[NEEDS UPDATING] Bulbs, switches and sensors, oh my....what to buy (device class features FAQ)

So, I’m pretty new to this internet of things world. Originally bought 2 OSRAM tunable LED bulbs with the Wemo Hub and a WEMO insight switch, now I’ve “upgraded” the hub to the SmartThings hub, and looking at ditching the WEMO insight switch for the SmartThings plug, just so I have have support now and not have to wait or deal with adding custom code to the IDE.

I’m on Amazon and etc pretty much every day trying to decide what I want to play around with next, or what’s better, etc.

I’m here to see what your opinons/preferences are for

  • plugs
  • bulbs
  • sensors: motion, open/close and temp

It’s a confusing world out there…Just for bulbs I’m finding LIFX, WEMO, OSRAM, GE Link, Phillips Hue, Cree.

For plugs I’m finding WEMO, SmartThings, Aeon Labs, GE…etc

It’s hard to decide which is the way to go…I’ve been pretty happy with my OSRAM lightify tunable bulbs. Not very happy with my Wemo Insight, it works…but I’ve had problems with it over heating, and it’s annoying that it’s not directly supported by ST.

As far as sensors, I’m really only interested in the three (temp, open/close, motion). Just for ST, I see there’s a temp/humidity sensor, and then there’s a temp/vibration/open/close multipurpose sensor (for cheaper than the dedicated temp sensor no less). Is one more accurate for temp? Is one recommended over the other? Are there other brands that work better? I see multiple brands for motion sensors.

This is my advice… But beware of my mediocre advice…

But two of everything.
Try them out.
Take back what you don’t like.
Use the return money to buy more of what you do like!

That’s how I do it! And when my wife asks, I just say it’s ok, I returned that other thing and got this instead. So far, no request for receipts!

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Different things work for different people. :sunglasses: It depends on both your specific needs, and on your budget. There are inexpensive sensors. There are very expensive sensors. The very expensive sensors are generally “better” in some respects, but they may not be better for a particular project. The same is true of light switches and lightbulbs.

People also have an aesthetic preferences in terms of what they like. For example, some light switches have blue LEDs and some have green LEDs. A lot of people don’t care, but some people care a lot.

So there’s no one right answer. If there’s a specific use case you’re considering, then there may be some technical reasons for choosing one model over another. So the more details you can give us, the easier it will be to give an opinion.

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Me personally, I’m more about compatibility, features and reliability. I have a small 2 bedroom apartment, it’s not like I’m going to be spending an arm and a leg on bulbs and sensors haha. As far as devices, all I care about are smart plugs, smart bulbs and maybe some sensors to play around with (temp, open/close, motion).

I’m not really interested in installing switches or outlets. Aesthetics are bottom of the list for now.

I’m just noticing things like…

The Wemo Insight plug/outlet is nice because it doesn’t require a hub, so I could use it just about anywhere there is WIFI and I like the WEMO app, it has a lot of nice built in features. I originally only bought it for the usage statistics, but I found I don’t really pay as much attention to them as I thought I would, so I’m not interested in that anymore. If it had a web-interface, I would probably be more interested and buy more of them so I could aggregate the data on the website. But it’s not natively supported by ST, so it’s a hassle to use. So now I want to switch to one that’s supported.

The Aeon Labs plug/outlet is nice because it doesn’t cover up your whole socket, but I don’t know how well it works.

The ST multipurpose sensor seems nice…and it’s cheaper than the temp sensor dedicated to temp/humidity…but does that mean the dedicated sensor is more accurate?

Do some bulbs have a better range? Do others have better features?

are you against replacing an outlet entirely? There are a few companies(GE, Cooper, etc) that make an outlet that goes in the wall and 1/2 of it is powered all the time and 1/2 of it is zwave switchable.

Again, “better” has to be measured against budget and use case requirements. Different bulbs definitely have different features.

The first thing to look at with any device is the warranty length. That will tell you a lot about the engineering and quality. And it varies a lot. You’ll find some devices with a 90 day warranty, A one-year warranty, a five year warranty, all in the same device class. But then the ones with a longer warranty probably cost a lot more.

