Aqara, one of the best ways to build a smart home powered by HomeKit at a low cost, has a new way to start for an initial and lower expense. The new Aqara E1 hub has a compact design with high installation flexibility and can be connected to the HomeKit.
HomeKit Weekly is a series focused on smart home accessories, automation tips and tricks and everything that has to do with Apple's smart home framework.
Using the USB-A jack, the E1 hub can be powered from wall outlets with built-in USB jacks, power outlets, media servers, or a Wi-Fi router that has built-in USB.
I've been a big fan of all Aqara products since I discovered them. While individual devices cannot connect directly to the HomeKit, Aqara hubs can connect them to the HomeKit. For example, the Aqara water sensor can generally be found for less than $ 20 and, once installed, appears inside the Home app. I had a spill in the kitchen a few weeks ago, and HomeKit immediately alerted my house as soon as water was detected. I have Aqara water sensors under every sink in our house, as well as in front of the dishwasher and the refrigerator. Aqara also has a temperature sensor and a low-cost motion sensor that we have in our house and use almost daily.
If you have an existing Aqara network, the new E1 hub can serve as a repeater to enable multiple Aqara devices on your network. The E1 hub supports a wide range of smart home protocols, including Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, IFTTT and more, so it's extremely flexible if you have a combination of devices in your home.
Because Aqara connects all its devices to the HomeKit, you can combine and match automations using different vendors. One use case could be to use an Aqara door sensor to turn on a lamp connected to a Wemo socket. Especially with Christmas approaching, it's time to start thinking about how you want to integrate your decorations into the HomeKit, so that you have a festive environment controlled by the Home application or from Siri using your new HomePod mini.
Use the code USCAE1E1 to save 10% on the hub and start building your low-cost HomeKit smart home today with the new Aqara E1 hub.
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