Networked curtains for retrofitting: Aqara’s curtain motor can also be used to open and close conventional curtains via Smart Home instead of by hand. The E1 Curtain Driver fits as a “rod version” on curtain rods or as a “track version” on curtain rails with an I or U profile. The motors are the same, the variants differ only in the accessories supplied. The rod version we tested comes with a roller sled, the track version comes with gliders for the profile rails.
The Curtain Driver E1 transmits via ZigBee and requires an Aqara hub for control, which forwards the motor to various smart home systems. In addition to Alexa and Google Assistant, Apple Home and HomeKit are also supported, and we also tested the curtain motor. Aqara has also announced an update for the hub that will provide support for the Standard Matter.
For the installation, both devices are connected to each other via the English-language Aqara app. Then you put the roller carriage on the curtain rod between the first and second curtain eyelet and hang the E1 in the carriage. The curtain motor then rides back and forth on the pole to calibrate itself. If there is a blockage, it stops. It took us two tries to set it up. If you want to control two curtains, you need two motors and have to install them individually.
Manufacturer: Aqara // Dimensions: 146 × 96 × 48 mm // Weight: 235 g // Scope of delivery: charging cable, guide carriage and clamps (only rod version), rail slider (only track version) // System requirements: Aqara Hub, iPhone /iPad with iOS 15 or Android smartphone // Price (manufacturer): €109
Smart curtains accept manual controls
After setup, the E1 appeared in the Apple Home app. If we only partially opened the curtain by hand or pulled it closed a little, the motor recognized this and displayed a percentage value instead of “open” or “closed”. In the test, we were able to easily control the drive via the Home app or with voice commands such as “Hey Siri, curtain office up” or “Hey Siri, curtain office up 50 percent”.
The Curtain Driver E1 also has a light sensor, but this is not passed on to HomeKit. However, it can be affected by the curtain fabric. The motor has a built-in battery that should last about a year on a single charge. It is recharged via USB-C. However, the included cable is quite short at 80 centimeters.
Measure the curtain rod
The Curtain Driver E1 worked well in the test and is suitable if you already have an Aqara Hub and want to control individual curtains. Before buying, however, you should measure carefully: curtain rods must have a diameter of at least 25 and at most 32 millimeters. Otherwise the drive cannot move. The curtain should also weigh a maximum of 12 kilograms.
(lbe)
