SwitchBot Hub 2 Overview – Apple HomeKit / Matter Suitable Good Residence Hub

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SwitchBot made a reputation for itself with the SwitchBot Bot, which is an inexpensive good button pressor. It’s a easy but modern option to make dumb electronics good. A number of different random manufacturers have tried to tear off the best, however nobody has competed with SwitchBot for this intelligent little system.

I’ve beforehand reviewed a number of merchandise from SwitchBot, together with the SwitchBot Bot, Good Humidifier and the good curtain bot.

I’ve been pleased with all of the merchandise and the model has continued to develop the product vary to change into a extra thorough good residence resolution.

Current launches have included the SwitchBot Blind Tilt and the SwitchBot Lock.

SwitchBot Hub 2

The latest launch is the SwitchBot Hub 2, which is a big improve from the unique Hub. This now combines 4 capabilities in a single, appearing as a hub, thermometer/hygrometer, twin good button and an IR good distant management.

The IR distant management operate permits the hub to regulate outdated infrared home equipment and may also help make them smarter, what’s extra, it’s also possible to join different SwitchBot merchandise through Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to construct a extra full good residence expertise.

The opposite large characteristic is that this helps HomeKit through Matter.

In the meanwhile, the Matter help is a bit restricted. The SwitchBot Curtain and SwitchBot Blind Tilt merchandise are already formally supported by Hub 2 with Matter, however the different Bluetooth-based merchandise will obtain an replace at a later date.

Elements of this assessment are unfinished, as I want to cowl the Matter and Residence Assistant integration in additional element and ideally when the opposite Bluetooth equipment have been up to date with Matter. I’ll both replace this assessment or publish a brand new submit particularly for these options.

Specification

• Good Residence Hub
• Helps Homekit through Matter
• Good Temperature and Humidity Meter
• Good Alerts
• IR Distant Management Hub
• Works when Community connection is down
• Air conditioner distant management standing synchronisation
• Constructed-in Good Buttons

Set-Up

The preliminary set-up is much like most IoT units. This has Bluetooth, so the app will robotically detect the hub. You then place it into pairing mode, present the two.4GHz SSID particulars and look forward to it to pair up.

I had some points getting the hub to connect with my router at first. I believed it is likely to be the identical DNS points I had with my Arlo Pro 5 review, however utilizing Google DNS I skilled the identical points. After unplugging it and powering it again up, I used to be in a position to join the primary time.

I did expertise some intermittent WiFi points with the hub, however after I switched to the Google Nest WiFi Professional, I have not seen any points.

Switchbot Hub 2 – Matter / HomeKit / Google Residence

Switchbot appears to be pushing the HomeKit through Matter help with this hub, however Matter ought to work with a number of ecosystems; that is the entire level of it.

I do not personally use Apple and, subsequently HomeKit. This could work with Amazon Alexa, Apple Residence, Google Residence, and Samsung SmartThings.

If you wish to use Matter, you will want to enter the settings and improve the firmware.

Though I write about smart home tech quite a bit and have coated Matter earlier than, that is the primary time attempting it.

As soon as the improve is full, you’ll be given a QR code that may be scanned to pair up with different Matter-enabled ecosystems. Or you’ll be able to copy the 12-digit code for handbook entry into any app.

I arrange the hub inside Google Residence and was knowledgeable that I wanted a suitable good residence hub. Your cellphone cannot be a Matter Hub. You’ll subsequently want one thing just like the Apple HomePod Mini or Google Nest is required.

I ended up shopping for the Nest Wi-Fi Professional as it really works as a Matter hub, and I assessment plenty of Wi-Fi routers, so it was excuse to purchase it.  

As I do not use Google Residence extensively, and that is the primary Matter system I’ve used, the performance is a bit underwhelming. With the Switchbot merchandise I’ve, it’s simply the hub that works with Matter. As soon as issues just like the buttons and bot are enabled, the performance must be quite a bit higher.

I can view the temperature and humidity inside Google Residence, and the Switchbot reveals up as an choice when making a routine, however the potential to create helpful routines is considerably poor. At the least in comparison with different good residence ecosystems.  

Residence Assistant

I had hoped I might have the ability to simply combine the SwitchBot Hub 2 into my Residence Assistant system.

Residence Assistant does not natively recognise any of the SwitchBot units, however it’s listed throughout the integrations.

Residence Assistant has a devoted web page for SwitchBot, and to combine SwitchBot units, you will want to have a working Bluetooth arrange on the system operating Residence Assistant.

