The 4 Best Smart Retrofit Shade, Blind, and Curtain Openers of 2025 | Reviews by Wirecutter

By Megan Wollerton

After a new round of testing the SOMA Smart Shades 3 is our top pick for retrofit smart shades, SwitchBot Blind Tilt is our top pick for blinds openers, and SwitchBot Curtain 3 remains the top pick among smart curtain openers.

Smart shade, blind, and curtain openers are the heroes we didn’t know we needed—but they’re the ones we deserve. These little battery-powered robots handle the tedious daily ritual of opening and closing your window coverings, and they retrofit easily to existing fixtures.

With a voice command to your phone or smart speaker, or with a finger tap in an app, you can open or close your curtains whenever you prefer. Better yet though is the ability to create a daily schedule using the app so the devices automatically trigger without you needing to think about it.

Like a lot of smart devices they make life more convenient by eliminating tasks. And we’ve learned they are especially attractive and helpful for those with mobility or accessibility issues.

The SOMA Smart Shades 3 is our favorite smart shade opener, thanks to its durable design, unerring reliability, and a powerful motor. It’s expensive, but if you like your current shades and don’t want to replace them, the SOMA 3 is a great choice. The SwitchBot Blind Tilt is the best opener for your existing blinds. It is affordable, extremely easy to install, and comes with a solar panel charger. It’s also compatible with Matter (as long as you have the correct SwitchBot hub).

The SwitchBot Curtain 3 is our top pick for smart curtain opener. It combines a quiet, powerful motor capable of hoisting even heavy curtains with a low-key, unobtrusive design. Our runner-up, the Aqara Curtain Driver E1, has a faster motor and is easier to install, but it works with fewer curtain styles, has a bulkier design, is louder in operation, and has no solar-charging accessory.

This sturdy smart opener is strong enough to handle heavy shades and works with both beaded chains and non-beaded loop cords.

This opener is notably simple to install and comes with a solar panel to keep the battery charged for longer.

This powerful yet quiet curtain opener is widely compatible with most curtain styles and supports solar charging.

This easy-to-install opener is especially fast and smooth, has a long-life battery, and offers a heavy-duty design, but it’s louder.

Openers aren’t universally compatible with every brand or style of window treatment, so confirm in advance.

Most smart openers have Bluetooth and can be controlled using a phone. Adding a hub enables automations and remote control, among other features.

Most openers include rechargeable batteries, though some can be plugged into an electrical outlet.

Many companies offer a plug-in solar panel that can top up a rechargeable battery to extend its life. They may be included or sold separately.

This sturdy smart opener is strong enough to handle heavy shades and works with both beaded chains and non-beaded loop cords.

Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings

The SOMA Smart Shades 3 is a powerful device that adeptly raises and lowers many styles of non-smart roller shades. Designed for beaded chains with regular or small beads, as well as non-beaded loop cords, SOMA includes the necessary adapters so you can easily attach the right one for your style of shades.

I found the solar panel and smart hub to be crucial additions, though they add a little to the price. The solar panel allows for convenient passive charging, while the hub enables a full suite of smart-home features and functionality. Without the hub, you’re limited to close-range Bluetooth control using a smartphone app.

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This opener is notably simple to install and comes with a solar panel to keep the battery charged for longer.

Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings

The SwitchBot Blind Tilt is reasonably priced, easy to install, and comes with a solar-charging accessory to supplement the battery power. The Tilt attaches to the tilt wand of standard horizontal blinds and is able to open and close the louvers (note that it doesn’t raise or lower the blind itself).You can also still control your blinds manually using the tilt wand as before. Included adapters of different sizes ensure that the Blind Tilt will suit most styles of blinds.

With the addition of either of SwitchBot’s Matter-enabled hub (the Hub 2 or the Hub Mini) you are able to integrate and control the Tilt using any of the major smart-home apps. Without a hub you’re limited to short-range Bluetooth control and reduced features.

This powerful yet quiet curtain opener is widely compatible with most curtain styles and supports solar charging.

Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings

The SwitchBot Curtain 3 performs reliably, has a subtler design than other models, and is quieter than the competition. And because this third-generation SwitchBot model works with grommet, ring-top, back-tab, and tab-top curtains, it’s the most flexible model we tested. It’s the overwhelmingly best option for most people.

We recommend getting the optional solar-panel accessory, which saves you from having to recharge the battery (though the add-on may be visible in some setups, which could be a dealbreaker for some). Without the solar panel you’ll need to periodically recharge the batteries. SwitchBot claims batteries should last about eight months (we’re keeping tabs on how good that estimate is and will report back).

