Finding smart light switches in the UK can be challenging, especially since most require a neutral wire, which many homes don’t have. I’ve previously reviewed the Aqara H2 switch, but for my bedroom, I wanted a black switch, so I picked up the slightly older Aqara H1 EU No Neutral switch. While the H2 has more features, the H1 is still an excellent option for smart lighting, and in this review, we’ll explore its design, features, and usability.

Pricing and Options

The Aqara H1 EU switch retails at £32 and comes in black or white, with single or double rocker options. None of these require a neutral wire, which is perfect for UK homes.

Design and Build

The design is simple yet modern, and the black version looks particularly stylish. The button is very responsive, allowing you to click the whole surface easily. One limitation to note is that most smart bulbs won’t work directly with this switch—this is common across most smart light switches.

Specifications

• Zigbee compatible, requiring an Aqara Hub (starting at £20)
• Uses Zigbee 3.0 for stability
• Works with Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Home Assistant when paired with an Aqara Hub
• Advanced overheating protection built-in
• Compatible with 2-way switches

Installation

The H1 is slightly thicker than an average light switch, so you might need a spacer. Start by removing the faceplate, ensuring your power is off, then swap the wires from your old switch to the H1. Attach the switch to the wall and replace the faceplate.

Much like the H2, I found it easiest to screw the backbox first so it was level with the front, then hook the H1 switch into place. After turning the power back on, open the Aqara app, hit the plus button, and follow the instructions to pair the switch with your hub. You can then name it and assign it to a room. If your Aqara Hub is already set up in Apple Home, the switch will appear automatically.

Note: Using a smart bulb with this switch may cause it to lose power and go offline.

App Settings

• Power-off memory: retains the last state during power cuts
• Option to turn off the small indicator light
• Decoupling: buttons won’t cut off power to the light but can trigger scenes.

Performance and Usability

I’ve been using the Aqara H1 EU for a few months, and it performs very well. You can use it like a normal light switch while still taking advantage of smart automations. This is convenient for less tech-savvy family members and makes it easy to operate the switch with a light touch, even with your elbow when your hands are full.

The switch integrates with my home automation, including an ‘All Lights Off’ scene when the last person leaves, and works with Siri voice commands.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Affordable and reliable
• Modern design, especially the black version
• Stays online consistently
• Offers a balance of smart features and traditional physical control

Cons:

• This doesn’t work with smart bulbs. The Aqara H2 EU does with their own smart bulbs

Conclusion

The Aqara H1 EU switch is a solid choice for anyone looking to add smart lighting to their home without rewiring for a neutral wire. It’s easy to install, integrates well with multiple smart home platforms, and combines physical control with automation. If you’re looking for a reliable and stylish smart switch, the H1 EU is a great option.

The post Aqara H1 EU Smart Wall Switch Review appeared first on Mark's Tech Blogs.

There are generally two ways to make the lights in your home smart. The simplest and often most affordable option is a smart bulb. I’ve used plenty of smart bulbs over the years and still do. However, I’ve also installed smart switches, and in many cases I actually prefer a smart switch over a smart bulb.

Sometimes it’s simply easier to tap or elbow a wall switch as you walk into a room rather than rely on a voice assistant or presence sensor. That’s where a device like the Repenic Smart Dimmer really stands out.

Design and Build Quality

The first thing that struck me about the Repenic Smart Dimmer is its build quality. These smart dimmers are made from stainless steel and feel incredibly premium in the hand.

They’re available in multiple finishes including silver, white, bronze and black. The unit I’ve been testing is the black version, and it looks fantastic once installed. Unless you know it’s a smart device, you’d easily mistake it for a high-end traditional dimmer switch.

At the rear is the dimmer module itself. It doesn’t protrude excessively, but if you have a narrower back box (as I do), you may need a spacer. Repenic recommends a wall box depth of at least 25mm.

