Category: Home Automation

If you are thinking of setting up your own DIY home automation system like I did, you may have already thought of various things it should do.

For example, light up the corridor in the hall when motion is detected but only if its dark. With conventional Z-Wave sensors, you need a separate light sensor and motion sensor to achieve this. But a single multi sensor like the Aeotec Multisensor 7 that has both light and motion sensors can do this and so much more, at a fraction of the cost.

(* = affiliate link / image source: Amazon Associates Program)

A quick note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post contains affiliate link(s). An affiliate link means I may earn advertising or referral fees if you make a purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

Best Z-Wave Sensor in 2024 – Recommendation Summary & Comparison

Click each sensor to scroll to read more about it. You can check the latest Amazon price by clicking on the check price buttons.

[table id=74 responsive=scroll /]

(* = affiliate link / image source: Amazon Associates Program)

Aeotec is the brand name of Aeon Labs, a company founded in 2006 and headquartered in California. They have offices in London and Hong Kong also, plus manufacturing facilities in China. Aeotec makes every Z-Wave device you can think of – power plugs, strips, multi-sensors, flood sensors, water main valve controllers, dimmers, relays, garage door controllers, sirens, touch panels, remotes, doorbells, energy meters, and on and on. Another brand you may come across is Oomi which are white-labelled Aeotec products.

The Multisensor 7 is the only 6-in-1 multi-sensor in the market and represents great value for money with the motion, temperature, light, humidity, UV and vibration sensors all packed into a tiny cube. All these features haven’t compromised battery life though – Aeotec suggests a 3 year battery life. Indeed, I have been using the previous model (the Aeotec Multisensor 6) for over 5 years now and only had to change the batteries once!

Of course you can always run it on AC power using the included USB cable – you just need to provide a power adaptor. In AC power mode, the MultiSensor 7 will send measurements to the Z-Wave controller in real-time in addition to working as a Z-Wave network extender/repeater.

Please refer to my in-depth hands-on review to learn more about this excellent Z-Wave sensor:

The Zooz Motion sensor has been around for a long time and the latest version is something that definitely is worth consideration. It has all the common sensors you’ll need – motion, illumination level, temperature and humidity.

There are 7 levels of motion detection sensitivity. There’s also a multi-colour LED that is very customisable – there are 4 modes you can put it in:

• Mode 1 = LED indicator is fully turned off (no visual notifications).
• Mode 2 = temperature is indicated by the LED pulsing and motion indicated by the LED flashing.
• Mode 3 = temperature and motion indicated by flashing the LED. Flashes every 3 minutes for temperature.
• Mode 4 = no indication for temperature, motion indicated by flashing the LED.

Moreover, the LED notification for temperature can be colour-coded based on the detected temperature.

If you do not need the Aeotec Multisensor 7 but still prefer the Aeotec brand, here’s another option. This new multi-sensor has can be installed in 4 different ways: in the corner, on a shelf, beam or in the Aeotec Recessor for flush false ceiling installation.

Apart from looking very stylish, the motion sensor has a very good range of up to 7.5 metres. The light sensor has a range of 0-30000 Lux and can be used to automatically turn on/dim/off lights in your home. So a popular use case is to ramp up lamps as daylight breaks, and dim them as evening sets in.

The TriSensor multisensor comes pre-installed with a CR123A battery that is rated for 3 years of standard use. As per usual Aeotec standards, the included user guide is detailed, accurate and written in clear English. To add the TriSensor to your Z-Wave, just pull the mylar off the included battery and press the action button to put it in inclusion mode. The device also supports the exclusion, reset and association modes as expected. There are no tamper-proof switches, but the sensor does support Z-Wave S2 security which even the Multisensor 6 doesn’t. Some other interesting features are the OTA (Over The Air) firmware upgrade and the ability to change the action LED’s colour.

Refer to my in-depth hands-on review to learn more:

The Fibaro Motion sensor is more than what its name suggests. Its actually a multi-sensor that can measure temperature, light intensity, and vibrations in addition to motion. The design element was given strong consideration by Fibaro and can be seen in the unique cat-eye style LED and the round shape of the sensor. The round shape and the brilliant cradle design let you point the sensor precisely and avoid blind spots in the motion detection zone.

The first Z-Wave sensor I bought was in fact this very Fibaro multi-sensor. I have been using it for more than 2 years and have been impressed with its performance and battery life. I especially like the multi-colour LED that flashes when motion is detected. The colour of the LED depends on the temperature in the room. Too cold and it shines blue, green if its just right and orange if its too warm. So whenever you enter the room, you can immediately see what the temperature is like by observing the colour of the flashing LED.

