Then download the Lutron app and launch it on your smart device. A Lutron strategically designed tilt angle of the wood blinds (150 degrees) that helps reduce direct glare and block harmful U/V rays that could cause fading or discoloration to furnishings from direct sunlight. Once wood blinds are installed in the app and youve used faade finder to indicate the direction the blind is facing, you can easily enable NLO in the app with the press of a few buttons. 0000010098 00000 n
The two shades I tested, which measured about 34 inches wide by 42 inches long, cost about $850 total and that was with the least expensive options selected. A back cover is a great option for a honeycomb shade mounted on the inside of a window frame. The optional back cover hides the head rails mounting brackets, contributing to a cleaner finish when viewed from the other side of the window. R value is a measurement of thermal resistance basically, how well something provides insulation. He built his own smart home in 2007 and used it as a real-world test lab for product reviews. So your mobile app communicates with the plugged-in Caseta Bridge, which in turn communicates with the Serena Shades using a low-energy communication protocol. At the time of that review, an available 15-percent discount dropped the final cost to $411. 0000020497 00000 n
Part of the valance on Serena wood blinds that covers the side profiles of the headrail that may be sticking out of the window frame. 0000010770 00000 n
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If you don't have any other Lutron products (such as its Caseta smart plugs), you'll also need a Lutron Caseta bridge ($80) to connect the shades to your Wi-Fi network. Scenes can also operate on geofence triggers: closing your shades and turning down your thermostat when you leave and take your cell phone with you; opening your shades, turning on your lights, and playing your favorite playlist when you return home with it. 1K[tpUO%)pl2d929,:l\_?>{@T4{y?bWV{%n2~C|VU Eb$BTiSs%*#9Rf*Hg*8>M<2*64M))|6U^QLqxBxD%fjT`k7a[ L+r8hJf433PvSuDKz+i]5y"%t $d1}5]tcFstCD}1T=Lw}\} 0000001476 00000 n
Faade Finder is a new feature in the Lutron app for Serena wood blinds that allows users to indicate which direction (N, NE, E, S, SW, W, NW) their window is facing. After that, I inserted the batteries into the shades (my two shades each took six D-cell batteries), and then snapped the shades into the brackets. Note: For maximum battery life we recommend Alkaline D and Lithium AA batteries. HKo7F-CZaIS=3rv5!Yp;:W{wgxpxQccOk$}KR+RC);g/] 0000043043 00000 n
An Account is Required to Place Orders. Serena shade, Casta dimmer, Pico remote, etc.) A back cover is a piece of material that installs behind the brackets of an insulating honeycomb shade. That means the shade has the potential to move thousands of times on a single set of batteries. Please call a Serena shades specialist for more information. When dual-sided fabrics are selected, every room in the home can have a signature look on the inside and still maintain a uniform appearance on the outside. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, The battery compartment on those hangs on the back of the head rail, so you need to dismount the entire shade to access it. More than many other smart-home devices, smart shades feel like a "nice to have" product rather than a must-have. 0000012482 00000 n
The 34 x 58-inch Serena shade reviewed here is priced at $474, plus $25 for the Pico remote and $80 for the bridge for a total cost of $579. The back cover prevents some light leakage around the head rail, but its not perfect. When hes not testing out the latest running watch, electric scooter, or skiing or training for a marathon, hes probably using the latest sous vide machine, smoker, or pizza oven, to the delight or chagrin of his family. published 4 February 19. No.
Geofencing: This GPS-based solution is one way developers have tried to automate smart home tech. Serena honeycomb shades and wood blinds use either D or AA. That means you can't activate scenes from the Lutron app using Siri.
Note: the Lutron Smart Bridge model number MUST contain a 2 in it.