As far as specific features, again that varies by device class.

Pocket Sockets

Pocket sockets are typically available in either Wi-Fi, Zigbee, or Z wave.

They usually come in one of two types: lamp modules or appliance modules. Lamp modules are usually capable of dimming a dumb bulb. But you should not use them for anything with a motor, typically small appliances like a coffee maker or a pump or a fan or a motorized window covering.

A lot of manufacturers will distinguish these by not putting a grounding plug opening in the lamp module. That’s to prevent you from accidentally plugging in something with a motor, since almost all of those have a three prong plug. Plugging something with a motor into a dimmer control can burn out the motor and even cause a fire. So you do need to know what you’re going to want to plug-in before selecting the device.


Protocol

As far as whether you should choose zwave or zigbee or Wi-Fi, Z wave and zigbee devices use much less energy than Wi-Fi devices. Typically about 25%. So you save yourself some money by choosing those. Also some Wi-Fi devices tend to drop off the network every two or three weeks, which can be annoying.

Your Zigbee/Zwave network as a whole will be more efficient when you have more devices that can “repeat” which most pocket sockets can. So in general, it’s good to have at least one repeater per room of each protocol that you’re going to use.

Some people use only zwave, some people use only zigbee, a lot of people use both. Any of those is fine. But you do need to have a repeater about every 40 feet. In your case one in each room would be enough. So that can affect your device selection.

You haven’t said anything so far about a doorlock. If you want one that introduces some other issues.

Zwave plus is the newest generation of Z wave. Smaller devices, better battery life, better range. So most people would choose those over the older Zwave unless cost is a major factor. We are just starting to see a few devices come on the market in “zwave plus V2”, or the 700 series, which will have even better range in some set ups. But regular Z wave plus is good enough for most people.

Zwave S2 is the new security level. So you will start to see devices advertised with that. Not really critical from most residential pocketsocket applications, but it’s new, so you will see manufacturers calling it out.

If you want something that also works with HomeKit, it will probably need to be Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi is also best if you want real time energy monitoring. And these days the Wi-Fi devices are often less expensive because the market is bigger.

Wi-Fi devices can run locally with HomeKit, but the smartthings WiFi integrations are all cloud to cloud, so that’s another factor. Zigbee and zwave Pocketsockets may be eligible to run locally with smartthings, but only if they don’t use custom code and only with the official smartlighting feature.

one outlet or two?

As far as other plug features, you’ve noticed that some of them cover both outlets in the wall receptacle. But many of the ones that do have a second outlet on the module. Sometimes the module is kind of a rectangle and there’s an outlet on each end. So you do still have two outlets to use, although typically only one of them is Networked.

But you need to check this, because some of the cheapest modules still cover both the outlets in the wall receptacle but don’t have the extra pass through outlet, so you do lose one outlet when use those.

You need to read The product description carefully, because the picture doesn’t always show both sides.

Some modules also have an extra pass through for a USB slot so you can charge a phone or a tablet.

Other Features

Some modules do energy reporting.

A few modules are rated for outdoor use.

Zwave modules typically have a reset button on the outer case. If the button is on the front, it can usually also be used as a manual on/off, which some people like.

Some modules have an LED, but most of the older ones don’t.

Some have a USB charger slot. This is usually “always on“, meaning not controllable, but there are a few Wi-Fi power strips that do have controllable USB slot, particularly Meross. Here’s a typical Z wave model with a dumb USB slot:

brand notes

A lot of people have reported problems pairing the newest Aeon labs module. it’s just really fussy to pair that first time and some people report that it keeps dropping off the network . Probably has something to do with secure mode.

If you want Wi-Fi devices, check for safety certifications as many of the less expensive Chinese brand don’t have any. :disappointed_relieved: also check what amperage is supported. If you want to plug-in a small appliance, you probably want something that supports 15 A, and but some of the pocket sockets only support 10 A. those are best use only for table lamps.

