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HomeKit Nest vs Onelink: is HomeKit a consideration?

eoblaed

eoblaed

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Apr 21, 2010
3,093
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Looking at upgrading the 8 (wired) detectors I have in my home. With the burgeoning HomeKit market, I was really hoping to go HomeKit for the smoke detectors. I don't yet have any HomeKit devices, but that will change (lights, locks, garage door opener, etc) over the next year or so.

Nest isn't HomeKit compatible, and given their parent company, I don't hold out much hope they will be. But their latest models have fantastic reviews and I'm tempted to go with them despite the fact they'd be an 'outlier'.

Onelink's reviews still aren't as good as Nest's, though some reviewers have given them slightly higher marks than they used to get. Common complaints from reviewers seem to focus around flakey push notifications and a pretty thin integration with HomeKit ... though both of these things are supposedly being addressed by First Alert and can be improved with firmware updates.


Right now, I'm leaning towards Nest, but was wondering if people here have good stories about Onelink that would convince me using them is the right way to go.
 
I don’t think OneLink alarms are available here but I’m very happy with my Nest Protect. It’s not HomeKit compatible but I really don’t see that as a problem: the Nest app is really good.

Nest products are well designed - they look great but in a low key, unobtrusive way - and work well together. The fact that the smoke/CO detector will tell the thermostat to switch the boiler off if CO is detected is a pretty compelling reason to buy, in my opinion.
[doublepost=1522004644][/doublepost]Also, essentially since putting up my Nest Protect (just one at the moment but more will follow) I really haven’t had to interact with it at all.
 
My vote is Nest all the way. Just finished installing Nest products through out the house. It all just works and setup is a breeze! The brand new Nest Yale lock for the front door is phenomenal!

I use HomeKit mostly for lights and switches etc, but Nest's ecosystem and their one app is the best solution right now. Homekit support is one of their highest requested features, but as mentioned its not on the roadmap for anytime soon. Never say never!

However, their Nest app supports iPhone, iPad, Watch, Apple Tv.

The high ratings/reviews truly support the Nest products, so I would definitely strongly consider the Nest Protect to start, then just like others will slowly bring in more Nest products to expand the ecosystem.

Hope this helps
 
Netatmo and Elgato both have HomeKit smoke detectors on the way. Personally, if a device doesn’t have HomeKit/Siri support, it’s an automatic disqualifier. Not only can all of your accessories be controlled by voice and from one app, but you can utilize Apple’s quite decent automation features. In the case of a smoke detector, you could have an alarm activation result in the HVAC and fans shutting off and all the lights turning on and doors unlocking.
 
vipergts2207 said:
Netatmo and Elgato both have HomeKit smoke detectors on the way. Personally, if a device doesn’t have HomeKit/Siri support, it’s an automatic disqualifier. Not only can all of your accessories be controlled by voice and from one app, but you can utilize Apple’s quite decent automation features. In the case of a smoke detector, you could have an alarm activation result in the HVAC and fans shutting off and all the lights turning on and doors unlocking.
Click to expand...

I can see the use of that but it’s not relevant to my home: I don’t have HomeKit locks and don’t see that happening anytime soon. I’m in the UK so no fans and Nest and Hue work together anyway so I can make the Nest Protect flash lights easily enough. As in all things, we are all different and what’s essential for one is irrelevant for another.
 
I have a single OneLink detector that's hardwired to the rest of my standard non-connected detectors. If one goes off, they all go off so I don't see the need to replace all the detectors with the connected feature.
The advantage of the OneLink with HomeKit, of course if your other devices are HomeKit compatible, is you can setup automation. For example, I set mine up so that if the detector goes off at night, it will automatically turn on all the lights in my house.
As a detector, I think the OneLink works fine. The standalone app isn't great but I've never used it after I set it up in the first place.
 
eoblaed said:
Looking at upgrading the 8 (wired) detectors I have in my home. With the burgeoning HomeKit market, I was really hoping to go HomeKit for the smoke detectors. I don't yet have any HomeKit devices, but that will change (lights, locks, garage door opener, etc) over the next year or so.

Nest isn't HomeKit compatible, and given their parent company, I don't hold out much hope they will be. But their latest models have fantastic reviews and I'm tempted to go with them despite the fact they'd be an 'outlier'.

Onelink's reviews still aren't as good as Nest's, though some reviewers have given them slightly higher marks than they used to get. Common complaints from reviewers seem to focus around flakey push notifications and a pretty thin integration with HomeKit ... though both of these things are supposedly being addressed by First Alert and can be improved with firmware updates.


Right now, I'm leaning towards Nest, but was wondering if people here have good stories about Onelink that would convince me using them is the right way to go.
Click to expand...

Nest works good for me. The second it sees my phone leave the house it automatically engages and warns me of motion or sound with my three cameras. The service is so cheap I put two cameras in my office. Dumped the alarm company, the police no longer come out anyway.
 
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