While HomeKit may lag behind the competition in other smart home categories, Apple's platform supports a surprising number of smart blinds and smart shades. These nifty gadgets let you open and close them using either your HomeKit app or voice commands, while also allowing you to program in daily schedules or operate them remotely.
Smart blinds are a great way to upgrade your smart home – and if you're running HomeKit, there are a ton of products to consider. To help you with your search, here's a look at the best HomeKit smart blinds available today.
Ikea Fyrtur
- Premium polyester material
- Cordless design
- Simple installation process
- Limited selection of styles
- Requires a hub to use HomeKit
Though you’ll need the Dirigera hub to get it synced properly with HomeKit, that’s a minor inconvenience for an otherwise well-rounded package. Ikea is known for its sleek designs and reasonable prices – and that’s once again the case with the Fyrtur roller blinds. Available in a variety of sizes and built with polyester for a durable, wrinkle-resistant look, few smart blinds are as stylish as this. They’re also cordless (which is great for homes with kids or pets) and feature a rechargeable battery that makes it easy to keep them charged and ready for action. Ikea ensured the installation process is straightforward, so even if you have minimal DIY skills, you should be able to get your Fyrtur blinds up and running without much hassle.
Graywind Motorized Shades
- Tons of customization options
- Robust companion app
- Additional support for Amazon Alexa
- Only block 60% of light
Available in a variety of styles and sizes, the Graywind Motorized Light Filtering Shades are a great option for HomeKit users. Keep in mind that these aren’t blackout shades – they filter out 60% of light – so they aren’t ideal for home theaters or bedrooms, but if you want something that diffuses light and gives you a bit of added privacy, it’s hard to beat these sleek shades. If you decide you don’t want to control them with HomeKit, you’ll be glad to know that they offer support for Amazon Alexa and features their own companion app for added flexibility.
Eve MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit
- Allows you to keep your current shades
- Straightforward installation process
- Reasonable price
- Won't work with all existing shades
Love your current blinds, but wish they were a bit smarter? Consider taking a look at the Eve MotionBlinds Upgrade Kit, which lets you upgrade indoor blinds and adds support for HomeKit. Once you’ve replaced your blinds’ existing tube with the Eve upgrade kit, you’ll be able to control them with Siri, set schedules, and automate just about everything about their performance. Keep in mind that this won’t work with all existing products (there are some strict requirements your blinds will have to meet), but be sure to check out this upgrade kit before springing for a whole new set of blinds.
SmartWings Motorized Zebra Shades
- Unique "zebra" design
- Multiple color options
- Supports additional smart home platforms
- Zebra design won't be to everyone's liking
The SmartWings Motorized Zebra Shades might be the most unique product on this list, thanks to their dual-layer design that lets you switch between sheer and privacy modes. This gives them a bit more functionality than other products, as they offer simple light filtering in one mode and 50% blackout in another. You’ll also benefit from a free two-year warranty and an easy installation process. HomeKit is fully supported (as are Alexa and Google Home), and if you’re not a fan of this Zebra design, be sure to check out all the other SmartWing blinds that play nicely with Apple’s smart home platform.
