Yahoo LifestyleThese Smart Shades Can Be Programmed to Open and Close Automatically
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These Smart Shades Can Be Programmed to Open and Close Automatically
It's already hard enough to choose between blinds and shades, but when you add in smart home integration, it can get downright overwhelming. Not only do you have to decide on the type, color, light filtering level, privacy and style, but now you have power options, different smart home systems like Alexa or Google Assistant and control options to contend with as well. But trust us, smart shades are worth it! And we’re here to help you find the smartest fit for your home.
Smart shades, blinds and curtains are great for privacy and home security, opening and closing your shades even when you're away to give the appearance of someone in the home. They're also great for keeping little kids and pets safe because they lack chords they could accidentally get tangled up. Plus, it's just really nice to be able to get the sun out of your eyes without having to stand up from the couch, especially if you have windows that are high up or hard to reach. Here, we've gathered the best smart blinds and shares as well as some shopping advice to help you narrow down your options.
Our top picks:
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Smart Roller Shades
Lutron
serenashades.com
$636.00
If you're looking to really customize your shades to your home, Lutron's Serena Shades are hard to beat with their 200+ color options and three light filtering levels. They're also highly interpretable with three control options: smart remote, their Lutron app or major voice assistants like Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant. You can even customize your power options so they can be battery-operated, hardwired or cordless manual. If fabric shades aren't your style, Lutron also offers wooden smart blinds and honeycomb smart shades. Rachel Rothman, Chief Technologist and Director of Engineering at the Good Housekeeping Institute has found that Lutron has historically provided effective and reliable smart home products and that the app is robust, easy to use and great for controlling the devices.
• Power source: Battery-operated, hardwired or cordless manual
• Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Sonos, SmartThings, Apple HomeKit, Ecobee, Honeywell Home, Xfinity Home and LogitechLutron - 3/7
Motorized Solar Shades
Graywind
amazon.com
$153.99
At under $200, these affordable motorized solar shades are ideal for anyone just dipping their toes into setting up smart home systems. Unlike other options at similar price points, the Graywind shades are still fully customizable to fit the size of your windows. Reviewers love how responsive the brand was to questions as well as the shades' smooth motor action. Though it does require two people to install, reviews also raved about how simple the process was. According to the brand, the batteries hold a charge for three to six months and are thermal insulated. The shades are Google Assistant and Alexa compatible, though some reviewers had trouble setting up Alexa integration.
• Power source: Hardwired
• Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, IFTTT, Tuya, Smart Life and Apple HomeKitGraywind - 4/7
MySmartRollerShades
Tilt by Smarterhome
tiltsmarthome.com
$499.00
These Bluetooth-enabled shades can be programmed to open at sunrise and close at sunset. Or you can set your own schedule. Since they're solar-powered, you don't have to worry about replacing batteries or hardwiring them into your home. Reviews say that these shades are easy to install and there is a wide variety of colors and customizable fabric to choose from, including blackout options.
• Power source: Solar powered with supplemental rechargeable battery
• Compatibility: Amazon Alexa and Samsung SmartThingsTilt Smart Home - 5/7
Smart Shades
Leviosa Shades
leviosashades.com
With compatibility with over eight different systems, the Leviosa shades are a great option for anyone who already has an extensive smart home setup. This includes the usual suspects like Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri, but also systems like Samsung SmartThings, RTI, Control 4, Home Assistant and more. They're also incredibly customizable with four different light filtering options, 60+ color and pattern choices and three power options: battery, hardwired or corded. They're custom-fit to your windows as well and come in a wide range of price options for all budgets. The website also features a chart so you can compare them to other smart shade brands. Because of the wide variety of customization options, you won't know the final price of your shades until you finish the personalization process, but the Leviosa site is user-friendly and has a step-by-step process to painlessly build your perfect shades.
• Power source: Battery operated, hardwired or external cords
• Compatibility: Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, Apple HomeKit, Savant, Control 4 and RTIleviosashades.com - 6/7
MySmartBlinds Automation Kit
Tilt by Smarterhome
tiltsmarthome.com
$199.00
If you don't want to replace your current blinds, this automation kit from Tilt by Smarterhome could be a great fit. The system only works with horizontal slatted blinds (a.k.a. Venetian blinds), and as the name suggests, it only tilts your blinds open and closed — no lifting and lowering like other systems on this list. Tilt is Bluetooth enabled and works with Google Assistant and Alexa, allowing you to use voice commands to control them — though, a bridge is required for smart home integration. Without the bridge, you can still set schedules, enable sun tracking and access the app. From the MySmartBlinds app, you can set your blinds to tilt on a schedule or enable sunrise and sunset automation for a natural transition in your home. They're solar-powered too, so you don't have to worry about hardwiring or batteries.
• Power source: Solar with a supplemental rechargeable battery
• Compatibility: Amazon Alexa and Samsung SmartThingsTilt Smart Home - 7/7
Curtain Smart Electric Motor
SwitchBot
amazon.com
$99.00
SwitchBot's handy Curtain Smart Electric Motor scoots your existing curtains along their rod without any screwing or drilling required. You can use the SwitchBot app to set up schedules to open and close the curtains, even when you're away. With the SwitchBot Hub (sold separately), it can be connected to Siri, Google Assistant or Alexa to open and close curtains by voice command. The SwitchBot can push up to 17 pounds on round rods, U-rails or I-rails, so make sure your curtains aren't too heavy and your curtain rod is compatible when considering this option.
• Power source: Battery-powered or a solar panel (sold separately)
• Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit and IFTTTSwitchBot
