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North Wales Live
08-06-2025
- North Wales Live
Review: SwitchBot Adjustable Roller Shade is great (once you get it up)
Switchbot is a company that promises to bring home automation to the masses, and its latest effort is an ambitious, self-installed smart window blind - the type you see in the homes of tech bros - at a fraction of the price. The SwitchBot Adjustable Roller Shade will cost you under £200 and, if you're brave enough or a competent DIY-er, offers a cost-effective alternative to professionally installed motorized blinds. While the shade is marketed as DIY-friendly, I found the installation process... challenging to say the least. To be honest, I lucked out. I picked the width of the shade that didn't need an alteration from my end, otherwise I'd have been in the world of hurt, having to cut the fabric myself. Even though all the tools needed are supplied, that would not have ended well. Not that I could have altered the width anyway as the first screw I came across that I was instructed to unscrew immediately threaded. So if I hadn't picked the right size, it would still be in the box. Also, for extra fun, the instructions don't always align with the (tiny) video tutorials. I also fell foul of mistaking a thin length of plastic as part of the packaging. I threw it away before right at the end of the set-up I found out it was part of the blind! That was my bad, and I was able to engineer a replacement made of cardboard. Reading this you might think it's best to steer clear. Well, here's the thing, if you manage to navigate getting the thing up, it works brilliantly and you'll be extremely happy with it. Once installed, the SwitchBot Roller Shade - coming in either white or grey - boasts a sleek and modern design, operates quietly, with noise levels as low as 30dB in silent mode, making it suitable for bedrooms and other quiet spaces. The shade can be controlled via a mobile app, voice commands (with the SwitchBot Hub 2), or a wired controller, offering flexibility in operation. The shade is powered by a rechargeable battery that can last up to eight months on a single charge. An optional solar panel is available to keep the battery charged, though some users find the panel's appearance not so great. I didn't have that to test so couldn't offer an opinion. Integration with smart home platforms like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts is possible through the SwitchBot Hub 2, enabling features like scheduling and percentage-based adjustments. To be honest, I mostly used the app (once I'd got over playing 'blind goes up, blind goes down'), which I found to be pretty straightforward and surprisingly powerful. So here's the thing. Now they're up, I love them. Would I want to go through the installation again? Maybe not. Do you need to be scared, yourself? I'm at the extreme low-end of the DIY scale so if you have any skills or experience, you might find it easy. But I'd definitely pick the right shade immediately, and not throw away the 'packaging' before you set it up! Other reviews Smart Home Scene: "If the SwitchBot Roller Shades fit your use case and budget, I can recommend them without reservations. If you find the DIY element of these shades challenging, consider the ready-made SmartWings Blinds as a good alternative." Reidential Tech Today: "While the overall installation process is reasonably easy, a homeowner will want to very carefully perform the process of cutting the fabric role as a mistake could be costly. Finally, Smart home integrators might even consider offering the SwitchBot Roller Shade as an inexpensive option compared to the fully custom smart shades they typically offer."
