10 Uses of SwitchBot Products To Automate Your Home – Home Automation With Smart Switches
A SwitchBot or a smart switch, BlueTooth enabled robot which is able to push, pull and hold any button that it is attached to with an adhesive. You can attach a SwitchBot to any device to operate it without manually doing it. They are the best alternatives to make ordinary switches smart.
These SwitchBot products are new addition towards home automation which can make most of our digital appliances automated. From coffee makers to fridges, curtains and lights, you can use these smart buttons to any switch.
A SwitchBot is actually a smart switch and it’s becoming part of our daily lives as we have to go automated sooner or later. The Internet of things is triggering home automation to new heights and we are bound to leave manual methods for good. The new robots powered by apps are getting introduced every day to do our daily chores. Home automation is raising the bar for all of us and we have to follow new standards, protocols and competitiveness even just putting our homes in order. The pricing of these automation tools is another subject matter that we have to talk about with our family members.
Usually we are worried about the prices. But what if something comes cost effective yet serves the purpose. Yes, SwitchBot products don’t cost much, easy to install and operate with an app. Some of these new SwitchBot features which really make them very useful for us to automate our homes.
Top Uses of SwitchBot products
1- SwitchBot products can automate almost any appliance that has a button and most of our appliances are operated with buttons.
2- SwitchBot products can enhance the durability of our mechanical devices. Manually we may harm these devices while SwitchBot products are saviors.
3- Different types of SwitchBot products provide different types of smart services. For example SwitchBot Curtain can make any curtain motorized. You can control it with a number of assistants.
4- SwitchBot products are energy saving devices, they last longer than the warranty of appliances. The batteries used are rechargeable.
5- Some SwitchBot products come with smart learning features. You can automate
6- It does not matter how far you are if your SwitchBot equipment is connected with WiFi you can use it from a distance. They are smartly protected and easily accessible in this sense.
7- SwitchBot products are also retrofit. You can turn any old appliance into a smart one with a single installation. Let’s say you have a very old appliance. You have added SwitchBot Bot to its button and with Alexa, Siri or any assistant you can control it.
8- SwitchBot products can be controlled with voice commands. Once any of your SwitchBot devices is installed you can control it with a voice command.
9- Ease of scheduling is another great use of SwitchBot products. You can schedule the curtain raising, AC turning off, TV turning on and several other things with scheduling. These small SwitchBot bots are of great many uses.
10- SwitchBot products provide great ease for pet owners. If you live alone and have digital doors like power pet electronic doors but can’t manually go home click it. SwitchBot can do that. There are tons of reviews by pet owners who truly find SwitchBot Bot helpful in this respect.
The making, mechanism and features of SwitchBot products
The SwitchBot products are very small created from the rigid plastic and are well designed with a mechanical arm that moves up and down with the help of an app. You can see in the image that they are of two colors– black and white. Many people like white one because they look classy with different settings.
To change places there are two 3M stickers if you want to change its place. There is a small square sticker added and a fishing rod to pull or push the switch.
You can easily install it on any switch. It just does not work properly on if the switch is either super thin or extremely thick. Otherwise, there are so many possibilities that you can achieve with this. Suppose you use it for an intercom then you’d not need any keys. You can go inside your home without using a key and come out.
But if you have installed the SwitchBot on a button you can still push it manually, connect it with the Bluetooth once and then control it with your phone or you can connect it with the WiFi and operate it from anywhere. Use a SwitchBot Hub for much ease.
Ease of Installation: SwitchBot products don’t require big science to understand. Just add it on a switch, download the app and operate them.
Compatibility and Versatility: Bots can work with any type of switches, you can push curtains, buttons or even push your neighbor’s doorbell. They can work on lights, grinders, electronics, computers and just any other appliance.
Charging: The switch bots do not require quick replacement of batteries every now and then. The batteries last more or less 2 years.
Scheduling: You can schedule the time to turn something on or off even if you cannot access them with your app at the moment.
Connectivity: You can connect SwitchBot with any of your assistants like Amazon Alexa, IFTTT and Google Assistant etc.
Cost: The new Switch bots come affordable. You will read below how much exactly a single SwitchBot costs.
The Performance of a SwitchBot Bot
This SwtichBot can perform two distinct functions that we use–push and pull. You can use this switch to push, pull or even hold the button. After performing the function it returns to its idle state. While if you want to control the button manually you can still do it.
It’s easy to push as the mechanical arm swings down and clicks the button. 1.0 kgf force is used for clicking. The 1.0 kgf force is a little powerful which you can use for even heavier switches and curtain rollers. Some reviewers did not do justice its working which is quite a bit odd. You will love the SwitchBot.
Pull is designed well which lets you add a fishing rod + sticker to the arm. Once the arm swings in it can pull the sticker and the button gets pushed on or off. You can perform both functions with the same mechanism.
Most Popular SwitchBot Products
#1 SwitchBot Humidifier – The silent and smart humidifier
#3 SwitchBot Hub Mini – SwitchBot Hub Mini Smart Remote – IR Blaster, Link SwitchBot to Wi-Fi, Control Air Conditioner
How to use SwitchBot with IFTTT for controlling a Humidifier?
To use SwitchBot for your humidifier with IFTTT you need to check few basic things which are shown in the images below:
Make sure your IFTTT and SwitchBot apps are updated.
Once you add your Humidifier to SwitchBot account follow these instructions.
Find the curtain cloud and turn tap on the cloud service
From IFTTT app tap on Get More at the bottom then tap on Make Your Own Applets from Scratch.
Tap on this.
You need to select the service to trigger the curtain like SwitchBot Meter. Once you set it to activate it. Click the Search SwitchBot.
You need to scroll down and locate the Control Curtain. To use it in the applet, set up the curtain and mode.
Click or Tap on Edit Title to name it as you like, for example SwitchBot Settings. Finish the settings.
Setting up SwitchBot with Siri for Humidifier
Make sure that your SwitchBot and Humidifier are connected through the Internet. First click on the settings icon and then click on the cloud service. Tap Siri Shortcuts after that.
Select the work mode for your humidifier and then record the voice command. Having done all these things, command Siri to turn the humidifier on.
How to set up SwitchBot with Alexa
Connect your SwitchBot Hub to the stable Internet connection. Choose a suitable name for the Bot like “Lounge Light” etc.
Enable the cloud service. Finally it’s ready to operate.
Open Alexa App and find the “SwitchBot” skill. To enable this skill sign into your SwitchBot account.
Open your SwitchBot account to enable a skill
When Alexa discovers the devices, tap on SwitchBot and ask Alexa to add it.
