Back in June 2025 I wrote about the Switchbot Hub Mini vs Hub 2. I still have my Hub2 and Hub3 devices – but when a package arrived in the post this morning – Hub Mini – I thought – lets have a look. The only problems is – and the reason this will be a VERY short article – the Hub Mini is touted as a “Compact all-in-one infrared remote-control for smart home” by which I assume they meant to say “smart homes”.
Nice little unit – I think the only thing that has changed visually from the last time I looked at Hub Mini – is the MATTER sticker on the side.
So my problem in writing about this is… I no longer have ANYTHING infra-red. My my TV Android Smart box uses Bluetooth. MY smart Pellet burner uses WiFi – and that’s about it – the rest of the gadgets in my home use either WiFi or Zigbee – so I can’t really test an IR universal controller… thanks anyway Switchbot. At our last home I have a dumb aircon with IR remote and ended up with a DIY IR bodge to get control into Home Assistant but that’s history. See image below.
Ok, well, if I can’t test IR I can at least see if I can avoid the Switchbot APP and hook straight into Home Assistant via Matter, yes?
It JUST SO happens that I see a MATTER server update in my HA right now..
and here’s the Switchbot Hub, plugged into an arbitrary USB-C connector (power).
There’s a little white flashing light at the top – been there since I plugged the Hub Mini into power. And my HA Matter updates are done – time to dive in… I need to use HA on my mobile to connect a device that’s not already hooked into anything else…
In HA – settings – Matter – “+ add device”. “Is your device already added to another matter controller?” No. “Scan the QR code”. Ticked,
Then the arbitrary warning as my phone is hooked up to Tailscale VPN. Disconnected to be safe. “Searching for device”. “Connecting to device” – “Checking network connectivity” – “Connecting device to Home Assistant”. “Device connected”
WELL, THAT was easy…
Ok but what does it do? Nothing apparently. Time for an HA reboot just in case. Got some updates anyway…
Nope – that’s it.
Ok,Switchbot app – add device – hub mini – “long-press on top of the device”.. “Device is connected”….”Trying to connect to your router” – “Verified”. “Start using” – added successfully”.
Now what? “Connect to Amazon Alexa” – NO, I binned Alexa in favour or Google ages ago. “Network connection error. Please reconfigure WiFi” – but you were only working seconds ago…”Verified”. (page goes back without me touching anything).
Back to HA. Nothing new there. Well, I said this was going to be a short one…