart ceiling fans?

Bond Smart Home Controller	Hunter Symphony Smart Ceiling Fan	Haiku Home L Series Smart Ceiling Fan
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Carro Icebreaker Indoor/Outdoor Smart Ceiling Fan	Minka-Aire Sleek F868L-BN Smart Ceiling Fan	Enerwave ZWN-RSM1-PLUS Z-WAVE
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1. Bond Smart Home Automation Controller

The Bond controller is a smart home automation device from the U.S.-based manufacturer, Olibra and it was created to offer an easy way to ‘smarten up’ your already installed ceiling fans, so you can access and control them through your home WiFi network (it supports up to five fans). This device does require for you to have a ceiling fan that uses a remote control (it needs it during the pairing process), but, on the bright side, it does work with almost all existing fans on the market and it is compatible with remote controls that use either (or both) the IR blaster (Infra-red) or the RF tech (radio frequency).

Most smart devices are designed following a minimalist approach, so Olibra had the right idea to use a simple, but elegant case since this is a device which will most likely end up in the centre of the room (especially if it uses the IR tech and it needs to be close to the fan). So, the cylindrical body of the Bond controller (which resembles a hockey puck) is covered by a black glossy finish on the top (it’s the only available colour and it’s a fingerprint magnet), while the bottom is covered by a matte finish and it has a circular silicone ring to ensure that it won’t budge. All around the ring, there are lots of small ventilation holes and on the edge of the Bond controller, you can find a small micro-USB port to which you connect the USB cable for powering on the device.

On the top of the controller, there’s a narrow circular LED light which will be solid white when the device is booting up and will flash green to indicate that it is ready to be installed. To do so, you need to download the Bond app to your mobile device (it is compatible with both Android OS and iOS – but it is not yet compatible with HomeKit), create a new account and connect to your home’s WiFi SSID (at this point, the LED will become solid blue). From here on, you need to have the ceiling fan remote ready, select the type of device you want to add (Ceiling Fan), the location, select a function to program (a button that matches one from the remote control) and hold that button on the remote until the LED becomes green on the Bond controller. And that’s pretty much it, you don’t need your remote control anymore.
Note: With a more recent update, the top LED can now be either dimmed or turned off completely.

Of course, that’s not everything a smart ceiling fan should offer, so you can connect the Bond controller to IFTTT applets, so it works great with Nest or Ecobee smart thermostats, it works with the Wink hub, the SmartThings and, if you have a device that features a virtual assistant, then you can control the ceiling fan using control commands through Amazon Alexa (here, you can find a number of voice commands that you can use: https://olibra.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360004768231-BOND-Setup#Echo) or Google Assistant.

If you’re still unconvinced about this unique device’s utility, Olibra does have plans to enhance the functionality of the Bond controller, so it will soon support AC units, garage doors, electric/gas fireplaces and motorized shades, but, even in its current form, when compared to the completely integrated smart ceiling fan, it does come at a better price and it does offer a lot more flexibility into choosing the ceiling fan that you like and not be constrained by what a couple of manufacturers have to offer (just be aware that the cheaper IR-only fans do require that you keep the Bond controller within line of sight).

2. Hunter Symphony Smart Ceiling Fan

While there are some smart ceiling fans and smart controllers compatible with the most popular smart home hubs (such as SmartThings, Wink, Google Home or the Amazon Echo), I noticed that there aren’t as many HomeKit-compatible smart wall switches or ceiling fans. Fortunately, Hunter has thought about the users that prefer to build their smart home around the Apple HomeKit hub and it has created a series of smart ceiling fans that can be used within HomeKit’s environment. One of the most budget friendly solution is the Hunter Symphony ceiling fan which, besides being fully compatible with HomeKit, it also works with Amazon Alexa (so you can control it using vocal commands).

