SONOFF SNZB

SONOFF launched their 1st gen Zigbee product about a few years ago, and SONOFF have finally started to upgrade their Zigbee devices, and we received two Zigbee 3.0 devices from SONOFF for review, namely the SNZB-01P wireless switch and the SNZB-02P temperature and humidity Sensor. In a nutshell, their appearance looks more modern, with a round shape compared to the rectangular design of the previous models. Importantly, they are sturdier than before, and the battery capacity has increased almost 2x. As we anticipated, they can be used with other Zigbee Hubs from different brands as well. The main application used with both devices is still, of course, eWeLink, which many people are familiar with (a Zigbee Bridge Hub/Bridge is required). However, this review will focus more on the popular app called Home Assistant, which is widely used globally.

After trying it out for a while and comparing it with other wireless switches and push buttons such as Sonoff wireless switch Gen1 (rectangular shape), Xiaomi wireless switch (round shape), and Aqara wireless switch (rectangular shape with curved corners), we found that the SNZB-01P has been developed quite well to address the gap they have in Gen1. It is more robust and provides a solid click when pressed, which is an improvement compared to Gen1 which could be frustrating as it sometimes didn’t respond to clicks immediately. This generation can be considered similar to the Aqara. Additionally, it comes with a magnetic base that allows easy attachment to metal surfaces without a significant increase in weight (27.8g vs. 25g).

The features are quite similar to the previous generation but with adjustments to the appearance and efficiency

This switch can be used for various purposes, depending on the controlling software and, of course, your ideas. Here are some examples.

The switch can be installed/mounted in three ways:

These are necessary steps.

At this point, the process of checking which event occurs still requires going to Developer Tools and trying the button to see which command is associated with the event. This information is essential for referencing when creating automations. However, as of the review date, we have learned that Home Assistant has introduced the “Event Entity” feature in version 2023.8. This feature will eliminate the need to capture device IDs and commands in the Developer Tools. We have tested and found that this feature is currently only available for some devices and protocols, not yet for this switch. Hopefully, in the upcoming versions, it will work with more devices, including SNZB-01P. That would simplify the setup.

Next one is the temperature and humidity sensor. In this Gen2 version, the external appearance has been improved in line with the wireless switch tested earlier. If installed on the walls of a home, it will definitely blend in seamlessly due to its round and sleek design. It complements the SNZB-01P wireless switch well. SONOFF mentioned that the internal sensor is also upgraded to the new SHT40 model from Adafruit, which provides more accurate measurements compared to the previous generation. Based on our experience with standalone SHT sensors in other projects, this sensor is stable and responsive, providing reliable data as expected, hence, we expect similar behavior.

The physical installation of the sensor is similar to the wireless switch mentioned earlier. There are three approaches: using 3M adhesive tape to stick it to the fall, attaching it to a metal plate fitted with 3M adhesive tape, and using a mounting screw. It provides various choices for users. We love the magnet approach, at least, it’s easier battery replacement.

We usually recommend checking the compatibility of Zigbee devices with Home Assistant before purchase on the Blakadder website as they test devices to confirm compatibility or the lack thereof. For example, the SONOFF SNZB-02P can work with Home Assistant through the ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT integration, just like SNZB-01P. This website is very up-to-date. You might see more integration and tested function in the future from here.

The registration process of the SNZB-02P temperature and humidity sensor in Home Assistant is very similar to the one for SNZB-01P. You can create various automations to leverage SNZB-02P. For example, you can use temperature or humidity as triggers for automations like turning on/off a fan when the temperature crosses a threshold or even activating your plant irrigation when the humidity level is lower than a specific threshold. You can write your own automation to notify when the battery level is low too.

After testing out both SONOFF Zigbee Gen2 devices, namely the SNZB-01P wireless switch and the SNZB-02P temperature & humidity sensor, for a while, we think they are way better than the previous generation. They can match up with other brands in terms of appearance, durability, battery size, and installation. We have tested them with both the eWeLink app and Home Assistant, and the installation and usage were trouble-free.

Two things we especially liked are the round design that blends well with the wall, and the presence of the embedded magnets which makes installation easy and convenient, plus the SNZB-01P has a more solid button. The only minor inconvenience we found during the review, at least for Home Assistant users, is the process of checking the device ID and command of the wireless switch before setting up automations, which requires going to the Developer Tools (same to other brands too). However, an upcoming Home Assistant release with Event Entity (2023.8.x) should simplify this step further.

We’d like to thank SONOFF for sending the latest SNZB-01P wireless switch and the SNZB-02P temperature and humidity sensor for review. They can be purchased on the ITEAD shop for respectively $9.90 and $10.90 plus shipping (free for orders over $89). You could also get an additional 10% discount with coupon CNXSOFTSONOFF. In related news, ITEAD has organized a mid-year sale with discounts on various SONFF automation devices by up to 45%.

Computer Engineering who previously worked with multinational IT company, rich experience in IT infrastructure, has a passion on Internet Of Thing i.e., Smart Home, Smart Farm as well as interested on Sustainability such as renewable energy, organic farming

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