Door/Window Sensors

Discover the best door/window sensors for your smart home.

Outfitting your smart home with reliable contact sensors is essential, especially when security is your primary goal. Even if you intend to use door and window sensors as simple triggers, you want a solid pick that will perform as advertised.

With countless options on the market, finding the perfect fit can be overwhelming. This article explores the world of smart contact sensors compatible with Homey.

We’ll discuss various options, examining their features, reliability, and Homey integration. By the end of our Best Buy Guide, you’ll know the best choices available, ensuring your smart home is connected and secured.

What to look for in a contact sensor?

Smart contact or door and window sensors are straightforward devices with minimal variation across models. Typically, they consist of two components: a sensor and a magnet. The magnet prompts the device to respond when these components are separated (like a door opening).

While technical distinctions may be minimal, there’s a broad range of communication protocols, shapes, sizes, colors, and battery longevity among contact sensors. Here are some key factors to consider when selecting a door and window sensor.

Compatibility

Select a compatible motion sensor with your Homey Cloud, Homey Bridge, or Homey Pro smart home platform.

Size, shape, and color

Contact sensors come in different shapes, dimensions, and colors. Consider your installation location/position carefully to ensure it fits and blends in with your door/window frames.

Ease of installation

Prioritize sensors that are easy to install and set up, preferably with adhesive backing or simple screw mounting options.

Battery life

Consider the contact sensors’ battery life, or opt for a device that relies on easily replaceable and common battery types.

Price

Deploying multiple sensors can strain your budget, so make an informed choice by considering the price-to-performance ratio highlighted in our article.

Brand	Model	Protocol	Battery Life	Price
Aeotec	Recessed Door Sensor 7	Z-Wave	3 years	€37.90
Aqara	Door and Window Sensor P2	Thread	3 years	€32.99
Eve	Door & Window	Thread	1 year	€39.95
Fibaro	Door/Window Sensor 2	Z-Wave	2 years	€39.95
Frient	Entry Sensor Pro	Zigbee	9 years	€29.95
Philips	Secure Contact Sensor	Zigbee	2 years	€39.99
Ring Security	Contact Sensor v2	Z-Wave	3 years	€25.99
Sensative	Strips Guard 800	Z-Wave	10 years	€39.95
Shelly	BLU Door/Window Sensor	Bluetooth	5 years	€19.99
SwitchBot	Contact Sensor	Bluetooth	3 years	€29.99
ThirdReality	Door/Window Sensor	Zigbee	2 years	€20.00
Zooz	Open/Close Sensor	Z-Wave	1 year	€37.50

The Aeotec Recessed Door Sensor 7 is a discreet smart home device designed to monitor the status of doors and windows. Installed within the frame, it remains virtually invisible while providing security and automation capabilities.

While the installation process for the Aeotec Recessed Contact Sensor may be more involved than that of other models, its single battery can last up to three years, reducing the frequency of replacements and the need to remove it from the door frame.

This Recessed sensor talks with your Homey Bridge or Homey Pro using Z-Wave, a low-power communication protocol designed for these device types. Aeotec also offers a Zigbee-based Multipurpose Contact Sensor in its lineup, with vibration, tilt, and temperature capabilities.

The P2 is Aqara‘s latest door and window sensor, designed to communicate over the next-generation Thread communication protocol. Using nearby Thread border routers, it can connect to your Homey Pro even from extended ranges, making installation easier and more flexible.

Although it maintains a sleek profile tailored to complement door frames, it stands out as one of the lengthiest contact sensors on our list, measuring 77mm. This allows the device to accommodate a better battery (CR123A), keeping it going for up to three years.

The P2 comes with a sticker and a thin magnet, so it can be easily installed on metal surfaces like door frames, fridge doors, or front gates.

As a side note, Aqara’s previous generation Door and Window Sensor is widely considered the best Zigbee contact sensor you can add to any smart home, characterized by very long battery life, minuscule footprint, and integration compatibility.

Consider Eve’s latest release, simply called Eve Door & Window, as another Matter-enabled door/window sensor. Like the P2 model, it harnesses Thread technology to communicate with your Homey Pro, leveraging its network mesh capabilities.