The fan itself doesn’t look any different that the traditional ceiling fan, featuring three plastic blades and a significantly large base in which resides the WhisperWind motor (which supports both clockwise and counter clockwise movements to ensure that the fan remains useful during the winter and during the summer – it also runs surprisingly quiet) and, immediately underneath the blades, the fan keeps its width to make room for the integrated two 9.8 Watt light bulbs. The three blades are available in matte black, white and nickel – they come with a 13 degree blade pitch, so they’re optimized to ensure ideal air movement and it needs less energy to function.

The hardware installation is straight forward (it doesn’t differ that much from the standard ceiling fan) and, after you’re done, you can simply use the provided remote control if you don’t really care about the smart aspect of the device (which allows you to control the lights and the fan – it comes with a remote control cradle) and, since this would pretty much defeat the purpose of purchasing a smart fan, you can use the proprietary Hunter app (which allows the user to create schedules, create groups of fans, adjust the speed of the fan or the dim level of the lights and set timers). The problem is that the SimpleConnect app is not really completely optimised and you may experience freezes or slow loading screens (and even crashes) – Hunter needs to understand that the hardware is great, the fan looks modern and feels premium, but the harmonious integration with the app is what makes the device truly smart (this probably justifies the price difference between Haiku and Hunter fans).

Fortunately we get saved by the HomeKit which has proven to be a lot more reliable controlling the lights and the fan than the SimpleConnect app (you can also use the Apple Watch to adjust the lights/fan). Be aware though that the fan uses just the 2.4GHz radio band and will not pair to the app if the mobile phone can only use the 5GHz radio band (it also is a bit picky when it comes to tablets). So, while having a smart ceiling fan is definitely exciting, Hunter really need to step up its game and fix all these software-related issues which keeps its fan series from achieving its full potential (the manufacturer is constantly releasing new firmware updates, so we may see a more polished software in the near future).

3. Haiku Home L Series Smart Ceiling Fan

Big Ass Fans (yes, that’s the actual name of this division from Big Ass Solutions) has been developing smart ceiling fans for more than four years, at first focusing towards a niche audience which valued style and the extra smart features more than anything else, but recently, the US-based company decided to expand its reach and it released the L-series, which needed to cut some corners in order to become more affordable. Among the significant changes is the plastic blades (airfoils) instead of the more premium aluminium or wooden blades and the decision to remove the SenseMe technology from within the fan and sell it separately in the form of the Haiku Wall Control unit.

The Haiku Home L series looks similarly to other modern-type ceiling fans, featuring three plastic blades (available in black or white) which were designed in a special, aerodynamic manner to ensure that the fan moves the air in a more efficient way, while consuming a lower amount of energy that its competitors. Furthermore, the Haiku smart ceiling fan uses a very silent motor (which lies within a protective die-cast aluminium motor housing) and the device doesn’t wobble when rotating the blades, so overall, we’re dealing with a silent, elegantly designed fan which is energy-efficient. On the centre-piece, the fan features a circular LED light which has 16 dimmable light levels (it also has a sleep mode): the maximum output is 988 lumens, it supports up to 20 W and the temperature is 2700k.

The Haiku fan from the L series, in its most basic form, comes only with a remote control (turn On/Off the fan or light, set a timer, enable sleep mode or whoosh mode) and it cannot be connected to the WiFi network (therefore, lacking any type of smart functionalities), so, in order to actually get a smart ceiling fan, you need to purchase the optional WiFi module (which gets installed into the fan’s control box) and/or the wall controller to gain the versatility of the SenseME technology. The Haiku controller includes sensors for detecting motion (so, it works similarly to the PIR smart motion sensor light switches), the humidity level or the temperature, so it adjusts the speed and rotation accordingly to ensure the proper internal temperature.
The Haiku wall control integrates with Nest thermostat (so it can easily warm or cool the room) and Haiku Premier Light and I really liked the design of the controller (it’s way better than most other smart light switches), reminding me of GLaDOS from the Portal video game (it has a circular IR lens in the middle).