Refer to my in-depth hands-on review to learn more:

Sometimes you need a sensor that is very discreet and doesn’t call attention to itself. At just 1.4″, the Aeotec aerQ is the smallest Z-Wave sensor you can find that supports temperature and humidity measurement. It also can measure the dew point which is very useful for climate automations such as underfloor cooling/heating. This is because if you cool an underfloor system below the dew point, condensation may occur which is a safety hazard.

A long life battery with up to 2 years life makes it a very capable little multi-sensor.

The Fibaro Door/Window Sensor 2 is a wireless, battery powered contact sensor that uses the Hall effect. You may have heard of the common reed switch sensor employed by door and window sensors, but what is a Hall effect sensor? The reed switch is an electrical switch that mechanically closes when a magnetic field is brought near it. A Hall effect sensor is a solid-state transducer that varies its output voltage according to the strength of a magnetic field, meaning it has no moving parts. This means that it is not susceptible to vibration or shock, unlike a reed type sensor.

The sensor is based on the Z-Wave Plus standard and also supports protected mode with AES-128 encryption. It has tamper detection and an LED indicator with 7 different colours. The temperature measuring range is 0-60°C (32-140°F) with an accuracy of 0.5 deg C. The battery used is a single ER14250 ½ AA battery that should be good for 2 years.

Why Z-Wave?

If you want the long answer, check out my Home Automation Guide. If you would like the short answer, Z-Wave is the industry standard for reliable, non-cloud reliant, self sufficient, low-power home automation. I have been using Z-Wave devices from different manufacturers and everything has always just worked. All my sensors are battery powered, and those batteries last a year at least. My home automation controller is the Vera Plus – no ugly cloud subscription or cloud-reliance here, an Internet connection is strictly optional.

What is a Z-Wave multisensor?

A Z-Wave multisensor is a small wireless device that typically runs on battery power and can sense motion using a PIR sensor and measure multiple environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, or light levels.

Which to choose – Single sensor or Multisensor?

I prefer multisensors because this approach let you place just one device per room and still get all the important readings. It doesn’t hurt that they are great value for money too!

What to look for in a multisensor?

The important things to look for are:

• Types of sensors: More the merrier! You can choose from Motion, Temperature, Light levels, Humidity, UV intensity and Vibrations.
• Sensitivity: Make sure the sensor covers the range of motion detection (distance and angle) or temperatures you want to monitor.
• Z-Wave Technology: Look for the latest Z-Wave Plus 500 series enabled devices.
• Power supply: Most multi-sensors are battery only but they last 1-2 years. To maximise battery life, sensors will usually send an update to the hub or controller only when readings change by a noticeable enough percentage (say 10%). But when powered by mains power (AC), these sensors can not only provide real-time readings but also act as repeaters or extenders. This is great because your Z-Wave network becomes that much stronger and wider.
• Operating range: Most sensors can easily cover a 30 metre range, the mains powered models can go even higher.
• Tamper-proof: Some sensors have a tamper switch on the back which can send an alert to the hub or controller if someone tampers with them. This is important if you are using the sensor outdoors under a porch or another area where it can be accessed.

Conclusion

I have enjoyed my Z-Wave multi-sensors and the immense array of possibilities they have opened up in monitoring my home and setting up advanced scenes. What have you achieved with your sensors? Let me know in the comments below!

As my baby son suffers from a mild case of dry skin, we need to ensure the environment in his nursery is always at optimum levels. The main factor that I need to monitor and control is the humidity. That’s where the Aeotec Multisensor 6 comes in.

You can use the Multisensor 6 with any Z-Wave hub such as my favourite the Vera Plus or the Samsung SmartThings hub.

I already use the Fibaro Sensor for my living room but it lacks the one sensor type I need for the nursery – humidity. So I looked around and found the Aeotec Multisensor 6 which is the successor of the Aeotec Multisensor 5. Compared to the previous version, the Multisensor 6 is 70% smaller and 50% lighter at 2.6 oz.

[text-blocks id=”earning-disclaimer”]

Aeotec Multisensor 6 – Specifications

The Multisensor 6 has, you guessed it, 6 different sensors:

1. Motion sensor
2. Temperature sensor
3. Light (lux) sensor
4. Humidity sensor
5. Vibration sensor
6. Ultraviolet sensor

In case you were wondering, the Gen 5 in the sensor’s model name refers to the Gen 5 Z-Wave standard it works on.

