Aqara Door and Window Sensor, Requires AQARA HUB, Zigbee
Aqara Door and Window Sensor, Requires AQARA HUB, Zigbee Connection, Wireless Mini Contact Sensor for Alarm System and Smart Home Automation, Compatible with Apple HomeKit, Alexa, Works with IFTTT
From the brand
Aqara Controllers
| Weight: | 13.6 g |
| Dimensions: | 4.09 x 2.21 x 1.09 cm; 13.61 Grams |
| Model: | MCCGQ11LM |
| Part: | 6010348 |
| Colour: | White |
| Pack Quantity: | 1 |
| Batteries Required: | Yes |
| Batteries Included: | Lithium Metal |
| Manufacture: | Aqara |
| Dimensions: | 4.09 x 2.21 x 1.09 cm; 13.61 Grams |
| Quantity: | 1 |
Meet little sensor that works great with home assistant without the need for a aqara hub. Gives a simple open/close event.
I cant speak for the functionality within the Aqara ecosystem, but I purchased and used this switch to use within Home Assistant, specifically the Zigbee2MQTT plugin. The switch integrated perfectly straight in with minimal effort and has worked flawlessly since. The switch itself is being used as toggle for an electric radiator in a bathroom and works with no issues exactly as intended (although this is a function of Home Assistant and doesnt indicate the functionality of the Aqara ecosystem) and after a years use is still reporting 100% battery life.
So far im impressed at the battery life and use within Home Assistant and at the cost of 17.99 it had endless possibilities in both its intended ecosystem and third party ones
Unlike all other Aqara products I’ve used so far, the Wireless Mini Switch does not work on Home Assistant using an Aqara Hub and HomeKit Controller. The switch appears with its battery status and and identify entity, but no way of triggering from a button press. Had to buy a Sonoff Zigbee dongle and use ZHA (apparently Zigbee2MQTT is also an option) with a zha_event trigger to capture the button press. In hindsight I should have done this months ago as this setup works much better than the Aqara Hub E1!
The Aqara Door and Window Sensor is a standout device that offers exceptional functionality and compatibility with various smart home systems. From its compact design to its seamless integration with popular platforms like Apple HomeKit and Alexa, this sensor has a lot to offer.
The installation process is straightforward, and the sensor’s small size makes it easy to mount discreetly on doors, windows, or other fixtures. It works flawlessly with Aqara’s hub, but it also provides compatibility with other Zigbee-based systems like Home Assistant and SmartThings. This versatility allows users to tailor their smart home automation experience to their specific needs.
One of the standout features of the Aqara Door and Window Sensor is its unauthorized entry detection. Whenever a door or window opens unexpectedly, the sensor sends an alert notification to your phone and triggers the local alarm on the Aqara Hub. This feature provides an added layer of security and peace of mind for homeowners.
Additionally, the sensor’s wide gap allowance of 22mm ensures compatibility with various types of doors, windows, and fixtures such as drawers and cabinets. This flexibility expands the possibilities for automation and control within your smart home setup.
The Aqara Door and Window Sensor also supports voice control through Apple HomeKit and Alexa, allowing for a hands-free experience. The sensor’s compatibility with IFTTT further enhances its integration possibilities and opens up a world of customization options for users.
While the sensor requires technical knowledge to set up with more advanced integrations beyond the basic ones, its performance and reliability make it worth the investment. The device operates seamlessly with Home Assistant and other Zigbee-based systems, providing fast response times and accurate detection.
Pros:
Compact and unobtrusive design
Easy installation process
Works with Aqara Hub, Home Assistant, and SmartThings
Unauthorized entry detection for added security
Wide gap allowance for compatibility with various fixtures
Voice control compatibility with Apple HomeKit and Alexa
Works with IFTTT for customization options
Cons:
Requires technical knowledge for advanced integrations
Relatively expensive compared to other options on the market
In conclusion, the Aqara Door and Window Sensor is a top-notch smart home device that delivers on its promises. With its reliable performance, versatile compatibility, and advanced features, it provides an excellent solution for home automation and security. While it may require some technical expertise for more complex setups, its overall quality and functionality make it a worthwhile investment for smart home enthusiasts.
I’d recommend them to anyone in a heartbeat. You can find cheaper, but probably not better.
Installed them two months ago and never had to think about them; they work as expected.
As an idea, the front door sensor is at 80% after two months. Another one of them went to 56% battery but this is the most active of all.
It took me a bit of work to get this sensor to be detected in Home assistant using ZHA via a Sonoff Zigbee coordinator. But once I had it working its a great sensor. It responds very quickly in home assistant to opening and closing. I do feel they are a little on the expensive side but I have no complaints otherwise about the product.
