SwitchBot Curtain (Rod) V2

This is a nifty little device, very helpful for having a more natural wake-up experience with sunlight in the morning - it has been very helpful in improving my sleep routines as well as privacy in the evenings. It was very easy to set up (with a curtain rod and grommet curtains - I didn't get the grommet kit but have found it works just fine for me without) and has a good long battery life. I like the fact it is set up so pulling the curtains towards open and shut will also activate the device rather than being dependant on the app.However:They don't keep time that well -- I set my curtains to open at 7am but the actual time of opening will gradually drift later and later by a few minutes per week until I reset the timings in the app.The light-meter is ... MoreThis is a nifty little device, very helpful for having a more natural wake-up experience with sunlight in the morning - it has been very helpful in improving my sleep routines as well as privacy in the evenings. It was very easy to set up (with a curtain rod and grommet curtains - I didn't get the grommet kit but have found it works just fine for me without) and has a good long battery life. I like the fact it is set up so pulling the curtains towards open and shut will also activate the device rather than being dependant on the app.However:They don't keep time that well -- I set my curtains to open at 7am but the actual time of opening will gradually drift later and later by a few minutes per week until I reset the timings in the app.The light-meter is basically useless. I was really looking forward to being able to set my curtains to open and close with the sun, but the reality is that with the device positioned above the window and with the curtain covering it on one side it picks up very little light variation through the day and not enough to actually be useable.

Amazing Product, BUT more purchases required

I have never had a problem with my Switchbot Curtain (I have 2 working at once) and the ease of pressing a button in the app is amazing, battery lasts forever as well (on full charge + performance mode). **BUT** For ANY home automation with this product, you require specifically the Switchbot Hub, which was extremely disappointing and counter-productive to creating more home automation. Does not work with Alexa, Google etc without the Hub or Hub Mini, although it is advertised to work with them.If you want any sort of voice control or shortcuts through iPhone/Android, it MUST be connected to the hub, and then that hub needs to be connected to an Alexa/Google, otherwise it can only be controlled through the application manually. Disappointing for sure, especially ... MoreI have never had a problem with my Switchbot Curtain (I have 2 working at once) and the ease of pressing a button in the app is amazing, battery lasts forever as well (on full charge + performance mode). **BUT** For ANY home automation with this product, you require specifically the Switchbot Hub, which was extremely disappointing and counter-productive to creating more home automation. Does not work with Alexa, Google etc without the Hub or Hub Mini, although it is advertised to work with them.If you want any sort of voice control or shortcuts through iPhone/Android, it MUST be connected to the hub, and then that hub needs to be connected to an Alexa/Google, otherwise it can only be controlled through the application manually. Disappointing for sure, especially with how good the product is. If I had known, I would have shopped around for other varieties of automation.

Another happy customer

Ordered two curtain switchbots to open/close curtains around my HO train layout. They work perfectly. I had one that ran off the end of the I-rail while calibrating and the track rails broke off when it hit the ground. SwitchBot sent me replacement parts for free. The motors are much stronger than I expected which is good because they have to push/pull a very long run of curtains. I have them connected via my iPhone, SwitchBot remote switch and our Alexa. I would say I am very happy. If there was any room for improvement it would be with the instructions for setting it up with Alexa. I actually found the correct process by reading the reviews on the product. Other than that……….love them and highly recommend them.

Excellent service and well-functioning switchbots

Since October 2021, I use the switchbots curtains. They are doing well. Recalibrated a few times and 1 curtain that was hardware defective, hardly any problems occurred. However, it strikes me that the battery life is certainly not 8 months. I have to charge every three months. Also, 1 of the bots is discharged much faster than the others. 69% versus 19% see attached screen .Even after a firmware update to versus 3.9, 2 switchbots were suddenly no longer accessible. Fortunately, a reset helped. So far no further problems. Except now the switchbot that discharges quickly. They are not heavy curtains and they are only opened and closed twice a day.Yours sincerely Cor