The Repenic Smart Dimmer is available in 1-gang, 2-gang, 3-gang and 4-gang versions, making it easy to replace existing switches throughout your home. They also offer multi-way dimmers for 2-way and 3-way control setups.

This is undeniably a premium product, and the price reflects that. A 1-gang Repenic Smart Dimmer costs around £79, making it one of the more expensive smart light switches available. However, compared to other switches I’ve reviewed previously, the build quality here genuinely feels superior.

One feature I particularly like is that replacement modules are available for around £30. If the module ever fails, you can keep the stainless steel faceplate and simply swap out the internal module, which is both cost-effective and environmentally sensible.

Find the latest price here: REPENIC_SMART_DIMMER_AFFILIATE_LINK

Specifications and Compatibility

The Repenic Smart Dimmer is a Zigbee device, which means you’ll need a compatible Zigbee hub. I’ve been using it with Home Assistant and a Zigbee 3.0 USB dongle, and it has been extremely reliable.

This is not a Wi-Fi switch with a standalone app. It’s designed for more advanced smart home users running platforms such as Home Assistant, Homey or similar systems. Repenic also states that it is compatible with Philips Hue bridges.

Because it uses Zigbee, you can integrate the Repenic Smart Dimmer into Apple Home and other ecosystems via your smart home controller. In my setup, it’s exposed to Apple Home through Home Assistant as a dimmable light, and everything works locally with excellent responsiveness.

Another major benefit for UK users is that the Repenic Smart Dimmer does not require a neutral wire. That makes it suitable for many UK homes where neutral wiring may not be present at the switch.

It must be used with a dimmable, non-smart light bulb.

Installation Process

If you’re not confident working with mains wiring, always use a qualified electrician. That said, installing a light switch is relatively straightforward if you know what you’re doing.

I started by turning off the power at the consumer unit. After removing the old switch, I took photos of the existing wiring to make sure I could replicate the setup correctly.

To install the Repenic Smart Dimmer, you first remove the knob by pulling it off. Then unscrew the outer components to separate the module from the faceplate.

Wiring is simple:

• The wire that was connected to COM or Live on the old switch goes to Live (L).
• The L1 cable connects to the terminal marked with the wavy line.
• The earth wire must be connected to the faceplate, as this is a metal switch.

I found it easiest to wire the module first, then secure the plastic backing and earth connection using the gold retaining screw. After that, I fixed the unit into the back box, reattached the metal faceplate, secured the front screw, and pushed the knob back on.

To enter Zigbee pairing mode once powered on, turn on the dimmer, then press the knob twice, holding it for three seconds on the second press. The light will flash twice to confirm pairing mode.

In Home Assistant, simply add a new Zigbee device and the Repenic Smart Dimmer is detected quickly. You can then name it, assign it to a room, and expose it to Apple Home if required.

Everyday Use and Smart Home Integration

Out of the box, the Repenic Smart Dimmer works exactly like a traditional dimmable light switch. You can turn the light on or off and adjust brightness by twisting the knob. No app configuration is required for basic functionality.

This makes it ideal for households where not everyone wants to use voice assistants or smartphone apps. It behaves like a normal dimmer but adds powerful smart functionality in the background.

In my setup, the Repenic Smart Dimmer is integrated into multiple automations. It’s part of scheduled routines that turn lights off at night and on in emergency scenarios. It’s also included in Apple Home scenes for “lights on” and “lights out”.

Within Home Assistant, you can access detailed metrics including current, voltage, power consumption and energy usage. You can also configure:

• Default power-on brightness level
• Startup behaviour after power loss
• Responsiveness of the dimming rotation
• Activity logs

Because the Repenic Smart Dimmer is fully integrated into Home Assistant, you can build advanced automations based on state changes. For example:

• Set different brightness levels depending on time of day
• Trigger other smart home devices when the switch turns on
• Control heating or cooling systems based on conditions
• Use power or current readings as automation triggers

If a device is available in your smart home system, the Repenic Smart Dimmer can potentially control or interact with it.

