I’ve been in the home automation game nearly two decades now and I’ve been wanting automated window coverings for most of that time. This seems to be one of those areas where nobody really has a good solution that meets my needs. Every time I find something that looks promising it’s either out of stock (permanently in many cases) expensive or both.
I recently spec’d out a solution from SmartWings and it checked most (not all) of the boxes but seemed to be about the closest off-the-shelf type solution. It ended up being nearly $3k and that was using a referral code and not doing all of the windows. I’ve also seen some popular curtain motors for like $75 give or take $10-$20. I realize I’d still have to buy curtain rods & curtains but the delta between off-the-shelf and assembling my own solution(s) is still too great to just pull the trigger on the SmartWings solution.
My ideal solution would be Z-Wave. I might consider Zigbee but would rather not as this would require adding Zigbee support to my HA instance and I’ve avoided this for years due to inconsistency w/connectivity and, frankly, I just haven’t needed it. Z-Wave offers enough to cover all of my bases with some 70+ devices. The option is there if I must use another protocol but I’d really rather stick with Z-Wave at this point. WiFi & Bluetooth are not something I’m interested in at all for HA so no need discussing these options.
I’m not interested in roller shades. I’ve got decent venetian blinds already that are dumb but work & look great. I’ve gone down the path of automating the existing blinds numerous times now but it’s just too much if a PITA and doesn’t give us the added aesthetic of the curtains we want to add anyway. My ideal solution would be thick/dark curtains that would be mounted over the top of those venetian blinds and allow me to open & close windows using automations. I would like these hardwired too so I don’t have to worry about batteries ever. I realize SmartWings has a solar add-on but this is inferior to just plugging them in and never worrying about it again plus possibly strengthening my Z-Wave mesh as an added bonus.
So far I’ve seen some of the popular options but all seem to have one deal breaker for our needs. Switchbot isn’t available in Z-Wave. Aqara is all Zigbee (from what I’ve seen) and most of the other stuff is either WiFi or proprietary connectivity that requires use of their app and/or not locally controlled. Beyond that it starts to get into the realm of lesser known brands and straight up no-name solutions from Alibaba or DHGate. I wouldn’t be opposed to those last options but those are a bit of a mess trying to shop what the offerings are. I also would rather find some that others have already pioneered and proven to be at least decent for the money.
The lesser known names include Zemismart, Ayevo and a couple others that seem to be perpetually out-of-stock or just too much money given the sketchy nature of their marketing materials/offerings.
I’m looking for both the ability to open/close to both sides as well as to one side for our needs. I’d be fine with getting my own curtain rods and curtains if need be but I have concerns about the option that sort of dangle from the rods and use wheels to open/close. It seems that these can have issues with tracking/connectivity reliably and typically use batteries and can be noisy.
I think the versions with the static motors on the sides that are 1) Z-Wave 2) have plugs for standard receptacles and 3) offer both directions or single side opening are what I’m looking for. I think that the round curtain rods are more aesthetically appealing but would also consider the channel options if everything else was right. I’m fine with doing a full DIY (actually prefer it) but it needs to save me money over the off-the-shelf option to make it worth my time.
So, what’s out there in May of 2025? Does anyone have first-hand experience with something they’re happy with that’s a good value that isn’t somehow affiliated or paid by the company?