The Curtain 3 requires a compatible hub for remote access and voice control—without a hub you’re confined to using it like a basic motorized curtain. SwitchBot sells two hubs, the SwitchBot Hub Mini and the pricier Matter-compatible SwitchBot Hub 2.

This easy-to-install opener is especially fast and smooth, has a long-life battery, and offers a heavy-duty design, but it’s louder.

Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings

The Aqara Curtain Driver E1 has a powerful motor that can operate even heavy curtains. It installs especially easily and has a rechargeable battery that Aqara says should last a year, though unlike SwitchBot, Aqara doesn’t sell a solar charger. The E1 isn’t compatible with as many types of rod-style curtains as the SwitchBot Curtain 3 is, and the included clips and plastic strip that you install for grommet-style curtains stand out more than the SwitchBot model’s pieces.

The Matter-enabled Aqara Hub M2 is required to enable smart capabilities, including app access and voice control. The Curtain Driver E1 supports all the major smart-home apps, but we found it especially easy to set up with Apple Home.

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I have more than 14 years of experience writing about technology. For a decade I covered smart-home gadgets at CNET. Some of my Wirecutter guides include smart garage door opener controllers, smart LED light bulbs, and smart hose timers.

For this guide:

I either return or donate every product I test. I may hold onto some devices for additional time, when warranted, due to long-term testing or anticipated software updates.

Smart openers provide a streamlined way to rid yourself of the small daily chore of closing and opening shades, blinds, and curtains. Once you install the device, you can easily schedule it to open and close your window fixtures at a set time every day as part of your daily routine, to help manage natural light, or to mimic being home when you’re on vacation. They’re also good devices for anyone who has limited mobility or dexterity challenges.

The smart openers aren’t especially expensive, starting around $70 each, however you may need to buy a pair for curtains, plus the cost of a hub if you want maximum smart capabilities such as remote access or voice control. Still, getting one or several of these devices is much more cost effective than completely replacing your window coverings with motorized models, such as the dealer-installed Somfy Irismo 45 WireFree RTS system for curtains.

Sometimes, smart openers are sold in multipacks or bundled with a hub or other accessories at a slight discount.

An important consideration is that most smart shade openers only work with certain types of chains and loop cords. For example, the SOMA Smart Shades 3 is compatible with beaded chains with standard-size beads and small beads, as well as non-beaded loop cords. Accessories like stop balls and tensioners have to be removed before installing and using most smart shade openers.

Smart blind openers, like the SwitchBot Blind Tilt, install on standard tilt wands and are intended to work with Venetian blinds with louvers that open and close horizontally.

You’ll also want to confirm the diameter of your curtain rod against the requirements for each individual curtain bot. The SwitchBot Curtain 3 is compatible with curtain rods ranging from 0.59 to 1.57 inches in diameter, while the Aqara Curtain Driver E1 works with a smaller range of 0.98 to 1.26 inches in diameter. The SwitchBot model also works with telescopic rod styles while the Aqara doesn’t.

Curtain openers have weight limitations, which may be an issue if your curtains are made of particularly heavy-duty fabric or are especially wide. The rod version of the SwitchBot Curtain 3 is designed to move up to 33 pounds; its rail version promises to handle a little over 35 pounds. Each Aqara Curtain Driver E1 model can handle up to 26.5 pounds of material.

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Depending on the specific device and, in the case of smart curtain openers, the transparency of your curtains or drapes, the opener may be visible when installed. For many, that may make these devices a non-starter—if so, you might want to consider one of the picks for full-replacement smart blinds, shades and curtains.

Smart shades also generate noise from the sound of their motors whirring. While they aren’t especially loud, it may be an issue for quiet spaces like a bedroom. Among our picks, the Soma Smart Shades 3 clocked in at 58 decibels; the SwitchBot Blind Tilt averaged 52 decibels. The SwitchBot Curtain 3 registered at 55 decibels running normally but dropped to just 31 decibels in QuietDrift mode. Aqara’s Curtain Driver E1 hit 52 decibels when operating normally.

For context, Yale’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety says 55 decibels is equivalent to the noise level of a refrigerator in your home. That’s loud enough to notice when the house is otherwise quiet, but not loud enough to distract from conversation, TV-watching, or any other normal activities.

