ecobee - SmartSensor for Doors and Windows (2-Pack) - White

Excesses my expectations. Works well with Google Assistant.

I'll first say that the cool thing about Ecobee’s design is that it takes out the typical keypad codes and even the app (though they have one available) when dealing with the system. These door sensors seem to be a really crucial part of the whole ecobee system. Nonetheless, I do have my usually pros and cons and I would definitely consider these when buying: PROS Installation was super easy with just removing a sticker and syncing the QR code Notification if when a door or window is opened is sent to your phone (or thermostat if you have it) Alerts you when a door is left open Good adhesive; sticks and stays well to doors and windows CONS You must have the ecobee Thermostat WITH built-in speaker to hear the chime in the house (I didn’t know that) Ecobee doesn’t offer the wifi speakers that some other companies offer so you can hear the chime all around your house, not just on your phone So they are great quality all in all, but not really worth it if you don’t have the thermostat with a built-in speaker so be sure to get that if you get an ecobee system. Since I did not have one, and the thermostat with the speaker is VERY expensive ($249), I was not pleased.

This review was written based on its use with the SmartCamera, SmartSensors and the Haven monitoring service. The SmartSensor specifically designed for doors and windows is a great piece of hardware for the sole purpose of helping ensure nobody enters your home without permission. A motion sensor is built into the main body to detect movement; the magnet piece helps determine if a door is opened. When monitoring is set to armed (stay or away), these sensors are actively monitoring and will send push notifications. The notification will announce which sensors were triggered and (if equipped) will allow you to tap into a camera live feed. Mounting is rather simple with the use of double-sided tape. I don't think there is an option to screw them down if you feel that the adhesive will fail at some point. It seemed very secure. So what complaints do I really have? It’s the service subscription required to run this thing. In order to receive activity detection notifications from these sensors, you’ll have to pay for the Haven service. Other home monitoring/security solutions provide entry notifications as a free-to-use; most of the time, you’re really paying for cloud space to store recorded videos. But to pay for notifications is a bit much. I’d say that if you’re already deep into the ecobee ecosystem, namely the thermostat and SmartSensors, then it’s a natural progression to pay for the Haven service. For the rest of us, it may be a good idea to look elsewhere for a home monitoring solution.

Adding to the Ecobee Smart Thermostat ecosystem, introducing SmartSensors (2-pack) for Doors and Windows, $80. Already a happy customer, my ecobee SmartThermostat works hard to keep my home comfortable the year round. This new sensor kit adds value to my investment by monitoring a pair of doors and windows and alerting to their opening, indicating possible intrusion. Take the product tour on the Best Buy Website. Click the link “Interactive Tour and documents” on this product’s page at BestBuy.com. As easy to add to the system and set up as are the other add-ons from Ecobee, these sensors stand as sentinels. As simple as set-and-forget, Doors and Windows sensors communicate with the base, the ecobee SmartThermostat on the hall wall in my home. Creative users might find value by also installing these sensors on other doors where opening and closing monitoring is desired. Door to/from the attached garage? Fridge and freezer? Wine fridge? Deep freeze? Medicine cabinet? Your choice! These sensors are similar to most other magnetic contact-type door and window sensors in that one side is attached to the stationary door or window frame and the other to the moving part next to the stationary part. Magnetic attraction when present shows the door or window is closed. Opening the door interrupts the magnetic pairing, triggering an alert notification. And there is an additional feature. Part of ecobee’s home monitoring system called Haven, these sensors send notifications and alerts when a sensored door or window is opened or closed, AND when motion is detected nearby. Door and Window sensors are powered by an installed, replaceable CR2477 battery and provide up to three years of operating time. Lower battery life is expected when more motion is sensed over time. Haven is a monthly subscription-based service and is required for these sensors and for ecobee SmartCameras to operate as intended. The Haven Essential plan is $5 per month and includes home monitoring + video recording (if you have the SmartCamera). An extended plan is $10 per month and includes home monitoring + video recording for unlimited cameras. Haven signup includes a free month at startup. Note that Haven is NOT connected to a central station as an alarm system. If a SmartCamera is part of the installation, there is both live video and 2-way audio available as well as a loud siren that can be activated in the SmartCamera through the app. Cool stuff! Ecobee SmartSensors for Doors and Windows are part of an expanding ecobee ecosystem of Alexa-controlled devices and come with the standard ecobee three-year warranty.

These sensors work well to detect the opening of doors and windows. They are self-stick and appear to be of decent quality. They are simple to install and have a very "wide gap" allowing you a decent amount of gap between the sensor and the magnet, for installation on other than flat/easy doors & windows. They detect the opening/closing of the door nearly instantly and with 100% reliability. So, for the purpose of detecting the door/window opening and closing, this gets an A+. An added bonus on these is the built in motion detector at the bottom on the sensor - the round part is a motion detector that will assist in detecting movement around the sensor. These are designed to be installed at the top of the door and they will detect motion underneath the sensor. It isn't a room based motion detector, just right around the door. The concern I have with this feature is that it doesn't go off each time it detects motion. It only goes off from time to time, and this is likely to conserve battery power since they are powered with a small battery that would not last if it detected motion constantly in a busy area. Since this is an added feature, I would consider it a bonus, but not count on it as a 100% "for sure" type thing. I am deducting 1 star because of it. The smart sensor for doors and windows is good at detecting opening and closing of doors and windows. With that said, they did a great job with this detector and the installation could not be easier since it is rather small and will fit many installations without any second thought on how to do. Hopefully the stick on tape lasts, there is no way to secure it with a screw, which I would want to do if it were possible, so in 3 or 4 years of with the change of seasons the tape doesn't break free and the detector falls off.