TOP 7 Homekit products to ADD and AVOID in your Smart Home- 2022 UPDATES
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ค. 2024
- 2022 UPDATES - Top 7 Homekit products to add and some to avoid
Has my list changed since my 2021 video? Find out if my 2022 recommended Smart Home products are the same. A lot has changed in a year so it was time for a refresh. I'll also tell you a few products that I'm not a fan of and that you should consider avoiding, in my opinion.
Choosing the right products is essential to enjoy all the benefits including scenes and automations. You know what I love best? Products that work. I don't think that it is too much to ask and I hope this list helps you decide where to spend your hard earned money when expanding your Smart Home.
In this video, you'll learn my Top 7 favourite Homekit Accessories and a few that I recommend you avoid as compared to last year's video in 2021. These are based on my own opinion and experience installing, using and extensively testing over many months and in some cases years.
2021 TOP 7 Homekit Products to Add & some to Avoid in your Smart Home
• TOP 7 Homekit Products...
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TOP 7!
#1 Lutron Caseta: geni.us/4ijcPT
#2 Apple HomePod mini
#3 Ecobee: geni.us/S91r
#4 Logitech Circleview Doorbell: geni.us/SYbXb
#5 Eve MotionBlinds: motionblinds.com/en/eve
#6 Philips Hue: geni.us/UxpV0
#7 Hunter SimpleConnect Smart Fans
(My Fan!) Stylus 54 inch: geni.us/dA4Bvy
Romulus low profile 54 inch: geni.us/svlRr
Aerodyne 52 inch: geni.us/p4JV
Phenomenon 60 inch: geni.us/p4JV
Neuron 52 inch: geni.us/DREQ
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:01 2021 Top 7
1:08 Eve Aqua
1:37 Ecobee
1:50 Logitech Circleview Doorbell
2:41 HomePod Mini
3:51 Lutron Caseta
5:09 Nanoleaf Essentials Bulbs
5:56 Eve Door & Window
6:18 Avoid List
6:42 Wemo Smart Plug
7:29 Wemo Smart Switch
7:57 Weister Premis
8:36 Updated 2022 Top 7!
8:47 Eve Motionblinds
9:27 Philips Hue Bulbs
9:46 Hunter SimpleConnect Smart Fan
10:46 Eve Energy
11:13 Avoid List
11:19 Vocolinc Lightstrip
11:56 Wemo Everything!
12:55 Fibaro Motion Sensor
14:00 Final List
14:22 Flic Buttons
14:47 Final Thoughts
_______________
🛒 Affiliate LInks:
Thinking of purchasing one of the products in this video?
Below are links to some great products for your Smart home. I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you and this would help support my channel.
Check out these HPM TriPods from Balolo!
www.balolo.de/?ref=9incxpey27
Get 10% off with the Promo Code: BRADLLOYD
Eve Motionblinds: motionblinds.com/en/eve
Eve Weather: geni.us/IlGlsH
Eve Window & Door Sensor: geni.us/EbWD
Eve Energy: geni.us/oFms
Lutron Aurora Toggle Switch: geni.us/HsQn5g
Lutron Caseta: geni.us/jLunz
Meross Dual Smart Plug: geni.us/ewraDr
Aqara Door & Window Sensor: geni.us/qWm8A9
Ecobee 3 Lite: geni.us/0XdMB
Ecobee 5: geni.us/uvcQdQ
Level Lock: geni.us/YEgJlsq
August Lock: geni.us/u633kKI
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I appreciate the focus on RELIABILITY. So many smart home channels focus on pushing the limits of what you can do, without covering how reliably it can do it. Most people I know quickly get over the excitement of pushing boundaries and just want a system that works.
Great video and list!! For me Aqara, Lutron and Meross are my favs. I’ve had issues with everything Eve (Motion, contact, smart plug) so I don’t use them anymore. Nanoleaf also gave me issues. Great video and your new studio is 🔥
Thanks Adam! Really surprised that you've had bad luck with Eve, though Meross is a great call! For their price, I absolutely love their products.
Eve is clearly the most problematic for me as well, to the extent I’ve dumped everything i had. I have purchased their Matter occupancy sensor to try but haven’t yet. I have low expectations.
