SwitchBot has been helping its users to automate even the most analogue of abodes for years and now the company is bringing its smart home retrofitting to the living room with the SwitchBot Universal Remote. It allows you to control different household appliances by supporting a wide range of IR devices, including TVs, air conditioners, lights, fans, DVD players, and projectors.
The device’s infrared code library, updated every six months, supports more than 80,000 remote control models (with some help, but more on that later). It also integrates closely with SwitchBot devices such as the Bot, Plug Mini, Curtain, and Ceiling Light, as well as Apple TV and Fire TV.
First off, the remote looks the part – all white bar a large LCD screen that gives it a very Apple-eque feel. Thankfully, SwitchBot has kept it simple with the buttons as well which means it’s probably as user-friendly as you’re going to get.
But even then things can get complicated fast. First off, to make the most of the remote you need a second device – a SwitchBot Hub 2 or Hub Mini – to support Matter and IR. Connecting the device via Bluetooth to my Apple TV and Google TV projector was relatively simple through the app but even then there were a few issues as the remote wouldn’t switch it on. I had to use the original remotes for that.
With a 2000mAh battery, the Universal Remote can last for up to 150 days on a single charge, ensuring a reliable performance that can withstand over 100,000 presses, according to SwitchBot.
It’s a great idea but all in all probably not ready for prime time. For instance, despite supporting thousands of devices I was unable to control my own TV. And as I mentioned, I also had trouble with the Bluetooth as well. SwitchBot has big plans for improvement and upgrades so my advice would be wait and see for the moment. I have tested many of its products before and never failed to have been impressed, so I’m sure it’s only a matter of time.
The SwitchBot Universal Remote Control is currently available for £47.99 via Amazon.
What users say
Dean: I recently purchased the SwitchBot Universal Remote, and while the setup process was a bit different than expected, it’s turned out to be a great addition to my smart home. Initially, I thought I’d be able to program the remote directly, but I had to move the hub around to various devices and TVs for setup. Once everything was learned, it worked flawlessly.
Belal J: This all-in-one smart remote control is a bit of a let-down. The main issue is that it requires a separate hub to function, which isn’t included and costs extra. This isn’t made clear in the product description, so it feels a bit misleading. In terms of performance, it’s quite slow to respond to commands and there’s a noticeable delay. Given the price point, I expected more functionality and a smoother user experience.
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