If you choose to use the WiFi module, then you can connect the fan to the home WiFi network and you can either use the Haiku Home app to control the way the fan functions (the app feels polished and user-friendly) or you can use voice commands if you have an Amazon Alexa device available in your home. When compared to the cheaper Bond controller which can be attached to any remote controlled ceiling fan, there haven’t been made significant steps towards adding diversity to the smart home hubs support and, considering that even the most basic Haiku fan is still considerably expensive, I did expect more than just support for Alexa and Nest thermostat. Then again, most users will need a smart ceiling fan just for that, so, considering that it is a very well built device, it’s worth taking into consideration if the price tag doesn’t bother you.

4. Carro Icebreaker Indoor/Outdoor Smart Ceiling Fan

This article is constantly updated, so you can see me complaining that the smart ceiling fan market was under-served. Well, it seems that this has changed and there are far more players competing to put their smart fan on your ceiling. One such brand is Carro from which I chose the Icebreaker Indoor/Outdoor smart ceiling fan and, while I haven’t found any mentions that it may have some protection against dust or water ingress, it is advertised as being suitable for outdoor installation.

It’s obviously going to work under a patio, being somewhat protected by the elements, but I would still be careful with extreme temperatures (I am talking about harsh winters). The smart ceiling fan sports a similar design to other smart fans available on the market (especially the Hunter fans), so there’s a fairly large circular main body in the middle and three blades protruding outwards. The Carro Icebreaker is available in matte black, silver and glossy white, with the bottom piece remaining transparent, and yes, the blades are made of ABS.

This means that they’re lightweight and hopefully, durable as well. The blade sweep of the model I am currently checking is 60 inches, but there is a 52 and 56-inch variant as well for rooms where 60 inches may look ridiculously large.

The lampshade (the transparent circular element that sits downwards) encases the LED lights which are both dimmable and can become surprisingly bright. Indeed, the manufacturer says that the LEDs can go up to 3000 lumen and, considering the actual brightness, these are actual ANSI lumen values – the 30W are also a giveaway about the excellent brightness level of the LEDs. Additionally, I do need to mention that the color temperature spans between 2,700K and 4,000K, which is to be expected for a ceiling fan.

In a simialr manner to the traditional ceiling fan, the Carro Icebreaker features a reversible motor which ensures that during the summer, it enters in the downdraft mode, while during the winter, it goes in updraft mode (set manually, of course). Unlike the Minka-Aire Sleek which had 6 fan speeds, the Carro Icebreaker smart ceiling fan offers 10 speeds. And the motor speed can go as low as 50rpm or as high as 190 rpm which is in line with other smart ceiling fans, ensuring that it can move an average of 4,422 cubic feet per minute.

Since the manufacturer lauds the efficiency of the Icebreaker smart fan, it’s worth noting that it’s rated at 213 cubic feet per minute per watt. The installation process is not really that much different than when you mount a regular ceiling fan, but if you’re unsure about what do to, it’s better to rely on a professional.

That being said, the device itself comes in several pieces, so make sure to attach the blades, the lampshade, as well as the downrod, the canopy and the wiring cover. At this point, please check that the electricity has been turned off so you can install the mounting bracket and then follow the wiring diagram to connect the fan to the power cables. What’s fairly unique about the Carro Icebreaker smart ceiling fan is that it can be installed on ceilings that are at an angle.

If it’s below 25%, then you don’t need any other additional piece, but if the angle goes above that, you need to use an angled mounting kit provided by the same manufacturer. Furthermore, considering the width of the smart ceiling fan, it’s best to take it into consideration if your ceiling is 8 feet or greater. Inside the box, you’ll find a remote control which allows you to switch between modes, to raise or decrease the speed of the fan, as well as to adjust the brightness of the LEDs.

Since we’re dealing with a smart device, it does come with an app as well, called Carro Home (available on both iOS and Android). The app offers every feature that the remote has available, but you also get the possibility to set schedules, as well as to use the smart home assistants to control the way the smart ceiling fan will function (and when).