^6}_yuH46]}}z_PH}~,[y0|9+"!?2? Lutron's Serena Remote Controlled Shades can't solve the price problem (each unit costing around $350 at the least, plus $150 for the Caseta Bridge that integrates with Apple HomeKit). So, for example, if the Nest Protect detects smoke or fire, the Lutron app can automatically turn on all your lights and raise your window shades. The white backing also helps reflect the suns rays, reducing HVAC costs and saving energy. %PDF-1.7
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Add in the 15-minute setup of the Lutron Caseta Smart Bridge, the 10 minutes for the app and the five minutes for the remote, and the whole thing can be up and running in about an hour. Youll need additional spacers if your window trim is thicker than a 1/2 inch. Integration: Once you have the $150 Caseta Bridge -- which falls between comparable bridges from Somfy ($200) and Philips Hue ($60) -- the Lutron app will let you integrate with Lutron products, select Honeywell thermostats, the Nest Learning Thermostat, certain Logitech gadgets and compatible HomeKit products. Modern green devices draw up to 1 watt of power when in standby. A painted finish coats the top of the wood; a stained finish penetrates the wood, preserving its natural look. 0000046592 00000 n
info@serenashades.comWe will respond in 1 business day or sooner. Battery life depends on the type of shade, the shade size, the fabric selected and the number of times shades are opened and closed each day. Or, if you have a Nest Cam, it can turn on your Lutron-connected lights if the camera sees a person while you're away. Here's how each feature stacked up.
Serena Shades are pretty easy to set up. Natural Light Optimization is a new feature in the Lutron app for Serena wood blinds that utilizes date, time, location, and faade (through Faade Finder), to automatically adjust blinds throughout the day to optimize the natural light in the space. Insulating honeycomb shades between 14.5 (368mm) and 22 (559mm) wide have an external battery pack behind the shade that can be accessed for battery changes without taking the shade down. By Once installed, the shades responded nearly instantly to both the app and the remote. The number of batteries required is published during the design process, at the shopping cart and in your order confirmation email. If you have one shade (with brand new batteries) right next to another shade (with old batteries), they will still move at the same speed. When used with Casta Wireless, Siri can control Lutron wireless shades in iOS 9 and later. If youre standing 3 feet away from a moving Serena shade, you wont hear much of anything.
Tom's Guide is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 0000100889 00000 n
Yes. That renders the Lutron app and bridge combo a pretty good smart home system all on its own. 0000004581 00000 n
When honeycomb shades are all the way up, the distance from the top of the headrail to the bottom of the shade stack height will vary from 2 1/2 inches (64 mm) to 5 5/8 inches (143 mm) depending on the fabric choice and size of your shade. The problem is, these scenes can't be triggered by anything except time. Its easy! Lutron custom-builds the shades, then ships them to your home. This provides you with a visual indication that you need to change the batteries. When you need to replace the batteries, simply flip two levers and the battery compartment drops down. Yes.
A device could be a Serena shade, a plug-in dimmer or in-wall dimmer, or your Pico remotes or 4-group remotes (the Smart Bridge itself counts as 1 device). Unlike lights, which get turned on multiple times a day, how often do you raise or lower your blinds? When he isn't waving his hands wildly in front of motion sensors or making faces at video doorbells, he spends his time playing board games and video games with his wife and family. In fact, Vivint doesnt officially support motorized window shades at all, but the company wont prevent you from adding shades to your system and treating them like dimmer switchesprovided they use Z-Wave technology. Serena roller & honeycomb shades work with Apple HomeKit. This doesn't affect our editorial independence. With a power drill and a couple screwdrivers, I was able to set it up within 30 minutes. The fabric is lined with aluminum to improve its insulation value, but Lutron offers only a 9/16-inch single-celled material in its room-darkening shades, where Graber lets you choose either single- or double-celled metalized fabric. For sure. Connect the Smart Bridge to your wireless router. HM$7}ZZ(c/z"WcwWj Disappointingly, Siri can't control these scenes. 0000029499 00000 n
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In the final analysis, however, the Serena shades better-designed battery compartment, the back cover hiding its ugly side, and its superior remote control endow it with enough concrete benefits to justify its higher cost. But I found the motor in the Serena shade to be very slightly quieter than the Somfy motor Graber uses. I also opted to get a pico remote ($25), which let me raise and lower the shades without needing to open the app on my phone. 0000013312 00000 n
