Smart shades are motorized, able to be automated on a set schedule, and can be raised and lowered with simple voice commands. They probably don’t get the attention they deserve for being a key element in smart home living. You can do so much with them, from creating the perception that someone’s home when they’re not to automating blackout smart blinds to raise and lower at preferred times. We haven’t even mentioned the savings on energy bills automated blinds provide, letting in light for warmth or acting as a protective barrier against the outside conditions while filtering light. Here is a look at what we believe to be the absolute best smart shades in 2023.

Top 6 Motorized Smart Shades With Good Reviews

1. Lutron Serena Shades
2. Hunter Douglas
3. Soma Smart Shades
4. Yoolax Blackout Shades
5. Go Smart Blinds Roller Shades
6. IKEA Smart Blinds 

Lutron Serena Shades

Lutron offers one of the best motorized blinds designs with their Serena Shades. Choose from over 150 custom fabrics, color, and opacity options, all within either honeycomb or roller-style shades. Use the Lutron app to create moods for your blinds, setting them to a schedule that supports your daily routine. It’s no wonder they’re so popular.

Pros

• Integrate Lutron light systems with your Serena Shades.
• Can be adapted to work with any voice assistant.
• Can be made to fit any window size.

Cons

• Fewer features overall.
• More expensive than other motorized blinds.
• Requires a separate smart home hub to function. 

Hunter Douglas 

The industry-leading Hunter Douglas smart shades are top-quality. They are known for their sophisticated light-filtering designs. While Hunter Douglas smart blinds always are aesthetically pleasing, they do come at a cost. They’re also single-cell, not double-cell, meaning the material takes up less space but isn’t as thick. Automate schedules, reposition shades easily by remote, and more.

Pros

• Superior quality, made with high-end materials.
• Broad support for smart home system integration.
• Powerful remote control.

Cons

• Very expensive.
• No DIY installation option, however, the initial cost includes consultation and installation.
• Battery and mounting brackets are visible from outside the window.

Soma Smart Shades

If you want to retrofit your existing blinds, try the Soma Smart Shades. So long as you have a beaded chain for your window covering, installation is easy. Download the Soma app afterward to set up behaviours, i.e. to open/close based on sunrise/sunset. As an added bonus, it’s all powered by solar but can be recharged quickly by USB as well. Turn your existing blinds into something more with one of the best smart shades on the market.

Pros

• Works with any type of existing blinds.
• Solar panel is included.
• Extremely affordable.

Cons

• No physical remote.
• Requires time to charge using a solar panel.
• Hub is required for smart home integration. 

Yoolax Blackout Shades

When you buy Yoolax Blackout Shades, custom-fit them online to precisely match your window. The low-noise motor is Yoolax’s biggest feature. These electric blackout blinds run off a simple battery pack and are compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri. Its biggest downside, to some, is that they ship from outside CA & US so getting replacement parts or contacting customer service can be tricky. 

Pros

• Custom-fit to match exact window dimensions.
• Extremely quiet when it’s operating.
• Has the capability to be solar-powered.

Cons

• Requires a separate smart hub to work.
• Remote control battery sold separately.
• Limited control features.

Go Smart Blinds Motorized Roller Shades 

High-quality motorized zebra roller shades using double-layer, breathable fabric in a dual-panel design make Go Smart Blinds a top choice for any home. These roller shades come with a cordless rechargeable battery and can be solar-powered. Easy setup and pairing with the Go Smart Blinds app happens fast and is very straightforward. Unlike other motorized blinds, you can DIY install this yourself very simply. Go Smart Blinds has excellent customer service and local technical support as well, able to help with any customizations that need to be done or if there are any questions on how to operate.

Pros

• Intelligently designed with high-end materials.
• They offer up to 12 free samples to try.
• Choose from pre-cut and custom-cut smart blinds.
• Similar in cost to competitive brands but with more adaptability.
• Easy to install, requires no professional installation.
• Simple to program and connect to smart home hubs, remote controls, and mobile apps.
• Local technical support in Canada/US.

Cons

• Installation fees are not covered should the customer decide to hire someone for smart blinds installation.
• Solar charging panels are sold separately.

IKEA Smart Blinds

Of the big multi-national brands looking to offer the best-automated blinds, IKEA gets the vote. They’ve simply done it better than others in the corporate retail category. IKEA smart blinds come with a remote control or can be automated. Download the IKEA Home smart app for more info on operations. While shopping at IKEA, you also have lots of different materials and sizes though nothing custom-cut which can be a disadvantage to some.

Pros

• Very inexpensive compared to specialty brands.
• Do not require a professional installation.
• Flexible control options.

Cons

• No custom-cut smart blinds designs.
• No sunset/sunrise timer options.
• The IKEA Home smart app can occasionally be trouble.

For the best motorized smart shades in 2023, visit Go Smart Blinds. Outfit your smart home with motorized blinds that are modern, sophisticated, and simple and easy to use.