My Residence Assistant set up is on my TerraMaster NAS, which is operating Unraid, so I do not natively have Bluetooth. I’ve ordered a Bluetooth dongle to see if I can get it to work this fashion.

It seems to be like individuals have had success with the Pi Zero W, Pi 3B+ and Pi 4B.

Homey Bridge

Moreover, I’m in the course of reviewing the brand new Homey Bridge. This does help numerous SwitchBot units, and it seems to be prefer it ought to help the hub over Wi-Fi, however I wasn’t in a position to get it to recognise the system. That is nearly actually as a result of the brand new hub hasn’t been built-in with Homey correctly but.

App / Hub Options

These are all of the options throughout the Switchbot app moderately than what is feasible when utilizing the Hub with Matter.

Temperature & Humidity Monitoring

This characteristic works precisely like the prevailing SwitchBot Meter, and I really actually prefer it.

Clearly, the performance is a good distance off fancy indoor air high quality screens just like the Airthings View Plus, however I like the best way this screens temperature, humidity and lightweight with historic graphs.

I used this kind of performance when testing heated garments racks and dehumidifiers. With the ability to set off occasions based mostly on temperature or humidity is yet one more helpful options of residence automation.

At first, I did expertise some points getting the temperature and humidity triggers to indicate underneath the scene settings. I believe this was because of the hub having WiFi connectivity points. Since pairing it with my Nest Wifi Professional, it has labored completely.

On this case, you could possibly use a SwitchBot Bot to change on a plug to change on a dehumidifier.

IR Distant Management

The IR distant management mapping works as anticipated. You’ve got the choice to pick pre-applied profiles, or you’ll be able to manually attempt to program the hub along with your IR distant. I managed to arrange my Edifier speaker, after which the speaker performance turned out there throughout the scene settings.

I haven’t got a lot use for it on this situation, however I’ll nearly actually map the IR distant for my pedestal fan and automate it throughout the summer time. Many moveable air con models use IR remotes as properly, and this could be good for that.

Button Mapping

This works precisely as you’d anticipate. It’s the identical because the performance of the SwitchBot Distant.

In my system, I arrange a fundamental operate for it to change on or off lights. Once I had curtains in my bed room, I used to make use of the Switchbot button to open/shut the Switchbot Curtain

Value and Various Choices

The SwitchBot Hub 2 prices £80 vs £35 for the older SwitchBot Hub Mini.

That is fairly a bit value hike, however the brand new hub has a number of capabilities constructed into one. The SwitchBot Meter would price you £17, and the SwitchBot Distant is £20.

Then the SwitchBot Hub 2 is suitable with Matter, in contrast to the Hub Mini. Due to this fact I might strongly counsel getting the Hub 2 over the Mini.

I might say Aqara is the best-competing product; the Aqara Good Hub M2 is underneath £50 and is Matter enabled with an IR controller, and works with HomeKit. It lacks the extra sensors and buttons of the SwitchBot Hub 2, however they’ve loads of inexpensive sensors, switches, and a good indoor air high quality monitor. Aqara does not have something just like the SwitchBot Bot.

Total

In case you are an current SwitchBot person, then the Hub 2 is a worthy improve, and if you wish to spend money on SwitchBot, the Hub 2 is properly value the additional cash in comparison with the Hub Mini.

I might say the primary enchantment of SwitchBot is that if their particular vary of merchandise appeals to you.

As I stated in my earlier SwitchBot LED Strip Light review, I want TP-Hyperlink Tapo for lighting, and so they have wonderful good plugs. I want Aqara for common residence automation options, and so they have wonderful no-neutral mild switches and good thermostatic radiator valves. I then use the Yale Linus for my good lock.

SwitchBot has a number of distinctive merchandise that these manufacturers lack. This contains:

• SwitchBot Blind Tilt
• SwitchBot Curtain & Curtain Rod 2
• SwitchBot Bot
• SwitchBot Lock (Aqara does have locks, however not within the UK)
• SwitchBot Good Humidifier

I’m a UK tech blogger and have been within the trade for over 10 years now operating Mighty Gadget, its sister websites and contributing to different websites across the internet. I’m obsessed with all tech together with cell, wearable, and residential automation. I’m additionally a health fanatic so cowl as a lot health tech as attainable. Follow me on Strava

Final replace on 2023-04-08 / Affiliate hyperlinks / Photos from Amazon Product Promoting API