You’re absolutely right—when it comes to creating a truly smart home, the devil is in the details, or in this case, the sensors. Samsung’s SmartThings ecosystem offers a comprehensive suite of smart devices that can transform your home into a connected, convenient, and secure environment. From receiving timely alerts and sounding alarms to unlocking doors and turning on lights, the possibilities are virtually limitless.
However, the linchpin of this smart ecosystem is undoubtedly the motion sensors that power the automation. These sensors act as the eyes and ears of your smart home, triggering actions and alerts based on movement or lack thereof. Their role is so crucial that the effectiveness of your entire smart home setup can hinge on the quality and reliability of these sensors.
Navigating the maze of options can be daunting, but that’s where we come in. We’ve conducted exhaustive research to compile a list of the best motion sensors compatible with the Samsung SmartThings ecosystem. Our list takes into account factors such as sensitivity, range, ease of installation, and user reviews to provide you with the most reliable and effective options on the market.
So, if you’re looking to elevate your SmartThings setup to the next level, look no further. Our curated list is your one-stop guide to making an informed decision, ensuring that your smart home is as intelligent as it is secure and convenient. Your path to a smarter, safer home is just a click away.
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Quick Picks For The Best Motion Sensors For Smartthings
We’ve narrowed down our top options to a select few motion sensors. Whichever option you choose, you can relax knowing that it will function with your SmartThings hub.
| Best overall: Brilliant Smart Home Control Alexa Built-In (4-Switch Panel) | If you’re a Samsung user looking to unify and streamline your smart home experience, the Brilliant Smart Home Control (4-Switch Panel) is tailor-made for you. With compatibility with SmartThings and an intuitive in-wall touchscreen this control panel integrates seamlessly with your Samsung ecosystem, allowing you to effortlessly manage lights, music, and various smart devices. It’s the smart choice for a connected and convenient home. |
| Best Budget Option: Ecolink Z-Wave PIR Motion Detector | This pet immune device can’t be beaten when it comes to preventing false motion detection of all sized pets. |
| Best Indoor Option: Philips Hue Indoor Motion Sensor for Smart Lights | As a Samsung user looking to enhance your smart home experience with intuitive lighting control, the Philips Hue Indoor Motion Sensor offers seamless integration, allowing you to activate and customize your Philips Hue Smart Bulbs for a touch-free, personalized lighting environment. |
| Best Outdoor: Zooz Z-wave Outdoor Motion Sensor | Zooz is an easy-to-use Z-Wave motion sensor that can connect with the holy trinity of smart home systems. |
Our Review Process
As there are so few natively compatible sensors for Samsung SmartThings, we put them all to the test.
We focused on convenience-oriented sensors, such as motion sensors and contact sensors (which detect when a door or window opens or closes), rather than safety-oriented sensors.
We’ve spent a lot of time evaluating linked devices like smart thermostats, garage door controllers, sprinkler controllers, and smoke detectors.
Our team spent over six months living with several motion sensors installed in our house while researching this guide.
We looked at many evaluations of each item we examined, as well as owner reviews and online forums, to get a sense of how people are using it in their homes.
Best Motion Sensors For Samsung Smartthings: Reviewed
Not all Samsung SmartThings motion sensors are created equal. So we’ve put together a list that won’t give you any headaches, and help you keep an eye on your home from anywhere you are.
1. Brilliant Smart Home Control Alexa Built-In (4-Switch Panel)
Imagine having complete control over your smart home devices, lighting, cameras, locks, and more, all from a single touchscreen panel. The Brilliant Smart Home Control (4-Switch Panel) makes it a reality. This easy-to-use panel, with built-in Alexa, replaces a standard 4-gang light switch panel, fitting into your home’s existing electrical setup.
Want to turn regular lights into smart lights? It’s a breeze with support for various bulb types and controls through touch, voice, motion detection, or an app. Enjoy in-wall control of your Sonos speakers, see who’s at the door with Ring Video Doorbell, and even unlock the door without needing a phone.
With a 5-inch LCD touchscreen and a built-in camera with a privacy shutter, this panel is designed for modern living. It’s not just a product; it’s a lifestyle upgrade that puts convenience and control at your fingertips.
2. Ecolink Z-Wave PIR Motion Detector
The Ecolink detector makes it simple and effective to increase the safety of your home.
