A few months ago, I reviewed Switchbot’s curtain automation product, and I came away pretty impressed. The only downside for HomeKit access is it did require using HOOBS or keeping a Homebridge server up and running. While this is a simple process, it’s better to have a native HomeKit product when possible. Today, Aqara is bringing that to the market with the Aqara Curtain Driver E1.
The Aqara Curtain Driver E1 is built on top of the Zigbee 3.0 protocol, so you’ll end up with improved reliability, range, and energy efficiency. The curtain driver features a battery life of up to 12 months between each charge via a USB-C port.
There are two different types of the Aqara Curtain Driver E1: The Rod Version is for rod-based curtain systems, and the Track Version is for U-Rails and I-Rails. The motor inside the product can open and closer heavier curtains of up to 26 pounds. While I prefer the HomeKit ecosystem, the Aqara curtain driver is also compatible with Google Assistant, Alexa, and IFTTT. Aqara has said it’ll also work with Matter when it’s released later this year.
Since it’s a retrofit product, installation is straight. All you need to do is mount the Aqara Curtain Driver E1 onto the curtain rod or rail, and no additional tools are required. A built-in light sensor allows the curtain to close on its own when it’s too bright, and vice versa. It can also be smartly controlled by other conditions, such as preset schedules, sunrise/sunset, local weather, or based on who’s home or not. With HomeKit compatibility, it can be integrated with indoor motion sensors or temperature sensors.
The speed of the curtain driver is customizable, and the device can be configured to work more quietly in the mornings or open slowly, where it slowly moves the curtains for over an hour to gradually let the morning sun in when it’s time to wake up.