Downsides to Consider

The biggest downside to the Repenic Smart Dimmer is price. At around £79 for a 1-gang version, it’s significantly more expensive than many alternatives.

It’s also clearly aimed at more advanced smart home users. To get the most from the Repenic Smart Dimmer, you’ll need a Zigbee hub and a platform like Home Assistant or Homey. This isn’t a beginner plug-and-play Wi-Fi switch.

Final Verdict – Is the Repenic Smart Dimmer Worth It?

The Repenic Smart Dimmer is a beautifully built, reliable and highly capable Zigbee smart light switch. In several weeks of testing, it hasn’t gone offline once, and it feels like a premium, long-term addition to a serious smart home setup.

If you value build quality, local Zigbee control, and deep Home Assistant integration, the Repenic Smart Dimmer is an excellent choice.

The post Repenic Smart Dimmer Review – Premium Zigbee Smart Light Switch for Advanced Smart Homes appeared first on Mark's Tech Blogs.

What is Smart Lighting?

Smart lighting is a lighting system that allows you to control the intensity, color, and timing of your lights through a smartphone app, voice commands, or a remote control. Smart lighting can also be programmed to turn on and off automatically based on your daily routine, ambient light, or occupancy sensors. Some smart lighting systems can even adjust the color temperature of your lights to simulate natural daylight or create a mood-enhancing ambiance.

Benefits of Smart Lighting

Energy Efficiency

One of the most significant benefits of smart lighting is its energy efficiency. By using LED bulbs and advanced lighting controls, smart lighting systems can reduce energy consumption by up to 80% compared to traditional lighting. Smart lighting can also be programmed to turn off automatically when you leave the room or dim the lights when natural light is available, further reducing energy waste.

Convenience

With smart lighting, you no longer have to get up to turn off the lights or adjust the dimmer switch. Smart lighting systems can be controlled through your smartphone, voice commands, or a remote control, making it easy to customize your lighting from anywhere in your home. You can also create personalized lighting scenes for different occasions, such as movie night or a dinner party.

Improved Ambiance

Smart lighting can enhance the ambiance of your home by providing personalized lighting scenes for different moods and activities. Whether you want to create a relaxing atmosphere in your bedroom or a vibrant ambiance in your living room, smart lighting can help you achieve your desired effect. You can also adjust the color temperature of your lights to simulate natural daylight or create a warm, cozy ambiance in the evening.

Types of Smart Lighting

1. Smart Bulbs

Smart bulbs are LED bulbs that can be controlled through a smartphone app, voice commands, or a remote control. Smart bulbs can be used in any standard light fixture and can be programmed to turn on and off automatically or dim the lights to your desired level. Some smart bulbs can also change colors, allowing you to create a colorful ambiance in your home.

2. Smart Switches

Smart switches replace your existing light switches and allow you to control your lights through a smartphone app or voice commands. Smart switches can be programmed to turn on and off automatically, dim the lights, or set up customized lighting scenes. Smart switches are ideal for homes with multiple light fixtures in a single room.

3. Smart Light Strips

Smart light strips are flexible LED strips that can be attached to walls, ceilings, or furniture to create a colorful and dynamic ambiance in your home. Smart light strips can be controlled through a smartphone app, voice commands, or a remote control, and can be programmed to change colors, pulse to the beat of music, or follow a specific pattern.

Conclusion

Smart lighting is the future of home illumination, offering energy efficiency, convenience, and improved ambiance. With a variety of smart lighting options available, you can customize your home lighting to your desired effect and create personalized lighting scenes for different occasions. If you’re looking to upgrade your home lighting, consider investing in a smart lighting system and experience the benefits of this innovative technology.

The post Smart Lighting: The Future of Home Illumination appeared first on Mark's Tech Blogs.

Why use a motion sensor?