Good idea, but not reliable

Firstly, I think the switchbot is the correct way to do curtain automation. It is easily retrofitted and cheaper than alternatives. However, there are design flaws in this product that can be easily addressed with new editions and iterating the design.1) Switchbot has a traction issue. Since the wheel is below the rail, it has no gravitational force to push onto the wheels. The installation instructions say "don't over tighten it", but this is exactly what you have to do to get good grip on the rail. There needs to be a lot of normal force pushing the wheel against the curtain rail. The problem is there is no give in the wheel, so the plastic breaks. The wheel needs to be spring mounted (with a stiff spring), so it can be tightened up without breaking the ... MoreFirstly, I think the switchbot is the correct way to do curtain automation. It is easily retrofitted and cheaper than alternatives. However, there are design flaws in this product that can be easily addressed with new editions and iterating the design.1) Switchbot has a traction issue. Since the wheel is below the rail, it has no gravitational force to push onto the wheels. The installation instructions say "don't over tighten it", but this is exactly what you have to do to get good grip on the rail. There needs to be a lot of normal force pushing the wheel against the curtain rail. The problem is there is no give in the wheel, so the plastic breaks. The wheel needs to be spring mounted (with a stiff spring), so it can be tightened up without breaking the plastic.2) Switchbot has a communication issue. If I tell it to open the curtains at 7:00am, it opens it sometime between 7 and 7:30. Sometimes one of the two bots doesn't respond at all. Sometimes I can't connect to bluetooth. It also only connects to my phone, and not my wifes, and frankly I want to get rid of my smartphone. Using bluetooth and a smart phone simply isn't reliable enough. It needs wifi and it needs to store its programming locally. It should be programmed via phone or PC, and there should be a wall mount controller unit as well - like a light switch.3) It needs a removable battery. When I need to charge it am I going to run a USB cable up to it on the curtain rail, or am I going to have to take it down and then be forced to fix up all the programming again?Overall I'd say the designers bought too much into fashion and not enough into practicality. They've made a toy, not a tool, but with some refinement it could be a really awesome product.

Good quality product that comes with great accessories

The switchbit curtains are very easy to install and set up in the app. I have grommet style curtains on a rod and I love that the curtain ships with a set of transparent clips and a special length of plastic strip to install on the curtains if the motor struggles to open and close the curtains. This alternative method really works! I also love that you can pair the curtains so they work fully as a pair. I have marked down to 4 stars because I have had a few issues on connectivity and the curtains moving when instructed via the app. One sometimes moves but the other one doesn't. I have moved my hub closer to the curtains to try to address. I would also love to see the switchbot button able to trigger scenes rather than be tied direct to a curtain which can be limiting.

Ordinary Curtains Automated

The Switchbot Curtains are an amazing addition to any home. I recently started turning my home into a smart home and these were an excellent addition. My curtains are in a somewhat hard to reach area, so having them be able to open automatically at anytime with the push of a button using the Switchbot Remote or through voice using voice assistants such as Apple’s Siri, Amazon Alexa, or Google is awesome. I have all three. To take it a step further, you can schedule the curtains to open and close at a specified time automatically as well. They come in different configurations including U-Rail, I-Rail, or Rod, and can be tucked behind your curtains when attached to look near. I also like that you can pair two Switchbot Curtains together to open curtains from the ... MoreThe Switchbot Curtains are an amazing addition to any home. I recently started turning my home into a smart home and these were an excellent addition. My curtains are in a somewhat hard to reach area, so having them be able to open automatically at anytime with the push of a button using the Switchbot Remote or through voice using voice assistants such as Apple’s Siri, Amazon Alexa, or Google is awesome. I have all three. To take it a step further, you can schedule the curtains to open and close at a specified time automatically as well. They come in different configurations including U-Rail, I-Rail, or Rod, and can be tucked behind your curtains when attached to look near. I also like that you can pair two Switchbot Curtains together to open curtains from the middle and adjust how far they go. I have had the curtains for about 2 months now and the battery life on these is still strong. Switchbot says that they need to be charged once every 8 months, but I like these so much. I am strongly considering getting the Switchbot solar panels that connect to the curtains which will virtually insure that they never run out of power. If you have curtains that you love and want to automate, I would highly recommend the Switchbot Curtains. Make your ordinary curtains automatic!