As with all Aqara devices, this is an excellent device. Integrated to home assistant through a Conbee stick, and never misses a beat.
Great price, solid as a rock.
I needed a simple way of toggling some items on or off without asking Alexa to do it. After much research, I came across this small button. I went with ZigBee, rather than a WiFi-based solution as ZigBee is supposed to be more power efficient, and provide greater battery longevity and I had a ConBee II USB stick on the Raspberry Pi which could pick up the ZigBee network.
It is straightforward to set up in Home Assistant. I installed ZHA integration first (it will work with DeConz and Zigbee2MQTT too) and then I just removed the small, plastic insulating tab from the mini-switch which enabled the battery to connect. A long press on the small reset switch on the top of the unit whilst the ZHA integration in Home Assistant was scanning and it popped up on my screen in about a second. I saved the settings, and then it was a simple case of adding automation in HA to allow it to do what I wanted. HA also shows the battery level as a percentage too – handy!!
I only set up a simple toggle on/off to operate a remote smart plug. It appears (in HA at any rate) that there are three modes of operation which can be recognised and assigned.
1. Single press – working great
2. Quick double-press – not tried
3. Long press – not tried
The flexibility of use within HA is down to the imagination of the user. So far (a couple of days in) I am impressed with this little switch. It is quite unobtrusive, and a useful addition to a smart home set-up that requires simple control functions.
Would I buy another one?? Yes, without question, if and when the need arises, and from my experience of Home Assistant it is probably easier to set up than the similarly priced TRADFRI ZigBee-based, shortcut button from IKEA.
Got a few Aqara devices around the house now and used a few different contact sensors and these are the best in my opinion,
The fact that that work with apple HomeKit is brilliant but they are so fast and responsive that if I need a contact sensor for anything these are the ones I go for.
These sensors i feel are best on the market, integrate easily with home assistant.
I have 15 around the home and increasing, not had a single unit go faulty or give me dodgy readings.
I use these for my fridge and freezers and starting to populate all of my windows with them.
Once day will make a DIY home alarm system using them, i have a lot of faith in this product to not give false positives or any issues at all.
Originally, I was using the budget Sonoff magnetic sensors, and they were a bit hit and miss as to whether they worked or not – they’re also quite ugly!
These Aqara ones are so much nicer looking, smaller, and so much more responsive than the slightly cheaper ones I was using.
Highly recommended.
And no, they don’t need an Aqara hub, but they do need a hub that supports Zigbee.
Mounted on Garage door after we had a burglary. Signal reaches from garage door to our loft – think ground to third level without any repeaters to a Conbee II stick. Quite impressed with that!
These work as advertised, they are small and unobtrusive, the range of both the contact sensor and zigbee seems great, and they are working with Zigbee2mqtt/hass perfectly.
I’ve been on the lookout for a reliable and affordable HomeKit-compatible door and window sensor, and I’m happy to say that the Aqara Door and Window Sensor has exceeded my expectations! The installation and setup process was a breeze, and its compatibility with HomeKit has made my smart home experience seamless and efficient. Here’s a breakdown of what I love about this product:
Easy Installation: I’m not the most technically savvy person, but the Aqara Door and Window Sensor was a cinch to install. The package came with clear instructions and all the necessary mounting accessories. The adhesive strips are strong and ensure the sensors stay in place.
HomeKit Compatibility: I appreciate that this sensor is designed to work specifically with HomeKit. It was simple to add the device to my Home app by just scanning the provided QR code. Since I have other HomeKit-compatible devices, automating my home has never been easier.
Reliability: The Aqara sensor is highly reliable and accurate in detecting when my doors and windows are opened or closed. I’ve experienced no false alarms or missed notifications. I especially love the peace of mind it provides when I’m away from home or sleeping.
Compact Design: The sleek and unobtrusive design of the sensor is a huge plus. It blends well with my doors and windows, ensuring that it doesn’t detract from the aesthetics of my home.
Battery Life & Range: The battery life is impressive, with the sensor still going strong after several months of use. The communication range between the sensor and my HomeKit hub is also fantastic, covering all corners of my house with no issues.
Overall, I’m thrilled with the Aqara Door and Window Sensor for use with HomeKit. It has been a game-changer for my smart home setup, providing reliable monitoring and seamless integration. If you’re looking for an affordable yet high-quality door and window sensor, I wholeheartedly recommend the Aqara Door and Window Sensor.
I did need to import a blueprint into Home Assistant to get it to work properly.
