I purchased the Eve Matter Door and Window Sensor around four months ago. This smart home device is a Matter-compatible contact sensor from Eve, typically priced at around £35. While designed for monitoring windows and doors, it can also be used on anything where you want to detect when contact is broken. For example, when my Meross sensor failed on my record player, I replaced it with this one.
Being Matter-compatible, the Eve Matter Door and Window Sensor doesn’t require a dedicated hub. Instead, devices like a HomePod mini can act as the hub, thanks to Thread support. This makes it compatible with Apple Home, SmartThings, Alexa, Google Home, and Home Assistant. I’ve primarily tested it with Apple Home, but you can also use the Eve app for more advanced functionality, including fixing orphaned automations and monitoring battery status and usage stats.
One major downside is the battery performance. It uses a 1/2 AA battery, but Eve doesn’t provide an estimated battery life. In my four months of use, I’ve already gone through two batteries, despite the sensor only being triggered once per day on average. By comparison, my old Meross contact sensor lasted a year on one battery, making this a serious drawback for the Eve sensor.
Design of the Eve Matter Door and Window Sensor
The device has a clean, simple design consisting of two parts: the main body and the smaller contact sensor. Spacers are included if you need to adjust the installation height. The back slides off easily for battery replacement, which is convenient. While the design is functional, it’s not the most compact option on the market—the Aqara sensor I reviewed previously takes that crown and remains a strong competitor.
Setup and Installation
Setting up the Eve Matter Door and Window Sensor is straightforward. Pull the battery tab, open Apple Home, scan the QR code, and the device is ready to use. I recommend mounting it after pairing so you can test its status in Apple Home and ensure it monitors the right area.
How I’ve Been Using It
You can use the Eve Matter Door and Window Sensor in different ways:
- Receive notifications when contact is broken—useful for home security.
- Trigger automations—for example, I use it with my record player so that when contact is broken, it powers on my record player and speakers.
Although I could add a second automation to switch everything off after a set time, I don’t use the record player for a fixed duration. Instead, I use a separate automation to power everything down at midnight.
Performance and Reliability
In terms of responsiveness, the sensor works quickly and reliably. However, it does not expose battery level to Apple Home, which is frustrating considering how quickly it consumes power. By contrast, my Aqara sensor has been in use for nine months and still shows a good battery level. Given the Eve’s short battery life, I wouldn’t recommend using it in a high-traffic area like a front door.
Verdict: Should You Buy the Eve Matter Door and Window Sensor?
Despite its good design and fast response time, the Eve Matter Door and Window Sensor is severely let down by poor battery life. In my experience—and based on reviews from other users—this is a widespread issue. For that reason, I cannot recommend this product. I’ll personally be switching to a SwitchBot contact sensor soon, which I’ll be reviewing as well.
If you’ve used the Eve Matter Door and Window Sensor, I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments. You can also check out alternative options like the Aqara and SwitchBot contact sensors.