One of the great things about Apple’s Home app is the ability to setup automations between devices from a whole variety of brands, allowing you to group lights and devices based on time of day, your location and a few other factors. When you use an iPad or Apple TV as your HomeHub these work reliably whether you are home or away.

This is where smart motion sensors come in. These little devices pick up movement and can be used to trigger things like lights or smart plugs when you enter or leave a room, allowing your lights to turn on or off when they detect (or fail to detect) motion. We’ve also used automations to trigger things like bathroom fans at Mark’s Tech Blogs HQ.

There are however, relatively few Homekit Motion Sensors out there. So let us share the top picks.

Eve Motion – Motion Sensor

The HomeKit motion sensor from Eve is a battery powered motion sensor that weights just 86 grams and connects via bluetooth allowing you to use one of these without a Hub. The Eve Motion sensor retails at £39.

Eve’s motion sensor allows you to be notified when motion is detected and then, of course, be able to set up automations via the Apple home app. It has a good coverage area of 120 degrees and can operate from -18 degress celcius to 55 degrees celcius. It’s also IPX3 water resistant making it resistant to fall or spraying water allowing for outdoor use.

All of these factors mean that when it comes to choosing the best homekit motion sensor the even option is packed with features and suitable for pretty much all settings (indoor or out). Its white design also means it will look inconspicuous pretty much anywhere.

Hue Indoor Motion Sensor

Our next pick is the Philips Hue Indoor Motion Sensor coming in at a slightly lower cost than the Eve at £35. Much like the Eve Motion the Philips Hue motion sensor is a small white design powered by batteries. This motion sensor (as you’d expect) works incredibly well out of the box with the Philips Hue range but thanks to it’s HomeKit compatibility you can also use it with a whole variety of other smart home products. Whilst we’re not talking about it in this article it’s also compatible with Amazon Echo, Google Home, Nest and Samsung Smartthings.

This motion sensor is only suitable for indoor use but also has a thermometer built in allowing you to also monitor the temperature of the room it’s in however, unlike the Eve it doesn’t offer any water resistance.

Hue Outdoor Motion Sensor

Combing the best of the two motion sensors outlined above is our third choice, the Philips Hue Outdoor Motion sensor. Whilst this is probably the least good looking option, and most expensive (coming in at £41) we think it’s actually the best choice given the huge range of services (including Apple’s Home) that it works with and the reliability and performance we’ve seen from Philip’s Hue products in the past.

The Hue Outdoor Motion Sensor requires you to have the Hue Bridge but is easy to install and battery powered allowing for wireless installation. It has an IP54 rating (higher than the Eve’s rating) making it able to withstand heavy rainfall and other weather conditions. Of course, once it’s installed you can then use it to turn on a whole variety of devices once motion is triggered.

Should you pick up a Homekit motion sensor?

If you’re looking to automate multiple devices around your house or devices from several companies then using HomeKit and motion sensors to do this is the ideal way. It allows you to control everything from Apple’s simple, well-thought out app and gives you full control over your automations.

Any of the devices we’ve mentioned in this article would do a great job but we have to favour the Hue products as we always have a great experience with Hue products and the sheer number of positive reviews on Amazon for their products tell us that we’re not alone!

The post Best Homekit Motion Sensor appeared first on Mark's Tech Blogs.

How do smart bulbs work?

Regardless of the brand you choose a smart bulb requires you to always have the light switch on. This is because in order to control the bulb using an app the bulb needs to connect to Wifi or Bluetooth to be controlled. This requires constant power. It’s this constant power supply which allows you to control you bulbs with your phone or voice and set brightness levels and even colours.

If it’s always on do smart bulbs use more electricity?

The nature of being ‘always on’ means that you would expect a smart bulb to use more electricity however this largely depends on the brand of the smart bulb and the amount of electricity a smart bulb consumes depends on two key pieces of information, the standby consumption and the light consumption.

