AQARA HUBS - Choose the right Hub for your Homekit Smart home

[@andyjame6835]

like the features, setup was difficult for some of my devices (August Door lock, kzbin.infoUgkxhB5YOMNj04GuoAosExygP4cH-dKeb4aB Bose speaker)... but all switches and outlets (5), thermostat, tankless water heater. Unfortunately all I can do is turn on/off Bose. It doesn't support volume or changing channels, but I believe that is due to the particular speaker I have.... Worth getting if you already have other devices to use it with... I don't sit around and ask Alexa questions much so that doesn't really matter to me....

[@robertbolton9154]

The loud noice warning was much appreciated! I work nights and tend to research smart home stuff in the living room while the rest of the family is sleeping 😆 Great video though!

[@TheBradLloyd]

Thanks Robert! Glad you found the warning helpful and thanks for watching!

[@dennismoore3678]

Agree with previous commenter. I’m torn about how quickly thread will be adopted versus buying something now that still will work later.

[@TheBradLloyd]

Good point.... It's an interesting time for HomeKit and I'm excited to see how Matter will change things, but I'm excited to find out. Thanks for watching.

[@HeyTechi]

Another fantastic video - I've not used Aqara before but I must check them out. I know it's totally superfluous, but I really like the nightlight features!

[@TheBradLloyd]

Giving some love to the nightlight, that is great! Aqara is definitely worth checking out.

[@sheldonfaria]

Really like your videos mate. My goto homekit adviser 😊 Quality, short and informative vids 👍🏾

[@TheBradLloyd]

Thanks Sheldon! I appreciate your support!!👌🏼

[@Polkster13]

Another great video, Brad. Very informative and thorough review of all four hubs. I purchased the original hub first and it is in the Dining Room on a wall socket that is pretty much in the middle of my house. Then I added four camera hubs next, and then added a fifth camera hub during Amazon Prime Day. I have four exterior doors and a garage door. I have the five camera hubs watching these five entrances. I had issues with signal quality going to my original hub so I also purchased the new M1S hub for the Office and a M2 hub that I am going to treat as my primary alarm system which is out in a storage room next to the garage. I purchased these during the last Amazon Prime day as well. The M2 hub is plugged into a UPS so if I loose power, at least one of my hubs would still be active. I am thinking of putting smaller UPS units on each of the camera hubs so I don't loose recording during a power outage. My router and network gear is already hooked to UPS devices. I am planning on moving a lot of the load of daughter devices off of my original M1 hub to the other hubs that are sprinkled around the house so they will have at least a rating of "good" on the Zigbee network. The only thing holding me up is the amount of time required to make the move as it is not an easy task. I am documenting all of my scenes and automations so if I loose anything, I can set it back up without too much hassle. I just wish Aqara had a better way of transferring ownership (unbinding/binding) of a daughter device from one hub to another hub in your network.

[@TheBradLloyd]

Thanks Frederick! I'm enjoying Aqara and agree an opportunity is to make it easier to bind/unbind especially since I have been testing multiple hubs out and have had to move the child devices around...Smart idea creating a backup by plugging one hub in to a UPS the event of a power outage, which we also experienced last week after a big thunderstorm!

[@ChrisOram]

Production quality going up! Great animations and B-roll, along with great content as always! 2k subs coming very soon, maybe this week? ;)

[@TheBradLloyd]

Thanks so much Chris! I appreciate your support. :-)

[@Bigglare]

Another great video, Brad. I wonder though, two months out from Matter's launch, Philips is planning to launch products in September. I wonder if the smartest option is to hold off buying any new border router. Smartthings is planning to be a Matter Bridge device which would brige ANY zigbee as well as Zwave devices to Matter and thus Homekit. Going with Aqara or any other proprietary hub right now requires a separate zigbee border router for every brand, ie, Hue, Aqara, Ikea, Sengled...This fall we could see Ginormous changes to the homekit service as Matter opens the entire home automation industry to it.

[@TheBradLloyd]

Great insight Lawrence. I wonder as well. It's hard to know, but I'm excited to see the impact Matter will have on the SmartHome space and HomeKit in particular!

[@Bigglare]

@@TheBradLloyd We'll automate like its 2001 again.

[@passion4gadgets60]

I'm was going to get the M1S until I saw this video now I'm getting the M2

[@jesselopez5951]

Great job Brad! I did not realize that the G2H will not expose the HomeKit Security system Modes. I have been so keen on making sure the G2H was HKSecure Video compatible that I didn’t realize the difference. With the new G3 cam recently announced…. Have you heard if it’s compatible with HK Security and/or HKSecure Video? Thanks in advance.

[@TheBradLloyd]

Great question Jesse. I would assume it will, but nothing has been confirmed so hard to know for sure. Thank you for watching!

[@MLSpr]

Also a thing: If you use HK Secure Router settings to Restrict the G2H to only talk to your HK Hub, state changes for any sensors paired to the G2H can’t be passed back to an M1S to trigger the alarm even though its alarm IS exposed to HK. Not sure if those alert trigger messages are passing through Aqara Cloud, but they seemingly can’t be passed locally through the HK hub. Unfortunately M1S is going back to Amazon (I bought it for the alarm since I already have 5 G2H cams).

