What are your favorite remotes?

[McGarrett]

Everyone has their favorite remotes, hand controllers or keypads and I'm always on the hunt for new ones to add to my setup. Here's hoping to discover some new gems with your input.

Utility, ergonomics, style and reliability are typical measurement criteria and I will easily retire a device if it doesn't add to the UX or if the WAF is low. So here's my current list as paired to HS:


All time favorite

• Aeotec Minimote (Zwave) - have had these for years, still using 4 of them and they are superstars!

In the mix

• Lutron Picos (RF)
  • Lots of them deployed, 10 to be exact. Fast response and rock solid but limited in their use due to form factor / visual layout
• Fibaro Button (Zwave)
  • Hated this device until I found the perfect use, and now I love it!
• Zooz ZEN32 (Zwave)
  • Genius device - great keypad, nice and clicky, lots of functionality for control and feedback. Can't say enough good stuff about it!
• Hank 4-button (Zwave)
  • Sorta weird layout, similar to Ikea Tradfri. Couldn't get user buy-in so its been on the shelf for a while
• Aeotec Wallmote Quad (Zwave)
  • Not happy with this one. Buggy and sends bad data when battery is running low. Keep it around in very limited personal use only because it cost me a pretty penny
• Aqara MiniSwitch (Zigbee)
  • What a trooper this device is! Use it outside as a doorbell and at temps as low as -30C, it hasn't failed yet.
• Aqara Cube (Zigbee)
  • Silly but fun device that responds to orientation. Flip it, slide it, shake it, etc all produce a unique central scene command. Don't have a use for it though so it sits as an objet d'art

Next on the list

I'd like to try out the RGBGenie 12 button remote (Zigbee). Also comes branded as iCasa / Sunricher / Envilar / Namron and probably more. Looks like an Amazon Firestick remote.



So, what are your favorite remotes?

[Rupp]

Wow, I do not use a single remote any longer. What do you use all of these remotes for? Alexa replaced all of my remotes.

[Dweber85rc]

I use hstile on repurpased tablets and laptops throughout the house as my remote.

[prsmith777]

I use a Logitech Harmony elite remote for the bedroom. Logitech stopped making their remotes last year so prob not a good option for the future.

I mapped the bottom 10 buttons to various devices in the bedroom including lights, shades, fan, humidifier etc. Had to use the IR output of the remote to an IRTrans receiver to get it into Homeseer but it works very well.

[Eman]

Built for purpose if you can wait : YIO Remote Two : https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...two?ref=aex02z Was started as sprinter group from the original NEEO Remote now owned by Control 4

• For the NEEO is no longer accessible without deep pockets

The WEMO Stage, Smart Scene controller : Currently works with Apple Homekit but designed with THREAD in mind.


Eman.

[McGarrett]

Wow, I do not use a single remote any longer. What do you use all of these remotes for? Alexa replaced all of my remotes.

I'm really into tactile remotes. Touchscreens are cool and you can get a lot of use out of a little amount of real estate, but not great to toss about and have at your fingertips. And no way you can use one without looking at it.

Almost all of my lighting is scene based - I like painting with luminosity and highlighting different aspects or features of rooms, so most rooms have several light sources which I've tweaked to my liking and tactile remotes do really well at triggering scenes quickly. Same for Sonos, groups / volumes / playlists & stations are user friendly when there's a single button push.

+1 for the Logitech. A real shame what they've done, a real shame.

[prsmith777]

Built for purpose if you can wait : YIO Remote Two : https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...two?ref=aex02z Was started as sprinter group from the original NEEO Remote now owned by Control


Eman.

The local open API would make this a winner straight up.

[ewkearns]

I have the Aeon Minimote (Hershey bar) and like that a lot. I guess I could replace it with Alexa as Rupp suggests since it is on the other bedside table, but being in a bedroom, I can press buttons and not have a conversation with Alexa over a sleeping person's head.

[rmasonjr]

I have the Aeon Minimote (Hershey bar) and like that a lot. I guess I could replace it with Alexa as Rupp suggests since it is on the other bedside table, but being in a bedroom, I can press buttons and not have a conversation with Alexa over a sleeping person's head.

My wife has said the same thing - she'd rather have a push button instead of talking when one of us is sleeping. But as with remotes, they tend to fall off the table and get somewhat lost when they land on the floor.

[ewkearns]

My wife has said the same thing - she'd rather have a push button instead of talking when one of us is sleeping. But as with remotes, they tend to fall off the table and get somewhat lost when they land on the floor.

I've never had a problem with that, but that damn firestick remote is the bane of my existence...

[Rupp]

I have the Aeon Minimote (Hershey bar) and like that a lot. I guess I could replace it with Alexa as Rupp suggests since it is on the other bedside table, but being in a bedroom, I can press buttons and not have a conversation with Alexa over a sleeping person's head.

This is where the Alexa whisper mode shines.

[kenm]

Aeotec Minimote, Hank 4-button, Zen32, Zen34, Harmony Elite, and X10 palm pads for physical remotes. Several tablets running Jon00's HSTiles.

My attempts with using voice control have failed miserably. My wife would rather know there's a physical button on the wall or table to turn on/off the lights vs. regularly getting met with "Hmm, I can't seem to find that device in <insert name>'s account".

I also use a lot of scenes for rooms and the Zen32 works perfect for that.

[NickTheGreat]

I've transitioned all to Caseta remotes. Get the hub and the plugin and they work really well.

[kenm]

I've transitioned all to Caseta remotes. Get the hub and the plugin and they work really well.

Dang it. Another toy to add to my wish list.

[McGarrett]

Dang it. Another toy to add to my wish list.

Beauty is you can pick up the Caseta Lamp Module bundle which includes a Pico for less than the buying the lamp module alone.