Xiaomi Smart Home solutions overview

In this article, we will be starting a series of reviews devoted to smart home solutions that we have come across.
Let’s start with Xiaomi. The company is a well-known Chinese producer. As a manufacturer of smart home devices, they provide a wide variety of products to fit all needs. On its official website, Xiaomi classified products in its smart home catalogue across four categories: smart home, household devices, air purifiers, and TV & media.Xiaomi also sells smart devices through its sub-brands like Dreame or Mijia. 

Dreame is a brand solely focused on robot vacuum cleaners, while Mijia produces devices for everyday use, like food processors. While Dreame is gradually making a name for itself in Europe, especially with the excellent L10s Ultra, Mijia is mainly focused on the Chinese market.

Xiaomi Mi Home

One of the standout features of the Xiaomi Smart Home solution is the Mi Home app. This app is the central hub for all of your Xiaomi smart devices, allowing you to control them all from one place. The app is user-friendly and offers various customization options, from setting schedules to creating automation rules based on various triggers.

Xiaomi Gateway

In addition to the Mi Home application, a gateway is necessary to link all devices together. It allows users to control and manage their Xiaomi smart home devices through the Xiaomi Mi Home app or voice commands via compatible smart assistants such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. It is necessary to have a gateway in addition to the Mi Home application to link all the devices together.  

The Xiaomi Mi Home app supports a wide range of Xiaomi smart home devices, and users can connect and control these devices directly through the app using their smartphone or tablet. For example, Xiaomi's smart plugs, smart bulbs, and smart cameras can be connected and controlled through the app without needing a Gateway.

However, some features of Xiaomi's smart devices may require a Gateway or another hub device to function correctly. For example, some of Xiaomi's smart sensors, such as the door and window sensors, may require a Gateway or a compatible hub device to communicate with other devices and trigger automation rules. If you want to use this sensor to trigger an automation rule such as turning on the lights when the door is opened, you would need a hub device such as the Xiaomi Gateway to communicate with the sensor and other compatible devices.

Without a Gateway or another hub device, the door and window sensor may still be able to detect when the door is opened or closed. Still, it may not be able to communicate with other devices or trigger automation rules. This is because the sensor relies on a hub device to act as a central hub for all the connected devices and to process the automation rules and scenarios.

Overall, it is possible to use Xiaomi's connected devices without the Xiaomi Gateway, but the functionality and compatibility of these devices may be limited without a hub device. To connect all of Xiaomi's smart home devices, the company uses the Zigbee protocol. Zigbee is a low-power, wireless communication protocol that allows devices to communicate with each other over short distances. It is designed to be energy-efficient, which means that Xiaomi's smart home devices can run for extended periods without needing to be recharged or replaced. The protocol is also secure, using 128-bit encryption to protect your data.

Overall, Xiaomi's Smart Home solution offers an impressive range of smart home devices that are affordable and easy to use.
We consider here just several devices from the Smart Home range.

Xiaomi Mi Smart Plug

An excellent place to start with Xiaomi Home products is the Mi Smart Plug. Why? Because this gadget can offer simple, smart functionality to any electrical product connected to it. 

The Mi Smart Plug and the Mi Home app make it easy to control a household appliance from anywhere and schedule it to turn on or off automatically. When any device is plugged into it, the plug can detect its energy usage and keep a record of it over a certain period of time. Additionally, it offers the capability to protect the device against electrical surges or to schedule it to switch on or off. These plugs don’t require a dedicated hub, and you can be used with Google Assistant too.

Xiaomi Mi Magic Cube Controller

Measuring just 4.5 cm, the Xiaomi Mi Cube is a small device that makes controlling all Xiaomi platform devices remarkably effortless.
To use the Magic Cube, users simply rotate it to the desired face and perform the corresponding gesture. For example, rotating the cube to the "play" face and flicking it upwards will play music on the user's smart speaker. The cube connects to Xiaomi's Mi Home app, which allows users to customize the actions associated with each face.

The Magic Cube uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) to communicate with smart home devices, and has a battery life of up to 18 months. It is compatible with a wide range of Xiaomi and third-party smart home products, making it a versatile and convenient tool for controlling the home environment.

Xiaomi Yeelight Smart Light Bulb

The Xiaomi Yeelight is an efficient, inexpensive smart light bulb that can be used without a hub. It supports 16 million colours and can be operated wirelessly with your voice or by using the Mi app. With the latter, you can alter its colour, turn it on or off, and put it on a timer via your smartphone. 

Xiaomi says the Yeelight is suitable for up to 11 years of service, and its low wattage (9W) should help you save money while you’re living a colourful smart home life.

Xiaomi Video Doorbell and Xiaomi  Mi 360° Home Security Camera

One of Xiaomi's most innovative smart home products is their smart doorbell, the Xiaomi Video Doorbell 2. This doorbell allows you to see who is at your door from anywhere in the world, using the Mi Home app. It has a built-in camera that streams high-quality video to your phone, and a two-way audio system that allows you to speak to the person at the door. The doorbell also has an AI-powered detection system that can recognize human faces and send you notifications when someone is at your door. Xiaomi also offers the Mi Door and Window Sensor 2, a handy door and window sensor.
New generation Xiaomi Smart Doorbell 3. The connected doorbell with 2K resolution, real-time monitoring, motion notification, AI facial recognition, and two-way audio communication. Regarding security cameras, Xiaomi offers both indoor and outdoor cameras. For your home, you can choose between several 360° cameras. These cameras offer features such as noise reduction with the dual microphone or dual band Wifi. For most models, you can choose between 1080p and 2K resolution models. Xiaomi's 2K cameras, like the Mi 360° Home Security Camera 2K Pro, even shoot in colour in low light conditions, unlike other security cameras. When you are not using them, you can hide the lenses to protect your privacy better. It also incorporates Xiaomi's WDR and intelligent night vision technology, which, according to the brand, allows you to record clear and detailed images even in the dark and backlight. The camera is accompanied by an independent indoor receiver capable of managing up to four cameras.

Xiaomi Mi Smart Temperature and Humidity Monitor

The Xiaomi Mi Smart Temperature and Humidity Monitor is a small device designed to help you keep track of the temperature and humidity levels in your home or office. It is a Bluetooth-enabled device that can connect to your smartphone, allowing you to monitor the temperature and humidity levels in real-time.

The small and portable device makes it easy to move around your home or office. It features a built-in sensor that can detect changes in temperature and humidity levels and display this information on its LED display. The device also features a companion app that you can download on your smartphone, which provides additional features such as historical data tracking and notifications.

One of the standout features of the Xiaomi Mi Smart Temperature and Humidity Monitor is its affordability. It is a budget-friendly device that offers a lot of value for its price point. It is also easy to set up and use, making it an excellent option for anyone looking for a simple and reliable way to monitor the temperature and humidity levels in their home or office.

Xiaomi Smart Flower Pot: Xiaomi flora smart flower pot

This gadget is my favourite, as I adore the plants, - Xiaomi flower pot. It connects via Bluetooth and incorporates a logo that, according to a colour code, will inform us if the pot needs to be loaded to continue monitoring the results, the plant needs to be watered, or more fertilizers need to be added to the soil. Remember to monitor the plant using the Xiaomi Mi Home or Flower Care application.

As a result, the Xiaomi Smart Home solution is an excellent choice for anyone looking to upgrade their home with smart devices, and it is an excellent choice. It provides excellent value for money, a reasonable pricing structure, a user-friendly application, and a collection of top-of-the-line products. Undoubtedly, it's not ideal, but it is certainly something worth considering for anybody looking for an affordable solution, even though it might not be ideal.