We researched a wide variety of models and features when choosing which smart openers to review. Any opener we selected to test needed to include the following features:

Along with those requirements, we also looked for smart openers with additional capabilities, such as:

When testing smart openers, we looked for:

I installed the openers and then set them up using the native app, after which I also paired them with Alexa, Apple Home, and Google Home using the respective smart-platform apps or native capabilities on an iPhone 16 Pro Max. I used an Amazon Echo Dot with clock, an Apple HomePod Mini, and a Google Nest Hub Max to test voice commands. For testing, I used roller shades, traditional slat blinds with louvers, and a rod-style holder with two curtain panels.

I installed and used each smart opener and considered the ease—or difficulty—of the installation, as well as the companion app. I paid particular attention to the mechanical aspects of the openers, such as how quickly they opened, how loud or quiet their motors were, and how smoothly they operated.

I also placed my phone in the same position and distance from each opener and then used a decibel-meter app to measure how loud each model was.

I also created an automation that opened and closed the shades, blinds, and curtains when an integrated light sensor detected a certain level of light. The Aqara and SOMA models have built-in light sensors; the SwitchBot openers don’t, but their solar panel accessories do.

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This sturdy smart opener is strong enough to handle heavy shades and works with both beaded chains and non-beaded loop cords.

Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings

The SOMA Smart Shades 3 is a robust smart shade opener that’s well-built and feels made to last (we’ll continue to test it to see how well it performs over time). It’s compatible with all of the major smart-home platforms if you also buy and use the Connect U1 hub. (Without the hub, you can only control the shades using the SOMA app within Bluetooth range, and you can’t use automations or other smart features.)

SOMA says the built-in battery should last 4 to 12 months based on a single daily up/down cycle. If you spring for the solar-charging accessory, you can lessen or even forego charging altogether depending on how much sun typically reaches the window.

The SOMA 3 comes with three adapters that you pick among to make it compatible with a few different styles of roller shade chains and cords.

Swipe control is very cool. Swipe control is a feature that lets you use a physical gesture to raise and lower the shades, rather than resorting to a phone app or a voice command. Simply touch the front housing of the SOMA 3 and swipe up and your shades will open; swipe down to lower them. You can enable/disable this feature in the app. I found Swipe control surprisingly handy and useful.

The hardware is sturdy and feels like it will last. The first thing I noticed about this product is that it’s heavy for its size. (My little kitchen scale clocked it at 1.34 pounds.) It isn’t a massive, obtrusive device, yet the thick-plastic components feel substantial and solidly built. SOMA provides strong adhesive tape for attachment to the wall or window frame, but you can also use screws for an even more permanent installation. I used the adhesive, and it didn’t shake or rattle during testing, or otherwise indicate that it was struggling in the slightest to lift my roller shades.

I’ll have to test this thing long-term to confirm its durability, but so far I am impressed by its build quality and the power of its motor.

It is compatible with a variety of roller shades. This smart shade opener works with beaded chains with regular and small beads. It’s also compatible with non-beaded loop cords. SOMA includes three different adapters with your purchase to hold whatever style of beaded chain or non-beaded cord you have.

It can handle heavy lifting. SOMA says its Shades 3 can raise or lower any roller shades that you would also be able to lift and lower yourself manually, no matter their size or weight. It certainly raised and lowered my 31-by-36.5-inch roller shades with ease.

It’s expensive. One SOMA Smart Shades 3 costs $200. Tack on the $70 hub and the $40 solar panel accessory and you’re paying over $300 for one fully featured smart shade opener. A single hub controls up to 10 SOMA devices, so you’ll likely only need one. Still, you would have to buy a SOMA Smart Shades 3 and a solar charger for each window. Assuming you want solar charging for every window you outfit, you’re looking at nearly $240 per window shade.

SOMA does offer sales and bundle discounts if you purchase more than one Smart Shades 3 at a time. If you’re sure you want two or more, you might as well buy them at the same time for some savings.

It stands out. The SOMA Smart Shades 3 is a solid white hunk of plastic you mount to either the window frame or the wall and then attach to your shade’s beaded chain or loop cord. So there’s no way to install it in a way that keeps it out of view. I find the convenience of automated shades to more than make up for having a visible accessory, however, if you’re looking for something invisible it may not be a good option for you.

Review SOMA’s privacy statement for more information.

This opener is notably simple to install and comes with a solar panel to keep the battery charged for longer.

Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings

The SwitchBot Blind Tilt motorizes the louvers of your rod-operated horizontal-slatted blinds so that you can open and close them hands-free. As with the other devices here, you can trigger them using an app, put them on a repeating schedule, or have them trigger along with other devices as part of an automation. In addition to the Tilt, you’ll need to use a SwitchBot hub—either a Hub 2 or a Hub Mini—in order to enable remote access and smart features.

The Tilt comes with a solar charger, so you don’t have to think about its battery life as often, assuming the window gets decent regular sunlight. Without help from the solar charger, SwitchBot says this product can last for about 10 months.

It’s especially easy to install. SwitchBot includes a little plastic measuring device to determine which of the included adapters needs to go on your tilt wand. Then you connect a couple more pieces and, voilà, you’re done. I was also able to create schedules and other automations in the app without issue.

It comes with a solar charger. The other companies discussed in this guide either require a separate purchase for a solar charger or don’t even offer one. SwitchBot not only includes the solar panel but also thoughtfully includes some adhesives to help tuck the cable out of the way. I like that the solar panel is small and won’t be an eyesore or otherwise obstruct your view (depending where on the window you place it).

I put mine on the very top left corner of the window where it’s out of the way but still gets a lot of direct sunlight.

The Hub 2 supports only eight devices. I used the SwitchBot Hub 2 for my testing and learned that you can add only eight total devices to it for Matter control.

SwitchBot does mention a possible workaround in its product FAQ, but it’s somewhat inconvenient and potentially only works for Apple Home, if at all. (I didn’t have enough SwitchBot products to test this out myself.) The company says if you put four Blind Tilts into a group in the SwitchBot app, the Apple Home app will see it as “one” product. SwitchBot says you can create up to eight groups of four devices each for a total of 32 products this way.

Some folks are finding the eight-device maximum limiting, though the max was once only six devices, so hopefully they’ll continue to make room for more. SwitchBot says it is working on a new hub for 2025 that will work with more Matter devices.

It can’t be hidden away. Since the Tilt connects to the tilt wand on your existing blinds, it remains clearly visible.

Tilt doesn’t work with cord-operated blinds. If the louvers on your blinds are operated by cords, then this device isn’t for you.

Review SwitchBot’s privacy statement for more information.

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This powerful yet quiet curtain opener is widely compatible with most curtain styles and supports solar charging.

Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings

The SwitchBot Curtain 3 has the best mix of features of all the curtain openers I tested. It has a streamlined design, it works reliably, and it has a motor that can be set to run especially quiet (when it’s in QuietDrift mode; more on that below).

The Curtain 3 will fit on any curtain rod from 0.59 inch to 1.57 inches in diameter, and SwitchBot also sells a U-rail version (an I-rail model is coming but not yet available). The Curtain 3 is the only model we tested that also works with telescopic curtain rods, and it comes with a Rod Connector adapter, which we didn’t need to use in our testing. SwitchBot includes an assortment of clips and a chain, which you may need, depending on the style of curtains you have. A SwitchBot representative told me that the clips are especially beneficial to prevent snagging when you’re using the device with a grommet-style curtain.

It won’t interrupt a conversation. In normal operation, the SwitchBot Curtain 3 runs with just a slight hum—the sound isn’t jarring, but you can definitely tell when the device has been triggered. (The same is true for the Aqara Curtain Driver E1.) In my tests, the sound wasn’t loud enough to wake my napping son when the curtains closed on schedule as the intense late-afternoon sun streaked through the window.

However, the Curtain 3 also has what SwitchBot calls QuietDrift, which is designed to make the opening and closing movements all but undetectable. And it works: In that mode the SwitchBot opener was 24 decibels quieter than in normal mode when I measured it with a sound-meter app 1 foot away from the device. It’s quiet enough that you could sleep through it—and I often did when the curtain automatically opened in the morning.

In the QuietDrift mode, the opener didn’t drop to the 25-decibel claim on SwitchBot’s site, but a decibel reading in the low 30s is significant enough that the sound sinks well into the background.

The reason it’s quieter, however, is that QuietDrift is slow—really slow. My two 50-inch-wide curtain panels took about 10 seconds longer to open or close with the device in QuietDrift compared with the normal setting. In most situations this will be fine, as it basically becomes a background motion that you barely notice.

The main caveat is that QuietDrift works only for schedules and automations, so it doesn’t work when you’re opening and closing the curtains on demand in the app, through voice assistants, or with the remote. In addition, enabling QuietDrift drains the batteries faster (another reason to invest in SwitchBot’s solar-panel accessory).