Love the video and your new space. Totally agree with all of these, only one I don’t is Wemo, maybe I’m just extra lucky but I’ve been using wemo since 2018 I now have 19 Wemo devices between plugs, switches and outdoor plugs, all work awesome. Even my plugs in my gym which is a separate building 30 feet from my home. I do have one Eve plug and one Meross smart switch they are also amazing. I guess it’s buy at your own risk and hope it works out! Lol
Thank you for the insight! There’s a lot of products on here I’ve been hoping to get and i appreciate the thoroughness of each product!
Thanks Nicholas, hopefully this info was helpful!
Any recommendations for an in-wall outlet? Eve Energy doesn't make one.. those "wall wart" smart plugs are eye sores. Is there a reason more companies don't make in-wall smart outlets? Anyone know of a good thread-enabled in-wall smart outlet?
Great video, as always! For the smart bulbs I would consider IKEA. If you want to use them only through HomeKit they have the reliability and speed of Philips Hue but with a much lower price (if I'm not mistaken also cheaper than Nanoleaf essential). I've been using them since they came out, they don't lose a shot and they've improved a lot over time. (btw I'm looking forward to try the new DIRIGERA hub)
Leviton is now in the HomeKit world.
What's your take on iDevices (thermostat, receptacles, switches)? I've used them with good results so far.
I have an older Caseta system. L-BDG bridge doesn't worrk with homekit. Is the BDG2 or pro backward compatible though?
Thanks for the update, Brad; I’m sure this required a lot of research. Glad to see another opinion regarding the Eve Motion Blinds. I’ve been eyeing them for awhile. I was also considering the Lutron Serena shades (especially since I have had such a good experience with Lutron Caseta switches throughout most of my home). But the D cell batteries seemed like a clunky power source, and I think Eve’s USB-C solution seems like a better choice.
I will say that my negative opinion of Nanoleaf hasn’t changed in the last year. I had 7 of their Essentials Thread-based bulbs (with plenty of HomePod Minis and 2 latest gen Apple TV’s available to use as border routers). I got so frustrated with them reverting to slow, slow Bluetooth connections that I yanked them all out and replaced them with Hue bulbs. I agree with your opinion of Hue - very reliable.
I kept 4 Nanoleaf light strips, just because I haven’t gotten around to climbing up and down a ladder a bunch of times to replace them. They work OK for awhile, but then all revert to Bluetooth again occasionally. There is no way to force them back to Thread, and sometimes it has taken days. I want to love Thread (and I hope I will as more manufacturers get into the game), but the Nanoleaf products just haven’t provided a great experience for me. (Maybe the Eve MotionBlinds have a better implementation of Thread?)
Keep up the good work with your TH-cam channel. I enjoy your videos.
Thanks for your feedback! Glad you are enjoying the channel. Excellent point about the D batteries with Lutron. I think Eve Motionblinds are well worth it and the thread connection is always responsive. I hear you about Nanoleaf, I have had occasional issues with Nanoleaf bulbs, they are great for the price but agree it’s not a second thought with hue, I know they will respond. It will be interesting to see how Thread and Matter evolves. Thanks for watching!
Add the Wemo Doorbell to the AVOID list. I hate to be so negative but this device drives me nuts. Camera connectivity is easy to lose. If it loses connectivity to the WIFI router it often fails to reconnect the camera. When that happens you have to disconnect power to the doorbell by removing it from the mount or turning off the breaker to it and then allow its battery to drain. Once you do that it will reconnect. This is true for both the original I bought and a warranty replacement. ARGGGG!
may 2023 update!! i had the issues you were experiencing with the wemo remote/switch and nanoleaf thread lights for the longest time. just updated my apple stuff to ios 16.5 and all my thread issues immediately resolved. this new update seemed to fix all the thread problems we've been having and im SO here for it :)
great reviews.. happy to have found you.. Big Apple and HomeKit fan.
Thanks for watching!
I enjoy your down to earth reviews! Also need to thank you for taking about overloading WIFI in your house. As you pointed out, many people don't like the idea of hubs, but hubs are good. I currently have about 129 HomeKit devices, but only 11 are on WIFI (3 T-stats, three Ikea . Three devices are Eve contact sensors via Bluetooth. The rest are via my Lutron and Phillips bridges and bluetooth.
Thanks so much Jeffrey! Appreciate you watching and sharing your set up which sounds pretty good!
Hear, hear! 🍻 I also was hesitant about hubs at first but those are the systems that work the best and most reliably in my home. Philips, Lutron, Eufy. Only have a few EVE and Meross devices
@@misstubbie1313 I think a few years ago people where put off by them because of the added price of a hub and started dissing them thinking a WIFI device is better/more cost effective. This notion caught on with the less tech savvy that hubs are bad. Sadly that is far from the truth. While hubs do cost more, what you get for that additional cost is faster performance and a far more reliable system.