Wales Online
08-06-2025
- Wales Online
Review: SwitchBot Adjustable Roller Shade is great (once you get it up)
Review: SwitchBot Adjustable Roller Shade is great (once you get it up) While the shade is marketed as DIY-friendly, I found the installation process... challenging to say the least SwitchBot Adjustable Roller Shade Switchbot is a company that promises to bring home automation to the masses, and its latest effort is an ambitious, self-installed smart window blind - the type you see in the homes of tech bros - at a fraction of the price. The SwitchBot Adjustable Roller Shade will cost you under £200 and, if you're brave enough or a competent DIY-er, offers a cost-effective alternative to professionally installed motorized blinds. While the shade is marketed as DIY-friendly, I found the installation process... challenging to say the least. To be honest, I lucked out. I picked the width of the shade that didn't need an alteration from my end, otherwise I'd have been in the world of hurt, having to cut the fabric myself. Even though all the tools needed are supplied, that would not have ended well. Not that I could have altered the width anyway as the first screw I came across that I was instructed to unscrew immediately threaded. So if I hadn't picked the right size, it would still be in the box. Also, for extra fun, the instructions don't always align with the (tiny) video tutorials. I also fell foul of mistaking a thin length of plastic as part of the packaging. I threw it away before right at the end of the set-up I found out it was part of the blind! That was my bad, and I was able to engineer a replacement made of cardboard. Reading this you might think it's best to steer clear. Well, here's the thing, if you manage to navigate getting the thing up, it works brilliantly and you'll be extremely happy with it. Once installed, the SwitchBot Roller Shade - coming in either white or grey - boasts a sleek and modern design, operates quietly, with noise levels as low as 30dB in silent mode, making it suitable for bedrooms and other quiet spaces. The shade can be controlled via a mobile app, voice commands (with the SwitchBot Hub 2), or a wired controller, offering flexibility in operation. You'll need help to install the SwitchBot Adjustable Roller Shade The shade is powered by a rechargeable battery that can last up to eight months on a single charge. An optional solar panel is available to keep the battery charged, though some users find the panel's appearance not so great. I didn't have that to test so couldn't offer an opinion. Integration with smart home platforms like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri Shortcuts is possible through the SwitchBot Hub 2, enabling features like scheduling and percentage-based adjustments. To be honest, I mostly used the app (once I'd got over playing 'blind goes up, blind goes down'), which I found to be pretty straightforward and surprisingly powerful. So here's the thing. Now they're up, I love them. Would I want to go through the installation again? Maybe not. Do you need to be scared, yourself? I'm at the extreme low-end of the DIY scale so if you have any skills or experience, you might find it easy. But I'd definitely pick the right shade immediately, and not throw away the 'packaging' before you set it up! The Switchbot Roller Shade is available from £169.99 from the Switchbot website Other reviews Smart Home Scene: "If the SwitchBot Roller Shades fit your use case and budget, I can recommend them without reservations. If you find the DIY element of these shades challenging, consider the ready-made SmartWings Blinds as a good alternative." Reidential Tech Today: "While the overall installation process is reasonably easy, a homeowner will want to very carefully perform the process of cutting the fabric role as a mistake could be costly. Finally, Smart home integrators might even consider offering the SwitchBot Roller Shade as an inexpensive option compared to the fully custom smart shades they typically offer." Alternatives Article continues below Graywind Customized Smart Roller Blinds Blackout Tokblind Motorized Roller Blind
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Yahoo
SwitchBot upgrades its smart hub with physical controls and Matter compatibility
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. QUICK SUMMARY A registration with CSA has shown that SwitchBot is working on a new smart hub. The SwitchBot Hub 3 has physical controls, including a control knob and buttons, and is Matter-enabled. SwitchBot is working on a new smart home hub, and it could be its best designed hub yet. The upcoming SwitchBot Hub 3 differs from its predecessors with its knob and button controls, is Matter-enabled and comes with other smart features. As spotted from a registration on the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) website, SwitchBot is developing a third iteration of its smart hub. It has a similar design to the SwitchBot Hub 2 and looks like many of the best smart thermostats on the market, but it differs from its predecessor with its new physical controls. Rather than the sleek reflective design that the SwitchBot Hub 2 has, the SwitchBot Hub 3 comes in black and has buttons and a control knob or dial at the front. According to CSA, the knob can be twisted to adjust the temperature of your smart thermostat and music volume, but it can also be used as a button as well. Speaking of buttons, the SwitchBot Hub 3 is surrounded by buttons, including home, back and on/off buttons. There's also a strange 'S' button on the right side which as of writing, hasn't been explained but my guess would be Scenes or potentially SwitchBot which when pressed could help you flick through the different SwitchBot products. Above the control knob and buttons is a display which appears to show temperature, volume, and weather, but this will be confirmed nearer the time of launch. The display will also show real-time updates for your smart locks, and most importantly, the SwitchBot Hub 3 has a motion activated screen so you can wake it up by waving at it or moving the device. In terms of compatibility, the SwitchBot Hub 3 is Matter-enabled and integrates with Alexa and Google Assistant for hands-free voice commands. For music listening, the SwitchBot Hub 3 is also compatible with Spotify, Apple TV and other streaming platforms. As of writing, the SwitchBot Hub 3 hasn't got a release date or pricing. If the SwitchBot Hub 2 is anything to go by, the SwitchBot Hub 3 could be priced similarly at £79.99 / $79.99 or more but we'll have to wait and see.
