by Smart home gadgets know no boundaries these days. You can control everything from a garage door to every single light bulb in your house… if you’re excited enough to replace them all. Smart accessories have been added to front doors over the years – smart door locks, video doorbells, sensors that tell you if the door is closed – so why not make the door itself smart?
At least smart in some aspect. Home Depot’s newest smart door, made by Feather River and powered by Home Depot’s smart-home Hubspace platform, includes a smart glass window, and starting today you can buy it on Home Depot’s website. It requires a USB-C power connection or the use of the included battery to power that smart window.
It’s not the company’s first foray into smart doors, although it is the most affordable option, with prices ranging from $798 to $998 depending on window size. That’s still not cheap, but it’s not a terrible price for a front door with a large window, let alone one you can operate.
In the interest of transparency
Photo: Thuisdepot
The Smart Glass door has one key trick: you can control the door like you would a light, tapping to turn the coverage on and off instead of a bright light. You can control it through Home Depot’s Hubspace app, or connect your Hubspace app to a voice assistant to control it with voice commands to an Amazon Alexa or Google Nest speaker. The window can be a clear window that allows light and views outside, or a window covered with ice for privacy. You no longer have to choose just one window style for your door: you can now have both.
Hubspace is Home Depot’s internal smart home ecosystem. It works the same way as any other smart-home app, with options to control your Hubspace devices and create schedules and routine options. While Hubspace is a lesser known name and a bit newer to the space after launching in 2021, everything I’ve tested of it has worked well. It also works well with the two most popular voice assistants, so it’s quite easy to add to your home.
With the paintable fiberglass construction of the Smart Glass door, the composite window and decorative panels at the bottom, the Smart Glass door has a beautiful, contemporary look. It offers four window size options, allowing the smart glass to fill most, half, or just the top quarter of the center of the door. The door with the small Craftsman-style window is the least expensive at $798, while the three-quarter window and full window both retail for $998.
The Smart Glass Door solves a privacy problem that homeowners may face: Do you really want to have a huge window in the front door? There is definitely an aesthetic appeal, but without other safety measures, a really clear window may not always feel safe. Especially nice if you want more light in your front room, want to have a view of your garden or want to give your pet a clear view of the postman. It’s just as nice to have privacy from potential intruders and door-to-door salespeople who don’t need to know that you’re working from home. With the Smart Glass door you can have both things without sacrificing the other.
Battery without a brain
Photo: Thuisdepot
The Smart Glass door can run on either battery or USB-C if you have a power outlet nearby on the hinge side of the door; the battery is expected to last approximately two months, depending on use. If your WiFi goes down, you can connect to the door via Bluetooth to continue controlling it. If the door loses power, the window automatically switches to opaque mode, giving your home privacy while you wait for the power to come back on or for the battery to charge.