Let’s take Philips Hue as an example:

A Philips Hue White Ambience bulb allows you to have a dimmable, adjustable warm to cool light bulb which is controlled by your phone, voice, tablet etc. The Hue White ambience has a maximum operation power of 9.5 watts and a max standby power of 0.1 watts.

This means that if the bulb spent the whole year on standby each bulb will cost you a maximum of 16p per year and if you left it on full brightness all year it would cost you around £15 per bulb.

Of course you’re never going to leave it on full all year and the chances are you won’t always have it on full brightness and the dimmer your bulb is the less power it consumes.

How does this compare to other bulbs?

If you compare this to other (non-smart) LED bulbs then it’s going to depend on the wattage but the running cost is likely to be very similar (minus about 16p!).

However, if you compare this to the energy saving bulbs then the Hue will cost slightly less and, if you were to compare it to your traditional 85 watt bulb then you’re talking about the Hue bulb costing you about 8 times less than a traditional filament bulb. This is thanks to LED power which gives you plenty of brightness whilst using a lot less power.

In Conclusion: Will I save money and electricity?

Realistically, updating energy saving bulbs or LED bulbs to Philips Hue (or other smart bulbs) isn’t going to save you money or electricity however, if you’re the sort of person who leaves lights on then being able to set automations based on location or time of day may well save you a small amount over the year and be more eco friendly.

The significant thing however is that the ‘always on’ nature of smart bulbs doesn’t cause them to use a signifiant amount of additional electricity making them a great purchase for any home!

Looking for smart bulbs? Check out our pick of the best Alexa Controlled Lights for Your Home

The post Do smart bulbs use more electricity? appeared first on Mark's Tech Blogs.

1. Your Evening Routine

Why not configure yourself an evening routine in the Apple Home automation page? We love setting our lights in certain rooms to come on when the sunsets. This is a great way to automate some of the lights you’d normally switch on and the sunset feature means it will automatically adjust throughout the year.

If you’re the sort of person who has an early bedtime you might even use the ‘turn off’ option to switch them all off a little later on in the evening.

2. Holiday Mode with Apple Home Automation

If you’re like me then those old fashioned timer plugs came out when you went on holiday as a child just so your parents could have a lamp come on in the hallway for a few hours every evening. Home Automation gives you a great chance to replicate this in a much more authenticate way by creating an automation whilst your on holiday to turn on certain lights at certain times every day. Perhaps, if you want to be super security conscious you might set up a couple of these automations so that different lights come on at different times to give the illusion of people being at home.

3. Save Money with Apple Home Automation Ideas

The automation options are a great way to save some money by taking advantage of the geo-location options. Whilst most smart bulbs cost relatively little to run thanks to their LED power it still costs money (and isn’t very eco-friendly) to leave lights on when you’re out.

An automation to turn off your lights when the last person has left the house based on location is a great way to ensure you save money as well as save the environment.

4. Come Home to the Light

Another great use of geo-location automations in HomeKit is to set up a nighttime only routine that turns on certain lights when you get home. This is a brilliant way of making sure a porch light is on upon return or maybe that the downstairs light is on. Maybe, if after a heavy night out you head straight to the kitchen for a snack then you’ll switch the kitchen light on too if it’s the weekend!

5. Controlling Bathroom Fans

We’ve previously written about how to make a bathroom extractor fan smart and Apple’s Home Automations plays a big part in this. Using Automations you can tell your fan to come on when the lights come on and to turn off after a certain amount of time. If you use motion sensors then your lights can come on automatically when someone enters the room as well, providing a perfect bathroom experience!

6. Fan Automation Ideas

If you have a fan hooked up to a smart plug (we love the Meross HomeKit Compatible smart plugs) then Home automations can help you switch it on at a certain time of day or perhaps even if a temperature sensor detects that it’s getting hot! You can even set it to turn off at certain times to keep you cool whilst you get to sleep but to stop it running overnight.

What Are Your Apple HomeKit Automation Ideas?