Detailed Spec

Unboxing the Aeotec Multisensor 6 Z-Wave Sensor

The Aeotec Multisensor 6 comes in an attractive packaging and comes with an instruction manual and the following:

• Battery cover
• Back-mount arm
• Double sided tape
• 2x screws
• Micro USB cable.

Design

The Multisensor 6 has a conventional cuboid form which makes it easy to place on flat surfaces. This was one thing that bugged me about the Fibaro motion sensor which likes to keep rolling about because of its spherical shape.

Aeotec has made the sensor very compact and is just a bit larger than a CR123A battery as can be seen below.

On the front face, we find the very traditional-looking PIR sensor cover and just two other components – the lux sensor and an indicator LED which flashes green whenever motion is detected.

On the back side, the battery cover reveals a cover lock slider, the back-arm mount hole, a Z-Wave Action button, and some technical information about the multisensor.

Taking the battery over off reveals the battery compartment that takes the two CR123A batteries (not supplied), the microUSB port and the rest of the Z-Wave Action button. While the Fibaro motion sensor could be powered only by batteries, the Aeotec Multisensor 6 can use either batteries or the supplied USB cable for power. The advantage of USB power is that you can get real-time sensor data instead of once every few minutes with the batteries.

Installing and configuring the sensor

The Z-Wave Action button is a multifunction button that can be used to put the sensor into network inclusion mode (adding the sensor to your Z-Wave network), exclusion mode (removing the sensor from your Z-Wave network), enable/disable the 10 wake-up mode, and reset it to factory defaults.

I first put my Vera Plus Z-Wave hub into ‘add device’ mode and then put the multisensor into inclusion mode by pressing the action button once. Immediately the Vera Plus detected the Multisensor and added the various sensors to the Vera dashboard.

Features & Performance

Let’s look at the various sensors and how they performed in my home Z-Wave network.

Motion Detection

The claimed motion detection range of the Multisensor 6 is 120 degrees horizontally with a 5 metres range. I have placed the sensor on the chest of drawers in the nursery and it does indeed have good coverage and a range of at least 5 metres. It is sensitive, reacts instantaneously to motion and has never missed a motion event.

Thinking of using the Multisensor 6 outdoors? While this is not the intended use of this sensor, you can adjust the sensitivity of the Multisensor 6’s sensor settings. The parameter that controls this setting is Parameter 4 [1 byte]. The various values for this parameter are:

• 0 = Disable
• 1 = Very Low Sensitivity
• 2 = Low Sensitivity
• 3 = Medium Sensitivity
• 4 = High Sensitivity
• 5 = Max Sensitivity

By default, the sensitivity setting is set to the maximum sensitivity value of 5.

You can also control the time gap between sensor activations by using Setting Parameter 3 [2 byte]. For example if you set the value to 10, the PIR sensor timeout will become 10 seconds – so for 10 seconds after detecting motion it will ignore all further motion. After that, it will then again be ready to detect motion.

These two settings can be used to control and reduce false motion alerts.

Temperature

I compared the temperature sensor’s readings to the Fibaro’s putting both sensors side by side. The two devices agreed within 0.1% of each other which was quite reassuring. When the temperature in the room changes slightly, I noticed that by default the sensor reports it only once every 10 minutes or so.

However when there were larger variations in temperature, the Multisensor seemed to inform the Vera Plus quickly – I am happy with this behaviour.

Light level and humidity sensors

The light level sensors and humidity sensors work very well. According to Aeotec, the MultiSensor 6 comes with a digital light sensor that’s capable of sensing lighting between 0 lux to 30000 lux in real-time.

I used the excellent advanced scene control plugin PLEG to create a scene based on the reported humidity level. Whenever the humidity level as reported by the Multisensor goes above 65%, the Vera Plus switches off my humidifier connected to a Greenwave Z-Wave power plug. This way the room does not get too damp.

Vibration and Ultraviolet sensors

My Vera Plus firmware did not support these two sensors at the time of writing this article. But as is usually the case, Vera is quick to support new Z-Wave devices and the UV sensor support has already been added in UI7 firmware version 7.0.15.

Battery Life

While the Fibaro needs only 1 CR123A battery and has only 1 battery slot, the Aeotec’s battery compartment has two battery compartments. Interestingly the sensor will work off just one battery, but having two of them will double the battery life.

One niggle I observed was that the sensor initially showed the battery status as 50%, even though the batteries were brand new. 4 months in, the battery level is at 47%. So absolute battery consumption seems to be fine but the battery gauge seems to be a bit off. Now this could be down to the specific batteries I use with the device.