I gave up on my Wemo smart plugs and replaced them with Eve. Been hassle free. Love my Aquara mini switches and motion sensors. My Nest cameras have been on the decline lately so, I am looking for other solutions. Granted, I am still running some DropCams still.
It's crazy how much better Eve is compared to Wemo.... I agree Aqara's wireless mini switches and motion sensors are great options as well! Aqara and Eve both sell good quality indoor cameras as well, and Eve has a new Outdoor Cam.
I have the WEMO video doorbell. It works great. Install was a snap. I replaced an Arlo which gave me nothing but trouble and required a Hub. Wemo just works!
That's great to know. I'm scared to spend that much on a Wemo product but I may have to give them a try sometime.
I've been waiting for someone to come out with a HomeKit compatible Z-Wave hub literally since HomeKit was announced. So imagine my excitement when I saw the image of the Thinka hub that you included. And then I checked the price. €355?!?! Before tax and shipping! Is it made of pure gold or something?
Thanks for the video. Very good information here. This deserve more views!
Thanks Simon! Can’t thank you enough for your kind feedback. 🙏
I'll add my experience with 3-way smart switches... I have both Eve & Wemo that support Thread, and both require a double tap to work on every 3-way circuit I've tried them on. Both work fine as single-pole switches, but fall flat as 3-way switches - and they confuse Homekit. This is unacceptable for $50 switches when Meross's smart 3-way switches (w/o Thread support) work fine for lots less $$. Another negative for Wemo is that they removed the light in their switch (a non-bright idea). Eve has a nice bright LED, and Meross has an LED, but it's barely visible.
Addendum - After trying Eve's switches in more 3-way circuits, I've found that they work fine in some, but don't in others. Weird but true. Maybe there's something in Eve's touch sensor circuit?
I’m using fibaro multisensor Z-wave in combination with Athom Homey. It works perfectly for me and there are many settings to tweak this sensor.
Very interesting. I hadn't heard of Athom Homey so just looked them up. Doesn't look like it would work in HomeKit, though I see Fibaro Z-wave compatibility. I expected the Z-wave version would be better, so nice to have someone confirm that!
Wemo smart plug has worked great for me. I use it to make my Xmas tree lights “smart”.
My only gripe with my Nanoleaf bulbs is that they don't dim in the same manner as my Hue bulbs. 50% on my Nanoleaf is more like 75%. Anything lower than 50% is still as bright as 50%
I have several Wemo Smart Plugs, and their performance has been very disappointing. They are frequently non responsive. And while they all can be managed, from my Apple Home app, a third are not recognized, by the Wemo app. I plan to gradually replace them, with Eve products.
Lutron Caseta has been a Godsend for my smart Home! Rock solid! And since my home is kind of old we have no neutral wires anywhere so the Dimmers are ideal. They’re super fast and responsive. That’s what we want from a switch, smart or not, to JUST WORK! And this one does, every single time.
I agree with your opinion on Philips Hue being expensive… but oh soo worth it! I rather see the system as an investment in reliability. Yes they cost a little more but there’s always Black Friday, Amazon Prime Day
I love my homepod minis but I wish Apple worked on those moments of unresponsiveness. I feel I have to hear Siri say “I’m having trouble connecting to the internet” and “this is taking too long” way too many times.
Also, I long for a video doorbell… it must be nice to live in a town where you can have one installed and not having it stolen or vandalized 😭 maybe Ill take the plunge one day
Sounds like we are pretty aligned! Despite the cost of Lutron I've never heard anyone complain about them (aside from some not liking the design). They are so, so reliable. The video doorbell is such a great smart home addition - but it is a lot of money to spend if there is a risk of it being stolen! Hopefully you can try one out one day.
@@TheBradLloyd Hopefully! 😊 Thanks Brad!
Weird that’s my wemo smart plugs works 99% of the time. Super cheap, works great for me, super reliable
Thanks for sharing your feedback. I’m glad to hear that you had a positive experience!
I have 9 Wemo plugs, a mix of first and second gen, and frankly, they have been my most stable devices, including Caseta since i just had a Caseta fan controller go offline. I know I’m in the minority but I’ve never had a problem with any of my Wemo devices.