We’ve shared some of our favourites (and we’ll write part 2 of this article in the future!) but what are your favourite HomeKit automation ideas? Comment below and share them with us.

The post Apple Home Automation Ideas appeared first on Mark's Tech Blogs.

What is a smart light strip?

A smart light strip is typically a length of LEDs which can be stuck along a wall, up your stairs, behind your TV etc (you get the idea) and provide a consistent source of light. You’ve probably seen them in videos where the back of a desk glows…that’s a light strip.

They come in a variety of lengths and brightnesses and some are extendable as well allowing you to join several strips together (perfect if you want set up smart lighting in your home cinema).

Smart light strips are a great way to add extra character to your room because they’re simple to install and don’t replace your existing lights. They also provide a much softer, more consistent lighting option.

Philips Hue Light Strip Plus v4

Philips Hue are big players in the smart lighting market and have established themselves as one of the leading brands. Hue lights are compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri and work with Apple’s HomeKit. They also provide out of home control and compatibility with extra services such as IFTTT (although you’ll need a Hue bridge for many of these features). On top of that Philips Hue has an excellent, easy to use, smartphone app.

The Philips Hue Lightstrip plus v4 is the latest in the companies line of smart light strips. These come with 2m of length and extension packs can be purchased. The Hue light strip is the most expensive in this article retailing at £70 for the 2m kit or £80 for the kit including the 1m extension. You can also purchase the extension separately if you ever want to upgrade.

The Hue Light strip comes with adhesive kit and can be cut for added flexibility. The reason we love Hue is because of the vibrancy of their colours and quality of their products. The light strip has a choice of 16 million colours to choose from giving you endless possibilities for setting the right mood. Out of the box the light strip is the bluetooth version which means you’ll have smart controls from your phone but for out of home, voice control etc you’ll need the Hue bridge we mentioned earlier.

If you’re already using Philips Hue or want the highest quality smart light strips then this is the one for you…if the price tag is making your eyes water then read on for some more budget friendly options.

TP-Link Kasa Smart Light Strip

Our next recommendation comes from TP-Link, a company with roots in home networking but who also now have a great range of smart home products under their Kasa brand. The TP-Link Kasa Smart Light strip is another great option and costs £40 for the starter kit which is 2m long and the extension kit (1m length) can be purchased for £15 which is more budget friendly than the Hue light strip.

Whilst the TP Link smart strip isn’t Apple HomeKit or Siri compatible it works with Samsung SmartThings, Alexa and Google Assistant out of the box and connects directly to your router so doesn’t require a hub for any of those features to work. It also has out-of-home control and app control via the Kara app for Apple and Android.

Set up is as simply as sticking up the light strip and cutting it/extending it when required.

In terms of performance the Kasa smart light strip equally boasts a huge range of colours (although not as many as the Hue) and looks great providing plenty of brightness.

We love this product because it offers the quality of a long-established, reliable brand with a more budget friendly price tag.

LED Strip Lights from HYFILOD (TUYA)

Our final option is a super-budget friendly one and costs just £20 for 20m (you read that right…20m) of light strip.

When it comes to budget friendly options for smart light strips there are lots of choices out there but we picked this one because it’s compatible with the TUYA network of devices which means there’s lots of different brands out there using the TUYA/Smart Life solution (even Hey! I’m Home who we reviewed a while back are built on the TUYA network). This means you can have a budget friendly item without having to download yet another app.

This light strip from HYFILOD is a massive 20m long and connects via WiFi (no need for a bridge) and works with Alexa and Google Assistant as well as the TUYA smartphone app for Apple and Android.

In addition to that it also comes with a remote control allowing you to use it without an internet or smartphone connection. You’ll find that it’s not as bright as the other two we’ve listed here but for the price it’s excellent value for money and great for a fun hobby project.