SwitchBot says that the device’s 3,350 mAh battery should last for as long as eight months before needing to be charged. By comparison, Aqara claims that the 6,400 mAh battery in the Curtain Driver E1 will work for up to one year.

Be prepared to invest in accessories. The Curtain 3 isn’t really smart unless you also buy the $70 SwitchBot Hub 2, which adds remote access and the full range of smart-home options, including voice control. Without a hub, you’re limited to controlling the Curtain 3 by Bluetooth, within a range of roughly 30 feet or less, and you don’t have the ability to create automations or control the device remotely.

SwitchBot also sells a compatible solar charger (about $25 per opener, or sold in a pack of two for about $50 or four for nearly $100), which is worth the investment: The solar charger eliminates worries about changing or recharging batteries, and it has a built-in light sensor, which you can use for creating automations. After you plug in the solar panel and straighten its connector arm, the app automatically recognizes the accessory, showing a little sun on the battery display icon.

The $20 SwitchBot Remote isn’t a must-have but may be useful in situations where a member of the household doesn’t want to use an app or speak voice commands to a smart speaker.

You can mostly hide the magic. When installed, the Curtain 3 itself is fully hidden from people inside the house, staying behind most curtains, which is terrific—these things aren’t meant to be a distraction. But that depends on the fabric of your curtains: If you have gauzy, light-filtering material instead of something opaque, you might be able to see the silhouette of the Curtain 3, and that goes double for the solar-panel charger, which is distracting. If your curtains aren’t see-through, you should be able to hide all the gadgetry, but if you can’t do that, you may be unhappy with the result.

Installation should be easier. Each SwitchBot Curtain 3 has two hooked arms that snap onto the curtain rod. (SwitchBot gave this design an excellent name, calling it DynamiClamp.) You can remove the arms from the main part of the curtain opener by pressing the tab on each side of the unit. SwitchBot suggests removing one of the arms during installation, so you start by hooking one arm on the curtain rod attached to the main robot; once that’s in place, you attach the second arm and connect everything together. Installing the curtain opener in this order is supposed to make things easier, but the arms don’t have much give and are kind of stubborn when you try to position them correctly, a task that could be a challenge or require assistance depending on your level of dexterity and mobility.

It can’t be fully hidden. If you have grommet, ring-top, or tab-top curtains, you will see where the Curtain 3 attaches to the curtain rod at the top.

Setting up Apple Home with Matter was clunky. The SwitchBot Hub 2 works with Matter, but the setup in the app is still in beta, and we found the process tedious. Note that the Matter protocol in general is still in its early days, and getting everything up and running presents a learning curve.

The process involves performing a reset and finding and copying a code—and then, after all that, Matter sees each of the sensors in the Curtain 3 system as a distinct device, which can be confusing. For example, the SwitchBot Hub 2 has humidity and temperature sensors, so in Apple’s Home app they appear in the list as “Matter Accessory,2” and “Matter Accessory,3.” Here’s hoping that future updates will smooth out the process.

Review SwitchBot’s privacy statement for more information.

This easy-to-install opener is especially fast and smooth, has a long-life battery, and offers a heavy-duty design, but it’s louder.

Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings

The Aqara Curtain Driver E1 is well designed, easy to install, and made to fit seamlessly on any curtain rod between 0.98 and 1.26 inches in diameter. It’s also a fast-moving robot with an estimated battery life of up to one year, in contrast to SwitchBot’s expected eight months for the Curtain 3.

The Curtain Driver E1 is available in curtain rod ($100 each) and track ($90 each) versions. For either style you need the $60 Aqara Hub M2 to enable smart functionality. Connecting it to Apple Home simply requires scanning a code found on the bottom of the hub; in our tests, doing so was notably easier than connecting the SwitchBot hub to Matter.

The $18 Aqara Wireless Mini Switch is a remote-control unit that you may consider if members of your household don’t have access to (or interest in using) smartphone apps.

Installation is blissfully easy. Unlike the process with the SwitchBot Curtain 3, installing the Aqara Curtain Driver E1 is simple. It relies on a hook design that can be raised and lowered with just a couple of button presses.

Pressing a button twice on top of the Curtain Driver E1 releases a pair of hooks. After you put the robot on top of the curtain rod and press the button twice again, the hooks move back into position and lock around the rod. The Aqara robot senses where it needs to stop when it reaches the curtain rod, creating a more custom fit than you can get from the SwitchBot design’s roller arms, which have more play.

