Hive’s New Thermostat, Plugs And Sensors Can Make Your Home Smarter Than Ever

Britain’s homes might be about to get a bit smarter thanks to the release of a range of new smart home devices from Hive.

The British Gas-owned company has launched its second-generation Hive thermostat, alongside a selection of new accessories that will help users save money and reduce energy waste.

These includes connected plugs, motion and door and window sensors, as well as smart lights, all of which will help make the home a more intelligent place.

Plug and play

The new Hive Active Heating 2 thermostat has been given a significant face lift from its first iteration. It now features a mirrored surface that lights up with an LED display when users touch the central dial, which is used for setting temperature limits.

Designed to fit in unnoticed, the new unit, which will cost £249 for new customers or just £99 for those upgrading from the first generation product, also comes with a range of customisable outer panels to fit in with the décor of your home.

But Hive has also introduced a new Boost function, similar to an old-school immersion heater, which can provide a burst of hot or cold water in case of those times when you’re in dire need.

Get Active

Users will also benefit from an updated version of the Hive app and online dashboard, which can now be used for a wide range of functions, including remote settings heating scheduling and video monitoring.

The app can also be used to control individual power sockets around the home thanks to the company’s new Hive Active Plugs. These are controlled remotely via the Hive app, meaning you can start the oven warming up before you arrive home, or turn off the iron you accidentally left plugged in.

Hive’s new Motion Sensor will detect motion in your home when you’re not there and send an alert to your phone. Hive also revealed Window and Door Sensors which can be fitted to windows and doors and will notify you if they are open or closed.

Lastly, Hive Active Lights will let users turn lights on or off in their home from wherever you are, ideal for giving the impression of an occupied home when you’re not there.

All the products run on Hive’s Honeycomb platform, which connects up all the devices within a smart home to make sure everything is running smoothly.

“This is only the beginning,” said director of British Gas Connected Homes Kassir Hussain. “We’re already working to give our customers even more ways to customise how they control their homes with Hive  so they can create personalised ‘recipes’ to fit with their lifestyles.

“We’ve created a family of connected home products that are easy to use, accessible for everyone, and genuinely make life easier. We’re the only UK provider to deliver the complete connected home end-to-end experience from ownership of the platform to product creation, installation and on-going support. We’re excited to be expanding our portfolio and making the connected home at last a reality for everyone.”

“We’re starting by adding our own products to the Honeycomb platform, as we open it up we’ll work with a number of trusted brands and partners too. Expect further announcements on this over the coming months.”

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