5. Minka-Aire Sleek F868L-BN Smart Ceiling Fan

The market is currently flooded by new smart devices and in certain departments it can actually get quite overwhelming selecting the more suited product for your smart home, but, while most other segments are well served, the smart ceiling fan market has been unjustly ignored by the major manufacturers, so it’s nice to see that I can add a Minka Aire ceiling fan to the list. Specifically, I will focus on the Sleek (F868L-BN) model which is a part of the smart ceiling fan series that took form after the manufacturer partnered with Olibra, the company that created the Bond smart home controller. Yes, the controller does work with a very large variety of ceiling fans and it seems that Minka Aire wanted this technology to be built into its fans for seamless integrating them within a smart home environment using the mobile application (it will work with the Google Assistant, Amazon Echo and it is compatible with the Nest and the Ecobee thermostat). The device can also be integrated with SmartThings, Control4, Hubitat and more.

Similarly to the Haiku and BigAssFans devices, the Minka-Aire Sleek has kept the design of the traditional ceiling fan, featuring three ABS blades (the blade sweep is approximately 60 inches) which are attached to the central main body. The blades are covered by a faux seasoned wood finish (it also comes as flat white or bronze) while the rest of the device is covered by a brushed nickel finish (can also be graphite or bronze), so the device doesn’t look industrial and instead it will blend in nicely with the rest of the room. Embedded within the triangularly-shaped main body, there’s a relatively large LED light pointing downwards (16 watt Z42 bulb).

The LED is rated at 1,229 Lumens and it seems that it can deliver up to 972 Lumens; furthermore the color temperature is 3,000K and it does seem to have the option to adjust the dimming level. Inside the main body of the smart ceiling fan, there’s a motor that can go clockwise or counter-clockwise, suitable for both the Winter and the Summer modes – it also offers 6 fan speeds (from 50 to 185 rpm).
When the motor goes up to a maximum of 185 rotations per minute, the device will consume up to 31W and the airflow will be at 5655 cubic feet per minute. I hoped that the installation process would be simple, but it is a bit complicated since the ceiling fan does come completely disassembled and you do have to put everything back together: to do so, start with preparing the area where the device will be attached (remove the previous fan and expose the outlet box with the wires) and then secure the hanger bracket to the outlet box.

Afterwards, follow the instructions to connect the cables, attach the downrod, the canopy, the coupling cover and the motor assembly. As a disclaimer, before attaching the fan to the wires, you need to make sure that the electricity is turned off and that you connect the proper wires (there is a guide available, but if you don’t know what needs to be done, it’s better to call a professional). That being said, on the next step, you need to attach the fan blade to the blade arm which will then be tightened to the motor assembly.
The Minka-Aire Sleek F868L-BN smart fan does come with a remote control in case you decide to not connect it to your smart home hub (or router) and you do gain the ability to perform some basic actions without using the mobile application: set the speed level (1-6), change the direction of the fan rotation or adjust the brightness of the LED light.

But, this is a smart ceiling fan after all and its smart abilities are the reason why you paid extra, so, to take advantage of its features, you need to download the Bond Home app (is compatible with both iOS and Android OS) and the installation process is not going to differ than if you were using the app with the dedicated Bond controller: connect your mobile device to the Bond SSID, then connect it to your home WiFi network, choose the device type (in our case, it’s going to be a ceiling fan), select the location and then you get a similar set of functions as you would on the remote control. But that’s not all, because you do get the option to pair the app to the popular voice assistants, so you can send voice commands to Amazon Echo and Google Assistant, but it will also work seamlessly along with the Nest and Ecobee thermostats.