Onboarding and setting up the Eve Door & Window sensor is a breeze. You can utilize your smartphone’s Bluetooth connection — a benefit of all Matter devices.

The Eve Door & Window features a modern design with smooth edges for indoor frame installation. It’s one of the smallest devices on our list, making it barely noticeable when mounted, especially on white door frames.

Its power source is a single ER14250 battery, often called a half-AA battery, which can keep the device going for one year. This is shorter than that of comparable devices in our Best Buy Guide.

The Fibaro Door/Window Sensor 2, crafted by the renowned Polish smart home manufacturer of the same name, is a contact sensor that utilizes Z-Wave technology — a communication protocol integrated across their product lineup.

Equipped with a temperature sensor, the Fibaro Door/Window Sensor also functions as an ambient sensor in its installed location, transmitting data to your Homey Bridge or Homey Pro. Additionally, it comes with an anti-tamper mechanism, notifying you of any attempts to relocate the device.

Measuring 71mm long and 18mm thick, it’s definitely among the largest devices on our list. However, the great thing about this sensor is that it’s available in 7 different colors, catering to a wide range of door and window color designs. When you match one of the colors to your door, the device seamlessly blends in, rendering its size inconsequential.

It runs on a single half-AA battery, which can keep it going for up to two years.

If battery life is of the utmost importance to you, consider the Frient Entry Sensor Pro your top pick. The company claims a whopping nine years of battery life on a set of AAA batteries, significantly more than any other device on our list.

The Frient Entry Sensor Pro’s claim of nine years of battery life may sound like an overstretch. However, it could be closer to the truth, thanks to the deep sleep mode that battery-powered Zigbee devices typically enter when idle.

The Entry Sensor Pro has an additional temperature and vibration sensor, making it an effective security sensor. To accommodate the batteries and extra features, Frient chose a very long but thin all-white design, which might be hard to conceal if you have wooden doors.

Suppose you do not care about a temperature reading or an anti-tamper mechanism. In that case, Frient also offers the Entry Sensor, the same device without additional features, at a lower price tag.

If you like the Philips Hue smart home ecosystem, consider checking out their newest addition: the Philips Hue Secure Contact Sensor for doors and windows.

It’s a beautiful and elegant smart sensor designed in two colors (black and white), meant primarily as a security device. A small button in the middle also acts as a visual indicator of the sensor’s status.

The Philips Hue Secure Contact Sensor has a high-quality premium build, a two-year battery life, and a reliable Zigbee connection. It seamlessly integrates with your Homey Pro through the Hue Bridge.

Unfortunately, the Secure Contact Sensor lacks any extra sensors or features. This is disappointing, given its higher price than nearly all the other devices on our list.

The second-generation Ring Contact Sensor is a key component of Ring’s home security ecosystem. Designed to monitor doors and windows, it provides instant alerts to your smartphone or tablet when opened or closed.

Its sleek and compact design seamlessly blends into any home decor. But beyond its aesthetic appeal, the Ring Contact Sensor v2 offers improved battery life and upgraded Z-Wave connectivity, guaranteeing consistent and reliable performance over time.

With up to three years on a pair of CR2032 button batteries, the Ring Contact Sensor v2 boasts impressive longevity without occupying much space. As a result, it ranks among the most compact door and window sensors featured in our Best Buy Guide.

The Sensative Strips Guard 800 is a game-changing magnetic sensor that monitors open/closed status changes in your home’s doors, windows, gates, and other openings.

The discreet design and easy mounting with adhesive backing make this sensor the choice for design-conscious individuals like architects or interior decorators. The Strip Guard 800 is only 3mm thick and follows the lines of your windows and doors, making it virtually invisible.

This sensor communicates over Z-Wave with your Homey Bridge or Homey Pro, leveraging the strengths of your mesh network to ensure a reliable connection. Paired with Homey, it provides notifications for contact status, tamper, and battery alarm if it ever needs a replacement.

We say “if it ever needs” because the Sensative Strips Guard claims an incredible ten-year battery life! While ten years is a very long period, it’s important to point out that changing the battery requires soldering skills, so it’s not easy to replace.

