A HomeKit temperature sensor is a great way of both monitoring the environment in your house and also controlling it. If it gets too cold, your heating can automatically come on, and if it's too warm, then the AC can turn on. You can check the temperature with Siri, as well as control various aspects of your smart home. One of the coolest things you can do is scenes, which change multiple elements of your house's HomeKit setup when the temperature sensor reads a certain temperature. For example, your curtains may close, your heating active and your lights turn on when it starts to get cold — a smart sensor opens up loads more options. Here are our picks for the best HomeKit temperature sensors.
Best Homekit temprature sensors
Best for most uses
The Eve Room monitors your home's temperature, air quality, humidity, and VOC levels. An e-ink display makes it easy to see all your data quickly, and it supports the latest smart home connectivity standard: Thread. Plus, since it's HomeKit-enabled, you can use it to turn on your scenes once your home reaches a specific temperature.
Best for lighting
The Philips Hue Motion Sensor is our go-to accessory for controlling our lights automatically, and it also just so happens to have a temperature sensor. This sensor works with HomeKit automation, and it can report the status via Siri. Zigbee connectivity to the Philips Hue Bridge makes this sensor rock solid when it comes to reliability.
Best on a budget
Aqara's smart sensor reports temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure — all in a package you can put just about anywhere. Even though the sensor has a low price, keep in mind that you will need to have an Aqara Hub to add it to HomeKit.
Best for water sensing
If you are in the market for a sensor for your kitchen or bathroom, then Fibaro's Flood Sensor may be your best bet. Place this wireless sensor anywhere, and you will have access to temperature monitoring, and you get an alarm that can notify you of water leaks.
Most simple
This tiny sensor from Qingping puts the current temperature and humidity of the room on an e-ink display. You can see measurements clearly with the 180-degree viewing angle, and you get two options for mounting it: either on a desktop or the wall.
Best for outdoor readings
The Eve Weather is similar to our favorite temperature sensor, the Eve Room, but this one is for the outdoors. In our review of Eve Weather, we noted that it displays temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure, and you can view weather trends in the Eve app.
Q&A
Is a HomeKit temperature sensor better than a thermostat?
It's just different. Your thermostat is connected to your home's central HVAC system, while the HomeKit temperature sensor is connected to anything else you'd like to put in your smart home, from fans to space heaters. Plus, certain HomeKit temperature sensors have special features, such as humidity readings, water leak sensors, and air quality monitoring.
Do I need a hub for a HomeKit temperature sensor?
Some of them do require a hub, which is listed in the description, so be sure you know what you need before you purchase. For some HomeKit devices, no special hub is needed. But if you want to be able to set up scenes and automations or operate your HomeKit temperature sensor away from home, you'll need a dedicated iPad, Apple TV, or HomePod to be your general smart home hub. That said, more and more smart devices are utilizing Thread, which allows devices on different platforms to communicate.
Which of the best HomeKit temperature sensors should I buy?
The best HomeKit temperature sensors leverage the power of Apple's smart home ecosystem to do more than just tell you the current temperature in a room. These sensors can work with other devices, enabling genuinely magical automation potential. For example, you can set up a Scene to turn on the best smart ceiling fan when the temperature gets too hot or fire up a space heater when it gets chilly.
In the market for a sensor with a built-in display that doesn't require a hub? Then take a look at the Eve Room with Thread. This sensor monitors temperature and measures VOC levels, air quality, and humidity. If you need a sensor for the outdoors, then the Eve Weather is a great alternative — especially with support for Thread connectivity.
If you already have some Hue gear in your home, then the Philips Hue Motion Sensor may be the one for you. This sensor works with the Hue Bridge, which offers the rock-solid performance and reliability that the system is famous for — and since it detects motion, it opens up a world of automation possibilities.
