6 easy-to-use Apple HomeKit accessories

Key Takeaways

• HomeKit isn’t just for homeowners; there are lots of great amenities for apartment dwellers too.
• Many HomeKit accessories are apartment-friendly and don’t require rewiring or drilling holes, making them ideal for renters.
• HomeKit security cameras, like the Eufy C120, offer privacy features like HomeKit Secure Video, which ensures that images are encrypted and stored safely in iCloud.

Home automation is a lot of fun. Although sometimes frustrating, Apple HomeKit is trying to make the experience more cohesive and accessible. As an Apple enthusiast, I naturally gravitated to HomeKit as my smart home solution. Since first dipping my toes in late 2016, I’ve installed two apartments, a condo, and, most recently, a house, with over 100 HomeKit accessories.

Home automation often feels like a homeowner’s game because many HomeKit accessories require rewiring thermostats and changing lights or changing door locks. Rest assured, if you’re an apartment dweller and interested in home automation, there are still plenty of great non-invasive options for you, too. Here’s a list of HomeKit apartment-friendly accessories that don’t require rewiring or drilling. Your landlord won’t even see you.

6 Meross Smart Plug

Unbelievable luxury

Smart plugs provide the easy ability to turn on and off electrical appliances such as lights remotely or on a schedule. Smart plugs are great for areas that require lighting due to lack of overhead lighting. In the past, I have collected several smart plugs to turn on and off many lights at once rather than doing one at a time manually.

Meross is the HomeKit brand I’ve used for several years now because of its affordable price, availability on Amazon, and decent reliability. So, it has become my choice to choose smart plugs. Meross offers single and dual outlet versions. Single-store models can be purchased in packs of two, three or four, with increasing discounts on Amazon. At the same time, one dual outlet can be purchased in two packs.

5 Philips Hue lights

OG HomeKit version

Of course, in homes, we can’t remove and replace non-smart light switches. Therefore, smart light bulbs make a good solution. Philips Hue lights are one of the first products supported by HomeKit. For as long as I’ve been using HomeKit, Philips Hue has been a top contender for smart bulbs. Since then, we’ve seen companies like IKEA, Meross, LIFX, and VOCOlinc come out with competing options, each with their own pros and cons.

However, Philips Hue is still the market leader. Hue bulbs are known to be expensive but reliable, in part due to the hub requirement. Philips Hue offers a wide range of bulbs for different temperatures, colors, fixtures, and electronics. Philips Hue has you covered whether you just want a basic white light, a colored light, or a special one for your oven.

4 August Wi-Fi Smart Lock

8 years later, one is still going strong

Smart locks are one of the most popular smart home products among consumers. For renters, the challenge is that many smart locks also replace a traditional key, making it unacceptable for homeowners who need access to their property. The solution is August’s Wi-Fi Smart Lock. With HomeKit support, this smart lock replaces the back deadbolt of your door, not the front lock. The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is an easy upgrade for any tenant to replace behind their door with this small motor. This upgrade doesn’t break any leases, keeps the keys the same, and can easily be brought with you to your new place. In fact, a friend of mine has been using my old August Wi-Fi Smart Lock for at least six years over the two I used before.

3 Mysa AC Controller

Cool and versatile

While air conditioners are a supported category in HomeKit, surprisingly few are on the market. Fortunately, a great alternative is the Mysa AC controller. This HomeKit accessory is essentially an IR blaster for AC units and heat pumps. Using the Mysa app with your AC unit’s remote control, you configure the Mysa AC controller to communicate with your cooling device. The Mysa AC controller comes from HomeKit as a thermostat, giving you the control options available! The Mysa AC controller simply requires a clear line of light from the AC unit or heat pump. Again, just take it with you when you leave your house. No fuss, no noise. It is very flexible.

2 Eufy C120 indoor camera

HomeKit Protect Video for success

I get the reluctance to have security cameras in your house. The thought of being watched is terrifying, to say the least. However, HomeKit makes it very easy to configure compatible cameras to turn on when you leave and turn off when you get home. As a pet owner, I enjoy having a way to monitor my dogs and house when I’m out, but I also want my privacy when I’m at home.

I have found the Eufy C120 indoor cameras to be an excellent yet inexpensive way to do this. I chose these cameras because they support HomeKit Secure Video as part of my iCloud+ subscription, so all my videos are never seen by Eufy or Apple; it’s encrypted to my HomeKit home hub and then to Apple’s servers so it’s stored in an unreadable format. The Eufy C120s are very cheap on Amazon and don’t require anything beyond an external outlet. I recommend installing them via the command line to avoid damaging your walls.

1 Accent Lighting

Many more options

Following smart plugs and smart light bulbs, voice lighting is another simple, permanent way to personalize your home with HomeKit. There are endless good competitors like Meross smart lights, Philips Hue Go, Philips Hue Bloom, Nanoleaf Shapes, and Nanoleaf lines. Like the Eufy camera, I recommend mounting the Nanoleaf Shapes and Lines with command straps to make removing and adjusting placement easier. Smart lighting is great for setting the mood with colors, lighting up a space without turning on the main room light, and turning off with an app or your voice.