We tested the Meross smoke detector for HomeKit

We test the Meross smoke sensor, compatible with HomeKit, for improve the security of your home in a very simple way and for little money.

A smoke detector can make the difference between a scare and a disaster, and for little money and with a very simple installation you can have it in your home completely compatible with your HomeKit network, which means you will receive alerts on your mobile wherever you are. In this Meross kit that we are analyzing today, everything necessary to install it from scratch is included, including the small bridge or “hub” necessary for its configuration.

Features

• photoelectric sensor
• Operation with 2 replaceable AA batteries (1 year battery life)
• 85dB alarm
• Temperature Sensitivity 54ºC – 70ºC
• 2.4GHz Wi-Fi hub connectivity
• Hub to connect up to 16 devices
• Compatible with HomeKit and SmartThings
• Scope of delivery: alarm, hub, 2 AA batteries, plugs and fixing screws, USB-A to microUSB cable, USB-A charger

Setup and setup

For installing a smoke detector you must have the Meross hub. You can buy the full kit, like the one we’re reviewing here, or just the smoke detector if you already have a hub (supports up to 16 devices). Although the concentrator needs a nearby socket to connect it to the mains (the charger and cable are included in the box), the smoke detector operates on batteries, which are replaceable (2xAA) and last for up to at one year with normal conditions. use.

The configuration is done from the Meross application, by first adding the hub and then adding the smoke sensor. The hub is the one that includes the HomeKit code, while accessories that automatically connect to it are automatically added to HomeKit as long as they are compatible. The setup process is very simple and the app gives you very clear instructions in Spanish.

Functioning

There’s not much you can do with a smoke detector, just put it in the right place and let it do its thing. It is important to place it in a suitable place: close enough to any possible element of risk so that it detects any accident as soon as possible. but close enough to cause false alarms. For example, if we place it just above the place where we cook, it will constantly detect smoke, which is not desirable. In my case, I placed it just above the kitchen door, about 4 meters from where I cook.

This smoke detector does not only do that, it also detects overheating, sometimes precursors of smoke. If the ambient temperature is too high (54 ºC to 70 ºC), the alarm will be triggered, as if there were smoke. And if you add multiple smoke detectors, when the alarm goes off in one, it will go off in all of them, to make sure the whole house is aware of the danger.

In case of smoke detection or temperature increase not only will the alarm sound, but we will also receive a notification on our devices in which we have the Casa app (also in the Meross app). It will not be a normal notification, it will be one of the most important that skips the Do Not Disturb mode to ensure that we receive it. There is not much more to do in HomeKit with this accessory, although we can create automations to improve the alarm system, such as turning on a red light, for example.

Editor’s review

Meross offers us a smoke (and heat) detector which, like conventional detectors, has a built-in alarm to warn us of danger, but also has integration with HomEKit, which means that it will warn us wherever we are, directly in our iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad or any other device connected with the home application. Easy to set up, easy to install and with conventional replaceable batteries, you couldn’t ask for anything more. You can buy it at Amazon (link) by $49.99 (with Hub) or $45.99 (without Hub)

Versus

• Requires a bridge to operate