Cheapest whole-home leak alerts: Govee Water Leak Detector (with gateway)
Put one under each sink, behind the washing machine, next to the water heater and near the dishwasher. Each sensor sounds a loud local alarm (up to 105 dB) and the gateway sends a phone alert. The gateway needs 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and it doesn’t do Matter.
- Low cost per sensor in multi-packs
- Loud alarm plus phone alerts
- Long range reaches garages and basements
- No Matter or Apple Home
- Gateway needs 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi
Skip it if you’re building a Matter and Thread home. Look at Matter leak sensors instead.
Best Matter motion sensor: Aqara Motion and Light Sensor P2
Pair it with lights for hallways and bathrooms that light up when you walk in. It works with Apple, Google, Alexa and SmartThings over Matter and Thread, and automations keep running without internet. Direct sunlight can cause the odd false trigger.
- Works with Apple, Google, Alexa and SmartThings
- Reliable in Matter Alpha’s testing
- Automations keep working offline
- No sensitivity or cooldown settings
- Occasional false triggers from sunlight
Skip it if you don’t have a Thread border router yet.
Most private contact sensor: Eve Door & Window (Matter)
Eve alerts you in seconds when a door opens and needs no account or cloud. It’s pricier per door and uses an uncommon 1/2 AA battery.
- Alerts in seconds
- No cloud, account or subscription
- Works with Apple, Google, Alexa, SmartThings, Home Assistant
- Pricey per door
- Uses an uncommon 1/2 AA battery
Skip it if you’re covering lots of windows on a tight budget.
Do you need a hub?
Thread sensors need a Thread border router: many recent smart speakers and displays have one built in. See do you need a smart home hub? and what Matter and Thread mean.
