This triangle-shaped sensor is as thin as a piece of cardboard and fits snugly in the upper corner of a door, making it very unobtrusive. We determined that, in most cases, devices offering both tape and hardware mounting options were best, because you can use the tape to find the right spot and then secure the sensor properly with hardware once you know you want it to stay. Besides being terrific voice-controlled speakers, the Echo Show and Echo Plus can pair with sensors to automate the smart devices in your home. After extensive research and testing, we think anyone planning a smart-home system around the Samsung SmartThings hub should get these key sensors: the Fibaro Motion Sensor, the SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor, and the Aeotec Multisensor 6. Sensors are also excellent security devices: with SmartThings, you can select a Smart Home Monitor automation that sets all your contact sensors to send you an alert if one is triggered when you aren’t home. The current model seems to have problems, so we’ll test the new version when it’s released. If it shows up as a generic device check out this article: I created the device handler, but why isn't SmartThings recognizing my device correctly? A search for motion sensor on Amazon gets about 80 results; try contact sensor and it’s closer to 600. The only way to avoid pets triggering devices in our testing was to position them so as to avoid coverage below a certain height (in some cases this meant turning them upside down to change the angle of the infrared beam), or drastically reduce the motion sensitivity (if that option was available), making the sensor less useful overall. Aeotec Recessed Door Sensor 5. All that matters is that when closed, the two parts have to be a maximum of half an inch apart for contact to be established. Man, this motion sensor is awesome. It picks up motion fast and as soon as it stops it goes back to clear. To test the device, we set up an automation to monitor some baby chickens we were caring for. This new technology will extend the battery life of Z-Wave devices to upwards of 10 years while also increasing their range. Your Door/Window Sensor should now be ready to use. That way you can adjust easily to make sure you’re detecting what you need before making the installation more permanent. Among the more well-known sensors we eliminated were: the Everspring Compact Z-Wave Motion Sensor, GoControl motion and contact sensors, the Zooz Z-Wave Plus 4-in-1 sensor, BeSense and Bosch motion sensors, and Dome motion and contact sensors. Put it someplace you won’t bump into it. It doesn’t come with both; you need to choose which you want when you purchase it (or buy the additional mount separately). Each of our test sensors triggered this with no issues, but Fibaro’s form factor and LED indicator made it a stand out. Once the Door/Window Sensor is included press Save, then OK. 5. It can be used with either batteries or a USB cable (it comes with one or the other). (If you’re interested primarily in sensors for a DIY home security system, see The Best Home Security System; other environmental sensors are covered in these Wirecutter guides: The Best Smart Smoke Detector and The Best Water Leak Detector.). That can be as simple as sending an alert to let you know that a door opened, or more complex, like having a pet door closing trigger a smart-home routine. We’ll keep you guys posted if anything changes! As a journalist and editor for two decades, I write about the smart home and connected living for Dwell Magazine, The Ambient, U.S. News World & Report, Success Magazine, and Digitized House, among others. We should have the Dome Motion Sensor back in stock in early March (it’s currently on back order). Refer to the recommendations in the device's manual for ideal installation, but in our testing we found that using double-sided tape first, then installing with hardware (if provided) or the built-in tape on the device (which is generally very strong), was the best process. On the Door/Window Sensor, press the Button quickly 3 times in a row, the LED will flash five times indicating inclusion, 4. For example, you can use one so that if motion is detected in a hallway between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., it will turn on hallway lights, adjust a thermostat, and play music from connected speakers. Unlike the Fibaro, there’s no light sensor, and you can’t adjust any settings such as sensitivity or range (it covers 15 feet with 120 degree field of view). We evaluated design, build quality, and size as top priorities. We found that in home applications, the ability to adjust the range and motion sensitivity was more important that having an extra long range, but in some cases, range may be a factor. The Fibaro Motion Sensor Z-Wave Plus packs a lot of punch in a tiny globe. Take these steps to protect your home from mishaps and intruders when you leave for vacation. Powered by Discourse, best viewed with JavaScript enabled. It can also be paired with contact sensors to shut off your system if a door or window is