Home automation is a lot of fun. While sometimes frustrating,Apple HomeKitattempts to make the experience more unified and accessible. As an Apple enthusiast, I naturally gravitated towards HomeKit as my smart home solution. Since first dipping my toes in late 2016, I’ve outfitted two apartments, a condo, and, most recently, a house, surpassing over 100HomeKit accessories.
Home automation often feels like a homeowner’s game because many HomeKit accessories require rewiringthermostatsand light switches or swappingdoor locks. Rest assured, if you’re an apartment dweller and interested in home automation, there are still plenty of fantastic non-invasive options for you, too. Here’s a list of apartment-friendly HomeKit accessories that don’t require rewiring or hole drilling. Your landlord won’t even notice.
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6Meross Smart Plug
Incredible convenience
Meross Smart Outlet
Smart plugsoffer the simple ability to turn appliances like lamps on and off remotely or by a scheduled routine. Smart plugs are particularly great in spaces requiring lamps due to a lack of overhead lighting. In the past, I’ve grouped several smart plugs together to turn multiple lamps on and off simultaneously rather than doing it one at a time manually.
Meross is a HomeKit brand I’ve used for several years now because of its inexpensive price point, accessibility on Amazon, and decent reliability. As such, it’s become my go-to choice for smart plugs. Meross offers single- and dual-outlet versions. Single outlet models can be bought in atwo-,three-orfour-pack, with increasing discounts on Amazon. At the same time, the dual outlet one can be bought in atwo-pack.
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5Philips Hue Lightbulbs
An OG HomeKit brand
Philips Hue bulbs
Set that mood lighting right.
Of course, in apartments, we can’t remove and replace dumb light switches withsmart ones. Therefore, smart light bulbs make for a great solution.Philips Hue bulbsare one of the original HomeKit-supported products. For as long as I’ve used HomeKit,Philips Huewas the top contender for smart bulbs. Since then, we’ve seen companies like IKEA,Meross,LIFX, andVOCOlinccome out with competing options, each with its own pros and cons.
However, Philips Hue is still the market leader. Hue bulbs are known for being pricy but reliable, partly thanks to a hub requirement. Philips Hue offers the broadest range of bulbs for different temperatures, colors, fixtures, and appliances. Philips Hue has you covered if you just want a basicwhite smart bulb, acolored bulb, or aspecialty bulbfor your oven.
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4August Wi-Fi Smart Lock
8 years later, one is still going strong
August Home Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Generation)
Smart locksare one of the most popular smart home products among consumers. For renters, the challenge is that most smart locks also replace the key being used, making it unacceptable for landlords who require access to their property. The solution isAugust’s Wi-Fi Smart Lock. With HomeKit support, this smart lock only replaces the rear of your door’s deadbolt, not the front lock. The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is an easy upgrade for any renter to swap the back of their door with this small motor. This upgrade doesn’t violate any leases, keeps the keys the same, and can easily be brought with you to your new place. In fact, my friend has been using my old August Wi-Fi Smart Lock for at least six years on top of the two I used it beforehand.
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3Mysa AC Controller
Cool and versatile
Mysa AC Controller
While air conditioners are a supported category in HomeKit, surprisingly few are on the market. Fortunately, a fantastic alternative is theMysa AC controller. This HomeKit accessory is basically just an IR blaster for AC units and heat pumps. Using the Mysa app and your AC unit’s remote, you configure the Mysa AC controller to communicate with your cooling appliance. The Mysa AC controller appears in HomeKit like a thermostat, giving you the available control options! The Mysa AC controller just needs a clear line of light to the AC unit or heat pump. Once again, just bring it with you when you leave your apartment. No mess, no fuss. It’s very versatile.
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2Eufy C120 Indoor Camera
HomeKit Secure Video for the win
Eufy Security Indoor Cam C120 2-Cam Kit
I get the hesitation of havingsecurity camerasinside your house. The thought of being watched is creepy, to say the least. However, HomeKit makes it very easy to configure compatible cameras to turn on when you leave and turn off upon arriving home. As a pet owner, I enjoy having a way to monitor my dogs and house when I am out, but I also want my privacy when I am at home.
I’ve found theEufy C120indoor cameras to be an excellent yet inexpensive way to do this. I chose these cameras because they supportHomeKit Secure Videoas part of my iCloud+ subscription, so all of my video footage is never seen by Eufy or Apple; it’s encrypted by my HomeKit home hub and then to Apple’s servers for storage in an unreadable format. The Eufy C120s are pretty cheap on Amazon and don’t require anything beyond an outlet. I recommend mounting them with a command strip to avoid damaging your walls.
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1Accent Lighting
Many more choices
Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagons
Multi-colored smart light tiles that are compatible with Apple HomeKit.
Following smart plugs for lamps and smart lightbulbs, accent lighting is another easy, non-permanent way to personalize your apartment with HomeKit. There are endless great contenders like theMeross smart lamp,Philips Hue Go,Philips Hue Bloom,Nanoleaf Shapes, andNanoleaf lines. Just like with the Eufy camera, I recommend mounting the Nanoleaf Shapes and Lines with command strips to make removing and adjusting placement easier. Smart lighting is excellent for setting a mood with colors, brightening a space without turning on the main room light, and turning off with an app or your voice.
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