Why you can trust TechRadar
We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
SmartWings Motorized Smart Shades: one-minute review
Setup of the SmartWings motorized shades definitely took some doing. The included screws were so soft that they were stripped right away. Still, we got them installed. Then, getting them up and running also took a bit of doing and required a call to customer service to get everything connected properly. Once all that was done, the blinds worked like a dream. They do everything you want smart blinds to do. You can connect them to just about any platform such as Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings, and Google Assistant via Matter over Thread. Control them with your voice, tap to operate them on your phone, or set up automations. Open and close them all the way or just partially. You can also just use the included remote control.
The blinds are battery-operated, and can be recharged via a wall outlet or with a small solar panel that attaches to your window. I installed the blinds over a month ago, and I haven’t had to recharge the battery yet. I set up an automation in Apple HomeKit so the blinds open at sunrise and close at sunset, which works beautifully.
SmartWings Motorized Smart Shades: price & availability
- Fairly expensive
- Custom-sized
- Requires a Wi-Fi hub to work remotely
You can order SmartWings Smart Shades directly from the SmartWings website or from Amazon. The price varies by size but starts at $154.99 (£119.50/245.92 AUD.) I selected the Zebra Blinds; the size and style you see in my photos goes for $424.95 (£327.74/674.13 AUD.) You will need to measure your window precisely before ordering; I’d recommend watching the video on SmartWings’ website to ensure you do it correctly.
There are many styles and colors from which to choose; I selected the “Zebra Shades 60% Blackout Translucent 75mm Eloise” style with the light grey fabric.
SmartWings Motorized Smart Shades: design
- Attractive
- Smooth and quiet operation
- Not the easiest to install
You will need a drill in order to install the SmartWings blinds. The included screws are soft and thread quite easily. If you’re not careful, you may need to find alternative screws in order to get the blinds installed.
Other than the screw threading issue, installation is fairly straightforward with a power drill and the included instructions and hardware. The solar panel is a simple peel-and-stick application.
Then you’ll need to set up the blinds with your smartphone or device of choice. You’ll also need to have a home hub of some kind if you want to be able to control your blinds from outside the home. I used my iPhone to set it up in Apple HomeKit and my mini HomePod as a hub. This also took some doing, as the included instructions aren’t the most clear. After talking to SmartWings’ customer service, which was remarkably easy to get ahold of, I was able to get the blinds up and running.
The underside of the blinds motor has a small button and a USB-C port. The USB-C port is used for charging; you can charge up the blinds using the solar panel or directly to a wall outlet. The button is used during setup. It’s hard to press and hold that button with a finger so the customer service rep I spoke with recommended using a pencil eraser to get the necessary traction. That worked great.
You may notice that the blinds seem a bit narrow for my window. That’s entirely on me, since I measured the blinds for an “inside the frame” placement before realizing that my window frame doesn’t allow that kind of installation. I had to install it on the outside of the frame instead, so the blinds don’t fit perfectly.
I think these blinds look just fine. There are probably prettier smart blinds out there, but the simple, streamlined look works for my space. I do wish they’d been a little easier to set up and install, but luckily that only needs to be done once. Overall, they are well-designed blinds. Watching them open and close is actually kind of mesmerizing and soothing.
SmartWings Motorized Smart Shades: performance
- No app download necessary
- Matter motor over Thread protocol allows you to use any platform
- Motor is smooth and quiet
Because the SmartWings Smart Blinds have a Matter motor which uses the Thread protocol, they are platform agnostic. This means that you can set up the blinds to work with any platform, such as Google, Samsung, Amazon, or Apple. I’m Apple everything, so I set it up on my iPhone in Apple’s HomeKit. You don’t even need to download a SmartWings app; I just used the Home app on my iPhone.
If you only need to control your blinds from within your home, you could just set it up on your smartphone and leave it at that. However, if you want to be able to control your blinds from anywhere, you’ll need some kind of home hub. I used my Apple HomePod mini.
Once you get everything connected, control is very straightforward. Just tap the controls on your smartphone. The iPhone Home app allows you raise and lower the blinds to a specific percentage, use Siri to control the blinds, and set up Automations so your blinds open and close automatically when you want. Of course, you can also just use the included remote control, which has its own holder that you can attach to the window frame.
Once you take the time to set up your SmartWings Smart Blinds with your platform of choice, the possibilities are endless. I used Apple HomeKit set mine to open at sunrise and close at sunset, but you could also set them up to open and close at specific times or when you’re doing certain activities. I also frequently use my voice to tell Siri to open and close the blinds, fully, or part way. It all works quite smoothly and the mechanism isn’t loud at all.
Should you buy the SmartWings Motorized Smart Shades?
|
Attribute |
Notes |
Score |
|---|---|---|
|
Value |
They are not cheap but not outrageous for a custom smart blind. |
4/5 |
|
Design |
Setup could have been easier, but the design is practical and attractive. |
4/5 |
|
Performance |
Once set up, the blinds are easy to use and work seamlessly and quietly. |
4.5/5 |
Buy it if
Don’t buy it if
SmartWings Motorized Smart Shades: also consider
Looking for something a little different? Here are two other options you might want to consider.
How I tested the SmartWings Motorized Smart Shades
I installed the SmartWings Motorized Smart Shade in an office window in my home. I set it up with Apple HomeKit on my iPhone and my HomePod mini as a hub. I spent several weeks with the blinds before reviewing. I controlled the blinds various ways during that time: the Home app on my iPhone, my voice and Siri, and the included remote control. I also set up an Automation in HomeKit to have the blinds open at sunrise and close at sunset.
First reviewed April 2025
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kP9bFqRnwZV3rnrwMLCAyH-1200-80.jpg
Source link
