How to Choose the Best Smart Curtains

So, you’ve taken the step to invest in smart home automation; you’re in the process of transforming your home into a smart one. You might be thinking, what’s next?

There are so many fun details to get into, as even features like your curtains can be upgraded to a
smart version – and that’s exactly what this article is here to help you do!

Here’s what to keep in mind when you’re looking to swap your (ahem boring) normal curtains into
convenient smart ones! 

First of All, Understand what ‘Smart Curtain’ Really Means.

No, it’s not really about the curtains.

 Your actual curtains can be pretty standard; the real magic lies behind them or rather above – it’s all about choosing the right smart curtain motor kit.

Here at Shinrai, we work with Orvibo’s smart curtain motors and they work really well, offering all the features mentioned below.

Our kit has three main components to it:

1. The curtain motor
2. The railing
3. The remote controller

Smart curtains can be controlled in several ways, and these include via the remote controller as well as via smart devices such as phones and tablets (there’s also another way, which we’ll discuss further down).

Make Sure That They’re Silent Operators.

The last thing that you want, is to be woken up by the odd whirs and groans of your curtains drawing open for the morning. 

So, make sure that your smart curtain motors are quiet operators.

 Side Note: And yes, if you’re wondering, being able to set timers for when your curtains open and close, or even being able to set triggers based on natural light levels outside (with the help of a smart

weather station, for example), are all possibilities when you have an advanced smart home
automation setup; this is something our team can help you with!

Back to smart curtains needing to work softly – 
ours are pretty quiet, emitting sounds below 35 decibels. 

To illustrate just how silent these are, consider the fact that a quiet library usually has sounds in the range of 40 decibels; whispers are in the range of 30 decibels and the rustling of leaves is in the range of 20 decibels.

So 35 decibels? That’s pretty good!

Go for an Option that Listens to You!
Most smart curtain motor kits come with remote controllers like ours do – but, for true convenience, you might as well go for ones that work with voice control. 

When you’re lounging on the sofa or snuggled up in bed, having to get up and look for the remote
controller is hardly pleasant. If you have the voice control feature, you can just speak a few magic
words and, hey presto, the curtains will draw open or closed!

The Orvibo one that we offer is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

Ensure that They’re Truly Smart
When you’re browsing for smart curtain options, make sure that the motor is programmed to ensure easy installation, operation and damage control. 

Check that it can automatically recognize the width of your windows when you first set it up. Some, like ours, will also have presets that are set to convenient midway points; this way, your curtain won’t always draw fully open but can open partially as well.

 Also, ensure that there’s a failsafe where if a pet is tugging on your curtain or something is in the way – with ours, the motor will turn itself off to prevent damaging itself if it senses any obstruction.