Meross is a well engineered inexpensive Wi-Fi brand with good safety certifications, so that’s my personal favorite, but there are some other options as well. Often sold in multi packs which bring the price down even further. And they frequently have coupons on the Amazon product page. Available in both the US and the UK. Meross has an official smartthings integration, so no custom code is required. They have regular pocket sockets, outdoor models, and power strips.

https://www.amazon.com/Reliable-Support-HomeKit-Assistant-Control/dp/B084JML1WN/

This meross power strip has a group of USB slots which are all controlled as one group (on together, off together). The other receptacles are controlled individually through the smartthings integration.

https://www.amazon.com/Protector-Meross-Supported-Control-Outlets/dp/B07NBNJ32V/

image

Zooz is the house brand for The Smartest House and usually is the first to market with all the latest Z wave features. Well priced and well engineered, these are very popular in the forum.

If you are just looking for Zigbee repeaters, it’s hard to beat the IKEA Tradfri pocketsocket, which cost just under $10 in the US went back directly from IKEA. This is a simple no-frills single outlet pocketsocket, but is a very good Zigbee repeater and very well priced. no custom code is required. Available in many countries.

Other than that, all the pocket socket brands tend to get rated pretty much the same although they may have different features as described above.

references

Repeaters:

http://thingsthataresmart.wiki/index.php?title=Repeaters

Zwave vs Zigbee:

http://thingsthataresmart.wiki/index.php?title=Z-wave_versus_Zigbee

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Smart LED Bulb Features

Smart LED bulbs are also typically Wi-Fi, Z wave, or Zigbee. The Zigbee bulbs use one of two profiles: zigbee lightlink (used by bulbs that connect through the hue bridge) or zigbee home automation (used by bulbs that connect directly to the smartthings hub). For various technical reasons, the zigbee bulbs are the most popular but there may be specific use cases where the Wi-Fi or Z wave is more appropriate.

Size

Note that many of the older Zwave and wifi bulbs are A21, not A19. They are the same shape as a conventional bulb, but significantly larger, and will not fit all fixtures.

But the newer GoControl zwave bulbs are about the same size as a Hue.

Brightness

Bulb brightness is measured in “lumens.” 800 lumens is typical for a standard bulb is about the same brightness is an old 60 W incandescent. But different models do vary. The original Hue lux white only bulbs were 600 lm. The new Hue White bulbs are 800 lm. LIFX bulbs are 1000 lm, more like an old 75 W incandescent.

A dimmable bulb can have the lumens adjusted, but the lumens listed for it will be the brightest it can get.

White or Multicolor

Bulb colors are usually white only or multicolor (typically described as “RGB” or “RGBW”-- " RGB" is a bulb that can mix the colors of red/blue/green together to make literally millions of color shades. “RGB W” adds the ability for these bulbs to also be a true white. )

Color Temperature

Bulb “temperature” is on a numeric scale and represents going from warm white to cool white. ( or warm green to cool green, etc.) Warm colors have more yellow. cool colors have more blue. 2700 is a pretty standard lightbulb white. The higher the color temperature, the bluer the light. A few brands, notably Osram Lightify, allow for adjustable color temperature, but not many.

http://www.westinghouselighting.com/color-temperature.aspx

Indoor or Outdoor

Most smart LEDs are indoor only. A few are also rated for outdoor use in sheltered positions. However, even the ones rated for outdoor use are usually not rated for use in fully enclosed fixtures. So you need to read the specifications carefully.

Built in Switch

The Sengled Element zigbee bulb is on the official “works with SmartThings” list and has a built-in on/off button which some people like for table lamps. It is color temperature adjustable from cool white to warm white, 800 lm, and generally sells for about $18.

Note that there are multiple models in the “element” line – – only the “element touch” has the button.

some brand notes

GE links are really cheap, but have a known firmware flaw which can cause them to need to be reset every few weeks. To some people the cost savings is worth it. Others find it annoying. This flaw is the reason they are not on the official “works with SmartThings” list.

Cree bulbs have a number of different models that are designed to handle heat dispersion more efficiently. This can be a plus. However, there are some complications in the way Zigbee clusters were implemented which may mean they don’t have quite as many features as some of the other bulbs when connected directly to the SmartThings hub.