I have used Wemo for 6 years. The older versions all have worked great, but got new two smart plugs and a new 3 way switch. Nothing but issues with the newer models.
I really love my Hunter ceiling fans, although they are the ones with pull chains. I installed Lutron Caseta Dimmer switches for the light portion and Lutron Caseta Fan speed switch for the fan portion. I didn't add the pull chain extensions to mine. This makes my dumb ceiling fans, smart. My fans are super quiet, reliable, and match the antique decor we have in our home.
The issues I have with smart fans that use a remote are:
a). If someone turns off the light switch at the wall, the fan can no longer be controlled from the remote. Automations also fail.
b). If you loose the remote or the remote gets damaged, then you don't have any way to control the fan or light.
If you want a remote option, then doing it the way I did, you can then add an additional Pico remote to control the lights and the fan. Lutron makes a Pico remote for dimming the light, one that just turns the light on or off (with no dimming-if that is what you prefer), and one that controls the speed of the fan. The Lutron Fan control has 4 speed settings as well as an Off setting, which I find to be plenty. I have seen some ceiling fan remotes with up to 6 speeds, but I really don't see the point in that. YMMV.
Lutron also makes a little pedestal stand to mount the remote to so it is a bit easier to use when placed on a table top, ceiling your bedroom nightstand.
Great feedback and Hunter fan set up Frederick! By doing it this way, you’ve got a good solution for a remote with a pico! I couldn’t agree more about how frustrating it would be for power to be turned off and automations to fail! Thanks for watching and for your insight as well!
Tried the Wemo doorbell couldn’t get it to stay powered on so I returned it for the logictech. I’ve since got the Wemo thread plug and that works flawlessly.
That's too bad Brian. Not a shocker to hear that, but good to know.
I bought hue awhile back an took it back the same day. Lifx is the best for colors and brightness I found
Lifx is good - but less reliable (IMO). It also drives me crazy that they haven't added Adaptive Lighting! Thanks for sharing your experience!
Thanks for a set of fantastic reviews again. Really valuable also listing products to avoid. I just wish MATTER would launch as I'm in Australia and theres no decent HomeKit doorbells available here!
Hi Mike, thanks for the feedback. Hopefully Matter will bring us more doorbell options! It's a category still lacking in HomeKit!
Yeah, Fibaro light sensor stopped working when Apple updated iOS to V16.0. The light sensor measured the light that fell on the sensor, not what it could see in the room. So it functioned more like a light meter for a camera than an ambient light sensor. So placement was critical. But because they have not updated the firmware and have no plans to change, I had to give it away.
These are fantastic picks, Brad. I agree with, and have, all of them except for the shades. I recently redid all of the light switches in my house, upgrading to Lutron. These are wonderfully SIFI (set it & forget it)! Even more reliable is my Ecobee. I upgraded the sensors to a total of 6 and it really helps move from being balanced when we’re all over the house to focused on the bedrooms at night. I badly want the smart vents that work with Ecobee to allow even more control over where to concentrate AC or heat - they need to add more vent sizes! Another great SIFI device: Rachio sprinkler control. I like getting the regular updates when it starts and ends, how much water was used, and if the weather delayed or cancelled my watering (living in LA means we almost never have weather to delay watering…). I have never had to fiddle with this after set up and it is incredibly reliable. BUT it never stays connected to HomeKit. I had wanted to use my outdoor motion sensors to pause watering when someone walked up and restart it after a few minutes of inactivity. No such luck!
Also, I love the Eve SmartHome plugs. I recently added one to every Apple TV and HomePod. I’m sick of the system picking a less than ideal hub and really wish Apple would just let us lick it. For now, I have a scene to turn off all of the hubs except my two most ideal ones and then another scene to turn them all back on. With 9 HomePods and 4 ATVs plugged into Eve SmartPlugs, I think my Thread network is on steroids (I have 14 Nanoleaf bulbs and several other Eve SmartPlugs). I would love Eve to create a metric of Thread network awesomeness 😜.
Finally, as someone with 2 of the WEMO Scene Selectors, my experience has been frustratingly similar to yours. They did replace one of them and this did extend the battery life in that remote to maybe 3 weeks vs. a few days. Better, but it still goes through these odd shaped batteries like candy.
Those are my 2 cents.
Thanks for sharing Dr. Cole! Set it and forget it products are the best, love the term SIFI! 👏 Your thread network sounds like a rock solid set up. 💪💪💪 I always appreciate your input. I’m sure it helps others with ideas as well!