[@dennismoore3678]

Keep rockin it out Brad

[@TheBradLloyd]

Thanks so much Dennis!

[@dannybroddy]

Just ordered the M2 hub today! Just went on sale for $63 on Amazon in Canada!

[@TheBradLloyd]

Awesome, great deal!

[@ChiliPeppers_]

Thanks for your video. Any news on usb-a port on aqara m2 / bluetooth feautures?

[@sunshineprogamer]

Hi Brad, question, I’m thinking on buying some light switches, I know you recommend Lutron but they are pricey, so can you review some of this Aquara, and also if they work in a 3 way configuration, thanks in advance and keep up the great work!!

[@TheBradLloyd]

Hello - I'm currently testing the double rocker switch from Aqara and so far so good. Their switches are single pole, but you can use their wireless mini switches for additional control.

[@sunshineprogamer]

@@TheBradLloyd Thx

[@leosedf]

I have the white hub and I recently bought M2 and I returned it and deactivated the white one. I use home assistant and they work much better. With the hubs it is almost impossible to control stuff through their app. I would like to have the alarm function though

[@TheBradLloyd]

I haven't had issues, but I appreciate hearing others' experiences. I haven't dipped my toes into Home Assistant, but glad that is working better for you.

[@joshuarozario5654]

Great video, Brad! Thanks

[@TheBradLloyd]

Thank you - I appreciate that!!

[@TheDarklordHimself]

Hi Brad, thanks for the great video! I have been considering getting the M2 but the IR function is not exposed to HomeKit. Are there any hubs out there that expose the IR function of the hub to HomeKit without the need for homebridge? I am aware that these hubs support Siri Shortcuts so that can be used but wanted to check if there was any out there that directly integrate the IR function with HomeKit. Thanks a lot!

[@tommacdougall]

Great video, have you or are going to do a video on setting up the hub as an alarm?

[@przemeklelewski7608]

1. Have you tested G2H as u hub with at least 20 child devices? If yes, did it work correctly? 2. If I buy two G2H and 40 child devices, should I create two separate independent circuits and connect both as separate hubs to homekit ?

[@TheBradLloyd]

The G2H is compatible to up to 64 accessories. I have not tried that many accessories on 1 hub, but I haven't heard of issues with it. If you buy 2 of the G2H I would spread them out, add both of them to HomeKit and just pair each accessory with the closest hub. The devices will still work together even if connected to a separate hub.

[@przemeklelewski7608]

@@TheBradLloyd Thank you.

[@donnaleroux9660]

I recently purchased the Aqara LED T1 strip and the Hub M1S Gen 2 however I can't connect the strip to the hub, says it is not compatible, am I missing something

[@morells09]

so does this mean that the siren/sounds on the M1/M1S hub are virtually useless if you don't plan on getting aqara sensors to trigger it?

[@Nilsje]

Hi Brad, thanks for this amazing video as always! I was wondering, when using so many different manufacturers and there proprietary hubs to get them into HomeKit, don’t you have like 6 different zigbee meshes / networks running in your house, + WiFi and Thread? Sounds like network interference paradise 😃 what are your thoughts / experience on this? I’m thinking about going the homeassistant route with a Zigbee stick to create a more robust single mesh network and then push them to HomeKit for my new house. Have you ever tried this or thought about it?

[@TheBradLloyd]

Yes, I have several hubs, but haven't had any issues with interference. Hopefully though in the future once matter takes off Hubs will eventually be a thing of the past....

[@opiapr]

Thanks for the video. I have been looking at homekit enable humidity sensors and the aqara ones seem to fit the bill. But didn’t knew much about the hubs. When with the M2 and a couple of sensor.

[@TheBradLloyd]

The M2 is a good choice. Once you have the hub there are many affordable accessories you can add!

[@mschaf9354]

Hi Brad! Do you use the camera for checking your garden Ort was it fun to record you children? (Whant to missuse the camera for outside)

[@TheBradLloyd]

Both! It's good for security to keep an eye on the backyard but it's also nice to be able to check in on the kids playing. We have caught some random things on these cams like lightning storms and some funny animal antics too. haha When pointing it through a window to the outdoors, I do find at night there is a glare from the glass but works well with some daylight. Hope this helps!

[@ko667]

Thank you for the informative review.Quick question, do you have any idea if Sonoff sensors are compatible with the Aqara hubs/M1S?

[@TheBradLloyd]

I don't believe so.

[@msalman373]

Dear All, I want to start my smart home project and for now i am investigating/researching best items. plz help me out. I want to add smart switches in my 3 rooms that are near to each other. 3 to 4 Humidity sensors, 1 to 2 motion sensors. for the startup. I am planning to buy 1 qty - Aqara M1S hub, 3 qty smart switch each with three buttons with neutral, 4 qty humidity sensors, 2 qty motion sensors (all from Aqara). should i bought any thing else to setup ? and what will be the best Hub ? i have also seen xiomi m2 hub same like aquara m2 as it is not available.