These smart motion sensors made with premium components can deliver instant and dependable performance as part of your smart home.
Ecolink excels at sensing motion that passes perpendicularly across it at close range.
It comes with a bracket that allows you to put it flat against a wall or in a corner with ease.
This motion detector gives you over 20 different settings that you can access from your phone.
On the downside, the detection angle appears to be limited. Because you can hug the walls and walk right up to it if you install it in the corner.
3. Philips Hue Indoor Motion Sensor for Smart Lights
Imagine walking into a room and having the lights adjust to your presence, perfectly matching the time of day and your preferences. With the Philips Hue Indoor Motion Sensor for Smart Lights, this dream becomes a reality. This sensor allows you to go touch-free, activating your Philips Hue Smart Bulbs with customized settings that you control through the Hue app.
Want to ensure the lighting is never too bright or dim? The sensor detects the ambient light, making automatic adjustments. You can even customize the sensitivity and choose which Hue lights to activate, creating nighttime settings without full brightness or ensuring lights don’t activate during the day.
The Hue Hub, required for this setup, lets you expand up to 50 light-points and sync your lights with music, movies, or your PC monitor. For a personalized, hands-free lighting experience that adds convenience and style to your home, the Philips Hue Indoor Motion Sensor is the smart choice.
4. Zooz Z-Wave Plus S2 Outdoor Motion Sensor
Zooz is a simplistic design that blends in nicely with the rest of your home. The instructions in the handbook do, however, recommend avoiding direct sunlight and rain.
When the battery is low, the device’s LED illuminates when motion is detected. It can also signal when it’s time to replace the battery.
All in all, the batteries should last for up to a year in total. Plus, you might like the aesthetic better without the cable.
Any movement at the sides of the lens, rather than immediately in front, is best detected by the sensor. The sensor may be adjusted to point at your main subject area by tilting it up and down. The motion detection should work well for you as long as you don’t cover too much ground.
5. Aeotec TriSensor, Z-Wave Plus S2 Enabled Zwave Motion Sensor
Looking to enhance your smart home with a versatile and efficient sensor? The Aeotec TriSensor is your all-in-one solution. This compact device offers 3-in-1 functionality, accurately detecting motion up to 23 feet, temperature ranging from -10~50°C, and light levels up to 30000 LUX.
What’s more, it’s wireless and battery-powered, offering an estimated battery life of a year, so you can place it anywhere without worrying about cords. Want to tailor it to your needs? The adjustable calibration lets you set three levels of detection.
Compatibility? The Aeotec TriSensor works seamlessly with certified Z-Wave gateways like Samsung SmartThings, Vera, and more. Plus, with Z-Wave Plus and Z-Wave S2 certification, you get quicker response times, an impressive wireless range of up to 490 feet, and enhanced security encryption.
For a smart, adaptable, and reliable addition to your home security system, the Aeotec TriSensor is a choice that ticks all the boxes. It’s time to take control of your environment!
How To Choose The Best Smartthings Compatible Motion Sensor
There are a lot of factors that contribute to connecting your smart home. Before you begin using your devices, make sure they are working with the SmartThings app and your hub.
Range
The majority of SmartThings motion sensors now have a range of feet and degrees. Consider the area you’d like to cover. Choose a short-range motion sensor if you want to secure a small space. If you need to cover a broad area, choose a long-range sensor. The cost of purchasing this type of motion sensor may vary.
Depending on the design, motion sensors can detect activity from a distance of 15-200 feet. In the traditional sense, motion sensors detect intruders in the home. However, some motion sensors are outside the house to see guests.
The vibrations from a motion detector do not pass through walls. Or other tricky things like furniture. Imagine your motion sensor as a light on the wall when you’re installing it.
Anything that casts a shadow resulting from the light’s position is crucial. It can prevent the motion sensor from covering the shadowed area. Keep in mind that putting motion sensors under an overhang can restrict their range.
Field Of View
The size of the visible world observed at any given time is referred to as the field of view. In the case of motion sensors for SmartThings, it is a solid angle. A detector is sensitive to electromagnetic radiation through this field of view.
Motion sensors are similar to flashlights. In that, they emit a beam of light, but instead of light waves, they detect motion using infrared energy waves. Infrared radiation is denser nearer to the gadget and spreads out farther away. Similar to how light is brighter closer to the bulb.
