You can make almost all parts of your home smart, including window coverings. There are various solutions on the market to automate your curtains, blinds or roller blinds. In this review we tested the SwitchBot Curtain 3.
The third generation SwitchBot Curtain is a smart, quiet and powerful curtain motor that you can easily attach to your existing curtain rail. The motors ensure that the curtains are operated electronically and with the help of automation they also become super smart.
SwitchBot Curtain 3
The SwitchBot Curtain is a small curtain motor that is attached to the rails of your curtains. You can open and close the curtains electronically with the accompanying app or remote control. If you also use a SwitchBot hub, you can automate the curtains, control them remotely and use them with voice assistants or smart home platforms such as HomeKit, Google Home and Matter.
Installation is quick, easy and clearly explained as you go through the installation process in the app. The battery life is approximately 8 months and charging is a breeze. You can also connect solar panels to it to charge the motor.
- Suitable for U-rails and round curtain rod (15-40 mm), I-rails will be available soon.
- Powerful and quiet motor (42 dB in normal mode, 25 dB in quiet mode)
- Maximum rail length is 3 meters
- Suitable for curtains up to 16 kg
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Available in white
- Recommended retail price of €89 each
- Optional accessories such as Hub 2, Solar Panel and Thermometer + Hygrometer
- Support for Matter, HomeKit, Alexa and Google Home
Design Curtain 3
If you want to automate your existing curtains, you will always have to look for an intermediate solution. For example, there are smart curtains where the mechanism is in the curtain rail, but you pay the top price for that. The SwitchBot Curtain 3 is a nice solution and uses your current system.
The Curtain 3 is available for U-rails, I-rails (soon) and round curtain rod (15-40 mm). The design of the SwitchBot Curtain 3 is neutral and stylish. Compact and small is not the solution, but it is neatly concealed behind your curtain. So the system is not visible from the inside.
The SwitchBot Curtain 3 is available in white and feels solid. With a size of 78 × 71 × 205 mm and a weight of 280 grams, the curtain motor cannot really be called small, but it is not unnecessarily large either.
Installation SwitchBot Curtain 3
SwitchBot states that installing the Curtain 3 is a breeze and takes just 30 seconds. In practice that is not the case, you still have to take the time to make it a success.
It is true that the system is quite easy to install, but it does take more than half a minute. Before you can get started, you must install the SwitchBot app on a smartphone, because the motors must be linked to the SwitchBot system and your account.
The app allows you to go through the installation process step by step and everything is clearly explained. You can click open the SwitchBot Curtain 3 and hang one of the two parts in or around the rail. Then you place the second part and you can click them back on the motor.
Using a small magnet you can indicate the center and direction of opening. This ‘offline’ solution uses the Curtain motor to determine the position so it always works.
During the installation process you can determine how far the curtains should be opened by the motors. This way you determine the ‘end of the rail’ and the magnet in the middle determines the closed position and direction. Calibration can always be performed again afterwards.
 |
 Category: Lifestyle, Services Developer: wonderlabs, Incorporated  IAP 4+ 505MBDOWNLOAD FOR FREE |
Control SwitchBot Curtain 3
Once you have installed the SwitchBot Curtain 3 and linked it to the app, you can control it. This can be done in four ways:
- Manually through the curtain
- Using a Switchbot Remote (remote control)
- Via the SwitchBot app
- A smart home platform (Matter)
Open curtains manually
Even though you use a curtain motor, you can always operate the curtains manually. As soon as you pull the curtain, the motor registers this and will take over the opening and closing process.
SwitchBotRemote
SwitchBot has all kinds of accessories for their products including the SwitchBotRemote. You can link this remote control to your curtains via the application and open or close them with one push of a button.
Control with the SwitchBot app
Because the SwitchBot Curtain 3 uses Bluetooth, you can always operate and manage it via the SwitchBot application. You can easily open, close the curtains and link a schedule so that the curtains open and close automatically.
Smart home platform
Finally, you can also connect the SwitchBot Curtain 3 to your favorite smart home platform thanks to Matter. This is not standard in the system and requires an additional investment. As a user you can use the SwitchBot Hub 2 purchase. You place this hub centrally in your home and serve as a means of communication between all your SwitchBot accessories.
