When I installed a split-system air conditioner in my man cave it was all about getting comfy in the summer months. Something I hadn’t realised was how lazy and forgetful I am and how much energy I would waste leaving it on. No more! Sensibo’s simple “Sky” device makes my “dumb” split-system air conditioner smart!
In fact when I installed this system I was mindful of the need for “smart” devices – the Actron ducted system I had installed in the house was the very latest WiFi connected and app controlled unit. The number of smart split-systems was limited so I went for a trusty non-smart one from the same company.
I work late at night, and sometimes head off to bed, and get up in the morning realising I left it on all night. Or I’ll head out to meetings and find I left it on all day.
Then this Sensibo thing started popping up on Facebook, and the Australian distributor reached out to me and I jumped at the chance to try one.
LISTEN: Stephen Hunter, MD at Appliance Pro talks to Trevor Long on Talking Technology (Weeknights 8pm) about the Senisbo Sky
Honestly, this was the easiest third party smart home add on device I’ve ever installed. Out of the box, power it up, download an app, enter your details, scan a QR code and you’re off. A firmware update which takes a few minutes and then you’re into setting up your WiFi network and smart air conditioner.
You name the room, name the device, and then point your real-life remote control at the Sensibo and the device reads the infra-red signal and determines what sort of device it is that you have.
Remarkably, it worked first time for me and within 5 minutes of opening the box, I was pressing buttons on my smartphone to change the temperature of the air conditioner.
Simply amazing.
Now of course, it’s a great replacement for your standard remote. But it works remotely. Anywhere you have mobile signal or internet connectivity you can check on the status of your air conditioner.
The Sensibo unit has a spot on the back to be screw mounted on the wall, or you can use the sticky pad on the back to attach it. It just needs to sit in the same room and broadly within range of the Air Conditioner.
Within the app I have now set a schedule to turn off the device every night, and was able to set different times for different days of the week.
I have also setup what are called “Climate React” rules which mean I can have it come on when the temp hits a certain level, or turn off when it gets too low.
Yep, the Sensibo Sky has a thermometer in it so you can see the conditions in the room at any time.
But wait, there’s more. The app also has Geolocation services. You can set the air conditioner to turn off when you’ve left the house, or turn on when you get home.
Honestly, they’ve thought of everything – and what’s great is this works with almost any air conditioner. Any unit that uses a remote – split system, window system, or portable – if it uses a remote, it can work with Sensibo.
And, it works with Google Home and Amazon Alexa right out of the box!
At $159 it’s great value – and for any room, or any number of devices it’s a huge game changer for people looking to have better control of their cooling and heating and hopefully save a few bucks on the power bills at the same time.
Sensibo Sky is available from Appliance Pro in Australia, and also through Harvey Norman , The Good Guys, Bing Lee & Kambo’s Warehouse
Honestly, I have no hesitation in recommending this unit for anyone who has an interest in smart home products, app control and power savings.
[schema type=”review” rev_name=”Sensibo Sky Smart device for dumb air conditioners” rev_body=”Turn your old air conditioner smart with a simple device that gives you amazing control over your power use and temperature” author=”Trevor Long” pubdate=”2018-01-24″ user_review=”5″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”5″ ]
