Eve Aqua by Elgato: better than conventional automatic watering systems?
17.8.2018
Translation: machine translated
Black, sober and of good quality, I present to you the Eve Aqua automatic watering machine from Elgato. Efficient, it successfully accomplishes all the tasks entrusted to it. There's just one thing that spoils the fun.
Watering systems have become an integral part of our gardens. Once installed and adjusted according to the needs of the garden, the device will take care of watering your flowers on a daily basis. You won't have to lift a finger. Even when you're away on holiday, your garden will be watered. Rain or shine. And that's the heart of the problem. When it rains for a fortnight in a row, watering is not normally necessary. But if your neighbours aren't around to turn off the valve, the watering continues. Eve Aqua, the new system from Elgato, should enable you to remedy this.
Sober elegance
I go to my parents' house, as I don't need a watering system for the three flower pots on my balcony. In their kitchen, I open the little white box. Inside was a small black box and one or two accessories, no more. I'm delighted, because it looks like it's going to be quick and easy to install. I'm even more delighted by what I see next: two AA batteries. For many products, this isn't a matter of course. The little black box fits in one hand and the finish is beautiful. One detail struck me at first glance: there's only one button. It turns the sprinkler on or off.
iOS or nothing
The batteries are installed, Eve Aqua is ready to be plugged in. The unit is fitted with a standard coupling that works on all Gardena systems. I'm testing the intelligent water controller on a system like this. The sprinkler is connected and it's time for the first test. I press the single button and the sprinkler activates at full power. Admittedly, I'm soaking wet, but the test is a success. I then move on to the digital side. After all, that's what's supposed to set the Eve Aqua apart. But just by looking at the box, I quickly realise that I won't be able to do much with my Android phone. I give it a go anyway and open the Playstore, but there's no app for my smart water controller on the horizon. If I'd read the product description correctly, I wouldn't have been fooled. Anyway... I turn my dad's old iPhone 4 back on and there I go again.
Remote watering
Pair the Eve Aqua controller with your phone via Bluetooth in the blink of an eye. You can then manage the watering via the - relatively clear - app. All you have to do then is click on the controller to turn the watering on or off, or even schedule it to come on. The app also lets you monitor your water consumption and watering time. That's all there is to it, and you won't need much more. To make the most of its features, you also need to connect the device to your Apple HomeKit. You can do this via the Home app on your iOS device. Once you've enabled location, found and added the Eve Aqua controller and scanned the QR code in the instructions, you'll be able to water your garden remotely. This means you can control the watering of your garden from anywhere with your smartphone. At home it worked perfectly, but I was maximum one or two kilometres from home, not at the other end of the world.
Tell me about yourself
Voice control also works its magic. If you're too lazy to get up from your sofa and press the Eve Aqua button, or even open the app, Siri can come to your rescue. Just say Eve Aqua followed by a command to turn on, turn off or set the watering time. At first, Siri had a bit of trouble understanding me, but that was certainly because the commands weren't defined and because I hadn't expressed myself clearly. It was with "Say Siri, turn on/off the sprinkler" that I had the most success, no need for big speeches.
Conclusion
The black box is nifty, easy to install and does what it's told. And the best part: when I add the device to HomeKit, I can not only control and schedule the watering remotely through the app, but also adapt the watering to the weather without having to install more sensors. If you've read my article on Ring (in German), you'll know that I'm not one to burden myself with unnecessary gadgets and am pretty hands-on. But this device is more than just a useless gadget! It's a shame that the app is only available for iOS. As an Android user, it's in my bones. If I had an iPhone, Eve Aqua would already be in my shopping basket. It would make a great gift for my parents who, like me, are convinced and have a garden to water.
My life in a nutshell? On a quest to broaden my horizon. I love discovering and learning new skills and I see a chance to experience something new in everything – be it travelling, reading, cooking, movies or DIY.