The Hub 2 has support for Matter and can be linked to HomeKit, Google Home, Alexa and Homey. Thanks to the hub, you can also control your curtains and other SwitchBot devices remotely (outdoors).
Solar Panel for Curtain 3
You can charge the SwitchBot Curtain manually via the included USB-C cable and an adapter that you have at home. Charging is a snap and according to SwitchBot the battery lasts 8 months in normal conditions. My suspicion is that this is slightly lower and will be closer to five to six months, which is also an excellent achievement.
If desired, you can connect a Solar Panel to the curtain motor. You place this in the USB-C port and offer three advantages.
- Automatically charges the battery when the solar panel generates power.
- Controls the brightness and light incidence (lux), allowing you to set automations based on light intensity.
- Adds counterweight to the SwitchBot Curtain so that it hangs even more stable
The biggest advantage of the solar panel is the automatic charging of the batteries as soon as light falls on the panel. This means you will rarely or never have to manually charge the battery. There is even a special function available in the app that ensures that the curtain automatically moves to the charging position at a desired time.
You can also set automations based on light. If the solar panel registers a certain amount of light, you can automatically open or close the curtains. Handy in the summer to keep the house cool.
SwitchBot Curtain 3 in practice
We have been using the SwitchBot Curtain 3 in combination with a Solar Panel, Remote and Hub 2 for several weeks now and I have to admit that everything continues to work flawlessly. After installing the curtain motor and connecting all kinds of smart automations and functions, everything goes automatically.
The motor has no trouble opening and closing the curtains several times a day. We can operate them at the touch of a button, but pulling the curtain also works. The motor registers this and will then take over the process.
The SwitchBot Curtain 3 is quiet in use (approximately 45dB), especially if you use the QuietDrift Mode. Thanks to this function, the noise remains below 25dB, ideal for waking up in the morning with natural light, because you can hardly hear the motor.
Thanks to the Hub 2, you can connect the SwitchBot system to all kinds of smart home platforms, including HomeKit. Matter is used for this. In Apple’s Home app you can then open, close the curtains and add HomeKit automations. Extensive features are only available in the SwitchBot app, but that’s due to the limitations of Matter and HomeKit.
The system hangs behind your curtain and is not visible from the inside and is neatly concealed. This is different when you look in from the outside. Especially when the curtains are closed, you can see the Curtain 3 hanging. It is not disturbing, but if the solar panel is also attached, you do have a visible system.
Conclusion: SwitchBot Curtain 3
REVIEW SCORE
Are you looking for a smart solution to automate the opening and closing of your curtains? Then the SwitchBot Curtain 3 is a perfect solution. You can then operate the curtains with the app and remote control, but you actually make such a system smart for the automations.
Using a schedule, you can automatically open and close the curtains and link them to all kinds of tasks and events. For example, schedules allow you to simulate that someone is at home when you are on vacation. If you also use the solar panel, you can operate the curtains based on the light. Handy when it is summer and you want to keep your house cool by closing the curtains.
You have the option to open or close the curtains via the app, this is also possible with a linked remote control or via a smart assistant thanks to the SwitchBot Hub 2 and Matter.
The SwitchBot Curtain 3 is stylish, minimalist and is neatly concealed behind the curtain and is barely visible. The motor is quiet, especially when you use the QuietDrift Mode, ideal for waking up in the morning with natural light.
- Simple solution for existing system
- Quiet motor, including extra quiet QuietDrift Mode
- Can operate curtains up to 16 kg
- Easy to install, including smart magnets
- Automate using schedule and app
- Works with Matter and HomeKit (Hub 2 required)
- Long battery life and optional solar panel charging
- Hub 2 required to be able to be operated remotely
- Visible when you look in from the outside
- Maximum length for rail is 3 m
Buy SwitchBot Curtain 3
If you want to automate your existing curtains and make them smart, you can consider purchasing the SwitchBot Curtain 3. Depending on the existing system you will need one or two pieces, in most cases two. The recommended retail price is €89 each.
You can also purchase optional accessories such as a SwitchBot Hub 2, Solar panel and/or remote control. If you also want to control the curtains based on room temperature or humidity, you can also use a thermometer + hygrometer purchase. This can make it an expensive investment with all the accessories.
