Smart home productsallow us to control and automate many parts of our lives and homes. From bedrooms to kitchens, you can add these web-connected devices to every nook and cranny of your domicile, but what about doors and windows? Whether you’re looking to add home security peripherals to an existing smart ecosystem or want to monitor that slow leak in the bathroom, what you’re looking for is a smart home sensor.
While typically on the small side, smart home sensors can do some pretty amazing things. Using motion detection and other triggers to activate, top-notch smart home sensors keep you informed about what’s going on at home, indoors and outdoors. Some of these products will even help you save money on your electric bill. Take a look at this list of the best smart home sensors to help you decide which add-on best suits you and yours.
ecobee SmartSensor
Airthings 2960 View Plus
Centralite Micro Motion Sensor
Aqara Motion Sensor
Arlo All-in-One Sensor
Aeotec SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor
Samsung SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor
Ring Alarm Contact Sensor
GoveeLife Motion Sensor
Sengled Motion Sensor Bulb
SimpliSafe Water and Flooding Sensor
GE Personal Security Window and Door Alarms
Fibaro Motion Sensor
Philips Hue Motion Sensor
Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Motion Sensor Switch
YoLink Smart Home Starter Kit
EcoBee’s SmartSensor, sold in a convenient two-pack, is conveniently fully wireless and an all-around excellent smart home device. In addition to its financially friendly price tag, this sensor does much more than detect motion — it adaptively optimizes room conditions when someone is moving about the home and automatically switches to energy-saving modes when everyone is away. While this sensor is most useful when integrated into existing EcoBee ecosystems, it is compatible with most smart home voice assistants.
Want to take your home’s air quality to the next level? The AirThings 2960 View Plus is the perfect smart home sensor for when purifying fans and new furnace filters just won’t cut it. This battery-powered sensor is constantly policing radon, carbon dioxide, leaking kitchen gases, and other fumes or pollutants — in addition to temperature and humidity monitoring.
A simple and affordable motion sensor with a wide range of smart home system compatibility, this Centralite by Elzo micro motion sensor is a first-round pick for its compact design and long 2-year battery life. Its capabilities are not to be glossed over, either — a 15-foot motion detection range keeps the preferred spaces in your home consistently monitored.
If you need an affordable yet capable smart home sensor that works with Alexa or Apple HomeKit, look no further than the Aqara Motion Sensor. It detects motion in a range of 22 feet as well as ambient light levels to assist with remotely controlling smart lights. However, it does require an Aqara Hub to be immersed into your smart home system.
When Arlo named this product the All-in-One Sensor, they really weren’t exaggerating. It can be installed at an entry point monitor to detect when a door or window is opened or closed and also acts as a smoke and carbon dioxide detecter, a water leak/humidity monitor, and a simple motion detecter. The Arlo sensor is easy to recommend for its eight essential smart home functions, but, unfortunately, it is only compatible with the Arlo Home Security Systems.
Best implemented into an existing SmartThings ecosystem, Aeotec’s SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor has various functions. It detects motion but doesn’t stop there, clocking temperature, opened windows or doors, tilt, and vibration. The Aeotec sensor is a great option for its compact size and dynamic range of functions, but it has a few prerequisites. This sensor communicates via Zigbee and requires an Aeotec Smart Home Hub.
Effectively monitor your doors and windows with the Samsung SmartThings Multipurpose Sensor — a reliable smart home sensor that easily integrates with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Zigbee (and, of course, Samsung’s own SmartThings). In addition to regular movement, this sensor monitors vibrations and temperature, making it even more versatile. It will instantly send notifications to your phone when there is an incident.
One of the most important smart home products you can implement to help secure your space is door/window open and close sensors. These handy little products let you know when a door was opened unexpectedly, or when a window was left open as bedtime approaches. The Ring Alarm Contact Sensors do just this, in a compact design with a long battery life. They can be purchased in singles, pairs, or six-packs to cover all access points to your home.
The GoveeLife Motion Sensor is a smart motion sensor that you may link to lights, dehumidifiers, heaters, humidifiers, electric kettles, and other GoveeLife devices, turning them off or on when motion is detected. It features a ball-and-socket joint that allows for easy adjustments up to 120 degrees for the perfect angle. It’s also easy to install thanks to an adhesive backing.
Need to think out of the box from standard wall-mounted smart sensors? Consider a motion-sensing light bulb. Singled’s option, available in multi-packs, is usable indoors or out, and installation is as easy as screwing the bulb into a socket. The bulb’s warm-white glow perfectly suits the indoors, while the waterproof casing helps the sensor withstand outdoor conditions. The bulbs can even be switched to “always on,” which will sustain illumination during all dark hours, regardless of detected motion.
As a homeowner, the thought of a busted pipe or overflowing sump pump destroying a basement full of holiday decorations, precious keepsakes, and expensive exercise equipment is stressful. The water and flooding sensor from SimpliSafe helps to prevent leaky water mishaps and flooded basement catastrophes. It’s small, wireless, and ready to go right out of the box. Plus, being part of a smart home system, you’ll be instantly notified by SimpliSafe when the sensor detects moisture.
Looking for a cheap but effective, no-bells-no-whistles solution for window and door monitoring? GE’s personal security window and door alarms are just the thing. While these sensors are a bit larger than some of our more preferred products — measuring nearly 5 inches long, while others only a couple of inches at most — they also cost less and get the job done with a long battery life and effectively loud alarm.
If you’re running your smart home gear over Z-Wave, the Fibaro Motion Sensor is one of the best triggers you can invest in for your system. It’s built for real-time motion alerts, temperature readings, and smart light monitoring. Getting the Fibaro up and running takes no time at all, and the sensor can be mounted using the included screw or adhesive. You just need a compatible Z-Wave hub for it to connect to.
If your home is outfitted with Philips Hue-powered smart lighting, this Hue Motion Sensor will open up even more automation. You’ll be able to use the Hue app to set up many lighting actions that are triggered when you enter the sensor’s field of view. Nothing beats all the lights coming on nice and bright after you get home from work!
One of the best parts of the Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Motion Sensor Switch is that it doesn’t need additional equipment to be used. Once installed, the sensor will work with most existing fixtures and is completely hands-free. When motion is detected, your lights will kick on, and after a certain amount of inactivity, they’ll shut off. It’s that simple.
The YoLink Smart Home Starter Kit includes everything you’ll need to begin monitoring and automating your residence. The bundle comes with the YoLink hub and four water leak sensors. All that’s required for setup is a smartphone with the YoLink app installed and a 2.4GHz internet connection. The best part is that this system uses LoRa technology to keep everything powered and operating, even when the Wi-Fi goes down.
There’s a smart home sensor for everyone
Smart home sensors may not collect the same amount of fanfare asGoogle Assistant-powered smart speakers and smart displays, but that doesn’t mean these devices aren’t just as worthy of automating your lifestyle. In fact, if you’re looking to level up smart home security, a solid motion sensor or water leak monitor can make all the difference.
This is why we think the ecobee SmartSensor is the best smart sensor for most folks. Not only does this convenient motion sensor two-pack set off automations and notifications when you cross its field of view, but it also jumps into energy-saving mode once it detects that no one is home. It also works with most popular voice assistants, including Alexa and Google Assistant. For budget-minded readers, there’s also the Centralite Micro Motion Sensor. This powerful motion sensor can detect activity up to 15 feet away.
And for those willing to splurge, there’s the incredible Airthings 2960 View Plus. This premium pick is an awesome sensor that monitors everything from radon to carbon dioxide and even keeps an eye on temperature and humidity levels.