The Best Smart Light Strips – Our Verdict

Regardless of your budget 2021 is a great time to get a smart light strip and bring some colourful character into your home…perfect for movie nights. The three products here fit a whole range of budgets and offer some excellent options for those looking to get started with a smart light strip.

The post Best Smart Light Strips in 2021 appeared first on Mark's Tech Blogs.

Enter smart filament bulbs.

It doesn’t matter where you turn at the moment, every hipster bar has plenty of exposed brickwork, piping and filament bulbs. The world of smart bulbs is slowly providing a few options for those who want to combine the beauty of filament bulbs with smart home automation.

Here we share our top picks for smart filament bulbs.

Philips Hue White Filament Bulbs

When you think of smart bulbs Philips Hue is usually the brand that comes to mind. They’re well established, eco friendly and work well with a whole variety of systems.

The Philips Hue White Filament Bulb launch just under 2 years ago and provides a retro look in a smart bulb. You can pick them up with E27 and bayonet (B22) fittings and they look awesome. They come in regular shaped and globe style giving you a variety of choices you can mix and match.

Pro’s

• Bluetooth and Wireless Compatible
• Plenty bright enough
• Nice warm white
• Compatible with Google’s Assistant, Amazon’s Alexa and Siri
• Homekit Compatible
• Great app

Con’s

• Pricier choice

Innr Smart Filament Bulbs

Innr might be a less well-known company but their smart bulbs are making waves and are compatible with Samsung SmartThings as well as Hue meaning you can pretty much link them into whatever smart lighting eco system you already have.

Innr’s bulbs also come with a variety of fittings and are gold with a traditional filament style look. As with Hue they’re super energy efficient as well. These bulbs are stunning and certainly the best looking out of those in this article.

Pro’s

• Compatible with Philips Hue and Samsung Smarthings and Amazon Alexa (bridge required for Hue use)
• Voice control with Alexa and Google
• Look incredible!
• Half the price of Hue bulbs!

Con’s

• No HomeKit or Siri support

Nedis Wifi Smart LED Bulb

Our third and final option (trust us, there are more choices out there but they’re not good choices!) is the WiFi smart bulb from NEDIS.

NEDIS make a variety of filament bulbs that work with E27 fittings and they have a mix of shape options which is great for mixing and matching. They start at £13 and work up to £19 depending on the shape you go for. These bulbs look amazing and equally work with a variety of existing eco systems.

Much like many budget smart home devices they use the TUYA network which means you could add these into your existing TUYA app and get these to work with systems such as TECKIN and Hey, I’m Home. This also means they work with IFTTT, Alexa, Google Home and Siri Shortcuts.

Pro’s

• Compatible with lots of existing systems
• Can be added to existing TUYA apps
• Look great with a variety of shapes

Con’s

• No HomeKit support and don’t work with systems like Philips Hue or Samsung SmartThings.

Which Filament Smart bulb to choose?

In our opinion any one of these three is a great choice but if you’re starting from scratch then the NEDIS let’s you tap into a whole variety of other budget smarthome tech thanks to its use of the TUYA network however if you’re looking to invest we’d certainly favour Philips Hue for it’s functionality.

The post The <strong>Latest Smart Filament Bulb for smart home </strong>for Your Smart Home in <strong>2023 in UK</strong> appeared first on Mark's Tech Blogs.

Recently, I’d seen a lot on social media (thanks to promoted Facebook ads) on a new company called ‘Hey! I’m Home’, a company who seek to provide affordable smart home devices and, a company with a vision to be the one company who meet your smart home needs, thus reducing the need for lots of different apps.

So, are their products any good? I picked up a Smart Bulb and Smart Socket to find out.

The Shopping Experience

The experience of purchasing through Hey! I’m Home is a really good one, the website is easy to use and there’s even a package builder to help you work out what you need for your home.

Shipping is speedy (even over the Christmas period) and your box of goodies has a personalised ‘Packaged by…’ note and a getting started guide.

