Appreciation post: Wireless sensors I was sure would flop

I remember when the first wireless recessed door sensors came out maybe 5 years ago. I was dead set against them, thought they'd fail like everything wireless does. Then I put in a retrofit job at an old building downtown where running wires was gonna take 2 full days. I used 22 of those wireless sensors and it took me 4 hours total. Zero failures in the 2 years since. Has anyone else had that moment where a product surprised you like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

wood.eric1mo ago

Admit it, I had the same feeling but with smart thermostats. I remember installing my first one, an Ecobee, back when they first came out. I was sure the wifi connection would drop in the middle of winter and my pipes would freeze. Honestly, it's been 4 years now and the only time it failed was when the power went out during a storm. These things have come a long way from the clunky X10 stuff we used to mess with.

piperbailey1mo ago

You got me there... "clunky X10 stuff" brought back memories. I used to roll my eyes at people talking up smart home gear, thought it was just another way to overcomplicate simple things. But then I picked up a cheap smart plug on a whim, just to see what the fuss was about. Set it to turn my porch light on at sunset and off at sunrise... and honestly, I haven't touched a light switch in months. I still don't trust wifi door locks though, that's where I draw the line.

sethm461mo ago

Consider how much power those smart plugs actually save over time. Most people think it's just a convenience thing but the small vampire loads they eliminate add up way more than you'd expect. That porch light timer probably paid for itself in electricity savings within the first year.