Some improvements required but actually very good

Is a good product. It does basically what's built for: opening and closing the curtains without your intervention...But...Reality is very complex and every situation/window/curtain/sunlight position is different, so this product needs to be more flexible.Issues I have encountered:1. Light sensor is in a precarious position because most of people place the curtain rod almost up to the ceiling, so the bot is placed behind the wall and very or any light falls on the light sensor, so you cannot use the light sensing feature properly. I think this is very important because it's sunlight rather than time what conditions what you do with your curtains. To solve this they should sell a light sensor with an extension to be able to place it in a position where it catches ... MoreIs a good product. It does basically what's built for: opening and closing the curtains without your intervention...But...Reality is very complex and every situation/window/curtain/sunlight position is different, so this product needs to be more flexible.Issues I have encountered:1. Light sensor is in a precarious position because most of people place the curtain rod almost up to the ceiling, so the bot is placed behind the wall and very or any light falls on the light sensor, so you cannot use the light sensing feature properly. I think this is very important because it's sunlight rather than time what conditions what you do with your curtains. To solve this they should sell a light sensor with an extension to be able to place it in a position where it catches more sunlight.2. In that sense, I then bought the solar panel with the solely purpose of placing a light sensor in a better position (the panel has its own light sensor and an extension cable) but again, the cable could be longer and the position of the sensor on the panel should be at the bottom, not at the top. Not to mention that it increases the cost just to make the bot do something that should be the basics of its functions.3. It is quite noisy, even in the silent mode. It doesn't bother me at all but if you place it in your bedroom and you are sensitive to noises it could be an issue.4. The app could be improved. Mostly the light sensing feature. Instead of a range of luminosity, it should indicate a precise value so the conditions should be based on a precise number. So far I haven't been able to make it work properly. But it is advertised that is still a beta, so...4. I got my bots like 2 weeks ago and sometimes I have to recalibrate them because one of them doesn't close completely.5. I think that they should sell the solar panel along with the bot. It turns very pricey having to buy everything separately.The idea is excellent and I hope in future firmware versions they will improve it.

Works but needs improvement

I set this up with blackout curtains (heavy) and the Bot struggles a bit to move the weight of the curtains. It is able to on 'performance mode' but it is relatively loud. The saving grace is the scheduling ability to open and close the blind automatically so I rarely even notice the sound as I have timed it to open and close when I'm not likely there.The spring clips on the back needs refining, as it takes some trial and error to get the right pressure when going through the transition bars.I don't care about the speed, more so the sound. If it can move the curtains on 'quiet mode' with the same force as 'performance mode' at a lower gear (aka more torque), that would be my ideal.Also got the solar panels to keep them charged, although it does seem to have a ... MoreI set this up with blackout curtains (heavy) and the Bot struggles a bit to move the weight of the curtains. It is able to on 'performance mode' but it is relatively loud. The saving grace is the scheduling ability to open and close the blind automatically so I rarely even notice the sound as I have timed it to open and close when I'm not likely there.The spring clips on the back needs refining, as it takes some trial and error to get the right pressure when going through the transition bars.I don't care about the speed, more so the sound. If it can move the curtains on 'quiet mode' with the same force as 'performance mode' at a lower gear (aka more torque), that would be my ideal.Also got the solar panels to keep them charged, although it does seem to have a long battery life even without them

wonky

It's a decent execution of the concept but the product needs to be quiet. "quiet mode" is not any quieter, it is just slower. they sound like a giant wind up toy which defeats the purpose of waking up to the sun- instead I am waking up to a new mechanical gearbox noise. You seem to have spent a lot on marketing and flashy app and website features that detract from basic functionality while the product itself still needs work. why can't I control them remotely if they are on wifi? that's silly. one of them lost calibration and just runs indefinitely until I tell it to stop. well, not terrible for the price. The instructions suggest that they depend on deflection of the plastic bracket to maintain tension on the rod, without explaining how the spring loadong mrchanism ... MoreIt's a decent execution of the concept but the product needs to be quiet. "quiet mode" is not any quieter, it is just slower. they sound like a giant wind up toy which defeats the purpose of waking up to the sun- instead I am waking up to a new mechanical gearbox noise. You seem to have spent a lot on marketing and flashy app and website features that detract from basic functionality while the product itself still needs work. why can't I control them remotely if they are on wifi? that's silly. one of them lost calibration and just runs indefinitely until I tell it to stop. well, not terrible for the price. The instructions suggest that they depend on deflection of the plastic bracket to maintain tension on the rod, without explaining how the spring loadong mrchanism works so I figured that out on my own after almost returning them. referring to the curtain bot as "curtain" in the instructions adds to confusion. thanks!