Ecobee has been making waves in the smart space for some time now. The Canadian company is known for their SmartThermostat, but have been branching out into cameras, and most recently the ecobee SmartSensor for doors and windows. While they are still a ways off from delivering everything a company like Ring offers, ecobee has managed to make an a-la-cart home safety solution that is easy, fun and well-designed.
Ecobee has always been a brand that has put the customer first, offering a range of solutions to make the thermostat as efficient as possible while optimizing the ways it works with your needs. This is true of their security offerings, with their camera working as both a baby monitor and a security solution for the home. That combined with Haven Home Monitoring, their premium service, they have ways to ensure you feel safe and secure while home or away.
The new ecobee SmartSensor for doors and windows is an interesting offering though. It takes the look and feel of the company’s sensors that detect heat and people in rooms, while delivering a solution for doors and windows. It maintains the simple, ultra-modern look the company is known for, while pivoting into a new area. Looking at them, you will find a two-part system, the main unit and the magnet that can go on the door frame. Unlike other door monitoring systems, this one combines a room motion detector with the ability to detect if a door (or window) is open or closed.
“If placed properly, the ecobee SmartSensor for doors and windows acts as a fantastic all in one solution to keep a room safe. “
This could sound like overkill for such a device, but in practice, If placed properly, the ecobee SmartSensor for doors and windows acts as a fantastic all in one solution to keep a room safe. If you use it in a main door or entryway, you can monitor motion, and ensure everything is locked up tight all from the app.
If that were not enough, the ecobee SmartSensor also can detect if a door has been left open, and will communicate this to the SmartThermostat. For the hot days of summer, this will ensure the AC will not be blasting when a door or window is open for five or more minutes. It also sends a notification to ensure you are aware, and can close the offending door or window if it shouldn’t be open, especially at the peak of summer.
They attach to a door—one on the frame and one on the door itself— easily with the double-sided tape. Even connecting them to the ecobee system is as easy as you would think from the company. You add them in the app using the QR code, wait for the thermostat to find them—yes, you need another main ecobee device for these to work—and you are good to go. The app will walk you through the ideal placements and will do basic tests to ensure it is working properly.
Once installed, there is a single LED that will blink based on the status of the unit, including if a door opens, with it all running on a single CR2477 battery that is said to last up to three years. The sensors can work up to 80 feet, over a 915 MHz RF signal, meaning they will not interfere with traditional Wi-Fi, or cause unnecessary network congestion. You also choose if you want the sensor working with the camera or thermostat if you have both devices, with either able to act as a hub.
As mentioned above, the ecobee SmartSensor works with the Haven Home Monitoring, and if you opt to pay the $5 monthly charge, you can record alerts, get reports and do other things to give more peace of mind while away or just to make it easier to sleep restfully at night. Ecobee also allows you to set up alerts and updates by Siri, or other automation assistants if you are so inclined.
With such a simple device, it is hard to really find fault in its design or concept. Ecobee has clearly put time and effort into the device, and the simplicity and ease of use means even people who know nothing about tech should be able to get setup in minutes. If I had any gripe, it would be the price. Coming in a two pack for $79, they are on the upper end of door sensors, and depending on the number of points of entry, it could get very expensive to secure a full house. The added motion sensing feature and the way it communicates with the base unit makes these costs justifiable, but it remains a large expense.
If you are already invested in ecobee, but want a new level of security and safety, the ecobee SmartSensor for doors and windows just makes sense. It is easy to use, works well, and connects to the system and app you already have. If you don’t have anything from ecobee and are simply looking for the best home security solution, there are other brands that could be cheaper and offer most of what the ecobee SmartSensor for doors and windows delivers on. Either way, ecobee has made one of the best home sensors we have tested, and it just depends on needs and cost if it is right for you.