I love the simple branding of ‘Hey!’ and their products are in slide-open boxes with no additional plastic.

Design

The smart plug is rounded and has a pretty small form-factor. There’s a button on the side and an LED indicator.

The bulb looks like a bulb (no surprises there!) and has a screw-fit by default but comes with a bayonet adapter. This approach is great because you don’t have to worry about moving to a house with different light fittings (for the most part).

Pricing

The smart plug costs £19 and the bulb £14 which makes the smart plug sit in the middle and puts the bulb towards the lower end (especially given that it’s a colour bulb).

Set Up

The instructions that come with it make setting it up these devices nice and easy and you just need the Hey! app on your smartphone. If you want to use it with Amazon’s Alexa you’ll also need to add the ‘Hey’ skill in the Alexa app.

Usage

The app loads nice and quickly and lets you group devices by room or view all of them. There’s quick ‘on/off’ options on the home screen or you can click through to adjust more things.

The smart plug lets you schedule and monitor power usage whilst the bulb let’s you choose brightness, colour, intensity of that colour and set scenes (there’s also a music mode but I couldn’t get that to work).

In addition to this for all of your Hey devices you can set automation rules based on time of day, weather, other actions (e.g. if you have a motion sensor) or you can create on/off actions you can add to Siri Shortcuts (great for Apple users).

The Interesting Twist…

As I used the Hey! app I found myself thinking that I’d used the app before and sure enough, it’s nearly identical to the Smart Life app I use for my cheaper (£10) Teckin smart plugs…so I factory reset one of my cheaper smart plugs and tried to add it to the Hey app…and it worked!

So I did some digging and this is why that works:

The Hey platform is built on TUYA and Microsoft Azure. The latter is to keep your data safe and for GDPR compliance whereas TUYA is a smarthome app that many manufacturers (often of budget products) use already. That means, if you find the right budget smart plug then it can work with Hey!

The Verdict?

If you’re thinking of starting a smart home then Hey! provide a simple way to do this without you feeling overwhelmed by the choices (thanks to their handy tool). Their products have a fun feel and work well with an app that’s nice and speedy. They also work with Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri which is a must for any smart home product.

The only real downside is for Apple users as their products don’t show in Apple’s home app and there’s not an Apple Watch app yet. I’d love to try out their camera or doorbell sometime but as I personally buy any tech I review I’m not going to do that just yet (especially as my Ring doorbell works well).

Do ask any questions you have or head across to YouTube for a video review

The post Hey! I’m Home – Smart Bulb & Plug Review appeared first on Mark's Tech Blogs.

The Thermometer and Hygrometer is a small, plastic device with a LED screen (no backlight). It comes with 2 AAA batteries and a magnetic stick-on mount for sticking it on to a wall but you can also just place it onto a shelf.

Once it’s powered up the screen shows you the temperature and humidity level in your home plus the device’s battery level. You can also connect it to your phone using bluetooth and the Switchbot app allowing you to view graphs or data over hours, days, months, weeks and years. (The device itself stores up to 30 days of data).

It also has an impressive operating temperature working between -20 degrees Celsius and 80 degrees Celsius and humidity between 10% and 90%. This means you could even monitor the temperature of your fridge if you wanted to!

Once you’ve connected it to your phone you can see the temperature and humidity on your screen when you’re within the bluetooth range or if you hook it up to a Switchbot Hub mini you can monitor this anywhere in the world.

The other feature you gain when you hook it up to a Hub mini is the ability to ask Alexa for the temperature and hook it up to services such as IFTTT, allowing you to do things like turn on a plug (perhaps linked to a heater) when a temperature reaches a certain low.

And that’s it! The Swiss-made censors inside give you an accurate result, it’s got a great temperature range and costs just £25!

If you want one you can pick one up here and if you want the extra smart features you can get a Switchbot Hub Mini here.

The post Switchbot Thermometer and Hygrometer Review appeared first on Mark's Tech Blogs.