LIFX bulbs are probably the brightest smart bulbs you can get, but they also run very hot.

Osram lightify bulbs are very nicely engineered and work well when connected directly to the SmartThings hub. You do not need the lightify gateway for every day operation. However you do need the Gateway if you want to update the firmware on individual bulbs.

Philips Hue white bulbs are significantly cheaper than the previous Phillips generation. Best Buy almost always has them for $15 or less. (For some reason the Amazon price tends to be higher.) They are also brighter than the lux bulb. Although they can be connected directly to The smartthings hub, you can’t reset them after you’ve done that unless you get a separate device, usually the lutron remote or the Philips remote. so SmartThings support currently only recommends using them with the Hue bridge. At $15, they are a very good price.

Using the Philips bridge lets you also use other third party services and apps.

Sengled is so far the only smartbulb with a built-in on/off button.

IKEA Tradfri bulbs are excellent zigbee repeaters for SmartThings, including for the inexpensive xioami sensors which do not work well with most other brands of repeaters. If you buy these directly from IKEA they will cost much less than from other retailers, even Amazon.

Strimlight is an interesting, if expensive, WiFi bulb which can also act as a speaker, so popular for teens.

TCP uses its own protocol. There was a SmartThings integration, but it has had some issues from time to time. Verify that it is currently working before making a purchase.

I probably left something out but those are the main bulb features.

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Only for now because I only plan on staying in my apartment for another couple months. I don’t want to replace switches and sockets until I know I’m going to live somewhere for a lot longer. That definitely sounds pretty cool though.

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Wow, awesome, thanks for the response @JDRoberts

Like I mentioned before, cost and aesthetics aren’t big deals for me. I don’t have a house, just a small apartment, so I’m not planning on buying an army of smart “pocket sockets” or bulbs.

I’m mostly asking just to see who’s had the best experience and personal use with the different brands. Me personally, I have loved the WEMO Insight pocket socket…up until I started experiencing overheating issues, and now I’m having issues with connectivity…like you mentioned, this may happen with WIFI connected devices (maybe it’s a DHCP thing…?). I’m trying to see who has had any problems so I know what to avoid. I’m considering the Aeon labs one because the controller is built inline with the cord, so it doesn’t block your outlet…though, it does have a 90 degree plug, which still makes it a bit of a pain (in my case). But can’t always get what you want.

Based on your brand specific notes, it sounds like I made the right decision with the Osram lightify bulbs…I have had zero problems with them and I use IFTTT, Echo, timed events and routines, and never have issues. I guess I’ll stick with those bulbs for now.

I’m deeply curious about this topic as well. My wife bought me into the ecosystem for Christmas with three WeMo switches, two WeMo outlets, and the SmartThings Starter Kit. My thoughts and questions below:

Light Switches

The WeMo switches have been good so far, but:

  • They don’t support dimming or 3-way switches
  • They are a single on/off button
  • So the Double Duty SmartApp doesn’t work, because the command toggles on every press

From what I can tell, the GE Z-wave multi-way dimmer switches (which I don’t own) are well-liked. Questions I have:

  • Can they be used for Double Duty?
  • They seem to have a pair of buttons, one for On and one for Off (this is good)
  • Do they suppress redundant signals? (this would be bad)
  • Are they reliable?
  • Is there a more well-liked option?

Motion Sensors

  • Is there a recommended brand/type of multi-sensor (motion and light, preferably) that doesn’t break the bank?

Door Locks

  • Schlage seems to be the big fish in the pond. Are they worth the price?
  • Monoprice makes the cheapest z-wave lock I’ve seen. Has anyone tried it?
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In my opinion, I would say don’t go cheap on the locks…I mean, it’s a matter of security.

But I’m curious about the multi-sensors too. I keep going back and forth as to why the SmartThings multi-sensor would be cheaper than the dedicated temp/humidity sensor? Maybe barometric pressure sensors are more pricey, I don’t know.

Locks

Monoprice devices are cheap for a reason. :wink:

For locks, your choices are Zwave or Zigbee. The biggest problem with Zigbee in a fixed location is potential interference from boosted wifi. If you want to run wifi cameras near the door (or a wifi video doorbell), then Zigbee could be a Problem. So Zwave tends to be more popular just since it avoids that issue.

