SmartThings Review
SmartThings provides an affordable do-it-yourself system for home automation and device interconnectivity. You can start small and expand the system over time. Initial set-up takes less than 15 minutes. SmartThings devices are affordable and have no ongoing fees.
The system provides a limitless number of innovative solutions for the home. For example, you can program your home’s exterior lights to turn on automatically as you arrive home after sunset. The “Hello Home” feature allows you to “talk” to your home, providing you push notification or SMS alerts (e.g., letting you know when a family member has arrived home), as well as the ability to monitor, control and customize your connected devices, and much more.
Having each of your smart home devices use their own separate apps is not very smart at all. The SmartThings app is a unique comprehensive app with a well-built interface to seamlessly connect other home automation devices, such as your home security cameras and the Nest thermostat. Developers will appreciate SmartThings online portal and open platform with which they can create their own SmartApps and commands. Consumers who are keeping up-to-date on future home automation technologies (such as Goji’s smart locks, coming this fall) can anticipate having all of these devices connect with SmartThings.
I received the SmartThings “Know and Control Your Home Kit” which includes the SmartThings Hub, two SmartSense Presence fobs, a SmartSense Motion sensor, a SmartPower Outlet, and two SmartSense Multi sensors. Subsequently, I purchased three GE outdoor light plugs, two GE in-wall switches and an Aeon Z-Wave range extender – all of which are well-described on the SmartThings’ website. The Hub, powered by micro USB, is centrally positioned in the house to maximize range (it may take a little bit of thought and trial to find the ideal spot within large homes), with the range extender to ensure the outside devices are also receiving adequate signal. The fobs are placed in the glove boxes of my vehicles to trigger programmed actions upon arrival and departure. I’ve placed the SmartSense Multi sensors on the front and garage doors to monitor entry and exit, and the motion sensor is used to control security lights.
SmartThings most impressive solution at my house is controlling the home’s exterior lights. No more using timers, which don’t keep time properly, and no more wasting electricity turning on the lights when no one is home. Best of all, no more stomping through mud to reach the electricity boxes to turn on the lights manually. Now, the switches – which by the way also extend range as they are directly connected to the power supply – can be used inside the house for manual operations, and my smartphone can be used to program, monitor and operate the lights on command.
The SmartThings Hub operates with devices using ZigBee as well as Z-Wave. I would note that ZigBee devices provide significantly better signal and range, and are less prone to interference from walls, concrete and other barriers within and outside the house. However, the range extender does its job in ensuring that even the Z-wave devices (such as the GE outdoor lights) are operable.
Given its countless applications and unique solutions, I certainly plan to experiment and to use my SmartThings system in new and improved ways. Visit our site often and subscribe for updates for subsequent SmartThings reviews.
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Aeon Z-Wave Range Extender
SmartThings App Screenshots-
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I am thinking about getting one for my apartment, are the sensors easy to remove if I move later?
Hey, Jason: Just spotted your comment. The short answer is yes. Thought this would be useful: http://blog.smartthings.com/news/roundups/5-ways-…
– Eliot, from SmartThings (who rents + lives in an apartment)
Do those inwall switches only extend zwave range? Does the smart power outlet extend range?
Thanks for this writeup, I've been looking for a detailed review of SmartThings. They are a great system for the budget-conscious shopper with no monthly fees. They compare really well with other systems in the comparison tool I put together at http://24-7-home-security.com/security-system-com… and it's glad to hear they work really well, too.
What kind of automation are they offering? Well there are some companies that also offers commercial automation for businesses.