Good list Brad. Question for you regarding Home Wifi for your devices…what do you use? Have you considered any of the new mesh wifi systems that integrate with HomeKit? Thanks!
Thank you! I'm currently using the HomeHub 4000 with Plume access points. It does the trick, but it's not the best. I've been eying the Eero 6 Pro for awhile though. HomeKit integration is nice, but not sure there are many benefits right now.
@@TheBradLloyd Perfect. I was considering upgrading to the eero 6+ with Prime Days on starting tomorrow. Maybe it might be worth holding off for now.
@@fishingwithshawno Try tp link decos. I pay for fiber and I was getting 300+ mbps and once I changed that to deco x60, I've been getting 720+ mpbs and my homekit is never down.
I've had numerous connectivity issues with my wemo plugs. I was recommended to reset, also deleted the app and re-installed, added in their app as well as trying directly with HomeKit all with issues immediately after setup. My only success has been to delete the app and devices from HomeKit and add to my Hoobs install. This has been the only way that they have worked for me.
Hi Ben, interesting solution using Hoobs. I've had to do the reset/uninstall as well. Works for awhile, then do it all over again.
The Nanoleaf has been absolute garbage for me. Out of three bulbs I bought to put on each side of my garage door and one in my entry way. I have one I can get to work. My entry way light just gives me wrong code when trying to install it. It does it in both photo option and manual entry. The other light won't download the firmware or run any type of automation.
Hey Brad, why aren’t you using the occupancy sensor for your ecobee to control your ceiling fan….. 😉
Also I have similar experience with the new Wemo smart plug.
Hi Brian, yes, that is a great idea - just depends on how you want to use it! Belkin is a big company, now sure why they can't fix their Wemo problems...
Very nice video Brad! I was just about to buy some Wemo Stage Scene Controllers but that battery issue stop me. Have you talked to Wemo about this problem? The thing is that this Controller is the only option that fits in a decora faceplate. Greetings from Chile!
I've brought the feedback up to Wemo but not getting any meaningful response. Hopefully it can be fixed with a firmware update. I know what you mean about the controller fitting into a decora plate, but keep in mind it sticks out a lot if you do that. Not bad - just something to be aware of.
@@TheBradLloyd the thing is I have no other options. Here in Chile we have 220v and no neutral wire so I can’t use Lutron Caseta o Meross for a 3 way switch because they work at 110v. That’s the reason a need something like the Wemo Controller. I have Aqara switches for the whole house and we love them. There’s an option here with Bticino (Italian brand) with association with Netatmo but they are reeeeeally expensive. Any ideas on how to solve my problem?
I have the Wemo Door Lock and it's most excellent. (NOW). It kept dropping out. A call to support solved that: The contacts on the doorway weren't supplying enough tension to keep contact with the doorbell.camera. A careful bend of he two contacts and it's been perfect ever since,
it's better at preventing false positives, uses facial recognition, and plenty of storage in iCloud for video clips of activity, I had to return the Logitech because it couldn't task the heat of a southward facing entrance & was pleasantly surprised by the features the Wemo added. Oh! And it rides on the 5.0 wifi not 2.4
Eve motion thread motion sensors are now selling, just order a few. I love the Meross light switches and they are cheaper.
Wemo door bell works great for me I haven’t got any issues yet.
I've got to say, I'm surprised on your Wemo comments. I've been using Wemo plugs and installed Wemo switches in my last home and they operated pretty much flawlessly for the couple of years I used them. I had one switch that was a little finicky, and had to re-set once or twice but outside of that, they worked great.
Great review, I would like to recommend to add arlo pro 4 cameras on the avoid list
I just bought the wemo smart plug for a fish tank light. No complaints yet, we’ll see how it goes
Mine has gotten better over time. Good luck with yours!
Where did you get your Hunter fan, Brad? I could not find a retailer in Canada.
Hi Susan, unfortunately it's a little harder to get these up here. I was lucky to have Hunter send me one directly, but their website doesn't ship to Canada. Their Wifi Simple Connect fans sometimes pop up at Costco and Rona. There is one on amazon (Amazon.ca: geni.us/BQPy).
Hopefully we get more options in Canada soon.
@@TheBradLloyd Thanks Brad. I remember looking at the website months ago. I had hoped things had changed. I’ll look at Amazon.