The 3 brands on the official compatibility list are Kwikset, Schlage, and Yale. Most locksmiths would recommend Yale or Schlage. Kwikset is cheaper, again, for a reason.

See the following topic for a feature comparison:

Know that regardless of the brand you select, the only officially supported features are lock and unlock. Not setting custom codes or time schedules or anything else. You can still use these features by entering them on the keypad of the lock itself, but not from your home automations.

However, there is custom code available in the community that is very popular that will let you do full lock management. Works with both Schlage and Yale.

Also, no matter what brand you pick, if you choose a Z wave lock, it’s best if the repeater device closest to the lack ( typically a pocket socket or light switch) supports “beaming.” This improves message processing to the lock.

http://thingsthataresmart.wiki/index.php?title=Repeaters

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I’m still very new at this (July)… Here is a list of components I am using.

Light Switches

The WeMo switches are awesome! When ST isn’t workin correctly, you can go directly to the WEMO interface which is bulletproof and natively works with Amazon echo… As stated above: They don’t support dimming or 3-way switches- best price 38 bucks.

Many of us have recently gotten deals on the GE Z-wave switches. They work very well as long as ST is working. Dimmer and 3 way functions available. The deal ranged from $9-17/ switch. Search lowes on this site for more info on the deals

Motion Sensors- I have ST sensors they are really nice, highest quality, aeon is the next level down still quality product, go control/monoprice cheapest option that is the least reliable but still functions OK. This is almost identical for door sensors (I don’t have aeon door sensors)

Aeon labs smart plug- inexpensive very well built 2/49. These are running Christmas lights, etc.

Door Locks- haven’t done them yet. The family uses the garage door. The front door has a large, ornate lock set.

Cameras- not sure I see the advantage of linking these to ST. The lag added makes this nearly unusable. I just bought 2 Kodak cameras that use insecure cloud storage… Not integrated into ST but IFTTT cApable

Interface into your home theater harmony remote

Voice command - Amazon echo

Sonos - sound/voice notification.

MyQ garage doors

sky bell- video doorbell

Good advice above. Not everything works for everyone… Buy from Amazon , return what doesn’t work. Find a product you love, stick with it.

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Battery-Powered Contact Sensor Features

There are many different brands of battery-powered contact sensors, operating on many different protocols. There are zigbee ones that use the Zigbee home automation profile and work directly with SmartThings. There are proprietary Zigbee sensors which cannot talk directly to SmartThings. There are zwave versions. There are security system versions using 433 MHz which cannot talk directly to smart things.

Sometimes a manufacturer will make identical-looking ones in several different protocols, so you have to read very carefully to make sure you get the one you want.

It’s also really common that someone moves into a house that already has sensors set up from a previous security system that they want to try to use with smart things.

It is sometimes, but not Always, possible to rig some kind of integration with some of these legacy sensors. You will find topics in the forum that discuss that. It’s not necessarily easy and may require additional hardware pieces.

All of these are often called “door and window sensors.”

For the rest of this note, I am only going to discuss sensors that can be integrated directly with smartthings. So that means zigbee home automation profile, zwave, or sensors like the kumostat wireless tag which have a cloud to cloud interface.

Quality

Pretty much all of the sensors are what are called “magnetic reed” sensors. These have a thin piece of metal (the reed) which gets pulled by a magnet to close a contact.

These sensors vary hugely in build quality. Cheaper ones have less powerful magnets, cheaper cases, flimsy battery holders. They can be very finicky in getting the magnet placed in exactly the right position to close the circuit. They’re still usable for many purposes, but it’s important to understand why one sensor might be $17 and another one might be $40.

If you intend to try to use a sensor outdoors (in a sheltered position) or on something that has more of a gap, you will probably want one of the more expensive higher-quality builds.

If you just want one on a cabinet door, a cheaper one may be fine.

Protocol

As always, Z wave plus will have a longer range then older zwave.

