Review: Aqara Ceiling Light T1M combines two lamps (and that’s handy!)

Aqara Ceiling Light T1M: design and appearance

Smart ceiling lamps are now quite common. Most manufacturers of smart lamps often offer multiple models. They usually consist of a round circle with a plastic edge. Aqara previously released the L1-350 and the T1. This new Aqara T1M is an evolution of the latter model, but has something special: a colored edge that can be controlled separately.

The lamp is only available in a diameter of 50cm and that is quite large. The large size makes it less suitable for use in a hall, for example. Aqara’s marketing photos give the impression that the lamp is intended for a gigantic living room in an above-average apartment. I would have preferred if a smaller version had also appeared. Aqara previously released the LI-350 in 35cm and 50cm sizes and that is a better choice.

The main lamp in the middle can only emit white light. This varies from warm to cool (2700 Kelvin to 6500 Kelvin). The headlamp actually consists of 72 small LED lights, each equipped with a diffuser, or a transparent plastic ball with a structure, through which the light is spread in all directions. These LED lights are hidden behind a large plastic disc, which spreads the light even more. This way you get an even light. The lamp has a maximum brightness of 3450 lumens, which is quite a bit of light. The consumption is therefore somewhat higher than you are used to from a normal smart lamp, namely 30 Watts.

What is striking about the inside of the lamp is that the warm and cool LED lights are placed alternately. If you choose warm light, the warm LED lights will shine a little brighter (and vice versa).

In the center of the lamp you see the LED driver, which was probably made by an external manufacturer (Yeelight or Opple).

The colored ring around it can show all kinds of colors. In fact, the previously released Aqara T1 light strip was used for this. You could imitate this yourself by sticking a light strip to the outside of your lamp, but then you will miss the subtle effect of the ‘milk glass’ edge that diffuses the light. Another option is to shine the self-adhesive light strip at the top against the ceiling, but then you will see every imperfection. The Aqara T1M has solved this very nicely. You can set the colored ring to all kinds of shades, color gradients and animations for some extra atmosphere. The lamp consists of 26 zones, which you can set separately. For example, you can choose a rotating rainbow effect.

But that’s not all: you can also use this ring for your automations. For example, the ring can turn red and/or flash when a window or door is open, when someone rings the doorbell or if there is a leak somewhere.

Installation of the Aqara Ceiling Light T1M

The Aqara Ceiling Light T1M is easy to install. You remove a plastic cap at the top of the housing and insert the electrical wire through it. The terminal blocks for connecting are already present. Once the lamp is hanging securely from the ceiling (with the supplied bracket), screw the large round diffuser onto it. This is a turn-and-click system, so it’s not very difficult.

Then you add the lamp to the Aqara app (this is not possible via the HomeKit app). Because it is a Zigbee device, you will first have to connect the lamp to the Aqara hub. You already need the Aqara app to use advanced settings. Because we already have a lot of Aqara accessories at home, we had already installed the app.

Aqara Ceiling Light T1M in use: HomeKit and more

The Aqara Ceiling Light T1M works with HomeKit. It can therefore easily be controlled from your iPhone after adding it to your smart home. As far as the color settings of the edge are concerned, HomeKit is a bit more limited: you can only set a few colors, such as the blue in the photo above. It is good to know that the app supports adaptive lighting in HomeKit.

The colors are nice and bright, but if you want to use the color transitions (gradients) and effects, you really have to be in the Aqara app. Like Aqara’s other Zigbee devices, the lamp works with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, Aqara’s own products and much more. It also serves as a Zigbee repeater, so there is nothing to complain about the range and response speed. People with hearing loss can connect the ring lamp to smart alarm systems to receive a warning, for example, if there is a fire or if someone rings the doorbell.

I found this all easy to set up via the Aqara app, with some nice surprises thrown in as well. In addition to the 6 animation styles, you can also choose to gradually brighten or dim. This way you can also use the lamp as a kind of wake-up light in the bedroom, but personally I find this lamp less suitable for the bedroom in terms of design. It fits better in the bathroom and it is also suitable for that: it can handle a humidity of 0% to 95%, but does not have an official IP rating.

It is suitable for rooms between 5m² and 20m²but given the enormous amount of light, I think it can also be used in larger rooms. In addition, it can be useful to use in a room where you regularly need bright light, for example above the kitchen table.