Electric roller blinds

My mum and dad had an electric vertical blind fitted early last year as they struggled to reach over kitchen worktops to close their old manual one.

It's broken four times since they had it in and the installing company have been out twice to it.

I'd go local for this sort of this if you do want electric.

I have a pair of the Ikea ones. Unless things have changed in the last couple of years then size and colour options are limited/non-existent, but if they suit then they are by far the best bang for buck I should think. When I looked, other cheaper options were standalone and didn't integrate into smarthome systems. You'll need to also buy the Ikea hub, but after that you set up once in the Ikea app and can then control via Apple Homekit, Alexa, etc. Integrated into a smart system you can tie it together with lights etc, and automated opening at sunrise/sunset rather than at a specific time. The Ikea ones are full light blocking rather than shades (but yes, light can potentially come round the edges depending how they are installed). Batteries need charging amazingly infrequently - like annually (they detach for plugging into a USB charger).

We have inherited some. They are good but the motors go where few years due to the forces involved vs size of motors (so I am told)

When ours have gone oir local blond guy suggested getting rid as replacement motors are dar from cheap

there are lots of “blinds direct” type companies online who make the blinds and supply with branded motors

Installed ones with Eve Motionblinds motors this year and very happy with them. They’re matter standard so should be future proof (it’s the open home automation standard that Apple, google etc have all signed up to).  Can set both timers and automatic shading based on su hitting the window (app works out the times w hen you hold your phone against the window).  Other than switching the shading off for winter they just do their thing automatically. Battery seems to last about 6 months and then you run a long usb cable up to the blind to charge. They also have a pull switch (one pull to go up/down) and work with Siri etc.

blackout blinds get some light around the edge depending on your window design (but less than you get through curtains usually). We have curtains as well which means real blackout.

would buy again.

Ikeas part of the matter alliance but it’s not entirely clear what the status of their products is.
https://www.ikea.com/global/en/newsroom/innovation/ikea-dirigera-matter-bridge-240911/

suggests you need their bridge, whereas the point of matter is that (I thought) you should be able to use anything as a bridge (I’m using the latest Apple TV)

the good thing about matter devices is the “intelligence” is on the device - the blinds have the timer on them, they’re not relying on a cloud or local server to tell them when to move.

There is no reason they should be crap

We have had 3 of the velux solar remote ones for 5 years now and they have been great.

Id say get the right brand over buying local.

They are common in Germany - they should be reliable I recon.

We have some Somfy roman blinds in the front room that have been excellent.

They are powered by an off-brand battery (Solux) which needs recharging every three months or so. There were not cheap.

They need a hub to control them from a voice assistant or on a timer c-£150 - but it integrates with velux and other IO control standards.

Not sure about this new Matter alliance stuff, I haven't bought anything lately so not looked into it, but as described above, sounds useful.

To get true blackout, get those aluminium shutters popular on the continent - they are awesome.

Ikeas part of the matter alliance but it’s not entirely clear what the status of their products is.

suggests you need their bridge, whereas the point of matter is that (I thought) you should be able to use anything as a bridge (I’m using the latest Apple TV)

I've got loads of the IKEA stuff (both the newer matter compatible stuff and the older zigbee), none of it requires the IKEA bridge anymore. Though some devices *may* have different/less functionality if you use another bridge (nothing i have does that though, used to!)

the good thing about matter devices is the “intelligence” is on the device – the blinds have the timer on them, they’re not relying on a cloud or local server to tell them when to move.

The intelligence is generally held on the hub IIRC. Still better than earlier versions when it was mostly remote servers. Can tell the difference between those devices i have where the control is remote and the newer versions where it's locally controlled.

There's no reason why they shouldn't be reliable and relatively inexpensive. We've had some blackout blinds from Great Blinds for several years and they have been great. They have Somfy motors and go up and down quickly and quietly, and if we got the Somfy hub they could be automated (I haven't bothered, not sure automated blinds and pets are a good mix). They used to run off separate battery packs containing a shedload of AAs but we replaced those with Somfy Lithium rechargeable packs.

We also have a newer Somfy-powered blind that has the battery integrated into the motor tube, and that's a slow, squeaky wheezy  thing that we don't expect to last long. Although if we automated it we could use it as an alarm clock I guess; it's in the room below our bedroom and we have to remember not to use it if anyone's trying to sleep.

I have 6 of the Ikea ones and they have been reliable since 2019, batteries last ages between charges.

If you are handy with basic tools they can be cut down (videos out there) which I have done on a couple to fit specific windows and you wouldn't know they are custom.

I use Google Home to do the various automations with the blinds closing linked to sunset times, lights coming on, power sockets, etc.

I have the ikea ones all around my apartment, like vmgscot I have automations setup so they come down at sunset in winter, and about 7:30 in summer, and hue lights with simulated sunsets then just nice dim light scenes in the evening. helps me get to sleep better, and the simulated sunrise is a much nicer way of waking up than an alarm clock.

The batteries last probably around 6 months, and that is using them more than just every evening & morning. The blackout is pretty decent although I also have roller shutters, for the smaller windows they cover the whole window so I don't need to use the roller shutters, for my front windows there is a bit of a gap between the two and I use the roller shutters on the brighter mid summer days.

https://tinypic.host/image/26WJtz

Thanks for all the replies.

Still lots of options and to think about!

To get true blackout, get those aluminium shutters popular on the continent – they are awesome.

Yeah, we have them in Spain and they're great. Only thing is: UK windows open out, while Spanish windows open in. Ideally you want the blinds on the outside as they additionally can be used to reflect the sun on hot days during summer, which is increasingly going to be a problem. But that's not compatible with standard opening UK windows...

I have the blind engines on roam blinds. these work fine. Although not as nice looking as the integral ones as you have them on the end of the chain. they plug into the mains so a power cable is also an issue. reliable once setup.

Only thing is: UK windows open out 

they dont have to .... 3 of my 7 windows open inwards.

they dont have to …. 3 of my 7 windows open inwards.

Fair enough... not that it really matters, as adding the aluminium shutters would probably mean changing the entire window anyway.