Zigbee sensors tend to be smaller with better battery life. Zigbee also tends to transmit better through rain, so if it is often chosen for sensors which are transmitting in outdoor spaces, for example to report if shed door was left open.

And Z wave is limited to four hops per message while Zigbee can do up to 30 which means if you have a really big house or if you have a lot of architectural features that you need to bounce signal around, zigbee might be better.

But then we always come back to the Wi-Fi issue. Wi-Fi doesn’t interfere with Z wave, and it sometimes can with zigbee. So a lot of people just find zwave easier to work with as long as the maximum distance from the hub is no more than 200 feet.

form factor

There are two common forms. Surface-mount have two rectangular pieces, one with the radio and the reed and one with the magnet.

Embedded have a tube that goes inside the wall and a small contact piece for the other side.

Triangle shaped window sensors have become more popular in 2016, and are intended to be a little bit less bulky. They are normally less than half an inch tall and are intended to fit in the corner of the window. Aeotec makes a popular version.


Sensative has just released a new line of very thin strip sensors which are nearly invisible on the door. They are weatherproof and can be painted.

Other reports

These days many sensors include a temperature sensor as well. Some even have a lux sensor also. However a cheap contact sensor probably has a cheap temperature sensor so it’s pretty common for these temperatures to be off by five or 7°.

Other Uses

Some models have “dry contacts” which are unused electrical contacts inside the sensor case. This allows you to wire other devices to them, in effect adding A Zwave or Zigbee radio to the other device. Some typical projects utilizing this would be pressure mats or doorbells. If you’re going to do this, you’re probably buying the contact sensor for that specific project, so you can investigate model options at that time.

brand notes

Aeotec has several different models in different shapes with different features, including a tubular model intended to go into the wall, the thin triangular model for window corners, and a regular rectangular style. All have different features and are quite popular.

Fibaro sensors come in several different colors and have a good quality temperature sensor.


.

Lowes iris devices come in two generations. The first generation is not compatible with SmartThings. The second generation, which uses the zigbee home automation profile, is. These are quite inexpensive and include a temperature sensor, although there are a number of forum reports that the temperature is not very accurate. Some community members have also reported that they seem to go through batteries very quickly. This line has been discontinued, but you still see them for sale secondhand.

NYCE sensors. Again, the first generation is not compatible with smart things. The one that uses the zigbee home automation profile is. These are very small.

Kumostat wireless tags. These do not connect directly to smart things, but there is a cloud to cloud integration or you can use IFTTT. They are significant because they have a much longer range than Zigbee. Customer service on these is reportedly terrible, with people having a really hard time doing returns if they happen to get a bad device. But the general quality is good, and if you pay with a credit card you could have your credit card refuse to pay on a defective item. Search the forums for more information. You will need to buy their Ethernet manager as well as any individual tags. Most people won’t need to consider these, but they do fit the bill for some specific use cases. Reports temperature and humidity as well as open/close.

Sensative has a patent on their very thin strips which are intended to be invisible when the door is closed. These are particularly helpful for sliding glass doors where conventional contact sensors may not fit easily.

Xiaomi is a very large consumer electronics company in China that has their own home automation line. These are zigbee devices, but not certified for the zigbee home automation profile. However, a number of community members have verified that they do work with SmartThings, although the pairing process is pretty tedious. These devices are very inexpensive, typically about twelve dollars a sensor, and seem to be well engineered. They don’t have any frills like extra temperature or humidity sensors. And you may have to wait about a month for delivery. Gearbest will ship them to both the US and Europe. You don’t need the Xiaomi Gateway. The devices which have been verified to work are the contact sensor, the motion sensor (called the “human body sensor”), The humidity sensor, and the battery operated button.

http://www.gearbest.com/smart-light-bulb/pp_257677.html?wid=21

As of 2020, the ring alarm system second generation zwave door sensors will work fine with smartthings hub‘s and are quite inexpensive. You can get a pack of six at Home Depot or Amazon, typically for around $105. or order individual ones from the ring website. These use the latest Z wave technology, including the S2 security features.

https://www.amazon.com/Ring-Alarm-Contact-Sensor-6pk/dp/B07ZPLN8R3/

Zooz (The house brand for the retailer the smartest house) is another budget brand with the latest and greatest Z wave technology. Also excellent US tech-support and very familiar with SmartThings.

