SwitchBot Curtain Rod 2 review: This smart curtain controller gets a streamlined design

Price When Reviewed

$99.00

Best Price ranges Currently: SwitchBot Curtain Rod 2

$84.14

Cost-free

Final year’s SwitchBot Curtain was a first rate initially try at automating the opening and closing of curtains, but the enterprise clearly observed that its version-one particular release experienced some expanding to do. The very good news is that the Curtain Rod 2 can make considerable improvements on the design and function of the unique SwitchBot Curtain. The far better information is that the rate hasn’t transformed, remaining at $99 for a solitary gadget. (Try to remember that if you have double curtains, you are going to need to have to buy a single for every single aspect.)

The total glimpse of the Curtain Rod 2 is about the same as the unique: It is a chunky, rectangular system with two smaller items that snap onto to either aspect of its motor. Although the primary Curtain hooked up to a rod with a removeable piece that clipped to the best of the curtain rod, sandwiching it between the motor underneath and the hunk of plastic over, the new Curtain Rod 2 is self-contained, with a pair of extra hassle-free (and reasonably extra attractive) spring-loaded clips that clutch the rod like a pair of wheeled claws.

Switchbot

That spring is restricted, which created it a very little tough to affix the Curtain Rod 2 to a thick curtain rod (the device nonetheless supports rods 15- to 40mm in diameter), but not extremely tough. As with the first-gen product, you are going to have to have to get a various product if as an alternative of typical cylindrical rod, you have either I Rail or U Rail tracks. You are going to will need to put in little plastic clips atop your curtain’s tabs to give the motor some thing to drive in opposition to as it moves if you have grommet-model curtains, an incorporated string of beads with clips hooked up will help to achieve the identical point, but this provides a little bit of complexity.

SwitchBot Curtain Rod 2 is Bluetooth only, unless…

The SwitchBot Curtain 2 continues to be a Bluetooth-only product, which makes for a rapid set up. If you also have a SwitchBot Hub Mini ($39), you can bridge the bot to your Wi-Fi community, allowing for you to use the controller while you’re absent from dwelling. You can also pair it with Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri shortcuts, and IFTTT, amid some others. You can skip the hub if you require only community control with your smartphone.

The beefy device (it weighs additional than a pound) nevertheless includes a battery that rates by using USB-C cable (integrated). The producer gives no requirements on envisioned battery lifespan, but you can obtain a $19 solar panel to preserve the battery topped off.

Christopher Null/Foundry

Setup is quick and involves a brief calibration to inform the app wherever the curtains’ appropriate open up and closed positions are at. Handbook control is basic and intuitive—open, shut, or pause—while additional fantastic-grained handle allows you partially open or near drapes, established operation on a hold off timer, or configure a recurring plan for procedure.

A mild-sensing characteristic allows you automate curtain operations based on ambient gentle, and it is effective amazingly perfectly thinking about it is still heading by way of beta screening. At last, for most modes you can notify SwitchBot to function in General performance Method or a quieter Silent Manner. The latter ratchets down the motor electric power, nonetheless, which can induce it to get stuck mid-procedure if it is transferring large drapes.

SwitchBot

In Functionality Mode, the motor feels much more potent than the authentic, even though no matter whether that is an upgrade to the genuine components or the impact of the redesign is unattainable for me to say. (SwitchBot doesn’t supply horsepower specs, however both versions claim to assist a highest curtain excess weight of 17 lbs ..) In any situation, I uncovered the motion to be smoother and a lot more assured than on the earlier model.

The modestly enhanced SwitchBot Curtain Rod 2

This second-gen gadget doesn’t remedy all the challenges of the authentic design and style. If you have mini blinds directly less than your curtains, for illustration, the device can drag from them as it moves, producing problems. And, of course, many forms of curtains won’t conceal the nonetheless industrial-on the lookout SwitchBot well, if at all. That said, opening curtains is no one’s favourite occupation when early morning comes the primary SwitchBot Curtain went a lengthy way towards streamlining that course of action. This update only improves it—albeit modestly.