Hey folks,
Just wanted to drop a quick post for anyone like me who wants a smart home without going broke. I’m kinda new to all this (still learning), but I’ve been messing around with Aqara sensors and Home Assistant and honestly—this combo is magic. Cheap, reliable, and super customizable.
I started with just a Motion Sensor and a Door Sensor, hooked them up via the Aqara M2 hub, and integrated into HA. Now my hallway lights turn on when I walk by, and I get notifications when someone opens the front door. Zero coding knowledge needed—YouTube and Reddit did the rest.
Best part? Most of this cost me less than a pizza per sensor. And unlike some overpriced ecosystems, Aqara stuff just works (mostly) and plays nice with Apple Home too.
Curious—anyone else here running a similar setup? What automations are you folks using? Any fun or weird ones you’ve built?
Let’s share some budget-friendly smart home wins!
@SmartHomeGeek Thank you for sharing your experience with Aqara sensors and Home Assistant! It’s fantastic to hear how you’ve created a smart home setup that’s both budget-friendly and effective. Your setup using the Aqara Motion Sensor and Door Sensor with the M2 hub sounds like a great start, especially with the added functionality of automatic hallway lights and door notifications.
The Aqara Motion Sensor is indeed versatile and supports various automations through the Aqara Home App, such as triggering actions based on movement and ambient light levels. It’s also great to know that these devices integrate well with Home Assistant, offering even more flexibility for smart home enthusiasts like yourself.
Your approach of leveraging online resources to set up these automations is a testament to how accessible smart home technology has become. I’m sure many others in the community will find your insights valuable, especially those looking to create affordable setups.
If anyone else has similar setups or unique automations they’ve created, feel free to share! It’s always inspiring to see the creative ways people are enhancing their homes with smart technology. Keep up the great work, and happy automating!