Looking for a smart temp/humidity sensor

[Ethnod]

So I'm finding it hard to find a matter enabled smart outdoor Temperature and Humidity sensor that doesn't require a special hub or cost €100.

Any advice? 

[OhioYJ]

The matter part is the issue. You can't use a regular zigbee or zwave sensor? I've got many Zooz zwave temp / humidity sensors here at my house that I've been happy with. 

[starsmine]

can make your own. Just hook up a cheapo wireless one to a cheap microcontroller or a pi and have it connect to your wifi.

this is a fairly common project with making self watering indoor plants.  

I guess im not sure what matter is, but a simple API should exist. 

[smcoakley]

Why Matter-enabled is a requirement? What hub or system will you be integrating it with?

[Ethnod]

On 1/3/2025 at 9:22 PM, OhioYJ said:

The matter part is the issue. You can't use a regular zigbee or zwave sensor? I've got many Zooz zwave temp / humidity sensors here at my house that I've been happy with. 

OK fair enough, I'll have to rethink that part...thinking more below

On 1/3/2025 at 9:32 PM, starsmine said:

can make your own. Just hook up a cheapo wireless one to a cheap microcontroller or a pi and have it connect to your wifi.

this is a fairly common project with making self watering indoor plants.  

I guess im not sure what matter is, but a simple API should exist. 

Firstly, it's for outside so running power from inside in Irish rainy weather not ideal and second I've no home assist server set up. I've a unraid server fir plex but it's not all unless being used due to electricity costs, considering alternatives 

On 1/4/2025 at 8:02 AM, smcoakley said:

Why Matter-enabled is a requirement? What hub or system will you be integrating it with?

So this is the thing. I've been considering a stand alone hub as a low power alternative (something like a Aqara M3 hub but potentially I want to run a pihole and maybe a dns resolver for privacy and maybe to monitor kids Internet traffic / restrict access (currently considering it plus I'm a little ahead of myself anyway so no rush to decide) so a lower powered server is in consideration right now. 

 

In saying all that, because I'm in flux I was hoping to find a matter enabled outdoor one that I could just link to the Google hub I've already got. So might have to part the outdoor bit until I figure out my shiz

[OhioYJ]

1 hour ago, Ethnod said:

In saying all that, because I'm in flux I was hoping to find a matter enabled outdoor one that I could just link to the Google hub I've already got. 

I don't know anything about Google's hub, or smart home as it was never even one that I considered (Google kills stuff way to often). However Zwave is nice from a range stand point. I have one of my 8 temp sensors outside actually at my house. 

 

As for the DNS, and such. I ran a pihole for a bit. These days I use OPNsense for a router / firewall. It does all my ad blocking etc. I also have a bunch VLANs setup, and the kid is on his own VLAN so his Internet has a it's own rules, like only being on at specific times etc.  (For all his device, wired, and wifi.)  pfsense can obviously do similar things as well. Just to throw out some other things to consider. 

[smcoakley]

3 hours ago, Ethnod said:

In saying all that, because I'm in flux I was hoping to find a matter enabled outdoor one that I could just link to the Google hub I've already got. So might have to part the outdoor bit until I figure out my shiz

 

So really the requirement is to work with your Google hub then? Matter is just a nice-to-have? Because that helps a lot, because Matter devices are still few and far between. Matter is just too new to expect too many devices to be available yet in most product categories.

 

Me personally, I've been using these Switchbot Indoor/Outdoor Hygrometers, and pretty happy with them. They're fairly cheap, reasonably accurate, OK wireless range, and can work locally. They use Bluetooth, so you will need a hub to connect them to Google Home. But at least as of writing, they're offering a decent deal on a hub + hygrometer pair for less than the MSRP of just a hub, and then you can add more sensors to it later for cheap.

 

I don't use the Switchbot hub so I can't really attest to it. I have my Switchbot sensors paired directly to my Home Assistant server via Bluetooth and they work perfectly in that scenario. But the sensors themselves are good.

[Ethnod]

On 1/7/2025 at 2:21 AM, smcoakley said:

So really the requirement is to work with your Google hub then? Matter is just a nice-to-have? Because that helps a lot, because Matter devices are still few and far between. Matter is just too new to expect too many devices to be available yet in most product categories.

Requirement is a bit strong. I already have the Nest hub (bought a few for the family as smart picture frames) and it's kind of expanded from there. Babies room was cold and humid, so got smart plugs, thermometer and automated and room. Wife's cold at night so automated the electric blanket... and so on. 

I know I'll need to get a hub or home assistant server at some point but still exploring what I actually need and I'm in no rush.

 

The main requirement is not wasting my time or money, hence why I was thinking about matter devices. Later on I want things to work seamlessly and I don't want to have 2 systems or have to replace half my smart devices (or at least minimise the amount) 

 

Thank you all for the input. I'll definitely consider SwitchBot stuff