HA sees it as “lumi.remote.b1acn01” and initially categorises it as a battery monitor for some reason. However, simple blueprint import to HA allows creation of automation routines with it as a switch, as intended. Can use single press and long press functionality.
The only let down is that it’s a bit expensive for such a simple product. Could and should be closer to half the price I think. Somewhere around the 10 mark.
The only issue is the price. Far too expensive for what they are.
So many switches (incl IKEA ones which had so much potential) only work 50% of the time. NOT the Aqara tech! Works every time and HomeKit compatible make these a must have
Firstly, it’s cheap.
It can take several attempts to set this up with the Aqara app and HomeKit
Additionally creating automations can be a little frustrating but got there in the end.
To get this to work directly with Smartthings you will need to instal the Beta Edge Driver for Xiaomi/Aqara/Tuya Zigbee Sensors to your hub before attempting to pair the device.
You will need to search for the driver yourself as Amazon does not allow external links within reviews.
Not as sensitive as I’d hoped it would be, so no good for my intended use which was to detect when the tumble dryer is running. Maybe this 20+yr old re-branded Creda sheet metal monstrosity is actually super smooth running because when stuck to it this sensor stays fast asleep. Give it a tap and it’s awake, but not if there’s the vibration from the motor. It’s now on the underside of my office chair so I can see roughly how long I spend at my desk. And I had no luck changing the sensitivity.
As an aside, I used an Aqara window sensor and a 240v coil relay connected to the dryer motor power feed. When the motor is running the relay opens the connection (reed switch removed) and there it is ‘Running’ in Home Assistant.
These don’t play nicely with Smartthings Zigbee devices so if they are connected via a ST device they will likely get dropped a lot. Once I moved a couple of devices around so it connected with a non ST device it’s been rock solid.
I can’t speak highly enough of the build quality of the Aqara products. These contact sensors beat the SmartThings equivalents in almost every regard.
BUT
Sadly, I cannot replace the SmartThings sensors with these, because they don’t have accelerometers built in, so they can’t detect door knocks like the Samsung ones did.
Suggestion to Aqara: please create a multi-purpose sensor that includes contact, accelerometer and a motion sensor. This will be the killer feature that will allow us to tell when a person has left the house, rather than just knowing a door has opened or closed.
Keep in mind that the 22mm wide gap is simultaneously both good and bad depending on usage. For example, it allows me to very slightly open my balcony sliding door for airflow without the alarm screaming (or needing to code for the alarm to not scream, compromising on security). It is also bad because you might also leave a door open without realising it. Very nit-picking but I’m sure there’s a very niche use case out there that might be caught off-guard by this. 22mm is wider than you think.
Now on the the Zigbee2MQTT bit, it’s the same as my review of the Aqara motion sensor. Aqara is a Xiaomi brand, which makes me reluctant to use the Aqara hub and app, beyond just my dislike of being tied to a single ecosystem. It’s ok to use their end devices (e.g. motion sensor, light bulbs) since Zigbee, on its own, doesn’t allow any “phone home” capability since the network has no access to the Internet (unlike Wifi-based Smartlife / Tuya devices). The key is to secure the hub (aka bridge / coordinator) and app because they do have access to the Internet, most often for your own convenience.
With that preface, I am glad to report that the Aqara Door Sensor works with Zigbee2MQTT open-source bridge (software) – tested with the popular Conbee II as well as Sonoff Zigbee 3.0 USB adapters plugged into a Raspberry Pi.
Note, however, that you cannot mix in most non-Aqara devices that are router-capable (essentially anything that is plugged into the main i.e. no battery). Your non-Aqara will devices will work fine, it’s the Aqara ones that will have a lot of connection troubles (apparently due to Xiaomi implementing non-standard interface – the more you don’t want to use their hubs and apps). Some can coexist (e.g. IKEA bulbs) but for sure Hue bulbs don’t. I tested adding a single Hue bulb to the network and all my Aqara devices acted up within a few hours. So now I have all the Aqara devices connected to a dedicated adapter running on its own Z2M docker, separated from my main Zigbee network (Hue bulbs and power switches).
This enables me to get them at just the right level to block out the sun, trying to guess the right percentage to use voice or use the slider in the app is less precise.
I used the automation within the Aqara app and it was a simple matter to use Long press to open/close/stop both blinds, single click for one and double click the other.
The action is instantaneous so gives me precise control.
Best regards for all and many thanks for Oh-La Labs (device driver).
The battery cover is a fiddle to remove, easier when attached to a surface as a coin seems to tear the plastic, or two thumbs to twist it off. Only needs a tiny twist to remove, thankfully.