6. Enerwave ZWN-RSM1-PLUS Z-Wave

The Enerwave ZWN-RSM1-PLUS is a Z-WAVE relay switch module which upgrades the existing switches inside your home to include Z-WAVE connection capabilities, allowing you to control fans, lights or any other type of single appliance through either a mobile application (iOS or Android OS) or using a web browser. Over the last couple of years, we saw an important shift towards the removal of a large portion of Z-WAVE or ZigBee hubs (hubs from Lowe and Iris are now discontinued), which indicates that the manufacturers (and the users, since the consumer market isn’t complaining) prefer a cloud-based connection for their IoT devices (via Bluetooth or WiFi), instead of going for the localized automation – a solution that has proven many times to be superior from the security point of view.

I do partly blame it on the WiFi-only smart assistants, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Home, but, in spite of this, there are still some major players that have faith in the ZigBee and Z-WAVE protocols, such as Samsung SmartThings, Wink or TP-Link Deco M9 Plus. This indicates that the Z-WAVE and ZigBee technologies are here to stay (and they should), so, if you have a regular ceiling fan and don’t want to spend big money on devices from BigAssFans or Hunter and don’t mind tinkering a bit, then the Enerwave ZWN-RSM1-PLUS is an interesting solution to make your ceiling fan smart.

The aesthetics of the relay don’t really matter (since it’s not going to be exposed), but its size does, so measuring 1.77 x 1.65 x 0.72 inches can be a huge bonus, allowing it to be installed next to almost any type of light switch (it does require a neutral wire). The installation process is not really that complicated, but, if you’re not comfortable (or lack the knowledge) to modify anything related to the electricity in your home, then it is better to call an electrician. That being said, the first thing you need to do is to identify the type of wiring circuit that you have (simple or three-way circuit – for one or two switches), turn off the power, remove the wall plate, as well as the mounting screws and, before removing the existing switch, make sure to label the wires.

Next, remove the old switch and connect the Enerwave ZWN-RSM1-PLUS following the correct diagram: the colours may differ, but, by default, the black wire connects to the hot wire, the white wire to the neutral wire, the red wire to the load wire, the orange wire connects on the relay to one of the terminal screws and the hot wire connects to the other terminal screw on the wall switch. Afterwards, rewire the existing switch and insert the Enerwave module in the box; now, you can turn the power back on and test if the existing switch is still working and, using the mobile app related to your Z-WAVE hub, put it in learning mode and, on the Eberwave relay, press the Program button in order to pair it to the hub (if you look at the side where the relay connects to the wires, the Program button is located on the other side).

Lastly, re-attach the wall plate and test the new functions, from which there’s the ability to turn on or off the fan, create schedules and any other type of interaction between multiple Z-WAVE devices (the relay module also works with Alexa for voice control). If you want to control the dim level of the light bulbs, it’s best to purchase Z-Wave bulbs and connect them to the hub. It is important to know that the Enerwave ZWN-RSM1-PLUS features a maximum load of 10A, a voltage between 120-277VAC and the Z-Wave tech allows for a line-of-sight transmission of up to 132 feet.
Note: You don’t necessarily have to install the ZWN-RSM1-PLUS in the same box as the light switch, you can also install it inside the fan top cover.

Mark B

Mark is a graduate in Computer Science, having gathered valuable experience over the years working in IT as a programmer. Mark is also the main tech writer for MBReviews.com, covering not only his passion, the networking devices, but also other cool electronic gadgets that you may find useful for your every day life.

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The most important one is the battery. While the XS03 used a non-removable battery that could last for 10 years, the XS03-WX allows the user to change the batteries and it seems that the smoke alarms comply to different standards. The XS03 complied to the UL 217 standards, while the WiFi variant complies to the EN 14604 standard.

Besides that, the X-Sense XS03-WX also highlights the insect-proof design (do other smoke detectors allow insects to get in?), the loud horn and, of course the mobile application. Despite the growing popularity of the IoT devices, most people still prefer to use no-frills smoke detectors, so, while the app is a nice addition, the performance for detecting smoke is the only thing that truly matters.

