Lots of companies make smart sensors, but some are better than others. And Aqara is, in my opinion, the best at it. They make more consumer smart sensors than almost anyone else, and I find them to be consistent and stable. As an added benefit, Aqara’s customer service is a lot better than most. I’d use Black Friday to take advantage of the sales on their best sensors, and here’s what I’d buy.
The presence sensor is how Aqara made a name for themselves, and it's a vast improvement over older “motion” sensors. A motion sensor uses light to detect movement, and you can use that to, say, turn lights on and off. But if you’ve ever sat in an office working at night, you know that eventually the lights turn off, because you didn’t keep moving. A presence sensor uses light differently (lasers!) to detect if someone or something is in the room, even if they’re not moving.
Now, having said all that about presence sensors, this doesn’t mean motion sensors don’t have their place. For instance, I used one to let me know my dog was escaping my backyard down the side of my house. Because motion sensors are also technically light sensors, I have one in my chicken feed, and once the chickens eat enough feed and the sensor is exposed to light, I know it’s time to top them up. A motion sensor makes sense on a fridge to see when someone is snacking, or in your hallway to get an alert when someone is coming.
It’s amusing how often I buy these sensors and chuck them everywhere, like my popup greenhouse in spring to activate a heater or fan; my chicken coop, so I can get an alert if the girls are too warm; my plant corner, so I know whether to move them; my car so I know if I need to heat it up before I go someplace; and my outdoor freezer, so I’m alerted if things go sideways. They’re so handy.
Pro tip: You never buy one water leak sensor. You buy a few and spread them around. It’s 2024, so if you don’t have one under your water heater, you’re behind the times. Under sinks, under automatic watering systems, and near your washing machine and fridge are ideal spots.
If you’re not ready to dive into a whole home security system, this is a great start. I like these sensors on select windows because they give me a sense of peace. I can check, if I left the house, that I didn’t leave a window open. I can also turn off my A/C automatically if the sensor knows the window is open, or turn a fan on. I like getting a simple notification that a door is left open rather than an alarm going off.
If you use Aqara sensors, you’ll need a hub. There are less expensive ones—don’t buy them. Get this G3 hub which is also the world’s more adorable security camera. It's sot just a camera; it's a legitimately great one.
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