The batteries for Serena honeycomb shades and wood blinds are conveniently housed within the headrail or behind the headrail in a slim external battery pack. Works with Alexa, Google Home, and HomeKit. Thank you for signing up to Tom's Guide. When ordering the shades online at Lutron's website you get myriad options, including shade type (honeycomb or roller), fabric (there are 150 types), opacity and color. Depending on the type of shade, the shade size and the fabric selected, Serena Shades will use either AA Lithium or D Alkaline batteries. Please call the Serena Shade Specialists at 1.855.573.7362 during business hours: M-F 8a-8p EST & Sat-Sun 9a-6p EST. However, unlike a smart plug or light bulb that might cost $50 tops, smart shades are a serious investment. \k%[#;=5{jX-~o[-N&'~Gw;5pV0+
Smart lights are handy for adding illumination when it's dark, but what if you want to let the sun do the work? RF (radio frequency) remote controls will work at least 30 feet away from the shade. Using IFTTT, you can also create a scenario where the shades will automatically lower if your smart thermostat rises above a certain temperature. To do this, you need to select the Siri Integration option in the Settings within the Lutron App and add multiple users. But the attraction of the apps programmability depends on your sticking with Lutrons lighting, window covering, and ceiling fan controls, plus the limited number of third-party products that Lutron has decided to support. They are designed to work with dimmable LEDs and CFLs, halogen and incandescent bulbs. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. 0000072621 00000 n
Lutron makes some of our favorite smart switches and plugs, so weve long been curious about its Serena motorized window shades. For starters, if you choose the battery-powered option, the battery compartment is integrated into the shades head rail (the component that mounts to the top of your window frame and houses the motor for raising and lowering the shade). 0000014700 00000 n
If you have any other issues setting up Apple TV, please contact Apple Customer Support. HomeKit: Serena works with Apple HomeKit, the integration system that uses your Wi-Fi and requires no extra hubs. 0000041042 00000 n
Serena has a lot of things going for it but the price will push these shades out of the range of many would-be customers, and the performance hiccups show room for improvement. They can make windows in hard-to-reach places more accessible, and can be important tools for the disabled or elderly. Those features are apparent in both the shades industrial design and its ease of use. 0000101649 00000 n
I registered a 8.3dB increase in noise level while the shade was opening from fully closed to fully open. For remote access youll need to have a third generation or later Apple TV with software version 7.0 or later in your home. For wood blinds, the stack height will vary from 4 inches to 9 inches depending on the height of the blind. Not only do they boast features like Siri voice control and geofencing-based automation, they also integrate with plenty of other smart home gadgets, like thermostats and lights. The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled.
You can pair the remote with a single shade or have it control all the shades in a single room. When roller shades are up all the way, 4.5 inches (114 mm) of fascia/headrail will cover the window. Serena honeycomb shades have a fantastic R value as high as 4.3. But if youve previously purchased any Lutron Casta lighting or ceiling fan controller, you already have the bridge and the app that goes with it. Keep in mind, though, that choosing textured fabrics and colors other than white will cause the price of the blinds to quickly skyrocket. The fabric itself feels very high end, though, and the entire shade is quite attractive both when closed or partially open. You will receive a verification email shortly. He oversees all evergreen content as well as the Homes, Smart Home, and Fitness/Wearables categories, but also tests out the latest standing desks, webcams, drones, and electric scooters. Lutron has been very good about integrating its smart-home products with other services; not only do the Serena shades work with Alexa, Google Assistant, SmartThings and Apple's HomeKit, but you can also pair Lutron's products with thermostats from Honeywell, Nest, Carrier, and Ecobee, as well as Sonos systems. Lightly vacuum fabric with a brush type vacuum attachment, Sponge with a mild detergent and warm water solution and blot dry, Blot with a solution of 1 part mild detergent and 3 parts warm water, then blot dry, Use extra care when cleaning honeycomb room-darkening fabrics, as the fabric could become permanently creased, Do not use strong detergents or spot removers, We dont recommend dry cleaning or ultrasonic cleaning, Serena shades utilize standard (Alkaline) D-cell batteries, which are known for having a very long shelf-life (up to 7 years), Our shades have an efficient hybrid-drive design. 2022 CNET, a Red Ventures company. It utilizes the phones internal compass to provide a suggested direction, but the user can also manually override this direction when selecting a faade for their blind. But the dealer who supplied the shade routinely offers discount coupons.
If you dont like the environmental impact of batteries, you can order the shades with a wall wart ($40) and a 15-foot power cord thats coiled inside the head railjust pull out as much as you need to reach an outlet. You can set timed scenes, use Siri voice control, automate commands with Geofencing, and integrate with other smart home gadgets.
