Smart blinds—are they worth it? Here's what we think

The home is getting a whole lot smarter, but while most aspects of the lighting of your home can be controlled in a smart way, there’s one aspect that took a little longer—blinds. Smart blinds, however, are finally here and widely available.

Smart blinds take the concept of automatic motorized blinds, and integrate that into your smart home. What does that mean? Basically, it lets you control your blinds based on the time of day, light level, or manually using your voice or your phone. Shop smart blinds on Amazon

What are smart blinds?

Like regular window treatments, smart blinds offer privacy, allow you to control the amount of outdoor light coming into your home, and may provide some relief to your energy bill by blocking out heat from the sun. And, just like typical window coverings, smart blinds come in a variety of styles, fabrics, and designs.

Unlike traditional blinds, however, smart blinds are motorized and have the radios necessary to connect those motors to the internet. That means that you don’t have to pull on a cord or twirl a wand to open and close smart blinds—just let Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri handle that for you using the companion app or via a device like a smart speaker.

You could even have automations set up to open and close your blinds automatically. This could be based on the time of day, the lighting in your home (if you have a light meter), or the state of another device.

Controlling your blinds and shades with these voice-activated technologies may seem futuristic, but the technology is becoming increasingly popular.

Several major smart home and window treatment design companies such as Eve, Lutron, Somfy, Pella, and even Ikea sell automated smart blinds that integrate with home automation systems.

How do smart blinds work?

Smart shades operate in either one of two ways. You can buy motorized smart blinds, or you can retrofit your current window treatments and turn them into smart shades.

Many of the smart blind systems on the market are compatible with one of the three major smart home ecosystems: Amazon Echo, Google Home, or Apple HomeKit. Some smart blind systems, like the Yoolax Motorized Blind Shades, are sold with a remote that can also be used to control the window coverings. $140 on Amazon

Want to turn your current shades into smart blinds? Several companies sell small, battery-operated devices that connect to the cord or chain on your existing window treatments, and then communicate with the rest of your smart home. Sounds easy enough, right? That’s because it is.

The other option is to purchase all-new motorized smart blinds. For example, the Serena Shades by Lutron offer geofencing technology, meaning that the shades will automatically adjust based on your location.

Do you close the blinds as you leave in the morning? Or maybe you like for them to be up when you come home from work? Lutron's smart home system can automatically alter the smart blinds based on your preferences. There are other options that do this too, so you don’t have to go for Lutron’s shades if you don’t want to.

Looking for light blocking smart window treatments? The Graywind Motorized Shades, can be controlled using Alexa, Google Assistant, and the companion app, and come in a variety of colors. $160 at Amazon

Pella offers smart blinds between the glass panes of new windows. This may be a good option if you’re considering purchasing both anyway. The window coverings can be controlled with Pella's Insynctive technology via remote control or via a hub that connects to Google Home and your smartphone.

Want the shades to open once the sun comes up? Or maybe you want to make sure your blinds close once it’s dark outside? Smart blinds can help with that. Keep reading to learn some of the other benefits of smart blinds.

There are smart blinds that work with all different smart home ecosystems, including Google Home, Alexa, and Apple HomeKit.

In the near future, there will be smart blinds that support Matter too.

Eve has promised an update to its smart blinds with Matter support, and going forward, we’re expecting many more Matter-certified smart blinds that work with all smart home ecosystems.

How much do smart blinds cost?

Another factor to consider when determining if smart blinds are right for you is the cost. As with anything, smart blinds can radically vary in price. Motorized smart blinds tend to be pricier than retrofit options, costing several hundred dollars per window.

However in recent years, cheaper options from the likes of Ikea have emerged too. The cost of the shade can be largely dictated by the size of the window. You can expect to pay less for smaller smart window coverings and more for larger smart blinds.

It’s also worth noting that professional installation may be recommended by the manufacturer for motorized smart blinds, at least in some cases. However, you should be able to install retrofit treatments yourself.

Keep in mind that a hub may be required for certain smart window treatments, to connect those smart blinds to the rest of your smart home. So, consider these extra costs as you form your budget and price out options.

Do you need smart blinds?

Need is a strong word. But, the modern convenience of being able to control your blinds and shades without having to lift a finger may be enough to sway you. If you want all aspects of your home lighting to be smart, then blinds are an important piece of that puzzle.

Smart blinds could even save you money. These blinds can help regulate the temperature in your home by blocking the sun at certain times of the day, or letting it in at other times, helping cut down on the amount of air conditioning or heating you might need.

Smart blinds can also be set to an automated schedule. This feature can be helpful if you travel frequently and want to give the appearance that you’re home by opening and closing the blinds each day.

The functionality is also useful so you never have to remember to adjust the blinds again in the morning or at night. Blocking outside light will help you sleep better, and letting in the sunshine will help you wake up in the mornings.

Electronic smart window treatments are also ideal for those nights when you want more privacy but you don’t want to get off the couch or crawl out of bed. Or, when you’re relaxing on the couch on a weekend morning and want to let some light in.

You can simply reach over and use your mobile device or tablet to open and close the blinds, or just call out for Alexa, Google, or Siri to get the job done.

Shop smart blinds on Amazon