Verdict
A little chunky and a bit inflexible, only turning one way, the Aqara Valve Controller T1 is still a handy tool for automating manual butterfly or lever valves. Whether you want a simpler way to shut down gas or water, or you want to pair it with water leak or gas detection sensors for automatic shutdown, this is a neat upgrade to almost every home.
Whether you want a remote way to control your gas or water supplies, or to shut them down in an emergency, the Aqara Valve Controller T1 is a simple retrofit device that works with practically any butterfly or lever valve.
There are a few installation limitations, but in the right conditions this handy bit of kit is a great upgrade.
Manual valves are there so that in the event of an emergency or when work needs to be done, gas and water supplies can be turned off. The Aqara Valve Controller T1 is designed to automate these valves, making it good option in many situations.
Powered by four AA batteries, the Aqara Valve Controller T1 can be installed almost anywhere, although not outside: ironically, this valve controller is not waterproof itself.
It connects via Zigbee, so needs a compatible hub to work. I used the Aqara M200, which I then bridged onto a Matter platform to automate my underfloor heating.
Before starting, I recommend getting the Aqara Valve Controller T1 connected to the hub, and then verifying the connection where it will be installed, all before you go to the trouble of physically installing it.
I installed my Aqara Valve Controller T1 on my underfloor heating. The plumber our builders used during our kitchen renovation didn’t bother to fit a two-port zone valve, so our floor gets hot any time any radiator is installed. However, I can use the T1 to shut off the underfloor.
However, the Aqara Valve Controller T1 can work with any butterfly or lever valve. Combined with Aqara’s leak and gas detectors, you can create a fully automated system that will shut gas or water off in the event of a problem.
Installation is a bit fiddly. Its motorised lever turns 90°, but only in one direction, so the Aqara Valve Controller T1 has to be installed to operate in the right way for your valve.
As it’s quite big and bulky. I had to remove some plaster to get it fitted, and even then, it was a tight fit.
The adjustable collar made it easy to get a tight fit, so that the Aqara Valve Controller T1 wouldn’t move during operation, but I can’t access the manual button to operate the valve by hand, and I have to remove it to replace the batteries.
The Aqara Valve Controller T1 can be operated directly from the Aqara app, with a simple on/off control. It responds quickly to a command, and then there’s a low mechanical whir as it operates.
If you have Aqara sensors, such as a water leak sensor, then you can automate everything from the app, say turning a valve off when water is detected.
There’s also a timer option, so you could operate a sprinkler system, running it for a set period before it shuts down. Of course, that requires the right type of valve, and one installed inside.
In my case, I connected the M200 to Matter. Using Apple Home, I used Tado X. When the Kitchen heating was set to on, I turned the Aqara Valve Controller T1 on, to open up the water; when the heating turns off, the valve closes.
I used this routine all through winter, and it worked without fail every single time – a handy money saver over getting a plumber to come and fit a two-port zone valve.
Battery life is rated at up to two years, assuming one on/off cycle per day. I use more than this per day during Winter, but that’s for less than half the year, so I think I’ll probably get around two seasons’ use out of a set of fresh batteries.
A handy tool, the Aqara Valve Controller T1 automates practically any valve, provided there’s room to fit the bulky device in the right orientation. Provided it does fit, the Aqara Valve Controller T1 is a very useful tool, either automating valves for safety or providing a remote way to control gas and water valves, which could be handy in a holiday home, shutting things down while you’re not there.
When we publish our reviews, you can rest assured that they are the result of “living with” long term tests.
Smart valves usually live within an ecosystem, or a range of products that – supposedly – all work in harmony. Therefore, it’s impossible to use a smart valve for a week and deliver a verdict.
Because we’re testing smart home kit all day, everyday, we know what matters and how a particular smart valves compare to alternatives that you might also be considering.
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