I retrofitted 'curtain robots' in my living room – these are the 5 things I wish someone had told me before I installed them

When I moved into my London Victorian conversion flat almost two years ago, I encountered an issue I never thought I'd face - my living room curtains (and ceilings) were too high for me to shut them properly. Every morning and evening I'd either risk pulling them down trying to close that last inch, or have to pull a stepladder up to the window.

I went looking for a solution. And I came across the SwitchBot Curtain 3, an automated curtain opener that hooks onto your curtain rail and can be controlled via an app. No more tugging at the curtain fabric or a cord, as these will open your curtains at the touch of a button.

These retrofit smart curtain devices aren't new; SwitchBot has been selling its curtain robots for a few years, and honestly, I originally didn't see the point in them. However, after testing the SwitchBot Curtain 3 for a couple of months, I've uncovered so many hidden perks beyond just opening my super long curtains easily. I recommend them to everyone who visits my house as a curtain idea.

But they're not perfect by any means; like everything, they have their pros and cons. That's why I've put together the 5 things I wish someone had told me before I installed them in my living room to help you decide if they're the curtain add-on you've been missing out on.

1. You can set them up on a schedule

This was the game-changing feature that sold me on these curtain robots. I originally put them up during the height of the heatwave and was able to schedule my curtains to open during the coolest part of the day and close during the hottest. I plan to adjust the schedule for winter to close as soon as it gets dark outside and keep the heat in.

If this is a big selling point for you can try the upgraded SwitchBot Solar Panel 3, which comes with a built-in solar panel and light sensor so it can adjust the curtains automatically without you setting a schedule. I didn't mind setting the schedule, and I also found it useful for making it look like someone was home when I went on holiday for a week.

2. They work with any curtain rail

This was something that had put me off trying a SwitchBot Curtain in the past; I thought they only worked with a curtain rail. However, they sell a rod version that worked a treat on my living room curtains. They can fit any rod as long as it has a diameter between 15mm and 40mm; they adjust easily to different sizes. I put mine up in minutes.

SwitchBot has three different fittings that allow the curtain robots to fit nearly every curtain rail type.

3. They hold their charge for months

I'm guilty of having several smart gadgets around my home that I've given up using, simply because they run out of charge too quickly. I was nervous that the curtain robots would be another example of this, as I didn't want to be running up a ladder once a week to get them down.

However, they can hold their charge for months after the initial charge. I am currently on month three of them running, and the app says I still have 70% battery charge left. I can cope with taking them down a couple of times a year to recharge them, but if you'd rather avoid even that, you can invest in the solar-powered version that charge themselves.

4. They're not invisible

While the little curtain robots are discreet, they're not invisible. Mine are tucked neatly behind the first ring of my eyelet curtains, so when you're in the room you just see their little wheels poking out from the top. My curtain rail sits quite high above the window, so you can't see the SwitchBot through the window, but if your curtain rail sits lower, you might be able to see it.

The other thing I wish I'd known is that you need to place two little dark magnets on the front of the pole for the curtain robots to work. They are tiny, but they are black, so they still stand out on my white curtain pole.

5. They're expensive

This is probably the biggest downside of these handy retrofit devices. Fitting a pair of curtains with the SwitchBot Curtain 3 two-pack will cost you £169.

My living room has two pairs of curtains, so I opted for the 4-pack, which costs £339, but is currently on sale for £248 at SwitchBot. But that leads me to my other caveat: while the starting price on the devices is high, SwitchBot often holds sales on its own website and on its Amazon store, especially during big sales periods such as Amazon Prime Day or Black Friday.

If you have your eye on one, I'd wait to shop to get the best possible price. Also, while it's a steep upfront price, when you consider the cost per use over a whole year, it's less than £1 a day. That's a better cost per use than a few things in my wardrobe.

I've become completely reliant on my SwitchBot curtain robots, and I'm considering installing another pair in my bedroom to help make waking up easier. They're definitely an investment, but if you want one more small job off your to-do list in the morning and evening, or you want to add an extra layer of security to your home when you're away, I'd recommend them.