It’s hard to resist the convenience of picking up a shiny new smart home gadget at an electronics store. But I always ask a lot of questions. Why does a smart plug need a cloud account? Why do they keep sending data to the remote server? And why are automations limited in their application?
Ever since I started building my own sensors and devices ESP32I have stopped asking such questions. All I do is wire the sensors to the ESP32 board and flash the customizable firmware using it ESPHome. Then, is integrated with House helperThe smart home platform keeps track of my activity on my home network and gives me access to all the data it generates. These are some of the many reasons I buy ESP32 boards instead of smart home gadgets.
Freedom to use in another project
Most components can be reused
It’s easier for me to modify my ESP32-based device than a store-bought smart home gadget. For example, my motion sensor based ESP32 device can be converted to weather station next month.
Even cheap sensors can be reused After I dismantled single-purpose smart home projects. After extensive research, I built a multi-node presence sensor using a dual-core ESP32 for efficient parallel processing.
The ESP32 board can store multiple sensors and bundle multiple capabilities into one unit – something that off-the-shelf smart devices simply don’t offer.
It was created to fix and survive the hype
No expiration date
I often break the ESP32 either from soldering heat or faulty lines of code. Fortunately, the code is editable, especially when I want to add some features. Replacing a sub-$1 component sounds a lot better than throwing a $30 brick in the trash – yes, I’m looking at those cut-off smart plugs.
I mainly use jumper cables to prototype ESP32 devices before soldering the components. And even after soldering, there is enough space to reuse them. Smart home gadgets often stop working when their manufacturers stop releasing software updates or stop their cloud services. Most cannot be lit with a Custom software like ESPHome extending their useful life.
Every build taught me something new
Skills over comfort
Instead of falling into the trap of plug and play, building my own smart home devices has taught me more than a pre-built smart home gadget. With ESPHome, I learned a lot about microcontrollers and smart home automation. Despite a few mistakes, I gained real skills in building solutions that worked exactly as I wanted.
Of course, there is a lot of reading, experimenting and shopping. Despite the occasional component costs, I manage to save money by choosing ESP32 boards over pre-made solutions. Also, these tools continue to evolve, so learning never stops. The thriving ESP32 and ESPHome communities that always help sharpen my ideas and provide solutions when I get stuck.
Creating devices for my use and problems
Designed for my world
The flexibility to build and rebuild smart home devices entirely on my own terms is truly liberating. I can pack several humidity and temperature sensors together with motion, light and sound sensors on one ESP32 board. Such a multi-sensor node provides rich, actionable information from a single board.
Using this information, I develop various automations that are not related to the result or the overall “scene”. A multi-sensor hub can detect light, temperature and humidity outdoors to turn on lights and fans, or activate HVAC accordingly. I define the rules and build automation around my life – not around the limitations imposed by smart home devices.
Plays well and syncs with my smart home
No ecosystem locks
I no longer select devices for specific ecosystems – Google, Amazon or Apple. Instead, I use lightweight, efficient protocols like MQTT, BLE, OpenThreadand The issue it doesn’t throttle my wifi.
ESP32‑C6 boards natively support WiFi, BLE, Thread/Matter. Zigbee requires custom C++/ESP‑IDF builds (no official ESPHome component yet). Thus, I am breaking the chains of attachment to the ecosystem. It also integrates ESP32 devices natively Node-RED and Home Assistant. This is convenient as there is no need for cloud bridges.
With no cloud bridge in the way, everything works locally with full interoperability and clean communication between devices.
Get full ownership at a lower price
Pay only once
Branded smart home gadgets are expensive and often come with a dependency on a subscription or cloud account. Even if there is no charge, my data is still stored on someone’s servers, which is rarely transparent.
On the other hand, the ESP32 is a steal at under $10 without the cloud requirement. The data generated remains local, private and entirely within my home network.
Still buying and never going back
I no longer trade my data, money and privacy for convenience. My ESP32 boards just want my time and interest. In return, I will build a dream smart home that works the way I want it to. Every hour spent teaches me something new and every completed project strengthens my belief that this is the right way to build a smart home.
- Brand
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AITRIP
- Connection Features
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UART, USB
The ESP32 is a fantastic development board that combines robust features with an affordable price. Although cheaper than Arduino and Raspberry Pi Pico, it outperforms most of its competitors. Plus, the ESP32 even has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on every board, making the microcontroller great for projects where you can’t keep it physically connected to your computer all the time.