The Strips are designed for indoor and outdoor environments. They are waterproof and can withstand negative temperatures of -30°. This means that you will be able to monitor not only your doors and windows but also your garage or garden hut.

The smallest door and window sensor you can add to your Homey-powered smart home comes from Shelly, a company known for producing affordable yet high-quality and feature-packed devices.

The Shelly BLU Door and Window sensor is tiny, measuring just 35x35mm in width and height. It can be purchased in white, black, or a nice wooden hue to match your door or window frame.

This sensor uses Bluetooth Low Energy to communicate with your Homey Bridge or Homey Pro, which makes it incredibly energy efficient. Even with its tilt and temperature sensor, it impressively lasts up to five years on just one CR2032 button battery.

Considering the additional features, great battery life, and different color availability, the Shelly BLU Door and Window sensor is definitely the best value pick on our list.

SwitchBot fans should check out the company’s Contact Sensor for simple yet effective monitoring of door/window openings in their homes. Like other SwitchBot devices, this sensor uses Bluetooth to connect and integrate seamlessly with your Homey Bridge or Homey Pro.

Alternatively, if you own their Hub 2, you can establish a direct connection to the Homey Cloud.
The sensor has an attractive, modern design with a sleek white LED indicator positioned at the center of the main unit. Additionally, an anti-UV layer coats its body to prevent the white color from fading to yellow when exposed to direct sunlight.

The SwitchBot Contact Sensor operates on standard AAA batteries and requires replacement every three years. However, it lacks additional sensors or features, affecting its affordability and overall value proposition compared to other options on our list.

Smart home enthusiasts recognize ThirdReality devices for their simplicity, affordability, and straightforward functionality. Their Door/Window sensor is no exception.

Like most of their smart devices, the contact sensor uses Zigbee to connect to Homey Bridge or Homey Pro while utilizing adjacent routers for improved range and stability. It’s very well-optimized and performs commendably in a Zigbee network.

The ThirdReality Door/Window sensor can last up to two years on a good set of AAA batteries or even more if the device is not used excessively.

There are no additional sensors or features, which makes the Thirdreality Door/Window a no-frills, no-complications, budget-friendly pick for a contact sensor.

If you prefer deploying Z-Wave devices instead of Zigbee, consider the Zooz Open/Close Sensor, a high-quality and premium addition to your Homey-powered smart home.

The ZOOZ ZSE41, which the company simply calls the Open/Close Sensor, is a very compact and ultra-thin door and window sensor. It operates using Z-Wave technology and offers a maximum communication range of 100 meters in an open connection.

This sensor supports the highest level of Z-Wave S2 security to keep your network and home safe. It also employs a feature known as SmartStart, commonly utilized in Z-Wave devices, facilitating faster setup and onboarding.

If you decide to install this contact sensor outdoors, ZOOZ offers a neat weatherproof case accessory that can withstand rain and other weather elements.

This particular model runs on a single CR2032 battery, which might be its one downfall. Compared to other models, the ZOOZ can only last one year on a single battery.

Long-range alternatives

Suppose you’re looking for door and window sensors with an extended connectivity range, capable of directly linking to Homey within a 100-meter radius. In that case, we suggest exploring options from Telldus, Trust (KlikAanKlikUit), or Cleverio. 

Homey Bridge and Homey Pro seamlessly support these devices operating on 433MHz radio protocol. They are budget-friendly and typically run on common batteries, making them ideal for automating garage doors and windows in detached houses or yard entry points.

Final thoughts

No matter which model you choose, your Homey can handle all of them. Depending on your main goal, you might prefer one model over another.

When security is your main concern, consider deploying a Z-Wave device like the Zooz Open/Close or Philips Hue Secure Contact Sensor.

If you value battery life the most, the Frient Entry Sensor Pro and the Shelly BLU Door and Window sensors should be on your shortlist.

If you want to future-proof your smart home, pick the Matter-enabled Aqara P2 or the newest Eve Door & Window Sensor. These two rely on Thread, a next-generation communication protocol, for connectivity.

Lastly, if the door and window sensors you install must be completely hidden out of sight, get the Aeotec Recessed Contact Sensor.