Like the Curtain 3, the Curtain Driver E1 comes with clips to attach to the curtain rings or elsewhere, depending on the type of curtains you have. Instead of a chain like the one that SwitchBot provides, Aqara includes a long plastic strip with holes, which are meant to connect to each of the clips and then the curtain rings; Aqara specifically recommends using these for grommet-style curtains.

Unfortunately, the use of the plastic strip and clips fails the “unobtrusive design” test. The result wasn’t merely noticeable—it looked bad. Once I installed everything, I went back and spent a few extra minutes tweaking the setup to better hide the strips and clips, but some people may be unhappy about having to do that.

Hartley Charlton of MacRumors had the same concern: “The instruction manual suggests using the clips and strip along the top of a curtain, presumably to help the motor pull it along uniformly, but I found this fiddly and unsightly, with the clips scraping along my ceiling, so I left them off and this didn’t seem to affect the motor’s ability to pull the curtain at all.”

In my installation, the plastic strip did not scrape the ceiling.

It gives you privacy in a hurry. I can’t think of a scenario where you might especially need fast-opening curtains, but if you are into dramatically closing your curtains, this Aqara device can help. In our tests, the Aqara Curtain Driver E1 reached the finish line as the SwitchBot Curtain 3 continued to putter along contentedly.

Granted, the difference was a matter of seconds, but thanks to that speed, the Aqara unit seemed more responsive to commands, without feeling too rough or threatening to damage the curtain rod in its zeal to open or close.

Aqara offers an optional smart remote. The $18 Aqara Wireless Mini Switch provides a way for people to access the smart features sans smartphone. You can program the switch with up to three functions, so you can have it simply open and close your curtains, for example, or set it to trigger a Scene in which, say, the curtains close and your smart lights turn on. It’s a nice alternative to reaching for a phone, especially as you can change its programming easily. It’s nearly impossible to replace the battery, though, which makes it less useful (see below).

It works with only two types of rod curtains. Whereas SwitchBot’s rod-style robot works with grommet, ring-top, back-tab, and tab-top curtain styles, the rod-version Aqara Curtain Driver E1 supports only grommet and ring-top curtain styles. If you have one of those types of rod curtains, you’re good. If not, don’t expect to be able to rig this opener so that it’ll work with your curtains—it won’t.

The Aqara Curtain Driver E1 (track version) is another model that works with both U-rail and I-rail curtain styles.

It can’t be fully hidden. If you are using the Aqara with grommet, ring-top, or tab-top curtains, the adapter parts stick out above the curtain rod at the top.

The optional remote is flawed. No matter how hard I tried, I could not open the remote’s slotted battery compartment as intended. And other people seem to have experienced the same problem. The best advice in that linked Reddit thread suggests sticking the adhesive on the back of the remote to another surface and then turning the remote (instead of trying to turn the top). This tactic worked for me, but it’s way too much effort to open a simple battery door to replace the included Panasonic CR2032 coin cell battery.

Review Aqara’s privacy statement for more information.

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The Ryse SmartShade + BatteryPack was challenging to set up with the optional hub, which you need to enable voice control and other advanced smart-home functions. The app continuously asked me to calibrate my shades, even though I already had. After a day of testing this product with a metal bead chain (which Ryse says is compatible with this product, along with plastic bead chains), some of the pieces of the clutch had broken. It seems others have experienced similar wear on their Ryse units using metal bead chains and related durability issues.

The Eve MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit and the SmartWings Motorized Drapery Rod Kit are both Matter-enabled smart openers that work well, but they’re barely retrofit. You have to fully uninstall your current shades and curtains to install these products, which is at least as involved as starting from scratch. If your existing shades and curtains are compatible with them (and only some will be), they will do the job, but they’re much more complicated than necessary.

The Somfy Irismo 45 WireFree RTS is another interesting option for smart curtain control, but instead of a small device that retrofits to an existing curtain rod or track, this system is a rod with an integrated smart motor. Because this device is in a different category, we don’t currently plan to test it.

This article was edited by Jon Chase and Grant Clauser.

Megan Wollerton

Megan Wollerton is a product tester and an award-winning feature writer. Previously she spent a decade at CNET reviewing all manner of gear and writing long stories about nature. Before that, she blogged for NBC's Syfy Channel. When she isn’t overusing the em dash, Megan is either spending time outside or tracking down the best desserts in a 100-mile radius.

by Megan Wollerton

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