You consider Hue bulbs to be reliable?? I have at least 16 Hue bulbs, and at any given time about 5 of them "aren't responding". I've tried switching the Zigbee channel in the Hue Bridge and that reduced the problem by 50%, but it wasn't enough to make me happy. So I've replaced them all with Nanoleaf and now I've rarely had an unreachable bulb.
Something must have been wrong, maybe it was an issue with the bridge, or perhaps interference? I have around 18 Hue lights and they are perfect. Nanoleaf is great and you say you "rarely" have an unreachable bulb, but with Hue I never have an unreachable bulb. So personally, they are worth the money, but I still think Naoleaf is great.
@@TheBradLloyd Yes, something must be wrong. If it is/was the Bridge that's failing, then the bulbs themselves are fine, but the Bridge is unreliable and that's part of the Hue ecosystem. If it's interference, which was partially proven by the fact that I changed the Bridge's channel, then maybe the Hue Bridge should never be used by anyone in an apartment building (even one made with wood, like mine is.) One more thing to add: the Hue Bridge has both a dynamic IP or fixed IP option. When I changed it from the default (dynamic) to fixed IP, that also reduced the error rate, but even then there was usually at least one bulb that was failing to respond. But I still haven't thrown the Bridge out because I have three Phillips motion detectors and they are working well.
Do you have a link for the HomePod mini stands?
Yes! I'm obsessed with the Ball Tripod stand!
@t
Get 10% off with the Promo Code: BRADLLOYD
How did you get your HomePod to chime on a doorbell ring??
Hi Derrick, it’s a setting in the Home app, under “home settings”.
Hey! Im from Canada too just started my instagram for my smart home. got like $2K items from prime day last 2 days I love your videos ..
Hello! Thanks for watching. Sounds like you really took advantage of Prime day this year! At least it didn't get cancelled like last year, here in Canada!
@@TheBradLloyd for real. Not going to lie I'm really hesitant about making videos and such don't like the way I look on camera how did you get started if I may ask
I’ve got a Wemo doorbell on my personal home, and have installed it on several client homes as well. For the most part it performs well, and as the only HomeKit enabled Doorbell easily available in Canada, the HKSV features are nice.
I don’t find it as reliable as my Eufy video doorbell 2K that it replaced (and the video quality is NOT as good, although being able to see actual packages at my doorstep is a huge plus!), and annoyingly, it has a tendency to go offline whenever there is a router reboot or sometimes for no reason at all, and the only reliable fix I have found is to manually take it off the mount and reboot it. Not the most convenient given that it has a tiny, easily lost, torque safety screw.
However, if they can fix the connectivity issues in a firmware update, and in the absence of Eufy supporting HomeKit in their doorbells, it’s still my go to recommendation for smart home clients in the Apple ecosystem.
Thanks for the information Justin, that's helpful. Good point about the Canadian availability, too. Unfortunately Logitech still isn't sold in Canada. Hopefully Wemo gets better with future firmware updates.
I just posted my experience with the doorbell and connectivity issues. Not good. I've been waiting for a firmware update but haven't seen one yet.
Can anyone tell me the brand of his wooden HomePod stands?
Yes! I put the stand details in the description - Check out these HPM TriPods from Balolo!
www.balolo.de/?ref=9incxpey27
Get 10% off with the Promo Code: BRADLLOYD
Woah I was really surprised to see the Wemo plug on the list to avoid. I have had the WiFi switches for over a year now and have never had a problem with them. I just recently got the thread smart plug and it has also been great, much faster than my old Eve bluetooth versions. I especially love that the plug did not require the app to use. Since you also mentioned Nanoleaf problems I'm wondering if you have a big HomePod or an old Apple TV without Thread built in, I have had problems with thread devices working if my OG HomePods are acting as the HomeKit Hub.
Glad Wemo has worked well for you - definitely not the case for me. I really expected their thread version to work as well as my other thread devices, but hasn't been the case. I have it all, an Apple TV w/o thread, a couple with. OG HomePods, many minis.... I find that my HomeHub is usually one of my Apple TVs, but as you know it changes.... I have many Thread devices and aside from Wemo they work well. Even Nanoleaf works well, just not AS good as Philips Hue. Occasionally (though still rarely) they will go unresponsive. I've never looked to see which my primary HomeHub is though when having those issues - so something worth checking!
@@TheBradLloyd I’m looking at getting the Hunter fan which is on sale now, the HomeKit reviews for it have me worried. Hopefully it works as well as your has. Did you set it up in HomeKit first then the app? Thanks.