I have tested quite a few X-Sense smoke detectors and I found the SC01 to be particularly reactive to smoke, almost on par with the Nest Protect. This means that there are high expectations from the X-Sense SX03 as well and yes, even if you’re skeptical about the smart functions, just know that you can get notifications if the device detects smoke, even when you’re not at home. If that sounds interesting stick around for the test as well.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT TEST YOUR SMOKE ALARM WITH REAL FIRE!
Note: Also, to other testers that write articles about smoke detectors, stop testing your devices with fire, just stop it. It gives the impression that it’s the right thing to do, so people may follow your wrong advice.

Design and Build Quality

I have tested some of the most popular models on the market, including the First Alert SCO501CN, the Kidde DC and the Nest Protect second gen, as well as the newer SC06-W and all of these smoke detectors are way bigger than the X-Sense XS03-W. I was already impressed by how compact the XS01-WT was, but the X-Sense XS03-W looks even smaller. And, at 3.1 x 1.9 inches, it’s not really smaller than the XS01, but the way it’s designed does give that impression.

There is a hole at the top, in the center to let the smoke enter the sensing chamber, while on the sides, the manufacturer went with a ribbed pattern. It kind of looks like those retro doorbells. The case is made of plastic and is covered by a white matte finish, as they all do. And it’s for a good reason because most people prefer the smoke detector to blend in with the ceiling or the wall.

So yes, the X-Sense XS03-W definitely has a minimalist design and you’ll barely notice the small Test/Silence button on the side. If it triggers false alarms, it’s going to be fun to try and silence the X-Sense XS03 – I am all for the cool design, but a larger button is going to be more convenient for the user.

Turn the device upside down and, after removing the mounting bracket (comes already attached), you’ll see that there is a slot with a battery inside it. The battery is CR123A and, if it’s not obvious, you can change it after some time has passed – it should last for about a year. Within the enclosure, there is also an LED which seems to be a lot brighter than on other models.

And its role is to show the status of the smoke detector. When everything is fine (no alarms) and the device is connected to the WiFi, the LED will flash red once every minute and, after it’s connected to the WiFi, the LED will flash blue.

If the X-Sense XS03-WX detects smoke, then the LED will start flashing red once every second. Of course, the horn will also enable and blast the 85dB sound; the app will send you a notification as well.

Inside the X-Sense XS03-WX

Before you decide to open up the X-Sense XS03-WX, be aware that by doing so, you not only risk voiding the warranty, but also risk damaging the device, thus either limiting its performance or bricking it entirely.

That being said, I was curious what type of WiFi antenna the X-Sense XS03-WX uses, so I removed the three screws from the bottom. And I could immediately identify the Espressif ESP32-WRooM-32E 2.4GHz WiFi module that also supports Bluetooth and Bluetooth LE. There was also an ABOV 960L416FRN semiconductor.

Installation Process

The hardware installation is ridiculously simple since all you have to do is to attach the mounting bracket to the ceiling or wall (use the two screws from the package) and then rotate the X-Sense SX03-WX into place. You do need to pay attention to where you position the smoke alarm because if it’s too close to a oven or cooking top, you’re going to get lots of false alarms. Also, not all Smoke detectors fare well with high humidity form a bathroom – so far, only the Nest Protect has been a champion in this regard.

So, it’s best to position the X-Sense XS03-WX 20 inches from the nearest corner if you put it on the ceiling and no less than 4 inches if the smoke alarm is mounted on the wall. This would be enough for most smoke detectors, but the X-Sense XS03-WX is a smart device, so it can be connected to an app. The application is called X-Sense Home and it’s the same that you can use with the X-Sense security system.

After logging into the app, I clicked on Add Device and put the batteries into the device. Then, the app detected the smoke detector and I was asked to select the location, and to put the X-Sense XS03-WX in pairing mode (clicked and held the Test button for a few seconds). A few seconds later, the WiFi smoke alarm was detected and I was asked to enter the WiFi credential to my network (has support only for 2.4GHz WiFi networks). And that’s about it, I could now roam the app.