The design uses ultra-low standby power that is like the electricity drawn from electronics even when they are turned off. Editor-in-Chief for Toms Guide. xref
1.888.445.8063 during business hours1.800.523.9466 outside of business hours. NY 10036. Michael A. Prospero is the U.S. 0000013818 00000 n
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When looking straight on at a powered inside or outside mount roller shade with no fascia, a slim opening between the top of the battery cartridge that exposes batteries may be visible, depending on the height of the installed shade and the height of the observer. It took a little less than four weeks for me to receive mine after I placed the order. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Once the invitation is accepted, they will also be able to control the lights in the home using Siri. In fact, this circuitry can even compensate for battery voltage. The Pico Remotes size makes it easy to misplace, but you can mount a plastic block to the wall and slide the remote onto it, so the shades can be controlled from the wall just like a light switch. The Lutron ecosystem offers hooks into third-party products, including Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant smart speakers; smart thermostats from Carrier, Ecobee, Honeywell, and Nest; and even Sonos speakers.
All Lutron Smart Bridges (generation 1 and 2) have identical performance on Android. 0000047065 00000 n
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A wireless repeater may be purchased to extend the range by 60 if needed. 0000019263 00000 n
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The biggest knock on these shades is that theyre expensive. Setting your shades to open or close at certain times is nice, and the astronomic time clock even lets you personalize your scenes based on when the sun rises and sets where you live. 0000021862 00000 n
These brackets will prevent the bottom of the blind from moving and adds $25 per blind. 0000013395 00000 n
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Changing batteries in honeycomb and roller shades is simple and does not require taking down the shade. No returns are included on fully recessed inside-mounted blinds. David Priest is an award-winning writer and editor who covers home security for CNET. In addition, an alert will appear in the Lutron App indicating that the batteries will need to be changed soon. Easy setup and robust features makes Serena smart shades a great addition to any smart home. aYs$fH?'K1@A4#L@ `EJ1v$3nD3l`y_\K[cE0a` i
Copyright 2022 IDG Communications, Inc. Can be integrated into some smart home systems, but it doesnt depend on one, Custom made for your windows, so youll get a perfect fit, Battery compartment integrated into the headrail, An optional cover hides the mounting brackets and reduces light leakage over the headrail, Operates using a proprietary wireless protocol, More expensive than some competitors when you factor everything in.
There aren't many competitors in the smart blinds space. Serena insulating honeycomb shades have air pockets built into their fabric that provide insulation. Option 2: Without the Plug-In Adapter a licensed electrician is needed to install a Lutron Power Panel as an option for connecting up to ten wired shades. 0000006460 00000 n
As I said earlier, Serena shades cost more than Grabers product, although the price differential is less stark if you already own a Lutron bridge. The batteries live in the body of the Serena Shade, and can last as long as four years, depending on the model and size. Trust me, youll eventually want to expand beyond that universe. No extra hubs, no extra remotes. A Lutron Smart Bridge generation 2 (L-BDG2-WH) or Lutron Smart Bridge PRO generation 2 (L-BDGPRO2-WH) is required, as well as the iOS Lutron App for Caseta Wireless version 2.2 or later.
1.888.445.8063Business hours: M-F 8a-8p EST & Sat 9a-6p EST; our office is closed Sundays. 0000072219 00000 n
More Information. I9Gwo>Ez|Ko_[0s
suj+wlk5\CmJ0'7W/_n?x70Kk/~_>__:[6Y~I!/fK!2f~KcD"v90,(N>qLPuRhL Note: Natural Light Optimization does NOT adjust blinds according to the weather e.g. 0000030339 00000 n
Heres why you can trust us. Once the shades arrived, I found it pretty easy to install them. So you can't set the cellular shades to close and conserve heat if the thermostat's temperature is drifting too low. If youve set up a smart home hub, that reliance on Lutrons own communications protocol will likely determine if you can incorporate the shades directly into your broader smart home system. 0000005824 00000 n
I liked that I could control them not just with Lutron's app and remote, but with a host of other smart-home systems, too. 0000037785 00000 n
Lutrons solution is more proprietary than many, but the compatibility trade-off is worth it. Samsung SmartThings supports Serena shades directly, but the Vivint Smart Home system that I use does not.