@@MacFan2410 Mine has been flawless. As long as you have a good wifi signal you shouldn't have issues. Mine is a more current fan so maybe some of the review are with older fans....? I set it up in HomeKit first. It doesn't really matter.... Even if you set it up from the Hunter app - it basically takes you into HomeKit to add the device. Here was my vid if it helps: th-cam.com/video/BWTPg5GqxsA/w-d-xo.html
Ugh yes. I struggle with Wemo plug!! It never worked!!!
I’ve had many issues particularly with Meross devices since ios16. Meross support is useless so being on my own to resolve it I’ve discovered many people have been having similar issues.
I ditched all of my in wall Meross devices in favor of expanding my Caseta fleet. The other day a Caseta fan controller went off line. Like the Meross devices, the caseta fan controller still worked fine in the Lutron app, just not in HomeKit. So, i fired off a support email to Lutron. What i got back was a thinly veiled assertion that there’s connectivity issues in ios16, which, frankly, makes a lot of sense and can be an explanation for my, and many other’s, Meross issues. The Meross devices always showed as connected in the Meross app as well as both my UniFi and router device logs.
The point of this post is, don’t necessarily point fingers at vendors until Apple gets their shit together with HomeKit. They seem to be very halfhearted in their commitment to the platform and my frustration with them is only growing. That said, the ugly kludge that is both Amazon’s and Google’s smart home platforms renders HomeKit as my only option.
I’ve been disappointed in wemo products as well. I have issues with them disconnecting from HomeKit
100%..... It's not acceptable. I really thought the new Thread Stage Controller and Smart Plug would be much better.....
My opinion and comments: I absolutely could NOT stand my Hue lights, the Hub frequently needed to be rebooted (and by frequent, I mean sometimes 2-3 times a day) and the lights went "No Response" in HomeKit, but meanwhile still worked in the Hue App. Nanoleaf Essentials are so MUCH better. I absolutely agree with WeMo, but also Meross, NONE of their products work as designed, I've just gave up. Meross light switches & power strips I just couldn't get it on my network or associated with HomeKit, despite spending MANY hours with their tech support. I gave up and went with Eve Switches - which have honestly been amazing. Pretty much anything Eve is amazing, IMHO, despite having some "prickly" encounters with a particularly sour tech support agent.
Seriously, Wemo works absolutely great. I used the WiFi variant and purchased their thread Smart Plugs right after the release and I couldn't be happier. So sad to see you share some bad feedback on them. Maybe this is due to a different model that you use, I use the model that is sold in Germany.
I’ve had better luck recently with their thread plug. I’m hoping to do a review soon including their thread smart plug, stage scene, controller, and dimmer switch.
really informative video, first time watching your videos. I have 5 of your 7 products and yeah avoid Wemo
Thanks Wilson! Sounds like we are pretty aligned!
The level of hate towards Wemo though lol. It’s WiFi, so may need a stronger connection. I have 2 running no issues (that’s with 1200 mbps internet, 50 Philip lights and accessories, 2 august homekit locks, 2 ecobees, circleview camera, 3 HomePods, and eve door sensor. Get a wifi extender, Wemo comes in a pack of 3 so cheap and works great.
So glad Wemo has worked well for you. It's not a Wifi issues. I have a strong connection and other wifi devices have worked just fine. Their new smart plug and stage controller use thread, and even with HP minis in the same room they are unreliable. Again, glad you have had better luck than I! Sounds like you have a pretty nice setup!
I cannot get my Logitech circle view to connect to HomeKit at all. I’m so frustrated.
It took me a few times as well. Just make sure you have a strong Wi-Fi connection, make sure you are connected to you 2.4. do a factory reset, and keep trying if needed.
Problem with Nanoleaf essentials colors is that as you said they are no match for Hue… sadly Hue is a really low standard to compare
Hi Samuel, thanks for watching. Which brand is your "go to"?
@@TheBradLloyd my go to are Hue (mostly for whites indoor and the outdoor dedicated lights and for my tv sync box (tv gradient lightstrip and tube gradient). As you said, they are still the most reliable by a good margin. For “fancy” colors I use Nanoleaf panels, govee stuff, hue gradient lightsrips and Kasa lighstrips (I use Alexa and HomeKit on my house)
I just can’t stand the essential line, I thought the colors and brightness were as good as their panels but they are just too bad (can stand Hue cuz the versatility and stability but not essentials) so I returned the essentials I got back in the day
I’m using Philips Hue and it’s definitely the most reliable smart light system in the world!
