Aqara Smart Radiator Thermostat – E1 Rating
Summary
The Aqara Smart Radiator Thermostat Thermostat E1 provides excellent functionality and is compatible with Aqara Home Assistant’s if/then programming. A corresponding receiver and thermostat for the boiler would allow you to control your heating system.
The pros
- Comparable to other systems
- Superior functionality and automation features through the Home Assistant or Automation Tab vs. competing systems
- Installation is simple
Cons
- Smart scheduling requires more customization possibilities
- You could use a 1-hour boost mode
- Thermostat thermostat for no Aqara boiler
I was unable to attend the Aqara Smart Radiator ThermostatE1 launch a few months back. Smart radiator valves have always been a favorite of mine. I live in a large, relatively old house that doesn’t have the best insulation and is a bit draughty. My rooms are large and I also work remotely. It can also be quite expensive to heat.
Zoning smart home heating was something that I adopted early. Genius Hub was the only company that I could see offering an integrated solution. Since then, we have seen Tado, Hive, Honeywell and Eve Thermo all launch systems that have optional smart TRVs available.
Smart TRVs can also be controlled independently by the boiler control, which has been a common trend. Many new Zigbee compatible devices are also available.
Genius Hub is still my favorite tool. However, I do have many radiators and three of them were missing their valves. Although they aren’t critical radiators, I dialed down two of the most important ones to the lowest setting. The E1 TRV was launched and I saw it as a chance to get some intelligent control.
This valve will be compatible with Matter once it has been fully implemented. This valve is compatible with Home Assistant. Smart home users will appreciate the ability to combine this device with an advanced home heating or home automation system.
These are the features
- Zigbee 3.0 compatibility hub is required. (Matter support will be available later).
- Control dial on backlit LCD display
- Multi home support and geofencing
- Configurable smart schedules
- You can read external temperature (you have the option to pair up sensors or use the builtin sensor).
- Support for Device Grouping
- With AA batteries, you get a 1-year warranty
- Simple installation
- Doors and windows can be opened for detection
- Protect against freezing
- Automated facial recognition (using the G3 hub).
- Compatibility with
Set-Up
It was not an easy task. Initialy, the Aqara Smart Hub M2 that I used refused to pair my valves. After I noticed that the firmware was available, it worked immediately. This was also true for the Aqara G2h Pro that I eventually switched to.
My radiators did not require any adaptors. The valve was simply screwed onto the radiator.
The tab must be pulled out to turn on the valve. Next, open the Aqara App and scan the QR code at the valve’s side. Select the desired up and then follow the directions.
Simply hold the display down for 10 seconds, until it flashes. Then it will pair up.
Alexa automatically alerted my phone when I added each valve.
Also, it is worth noting that you don’t technically have to use an Aqara hub, it should work with other universal Zigbee 3.0 hubs.
Abnormal Temperature Detected
Two of the three valves that reported abnormally high temperatures had also caused me some issues. The advice provided to fix this wasn’t that helpful as it listed about 6 different causes. It also appears that the problem was caused by a software issue. A new firmware was released and the issue was resolved after the valves were used for several days.
You can adjust the calibration of your valve within the settings. I did use this, thinking it would fix the abnormal temperature problem, but you probably don’t need to use it.
This warning has appeared a few times before. This could be due to the temperature of the rooms not being set at the correct temperature. The problem is likely to be related to the fact that the room temperature rarely reaches the desired target temperature in the areas I use it.
In Use & Automation
The valves can be used in several ways.
- Manual control, where you can select the target temperature
- Anti-freeze mode – heating is off but will switch on if the temperature drops below 5°C or whatever temperature you set the freezing point
- Smart Control – you can enable this when in manual mode, and it provides three time zones across the day, allowing you to set the temperature
- Automation – You have granular control of the value using If/Then statements
- Extern control via Voice Assistants/Homekit/Home assistant
Although it’s the easiest method of configuring things, I find the smart control/manual feature a little too limited.
The temperature can be manually adjusted, and then the day can be divided into three by the smart control. You can drag each zone to shorten or extend each time period, as well as set the temp target for each of the time periods.
If you take a look at my Genius hub schedule, there are at most four segments that I can use for heating. The anti-freeze/base temperatures are followed by two heating times: morning and night.
It is not clear how the manual control works. I presume you just set the temperature and then it stays there until the next time zone. A boost option would be nice, as it is on all smart heating systems.
If you want to have more control over a wider range of time zones, you will need to use the automation tab within the Aqara app. This works amazing, giving you full control over your heating system and the ability to create advanced smart home features.
So, for example, the G3 hub can be set to adjust the temperature based on who is in the room. This works because of facial recognition. I don’t think any of the main smart home heating brands offer anything like this.
This is, however, a complicated procedure compared with the regular scheduling features used by other brands.
Home Assistant (not supported on M2 Hub).
It is built around the M2 hub. It has been used for the kitchen lights, and smart blinds in my room. I haven’t had much need for Home Assistant.
The hub works well for me because I can wire it and don’t want indoor cameras. It was difficult for me to set up Home Assistant and get my M2 working.
So I fired up my Aqara G2h Pro, and added my valves again. This allowed me to use native support for Home Assistant.
Everything was taken out and everything was re-added to the heating. I then set up Home Assistant.
Home Assistant isn’t the most user-friendly compared to the default Aqara appk, but it does give you unlimited control and interoperability between different smart home products.
Right now, all I have is basic heating automation and the capability to set the temperature target from my dashboard.
An automation system that I could set up for Hue light on/off in the morning is to switch on heating and turn the heater on if my room is colder than my desired temperature. Also, I have roller blinds in the room so it is possible to have it. The button presses will bring up the blinds.
Pricing and Other Options
The Aqara Smart Radiator Thermostat E1 is priced at £55, which is about the normal price for smart valves, some cost a bit more, but they are all close.
Aqara hubs come at a very affordable price. The Aqara G2h Pro is £60 but the Aqara Smart Hub E1 is just £26.
I’d say Tado is the best overall smart heating solution. You can buy the 2 thermostat starter kit for £165 and then £57 for additional valves. Tado has also a thermostat that works with boilers. This gives you an all-in-one solution for smart heating.
You can also find a range of generic Zigbee TRVs that have varying reviews ratings. You can get some for as little as £35, but I’d prefer to stick to a known brand like Aqara.
All in all
The Aqara E1 Smart TV is a great choice. However, there are still many areas for improvement.
My main point is that smart schedules need to be customizable, and allow for more than three times slots. This would eliminate the need for more advanced automation features.
The biggest problem is, perhaps, the absence of a smart thermostat for boiler control. This means that you have to match the schedules and set the valves up with the controller. I was aware of this going into the review, so it wasn’t too much of a problem for me.
My minor gripes likely don’t apply to a lot of people. Aqara users seem to prefer more complicated systems and tend to be more knowledgeable.
The Thermostat E1 can be used if Aqara is already installed.
Last Update: 2022/12-17. Affiliate links/Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
