Apollo Automation’s ESPHome starter kit offers flexible local smart home control

Smart home hardware is widely available, often sold as turnkey solutions that require virtually no setup beyond physical installation. Apollo Automation’s new ESPHome Starter Kit takes a different approach: a bundle designed to lower the barrier to entry for custom home automation without major hurdles. However, with its modular ecosystem, the manufacturer isn't necessarily aiming at the typical plug-and-play mainstream consumer.

The system centers around a mainboard powered by the ESP32-C6 microcontroller, paired with various modules. Motion detection is handled by an MH-SR602 sensor with a range of up to 3.5 meters, which can be configured to trigger lighting or an alarm system. Climate tracking is managed via an AHT20F sensor that measures ambient temperature and relative humidity. This enables users to monitor indoor air comfort, signal when it is time to ventilate or heat, or automatically command an air conditioning unit based on live readings.

Rounding out the bundle are a dedicated push-button module and a notification module featuring 10 RGB LEDs alongside a buzzer. The RGB LEDs can be programmed to provide color-coded visual feedback for various sensor measurements. Flexible printed circuit (FPC) cables handle connectivity, while the mainboard supports Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Thread—with advanced users also able to leverage Zigbee. Ultimately, the ESPHome Starter Kit facilitates local, cross-vendor automation, and thanks to a visual editor, no actual programming or manual coding is required. The kit is available for $40.