IKEA’ system is complete trash and it crashes for me almost every single day.
The Hue system has NEVER crashed ones!
We ended up exchanging this model for the slimmer version th-cam.com/users/postUgkx0jZ_lGlDVJhDnmagEU8gn47cmfPNlLQU because it was too wide for the only door trim area that made sense to mount it on. However, we should have just noted the dimensions prior to purchasing. Otherwise, we love the doorbell. It works perfectly, and the video is very clear, even at night.
Have to strongly disagree with the Hunter fan. I had the highest hopes for this but it was so disappointing. Lots of trouble connecting and controlling. It was often unresponsive. I’m now thinking this is due to the Bluetooth connection. Assuming you have a HomePod in your bedroom would maybe explain your success but if that is what’s needed they should just include a hub with it.
Hi Dan, my Simple Connect uses Wifi, not Bluetooth. I'm not sure if there was an older generation of Hunter fans that used BLE? I do have a HP mini in the same room, but it shouldn't impact it, since it's wifi. Just need to make sure you have a solid wifi connection where the fan is. Reserving the IP can sometimes help as well. Perhaps resetting will help in your case?
electronic retailers, need to learn about smart homes as I’ve been into several different ones and none of the staff know anything about it
I started moving from Insteon to Thread and got a bunch of Wemo plugs. They seems to lock upon me in a rotation. One locks up, I power cycle it and then in a week the next one locks up. I swear it is a small memory leak. I worked for weeks with support but they just kind of gave up. In contrast the Eve Thread plugs are rock solid.
Wow, sounds like you invested a lot of time with support! It’s too much effort, it should just work. I understand an occasional glitch but not repeated rotating issues. Glad you’ve had a rock solid experience with Eve Energy! Thanks for sharing!
@@TheBradLloyd Belkin Support was great about staying in touch but this was the last communication back in May.
I just received an update coming from our Wemo team. They are currently working on a firmware update to address this issue. As this time there is no exact time for the firmware release because it will be reviewed and checked by Apple.
Looks like my plugs just got firmware version 2.01. 🤞
Any improvement since the firmware update?
@@MrRazor1975 not for me. I now replaced all my Wemo Thread Plugs with Eve Energy Thread Plugs and haven’t had a single issue. Belkin did reach out to me again and asked for additional info but haven’t heard back.
Wemo Doorbell thumbs down so far. They are sending me another one so hope this one works.
Interesting how LIFX was never mentioned as an alternative to Philips Hue! 🤔 The colors are much more vibrant than Philips Hue, no bridge is needed and works with Apple HomeKit. Also very reliable, I’ve only had 1 issue since I purchased my LIFX bulbs 3 years ago.
Hi thanks for watching, and good call on Lifx - a popular choice. I agree Lifx has good colours, and it's bright. Personally, I prefer the reliability of Hue using the zigbee bridge. I also don't like that Lifx doesn't support adaptive lighting. Though still a good choice for many.
@@TheBradLloyd Thanks for the comment! I need your advice! I current have LIFX lights and they are super bright and beautiful but extremely unreliable! They are constantly going unresponsive. I’m debating on Philips Hue or NanoLeaf. I’ve heard the Nanoleafs are amazing but the colors are not bright. Can you please give me your opinion on which one I should choose?
Hey, sorry for playing hide and seek in your house but I'm 100% blaming Ben
Zed-wave? Zee-wave! Lol
The OG HomePod was 350 then went down to 300 not 450 :)
Sorry for the confusion, I was quoting the price in Canada.
Wow. No. Get a smart light switch and turn any ceiling fan into a HomeKit fan. The price for a ceiling fan that is HomeKit enabled is sooooo no way worth the price. It’s ridiculous how much they are!
Meross was hot garbage on my network (IDK why) and the troubleshooting advice to go into my iOS settings AND ERASE ALL NETWORK SETTINGS!! What egregiously bad advice. Immediately returned. Just going to spend the whopping $20 more to get Wemo from Apple.
Just want to add, maybe it's the new iOS 16, but could not connect Meross 630 or 620 to Homekit, the only reason I bought them.
FIRST !!!!! WOAH NEVER BEEN FIRST IN MY LIFE
Haha Congratulations on being the first Stephie!
Lol on the Aqara comment. Homie got a hardon for Eve. Your def biased review. 👎🏽👎🏽