All other brands are pretty similar, with the understanding that cheaper devices probably have lesser build quality and shorter warranties. And are often bigger than the more expensive ones.

If you want very cheap reliable sensors, You can look at WYZE. These use their own proprietary Protocol, so you will have to have one of their $20 cameras as well. (Great little cameras, by the way.) The sensors are six dollars per unit bought in a pack of four. The integration is through Alexa routines so cloud-based and indirect. I wouldn’t use this for anything important, But sometimes you just need a cheap sensor and this is a good one.

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I don’t know what kind of humidity sensor it’s using, but, yes, that’s the likely reason.

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I’m tired now, so somebody else can do motion sensors. :wink:

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Good point…I just learned this the hard way. Bought some Philips e27 but they don’t fit my wall uplighters. Looking around to replace them and generally it seems many wall uplighters have this constraint.

I used to own a couple wemo light switches… they “can” be wired into a 3-way circuit but it takes a bit of messing around depending on the wiring you have in your house. Search on the wemo community forums and you will find a thread that MikeP explains it.

@chadbaldwin,

As JD and others have said, different things for different people depending upon the situation. I have a large number of devices, probably half zigbee and half zwave. Some are used as intended, and others, like the Ecolink open/close sensors, I’ve repurposed into a doorbell and lock sensors because they have dry contacts inside I was able to use.

As for motion sensors, I use monoprice, Ecolink, GoControl, PEQ, SmartThings, and Iris brands. By far, the most I have are the Iris motion sensors. They are made by the same company that make ST’s and PEQ’s, and can use the same ST default device type without a lot of work.

The first three I listed all have pretty much the same guts. All of those I have in locations where looks don’t matter because they are big and very visible. I also have them in outside areas, typically under eves or areas where rain won’t hit them directly. All are working great so far, some being there almost 2 years.

The monoprice/GoControl ones face down at an angle, and seem to take a little bit more motion to trip them than any of the others I’ve listed. They do have a very good range, and report temperature, but I have them mounted high (10’). They can be adjusted for a timeout, and also have jumper setting for sensitivity (pets perhaps) but I’ve not used the jumper for that. The Ecolink sensor faces straight out, and is like the other two except they don’t report temp (my model), and do advertise the sensor as pet immune via the same jumper config as the others.

The old PEQ’s are also large. There’s a post somewhere in the community where I posted a pic of the PEQ, ST, and Iris sensors side by side. I bought these because the deal was too good to pass up when Best Buy was unloading these at $19. I only have 9 of these, and I’m glad I didn’t get more. They work great and report temperature, but like I said, they are big and I wish I would have waited for the Iris sensors. They come with a mounting bracket, but it’s useless for mounting in a corner but I’ve been able to make that work.

ST’s sensors are small and flat, and come with a mounting plate and report temperature. They are also the most expensive, and I only have 3. Like the PEQ’s, they don’t mount well in corners. Because of all that I won’t be getting any more. They work great, but the form factor isn’t there for me. I have them sitting on door frames pointed into a room, and they seem to work very well. Be aware though - the design of the battery compartment is terrible. I’ve had to exchange 2 of mine already because the little plastic tab holding the coin battery breaks easily when removing the battery if you’re not careful. Also, the way the battery comes in contact with the metal tabs is poorly designed, and one of mine required a little fiddling to get the battery to make contact. If I have the opportunity, I’ll replace these with the Iris sensors.

My favorite motion sensors are the Iris ones, and I have lots of them. They report temperature, and are very quick to respond to motion. While they don’t come with a mounting plate, their form factor is designed for any type of mounting conditions - including a corner. The backs are angled perfectly for corner mounting. They are also very small and light, and are not easily noticed in a room. The mounting tape provided is significant overkill, and only small pieces are needed. It does take a little bit of effort to include the device, but it works and the device works very well. The device will also quickly flash a green light when motion is detected. Some people may not like that, but I’m ok with it.

Hopefully all that info helps!

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