left open for a certain length of time. Excellent news, thank you for the follow-up. Motion sensors can also trigger based on the lack of motion, so lights will turn off if no one is in the room. Zooz Outdoor Motion Sensor. If you want your smart home to function like a system, rather than just a bunch of separate devices, integrating sensors is the way to go. For lighting applications, motion sensors can be programmed to turn on lights at the correct light-level based on the time of day—dimmed in the evening, bright in the morning. Motion Detector. A hub also wirelessly connects your devices together and to the internet, which lets you interact with or control them from outside your home. “In the big picture, it's sensors that are going to make all of this artificial intelligence possible. I have four Dome motion sensors on my hub and they’ve been responsive, reliable, great battery life and they look great. To narrow down our testing for this guide, we focused only on sensors that are natively compatible with SmartThings (meaning you don’t need to use device handlers—code you input in a web browser to allow your device to talk to your hub properly). These smart-home devices don’t need permanent installation, so you can take them with you when you move. When the contact between the sensor and magnet breaks or is re-established, a trigger occurs. We found that the best sensors in each category can function as multiple products, often adding three or more detection abilities in one device: More than half of the contact and motion sensors we tested also monitored temperature, some could sense light intensity (lux) and UV, and others could sense vibration and humidity, giving you lots of potential trigger points to make your home super smart. We tried this automation with all the devices that monitor temperature and liked Aeotec’s Multisensor 6 best due to its adjustable mount and the ability to sense humidity. We mounted the sensor to the side of the brooder, directly under the heat lamp, and set two custom routines: one to tell us if the temperature was equal to or below 94 degrees (our Sonos speaker would say “Chicks are cool” and a lamp turned blue), and one to tell us if the temperature was equal to or above 103 degrees (the speaker would say “Chicks are hot” and the lamp turned red). So while we focused on the function each one does best, depending on your needs you may get lucky and have one product that can handle multiple functions. ~J. That makes it extremely versatile: you can just as easily keep tabs on the doors and windows of a rental property as a precious liquor cabinet. The most expensive device we tested, Fibaro’s Z-Wave motion sensor has a 23-foot range and adjustable motion sensitivity to tailor it to your home. SmartThings Motion Sensor (2015) SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor. All the contact sensors we tested were able to trigger this routine, but SmartThings is our pick for the combination of its simplicity, design, and price. The GoControl motion sensors are also really slow at detecting motion so I haven't been able to use them to turn on lights, but the Dome motion sensor detects motion faster than any other zwave motion sensors I've worked with. Positioning sensors in exactly the right spot can be a trial-and-error process, especially with motion sensors. To use Z-Wave or Zigbee smart sensors, you also need a smart-home hub, such as Samsung’s SmartThings, which acts as the brains of your smart home (other hubs, such as Wink, Vera and Hubitat may also be compatible with these sensors). Temperature sensors can also alert you to an exterior door that has been left open or monitor a space that needs to be climate-controlled (a baby’s room, a wine cellar, or an artist’s studio). Both the Fibaro Motion Sensor and SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor also monitor temperature, but if you are looking for a device specifically for temperature control, we like the Aeotec Multisensor 6, which, as its name suggests, is a 6-in-1 device: it monitors light, motion, humidity, UV, and vibration, making it a good accessory to any Z-Wave thermostat or sun-blocking smart blinds, or to monitor temperature and humidity in a sensitive room. It’s a good motion sensor, like the Fibaro and Samsung sensors, but it’s our pick as a temperature sensor because it can be powered by USB cable, unlike the others, and the included adjustable mount allows for consistent performance, making it the best, most fail-safe option for monitoring spaces where temperature is critical, such as a crib room or a wine cellar. During that time, we monitored the reliability of the sensors at triggering routines, the response times, and whether or not pets triggered the motion sensors—a thorny issue when using motion sensors overall. There’s not much need for extra features, and an inexpensive option is important if you want to put them to use in multiple places. Changes in temperature and humidity can trigger a thermostat to adjust, a smart-plug enabled fan or heater to turn on, or smart blinds to lower or raise.