Grid Connect is a Smart Home line of products from a number of manufacturers. Devices include smart lights, outlets and wifi light switches. Grid Connect products like Arlec smart light bulbs can be purchased from Bunnings and then controlled using the Grid Connect App. But Does Grid Connect work with Homekit?
Grid Connect and Homekit
Grid Connect products do not work with Apple Homekit. The great thing about Homekit is you can use smart products without needing to download any additional apps or register additional accounts. To use Grid Connect products you need to install the Grid Connect app.
Grid Connect doesn’t work with Siri. This means you won’t be able to control your smart home using siri on your HomePod or other device.
Should You Buy Grid Connect Products?
If you own any Apple devices I wouldn’t recommend buying Grid Connect products. You can buy higher quality smart home products that work seamlessly with Apple Homekit. Homekit products will soon support Matter, which is an open smart home standard. Products like Grid Connect don’t look like they will get Matter or Thread support anytime soon. If you’re putting together a smart home, I would be looking to get products that are going to support the latest standards a be future proof.
Grid Connect products won’t work if the company Grid Connect goes out of business. The products need the app to work. Whereas HomeKit products can be controlled through the Home app on your iPhone or other smart device. So they should keep on working even if a manufacturer goes out of business.
Grid Connect products also have issues with many of the popular routers used in Australia. To get these products to work, you need to turn off Band Steering. Band Steering is a feature that makes your WiFi network more reliable. But it can’t be turned on if you use Grid Connect products. This is a huge problem with the entire range.
The Best Arlec Grid Connect Alternatives
Philips Hue
I’m a huge fan of Philips Hue Bulbs. They’re the bulbs I recommend to my friends and family and my clients.
- Homekit, Alexa and Google Home Support – Hue bulbs support all the major devices. The bulbs run on the Zigbee standard. So they are supported by many Zigbee compatible products too.
- Super High Quality LEDs – I haven’t found a better quality LED than the ones in Philips Hue Bulbs. These aren’t the cheap LED bulbs you get at Bunnings or Woolies. In my Apartment the bulbs have lasted 5+ years and get used every night. I imagine they will keep lasting much longer.
- Matter Support Coming – Philips Hue will support Matter. This means you can use these bulbs on any device. Google, Apple and other major players are all supporting the open Matter standard. No more device lock in! These bulbs will be future proof.
- Major Brand – I’ve seen lots of smart home companies come and go. Philips Hue is one of the original smart home brands and has a huge customer base. They will continue making products and supporting these products.
- Best Brightness and Colour – Hue lights are especially bright when they are displaying colours. This is one area where many bulbs fall short.
- Great Range – The Philips Hue range has bulbs for all types of lighting. There are your regular downlight bulbs but also lighting for lamps, strip lights, outdoor lighting and more. Plus they have a great range of accessories like light switches and motion sensors.
Nanoleaf Essentials
Hue bulbs work best using a hub. I use a hub and it pretty much eliminates any lag and connectivity issues. But if you want a Grid Connect alternative that doesn’t require a hub I would recommend taking a look at Nanoleaf.
I recommend Nanoleaf as a brand because they are supporting something called Thread. Many of their bulbs and light strips already have Thread support. Thread is a networking standard that will work with Matter. And it turns your existing smart devices like an Apple TV or a Homekit mini into a hub. Your bulbs will connect to that hub. Thread is fast and reliable – much faster and way more reliable than traditional wifi bulbs like LIFX Bulbs. If you’re looking for future proof bulbs that will work with any device and don’t need a hub, you should look at Nanoleaf products.
