HA Device Expansion, Shopping List, 2026-06-13¶
URL: https://mkdocs.justinsforge.com/memory/handoffs/ha-device-expansion-shopping-list-2026-06-13/
Concrete buy list derived from the HA expansion recommendations. All Zigbee items pair straight into the existing ZHA coordinator (no new hub). Prices are ballpark USD as of mid-2026, confirm at checkout. Default source Amazon unless noted; Aqara/SONOFF often cheaper direct or AliExpress if you can wait on shipping.
Tier 1, do this week (highest ROI, ~$140)¶
| Qty | Device | Model | Protocol | Pairs into | Use | Unit $ | Line $ | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Motion sensor | Aqara Motion Sensor P1 (RTCGQ14LM) | Zigbee 3.0 | ZHA | Entry-triggered lights, room auto-off | ~$20 | ~$80 | Amazon / Aqara |
| 4 | Door/window contact | Aqara Door & Window Sensor P2 (Matter) or P1 (Zigbee) | Zigbee/Matter | ZHA | Exterior door open, kitchen Echo chime | ~$15 | ~$60 | Amazon / Aqara |
Pick P2 (Matter) for contacts only if you want them on Matter; otherwise P1 keeps everything on ZHA and simpler. Recommend P1 for consistency.
Scene remotes, handheld (living room + bedroom)¶
Handheld Zigbee scene controllers to trigger HA scripts as a physical remote. NO Tuya/MOES hub needed, pairs into existing ZHA. Each button fires single/double/long-press as separate ZHA events.
| Qty | Device | Model class | Buttons | Actions | Use | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Blindsmart slim 4-button scene remote | Tuya TS0044 | 4 | 12 (4 × single/double/hold) | Living room + bedroom, bind each event to a script | Amazon (Blindsmart) |
- Buy the slim single-column "4-button scene remote / controller", NOT the wide "4-gang wall panel" (gang = physical switch-box replacement, oversized).
- MOES TS0044 and Aqara Opple 4/6-button are equivalent alternatives; Aqara Opple = more reliable ZHA pairing if Blindsmart glitches.
- Long-press on TS0044 emits its own event; map actions to whatever ZHA actually fires (watch the ZHA event log on first press).
- Verified HA-compatible by a 5-star reviewer (ran Z2M, 12 triggers confirmed, "WAF high"). Two field notes from that review:
- Battery is a button cell (not AAA) and fiddly to swap; buy spare CR2032-class cells up front.
- No clear key caps for labels; label the 12 actions with the Brother MFC-L2750DW P-Touch (color-code keys for at-a-glance use).
Tier 2, presence + protection (~$130)¶
| Qty | Device | Model | Protocol | Use | Unit $ | Line $ | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | mmWave presence | Aqara Presence Sensor FP2 | WiFi/Matter | Studio + office stationary presence (sitting/desk) | ~$55 | ~$110 | Amazon / Aqara |
| 3 | Leak sensor | Aqara Water Leak Sensor T1 | Zigbee | Under kitchen sink, dishwasher, water heater; Telegram alert | ~$13 | ~$39 | Amazon / Aqara |
FP2 covers the scene-system rooms where PIR fails. DIY LD2410 ESPHome (~$8 + an ESP board) is the cheaper path if you'd rather build than buy; flag if you want that route instead.
Tier 3, monitoring + power (~$90)¶
| Qty | Device | Model | Protocol | Use | Unit $ | Line $ | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Temp/humidity | SONOFF SNZB-02D (LCD) | Zigbee | Finn rack room, garage, outdoor | ~$12 | ~$36 | Amazon / itead |
| 3 | Smart plug w/ power monitor | SONOFF S31 Lite Zigbee | Zigbee | Per-device power, automate outlets | ~$11 | ~$33 | Amazon / itead |
| 1 | Plug-in mini Echo | Echo Flex (used) | Alexa | Audio/chime coverage in a dead room | ~$15 | ~$15 | eBay / used |
Tier 4, bigger ticket (decide separately)¶
| Device | Model | Use | $ | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole-home energy monitor | Emporia Vue 2 (16-circuit) | Real-time per-circuit draw incl. Finn rack | ~$110 | Needs panel access; HA integration solid |
| Smart thermostat | ecobee (if none today) | Presence-away, HA climate entity, native Alexa | ~$130-170 | Skip if you already run one |
Skip for now¶
- Z-Wave: requires a second coordinator stick + Z-Wave JS addon. Only worth it for Z-Wave-only devices (e.g. Schlage locks). Zigbee covers everything above cheaper.
Rollout notes¶
- All Zigbee items: pair in ZHA, then expose per-entity to Alexa (you run
expose_new: false, so flip each one). See Nabu Casa Alexa exposure. - Leak + low-battery alerts route to Telegram via notify-out, follow alert dedup pattern.
- Echo chime targets use
script.echo_play_audio_url, see home-assistant.md.
Totals¶
- Tier 1: ~$140
- Tier 1+2: ~$270
- Tier 1+2+3: ~$360
- Add Tier 4 energy monitor: ~$470
[Claude Code]