Hey everyone,
Been tinkering with smart homes for a good few years now, and if there’s one brand that’s stayed consistent in my setup, it’s Aqara. If you’re looking to squeeze the most out of your smart home brain, especially if you’re deep in the Apple ecosystem like me, here’s some hard-learned (sometimes frustrating) wisdom.
First off, don’t sleep on scenes and automations. I use Aqara motion sensors + temp sensors to manage everything from lights to the heater kicking in the second it dips below 21°C in the morning. Saves electricity, and I don’t even have to think about it—it just works. Pair that with HomeKit automations, and you’ve got a house that basically reads your mind.
Also, a hot take: skip relying entirely on Siri. She’s fine for basics, but where Aqara hits different is background automation. My door sensor triggers HomeKit to disarm the alarm AND turn on hallway lights when I unlock the front door at night. No voice command needed. Just smooth.
If you’re mixing in non-HomeKit devices (I do use a few), I swear by using HomeBridge or Home Assistant as the middleman. Bit of setup involved, yeah, but totally worth it for the flexibility. My Aqara G3 is the bridge that lets all these pieces talk to each other.
Anyway, happy to help if anyone’s stuck or wants to get deeper into the config side. I’ve had my fair share of “why won’t this stupid automation run?” moments—I got you.
Curious to hear what homemade automations or setups others are running with Aqara. Let’s swap some ideas.