So… I just wrapped up my first real smart home setup using mostly Aqara gear, and wow — what a ride. Thought I’d share the ups, downs, and what actually worked in case anyone else is thinking about doing something similar.
I started with literally nothing smart (unless you count a moody Alexa gathering dust). Got an Aqara M2 hub, a couple of motion sensors, door/window sensors, and the G4 video doorbell, all with Apple Home setup in mind. I’m a total Apple ecosystem user, so HomeKit was a must.
What surprised me:
The setup? Way smoother than I expected. The Aqara app held my hand through everything, and bam, devices popped right into the Home app. Scenes and automations were super easy to build — like lights coming on automatically when I walk into the house at night, or getting a notification if the side door opens during certain hours.
The cool part:
I even got creative — using the motion sensor to quietly notify me (via HomeKit push notification) when the cat sneaks into places he shouldn’t be. No buzzing alarms, just a subtle “hey, Fluffy’s on the move again.”
Some pain points tho:
The G4 doorbell was a bit picky when connecting to my HomeKit Secure Video. Took a few tries and a quick 2.4GHz-only tweak on the Wi-Fi. Also, I accidentally buried a motion sensor behind a plant and then wondered why it didn’t work… classic newb move.
But hey, two months in and my place actually feels smarter, safer, and just… nice to live in.
Anyone else start from scratch with Aqara + HomeKit? I’d love to hear what automations you set up or any clever tricks I can steal.