Most motion sensors detect motion up to 15 feet away. And have a 120-degree field of vision. On the sensor’s base, you can pivot it left/right and up/down to aim it in the most effective direction.
An overhang can obscure the motion detector light’s 180-degree sensing angle. Thus, changing it into a 90-degree sensing angle, just as it does when you wear a hat with a brim or a visor.
Battery
The battery life of a typical motion sensor can last up to two weeks. If you are lucky, some of these devices last for an entire month. Before purchasing, you should check the battery capacity. When the battery life is sufficient, you may easily install it in many places. Notably in drawers, refrigerators, pet doors, near curtains, and so on.
A high-capacity motion sensor battery can improve signal and performance. This no-maintenance feature alleviates the tension that comes with utilizing traditional AC-powered sensors. Some devices work with both battery and USB connections. Most motion sensors are powered by batteries.
Although others are solar-powered or employ another type of energy. You may not need to hardwire any motion sensors, depending on the device. Solar-powered batteries are a huge plus when it comes to saving energy. Unless you don’t get much sun, solar-powered motion sensors are an excellent choice.
Integration With Smartthings
To get the best performance from your motion sensor, you must configure it. Fortunately, the majority of the top SmartThings motion sensors include a simple setup.
In short, setting up the motion sensor shouldn’t be too difficult. Some models may feature mounting choices that are ideal for your needs.
The correct position is critical in this scenario. You can also connect your motion sensor to your system by following the instructions. Most DIY systems will assist you through the setup of your motion detectors, often utilizing the main keypad or a mobile app.
Furthermore, a hub enables many devices to connect to improve performance. If you’re using a generic hub, make sure all of your sensors are operating simultaneously.
FAQs About the Best Motion Sensors for SmartThings
We’ve tried answering all your burning questions about motion sensors for the Samsung SmartThings Hub in the above paras, still, a few more to go.
What is Samsung SmartThings?
Samsung SmartThings is a user-friendly smart home platform. A Samsung SmartThings network is made up of both software and hardware. To complete the setup, a hub and a compatible SmartThings app are required. The hub communicates with SmartThings-compatible smart home technology.
A Samsung SmartThings compliant hub connects to a router, either physically or wirelessly, and controls all the devices and sensors, ultimately storing the data of all the communications either locally or by sending it to the cloud.
What are the causes of false alarms for motion sensors?
Pets, rats, and insects may set off some motion detectors.
Pet owners should make sure their home security system has “pet-friendly” sensors, to avoid any false alarms due to the pets roaming around the house.
Unlocked or buckling doors and windows are other typical sources of false alarms. A two-piece sensor is typically used for window and door security, one mounted on the frame and the other on the window or the door. The alarm will ring if the connection between the two contacts is broken. A partially closed door or window can be blown wide open by the wind.
How to reboot the SmartThings Hub?
If you’re having problems with your SmartThings Hub, a simple reboot may be all you need. The resetting process for the SmarTthings motion sensor should be pretty straightforward.
If your motion sensor isn’t working correctly, a reset may be necessary. Here’s how to do a manual reset and configuration. You can use one of three techniques to restart your SmartThings hub.
For 7 seconds, press and hold the recessed Reset button on the back of the hub (release when the LED turns off)
Plug the Hub back in after unplugging it (fast restart)
Unplug the hub for at least 6 minutes before reconnecting it.
Can you connect a motion sensor with other smart devices?
The SmartThings Hub communicates with wireless sensors. As the brain of your smart home, it can also communicate with plugs. Thus, increasing their battery life and reducing the load on your home Wi-Fi.
It also enables your sensors to communicate with one another and with a variety of smart brands. SmartThings is compatible with thousands of other smart devices including Samsung, Amazon, Google, Philips Hue, Ring, and Sonos.
You may use the app or your voice to control various things. Particularly speakers, cameras, thermostats, lighting, washing machines, and more. You can also track their energy use, plan start and stop times, and manage them remotely in one spot.
Final Thoughts
We have tried listing out the best motion sensors for lighting and security systems to connect with Samsung SmartThings. Each has its pluses and minuses.
With all the discussed factors, you may select the best motion sensors!