[@panagiotismastroperros2032]

Are these Hub compatible with Philips Hue smart plug/bulbs (Zigbee version) ?

[@AntonioRamos_To]

AQARA HUBS M 2 Does it work with Tuya (smart life) ?

[@hjparma]

Do you know how to transfer devices to other Aqara hubs without having to reconfigure them on Homekit?

[@aaronhinton92]

Can we trust Aqara though? I’m not convinced that Xiaomi won’t be listening in on my private conversations and spying on me with their cameras. 😬

[@djgreg971]

Hi, does the hub only work with aqara products or does it work with other zigbee products ?

[@TheBradLloyd]

Hello - Yes, just Aqara.

[@TSAKOPIAKOS]

Hi Brad, I build my smart home on Xiaomi with mi app, I just purchased the aquara hub m1s because I want to pair it with my home kit the question is does the aquara hub m1s accept the Xiaomi motion & door sensors? Thanks

[@TheBradLloyd]

I do not believe so. Sorry.

[@jhardy0786]

I got the camera but bought the M1s for the alarm

[@TheBradLloyd]

Yes, the alarm is much better on the M1S - louder, and you get the light!

[@emmgeevideo]

I am binge-watching Home Kit videos because I'm building a small house in my back yard and am in the fortunate position of being able to build in everything smart. I would like to offer the observation that it's fairly pointless to hear what is on sale 10 months later. I'm sure that some of your 9.32K subscribers watched this video within a short time of its posting and would have benefited from this information, but my humble opinion is that stating the MSRP is enough to give a benchmark for the price. Even the MSRP can change in a year, but it's useful. Rattling off lots of prices isn't that interesting or useful IMHO.

[@TheBradLloyd]

Sounds amazing, it’s great to build in smart home tech from scratch! Thanks for that feedback as well, I’ll be mindful of this in the future. Appreciate you watching!

[@Filipe_2004]

Amazing ;)

[@TheBradLloyd]

Thank you Filipe!

[@lp4854]

Do all these hubs work with xiaomi branded sensors or gadgets? Since the M2 hub has also a bluetooth receiver capability, can it connect the xiaomi quingping bluetooth alarm clock which is also a temperature and humidity sensor?

[@TheBradLloyd]

Hi L P - this answer is from Aqara directly as I wasn't 100% sure: "Generally, Xiaomi Zigbee sensors can be added to Aqara hubs by triple pressing the hub button. And the M2 hub doesn't work with Bluetooth sensors (and other devices) from Xiaomi." Hope that helps.

[@lp4854]

@@TheBradLloyd thank you very very much!!! I appreciate the time you spent to communicate my questions to Aqara, and to write me back.

[@dmc31405]

Range on these sensors that connect to a Hub is really a frustrating detail. I guess I need to buy 5-10 hubs to cover 2000 SQFT AREA.

[@walle9797]

Do they have thread compatibility?

[@Bryanluna1994]

Nope

[@kkb301]

Can the MS1 Hub play custom sound or alarm sounds

[@theattorney6072]

Hi did you find out ?

[@Macarto]

Aqara M2 hub does not work with Mi Home App for smart switch function

[@TheBradLloyd]

Yes, correct.

[@low3419]

Aqara really expensive in your country, e.g. M1S around HK$260 & Motion Sensor under HK$90.

[@Bigglare]

There isn't a right or wrong hub for homekit. Home kit demands a hub for every brand, tech, or product you want to use.

[@zjweele13]

Huge downside of this kind of devices is they don;t work without an internet connection. They constantly send your data to servers outside of your network. For privacy and security reasons you should stay away from hubs that require access to your LAN. If you have your own hub (like home assistant) you could still use the sensors and connect them to your hub. If you don;t run your own hub I would stay away from this brand

[@ThePhosee]

Is it really necessary to say 69.99 instead of 70, and 89.99 instead of just god damn 90? What is wrong with you?

[@bunit8]

😂

[@derrickrudolph4819]

Great review Brad! After watching your videos and doing some research of my own, I was planning to go all in on Aqara. However, the product availability in Canada is holding me back. On Amazon.ca the motion sensor in particular says that it “doesn’t ship to my area”. I live in Halifax. That’s ridiculous. Hopefully Aqara can get their product availability issue figured out sooner than later.

[@TheBradLloyd]

I feel your pain there. I will pass your feedback along to Aqara. Hopefully inventory in Canada improves!

[@derrickrudolph4819]

@@TheBradLloyd Thanks! They have a great range of products, if I could get my hands on them.

[@TheBradLloyd]

@@derrickrudolph4819 Here is what Aqara told me

[@derrickrudolph4819]

@@TheBradLloyd I’m not seeing your response regarding what Aqara said. Did you maybe forget to paste the link or response?

[@TheBradLloyd]

@@derrickrudolph4819 Let's try that again: “The Amazon Fulfillment Centers in Canada have been operating at reduced capacity due to COVID-19, and it has become much harder and slower for us to restock inventories. In some cases we're forced to ship to Canadian customers from the US warehouses, and US warehouses won't be able to cover the entire country of Canada."