Wireless range

The Multisensor 6 has very strong wireless range and was able to stay in touch with the Z-Wave network wherever I took it in the house.

Verdict

I love the Aeotec Multisensor 6 and highly recommend it. It has every sensor you will ever need to monitor the environment in your house.
[review]

Where to buy

[easyazon_link identifier=”B0151Z8ZQY” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-20″]Check Price on your local Amazon site[/easyazon_link]

[text-blocks id=”5527″ slug=”earning-disclaimer”]

When I started thinking about getting into home automation and building my smart home, I spent months researching everything ZWave. One name kept popping up again and again, Fibaro. Owned by the Polish Fibar Group, the Fibaro brand is one of the most popular home automation brands around today.

You would be mistaken for thinking you are getting a bargain with a Fibaro product, it being Polish and all. But no, they are not exactly cheap, just look up their flagship ZWave hub, the Fibaro Home Center. It can easily cost three times as much as the Vera Plus. I don’t think its particularly good value either, but that’s a topic for another day. Question is how will the Fibaro Motion Sensor fare?

After living with the [easyazon_link identifier=”B01CPR7VX4″ locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-20″]Fibaro Z-Wave Motion Sensor Gen5 (FGMS-001)[/easyazon_link] for 3 years, I can say this multi-sensor is quite decent if not exactly great value for money. Its a stylish, well-made, reliable ZWave sensor with very good battery life. Would I get another one? Only if I can find one significantly cheaper than my current favourite, the [easyazon_link identifier=”B0151Z8ZQY” locale=”US” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-20″]Aeotec MultiSensor 6[/easyazon_link].

[wpsm_titlebox title=”Contents” style=”main”][contents h2][/wpsm_titlebox]

Z-Wave Sensors

If you are just starting your Home Automation journey, let me backtrack a bit and explain my approach. I chose to build my home around the ZWave standard. I did so largely because its a mature standard, enjoys wide industry support and there is a huge range of ZWave products to choose from including multi-sensors, door locks, alarm systems etc. For a complete overview of the various choices of Home Automation standards and devices, read my guide here.

While you can get a simple ZWave motion detector, a multi-sensor like the Fibaro is more interesting and ultimately more useful. When we talk about making a home smart, its about understanding what’s happening inside a particular room and then the house automatically taking action based on predefined steps:

• On motion being detected in a hallway, my Vera Plus would ask the indoor Amcrest PTZ camera to move to a watch the doorway, take a snapshot, record a clip and email it to me.
• Or when the temperature falls below a particular point, the temperature sensor in the room would ‘call for heat’ and my Vera Plus hub would respond by turning on the boiler.
• Or when the light falls below a certain level, I can ask my Vera Plus to turn on my bedside lamp starting at 20% brightness. It could even ramp it up slowly over 30 mins, and then ramp it down later on as I go to bed. If the humidity goes above a certain level, my Vera Plus can turn on the smart plug into which my dumb dehumidifier is plugged in.

So as you can see, its very nice to have certain sensors in each room of the house – motion, light level, temperature, humidity etc. That’s why manufacturers like Fibaro have made multi-sensors, a single device which can typically monitor a few different environmental factors. All in one convenient small device that can be hidden away anywhere. You can see why I love these cool little devices!

The Fibaro Motion Sensor also comes in a Bluetooth version (FGBHMS-001) which is compatible with Apple HomeKit.

Fibaro Motion Sensor Gen5 – Specifications

The Fibaro Motion sensor is a universal ZWave device, so it will work with any ZWave hub such as the Vera Plus, the Vera Edge, or the Samsung SmartThings.

Unboxing the Fibaro Z-Wave Motion Sensor

The Fibaro Motion Sensor comes in a colourful high quality box.

You can see the model number FGMS-001 and the firmware version of the sensor printed outside the box.

The box contains the following:

1. Fibaro Gen5 Motion Sensor
2. Holder to attach the sensor to the wall
3. Installation screw and rawl plug
4. Instruction manuals
5. One CR123A battery

Design

The Fibaro sensor is a tiny round globe with a multi-colour LED inside. I knew it was a compact device but when I first opened the box, I was really surprised to see just how small it was. It measures just 46 mm (1.8 inch) across.

There is a very distinctive cat-eye shaped LED light behind the Passive InfraRed (PIR), and it lights up whenever it detects motion. The colour of the LED depends on the temperature in the room and the light intensity. So when you walk into a room, it will light up and then you will easily know whether its too cold or too warm. Turn the cover counter-clockwise and the sensor opens to reveal its innards.