The Mobile Application

The dashboard will show the signal strength and the amount of battery that’s left and, scrolling down a little, you can enable the Notifications. There are offline notifications, as well as when the alarm is triggered, silenced, when it’s running a test and more.

You can select whichever you like or leave them all on. Now let’s talk about the Internet connection. To receive notifications outside the local network, the app does need continuous Internet access, but after turning it off, you do get an obnoxious message that the connection is lost. It’s still less annoying than on other apps that essentially throw you out. But yes, this is an app that needs a constant Internet connection.

Features and Reaction Test

The X-Sense XS03-WX uses a photoelectric sensor to detect smoke and, as is characteristic for these type of sensors, the main type of particles that can be quickly detected are those from smoldering fires. For a long time, the manufacturer relied on ionization sensors for the fast flaming particles, but, due to the non-environmental-friendly nature of those sensors, there has been a shift towards using photoelectric sensor for both small and larger smoke particles.

These are known as dual-sensors, but, while I have seen it on other brands, it doesn’t seem that it’s implemented on the X-Sense XS03-WX. In any case, the way a photoelectric sensor works is that it relies on a light beam that points away from the sensor inside a sensing chamber. When smoke enter this chamber, the light beam gets reflected, pointing towards the sensor, thus triggering the alarm.
In order to test the X-Sense XS03-WX, I relied on fake smoke in a can, which is the least damaging to the device, with the exception of running the inner test.

This inner test can be run by pressing the Test/Silence button and its role is to check if the device is in working conditions. Some people don’t think that these tests are legit (in most cases, they are, though), so they resort to using real fire. Don’t do that since you not only risk burning your house down, it’s also very much possible to mess with the smoke detector. The heat and the smoke particles can cause more frequent false alarms. Ideally, you should use those expensive testing tools where they measure the amount of smoke that goes towards the device and its density.

But, there is an alternative in the form of the fake smoke cans. I use the ones from Sabre since I like their elongated necks which allow for more uniform smoke and that’s what I also used for testing the X-Sense XS03-WX. The idea is to check how quickly the smoke alarm is triggered by pushing smoke for one or two seconds (or more, if necessary) from 1, 2 and 3 feet away. So, 1 foot away from the X-Sense XS03-WX, it only took one second of smoke to trigger the alarm after 7 seconds.

This is also when I experienced a false alarm. About 15 minutes after the alarm was triggered by the false smoke, it got triggered again out of the blue. I assume that it was probably the lack of ventilation because there was barely any wind (despite having the windows open) and the temperature was about 80 F with 70% humidity.

I put a fan to move the air a bit and I did not see any other false alarms, for now. Two feet underneath the device, I sprayed the fake smoke again and waited. Before giving up, the alarm sounded after 34 seconds. Moving lower to 3 feet, I had to spray for two seconds (didn’t even bother to try with a second after the slow reaction seen in the previous test) and the alarm was triggered after 10 seconds.
But how quick were the notifications? Probably a couple of seconds after the horn started to blast the alarm sound, I got the message on the phone that the device detected smoke. So it’s quite fast.

The Conclusion

I don’t feel like the X-Sense XS03-WX is that much different than the XS01-WT, both of these compact smoke alarms being able to connect to the mobile application, therefore pushing notifications towards your phone when it detects smoke. And it’s a useful thing to have, enough to persuade the people that may be skeptical about using a smart smoke alarm (then again, the non-smart XS03 version is also available).

The device is reactive enough and easy to install, but it’s also possible to experience false alarms, so do take that into account before positioning it near a kitchen or a bathroom. I would have liked to see a UL certification, but I suppose that this would have significantly increased the price of the device.

Mark B

Mark is a graduate in Computer Science, having gathered valuable experience over the years working in IT as a programmer. Mark is also the main tech writer for MBReviews.com, covering not only his passion, the networking devices, but also other cool electronic gadgets that you may find useful for your every day life.

www.mbreviews.com