HomeKit Weekly

A good door and window sensor doesn’t just tell you when something opens or closes. It can trigger lights, tweak thermostat settings, or alert you when you’re not home. The new Aqara P2 sensor checks all the boxes with fast, reliable alerts, local automation support, and wide compatibility thanks to native Matter over Thread. If you’ve been holding off on adding a sensor to your setup, this one makes a strong case.

Eve Energy is one of those smart home products that just works. It’s been a staple in my HomeKit setup for years thanks to its reliability, privacy-first design, and native HomeKit support. Eve Energy is picking up some notable upgrades that expand its usefulness even further.

When people ask me where to start with building out their HomeKit, I always come back to the same answer: start small. And by small, I mean a HomeKit-compatible smart plug. These devices are inexpensive, easy to install, and perfect for dipping your toes into automation and scenes within Apple’s smart home environment. They also make great gifts for friends and family who might not be ready for a full HomeKit setup but want a taste of the convenience. This week, we’re looking at the CozyLife HomeKit Mini Smart Plug. It’s a low-cost option that brings a lot of immediate value and helps lay the foundation for a future HomeKit expansion.

When it comes to building out a HomeKit environment, I always look for products that do more than one thing. The Aqara G2H Pro checks a lot of boxes. It’s a HomeKit Secure Video camera, but it also doubles as a hub for other Aqara sensors and accessories, so they can to work with HomeKit. I’ve had it set up in my house for a few weeks now, and it’s proven to be a solid addition that fits right into the Home app without any extra hoops to jump through.

I love outlet adaptors for HomeKit, but if you still use them to automate lamps, it might be time to switch things up (sorry for the pun). Smart plugs are a great way to get started, but smart bulbs give you more control over the lighting experience and work with overhead lights. With smart bulbs, you can change the color, set different brightness levels, and group them by room or scene. It is an easy upgrade that adds flexibility without complicating your setup. This week, I am looking at the Lightinginside Matter smart bulb.

Most people don’t think about air quality until it becomes a problem. It might not be random if you’ve ever felt sluggish in a home office or noticed your allergies acting up indoors. CO2 levels, humidity, and temperature all affect how comfortable and healthy your home actually is. A car fire at my neighbor’s house a few months ago reaffirmed this for me. The SwitchBot Meter Pro CO2 Monitor is built to make tracking air quality easier and integrates with HomeKit over Matter.

Smart home automation is all about convenience or security. For me, automation with motorized shades is one upgrade that makes a real difference day-to-day. Instead of manually raising and lowering them at the beginning and end of the day, automation ensures the perfect amount of light—without thinking about it. Recently, SmartWings announced a new set of Matter-enabled shades that introduce Power over Ethernet (PoE) support, eliminating the need for charging. While PoE is an option, it’s not required, making these some of the most best smart home motorized shades on the market.

Winter in the southern US is coming to a close, so it’s almost time to break out the sprinklers as warm weather arrives. Meross has been steadily expanding its lineup of HomeKit-compatible products, and its latest addition brings another option for smart outdoor watering to HomeKit.

Aqara keeps on a hot srreak in 2025 with a host of new products. After its new HomeKit Secure Video camera, the Aqara LED Bulb T2 is the company’s latest smart lighting option, bringing a nice combination of Thread and Zigbee support. Matter support, Zigbee Adaptive Lighting, and ultra-wide color tuning make it a solid addition to any HomeKit environment.

HomeKit has changed how I interact with many of the rooms in my house. While lighting and cameras tend to have the spotlight for most people as they can easily see the impact, environment monitoring is an equally important factor for me. The Aqara Temperature and Humidity Sensor is a low-cost, simple, yet useful device that can enhance your HomeKit setup significantly. Here’s why you might want to install one in every room.

eufy cameras have long been some of the best options for outdoor HomeKit cameras. I had the original model of the eufyCam 2 in my old house, and I loved them. They were a breeze to install, and the battery life was fantastic. They worked great with HomeKit Secure Video, but they also worked great as HomeKit motion sensors and recording back to the eufy base station. Overall, I had zero complaints. I recently picked up the eufy E30, and it’s a fantastic HomeKit camera if you’re looking for an indoor camera that supports HomeKit Secure Video.