A CR123A battery is pre-installed, which is very welcome. A note on the battery: after 3 months of use in our hallway, my Vera Plus reports the battery life at 100%. I am not sure how correct that is but it bodes well for the little Fibaro sensor – Fibaro claims a 2 year battery life. The motion sensor measures the battery level every 24 hours and reports it to the ZWave hub or your Apple device if you are using HomeKit. If the battery level drops below 15%, the sensor will also send a low battery warning.

Installing and configuring the sensor

One of Fibaro’s promotional videos shows the sensor being used in an outside porch and the specs mentioning outside range, which makes me wonder whether I can use it outdoors and how water-proof it is. But the manual is clear the Fibaro is intended to be an indoor device and that’s where I am using it. Of course, you can’t really place the Fibaro sensor on a shelf because its round. But its very easy to install with only a single screw needed. The sensor’s range is quite good at 50 metres. I have moved mine all over the house and it has been brilliant. It never once lost the wireless connection to the ZWave network.

Now the sensor has a few tricks up its sleeve – it can help you scout out the perfect installation location. Clicking the B-button once wakes up the device, but if you hold it, you can access its menu! Yes the sensor has its own little menu which will help you do a ZWave range test or reset the device. The range test is particularly cool as the sensor will indicate the strength of the network using its LED. You can use this feature to troubleshoot other misbehaving devices on your network too.

The inclusion process into my ZWave network was quick and went off without a hitch. There is a button inside the sensor that Fibaro calls the B-button. After putting your ZWave controller into inclusion mode, press the B-button on the sensor 3 times quickly. Your hub should detect the sensor and add it to the ZWave network.

My inclusion process was successful but only 3 devices showed up in my Vera control panel: one for each sensor except the accelerometer. I haven’t investigated this further but I am guessing its because the Vera UI7 doesn’t recognise that particular sensor.

Features & Performance

Motion Detection

The Fibaro Motion Sensor claims to be able to detect motion within a 7m range, but I think this is too optimistic. I have found the Fibaro to be able to detect motion accurately and quickly within a 3-4 metre range which is less than the claimed 7m range but in reality is perfectly adequate for me. I have mine installed at a 2.4m height as recommended in the user manual.

Temperature and Light level

Although its primary function is motion detection, the Fibaro is a 4-in-1 sensor. It can monitor ambient temperature between 0 to +40°C with an accuracy of ±0.5°C and the light level between (0 – 32,000 Lux). I found the ambient temperature and light level measurements to be inline with other sensors. There’s even a temperature offset feature which can take care of the difference in temperature between the lower level of the room (where you and I will be at) vs. the higher level where the sensor may be installed.

However as is common with other battery powered devices, I found that the Fibaro will report a change in temperature or light levels only if it changes by a certain amount (0.5 deg C and 200 lux apparently). This helps conserve the battery but you lose real-time monitoring. If this is a deal-breaker, consider other multi-sensors such as the Aeon MultiSensor 6 which can do real-time monitoring with a USB power option.

Accelerometer

The 4th and final sensor is the accelerometer. The accelerometer is useful in case somebody tries to tamper with the sensor. If you physically touch the device, the accelerometer will get activated and flash the LED in all its colours rapidly.

Other features

Now this is something I look for in every device – a reset button. The Fibaro motion sensor has one. Surprisingly enough some companies think its fine to make their substandard devices without a reset button (Popp, I am looking at you).

You may have noticed the Gen5 at the end of the Fibaro’s model name – this refers to the latest generation ZWave 500 chipset (as opposed to 300). This version has improved range and battery life, so is a good feature to look for.

There are some other features that work only with a Fibaro Home Center hub:

• People counting if you have more than one Fibaro sensor
• Inactivity detection

Fibaro 4-in-1 Motion Sensor vs. Aeon Labs Aeotec Multisensor 6

One sensor the Fibaro is missing is the humidity sensor. This is very useful for me as we have a little baby and that’s why I ended up getting the Aeon Labs Multisensor 6 for the nursery. They are very similarly priced which makes the Fibaro less value compared to the Aeon Multisensor.

Verdict

My main gripe with the Fibaro Motion Sensor is that it is expensive compared to the Aeon Labs Multisensor 6 which has two additional sensors (humidity and UV level).

[review]

Where to buy

[easyazon_link identifier=”B01CPR7VX4″ locale=”UK” tag=”vueville.com-eaz-21″]Check Price on your local Amazon site[/easyazon_link]

[wpsm_divider top=”20px” bottom=”20px” style=”transparent”]

[text-blocks id=”5527″ slug=”earning-disclaimer”]