Smart thermostats are one of the best ways to elevate your home’s energy efficiency while staying comfortable year-round and gaining access to some great automations. Meross has just released a Matter-enabled smart thermostat that promises broad compatibility across major smart home platforms, including Apple HomeKit. Here’s why the new Meross thermostat is a great option for HomeKit fans.

Internally at 9to5Mac, there have been a few conversations about the lack of releases in new HomeKit cameras in recent years. The challenge with HomeKit Secure Video is that the manufacturer sees no option for recurring revenue, so I suspect that might be part of it. The wait for something new is over, though. Today, Aqara has released the new Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro with HomeKit Secure Video support. I’ve had my hands on one for the last two weeks, so I am excited to share my experience.

For years, the smart home conversation has revolved around making things easier and more convenient around the home. We’ve focused on products that let us turn on lights with our voice, unlock our door with our iPhone, or set the control temperature without getting up the couch. As awesome as those things are, I’d like to see a new generation of HomeKit focused on home maintenance. I recently picked up Ting, and while it doesn’t support HomeKit, it’s giving me so many ideas on how I’d like to see the smart home of the future evolve.

Motion sensors have long been one of my favorite HomeKit devices for many years. However, the durability and speed of alerts are incredibly important when it comes to outdoor motion sensors. The Onvis outdoor motion sensor, built with Thread technology and an IP66 rating, is made to work great in both areas. If you want to trigger HomeKit devices based on motion outside, read on to learn more.

Smart locks have made our homes more secure and easy to access in recent years. For a long time, the market felt stagnant, but in the past few years, we’ve seen a few vendors hop on board in a major way. The Ultraloq Bolt is a great option with Apple HomeKit integration, built-in Wi-Fi, and versatile ways to lock and unlock your door. Whether you’re looking for advanced features like fingerprint ID or simple convenience with Siri voice control, the Ultraloq Bolt delivers it all (almost).

Temperature sensors are an important yet often overlooked part of a HomeKit setup. Even working as a passive tracking device, I want to add them to every room to understand more about what’s happening in the air. The aree Temperature Sensor is a great option for HomeKit fans with its compact size and detailed monitoring options. Let’s have a look.

As the colder months settle in, maintaining the humidity level becomes extremely important for me, as I have natural gas heat. Dry air can wreak havoc on my sinuses, so I am always hyper-aware of this during the coldest part of winter. That’s where the SwitchBot Evaporative Humidifier comes in. It delivers efficient, mist-free humidification while easily fitting into your HomeKit setup via Matter support from SwitchBot Hub 2.

When it comes to smart home lighting, you have two main options: smart lightbulbs or smart outlet adapters paired with traditional lamps. Both have their place, but for me, smart bulbs offer more flexibility and control. Unlike outlet adapters, which toggle power on and off, smart bulbs give you control over brightness, color, and even dynamic scenes. If you want to take the next step in building your smart home in 2025, a set of Matter-compatible lightbulbs might be the perfect place to start. This week, I am looking at the Linkind Matter Smart Bulb.

Smart home products have come a long way, but one area often overlooked is water management. Aqara’s newly launched Valve Controller T1 is changing that by turning your existing water valves into smart components of your home. Originally announced at IFA 2024, this retrofit device pairs with water leak sensors and integrates seamlessly into HomeKit

Lockly recently released its latest Zeno Series smart door locks, which include some fantastic features that Apple fans will love. Unveiled at CES 2024 and now available at The Home Depot, the new series features a redesigned, smaller footprint and state-of-the-art technology, including built-in Wi-Fi for streamlined connectivity and, most importantly, compatibility with HomeKit and Home Key.