Hunter Moves towards Matter With a New Range of Accessories
The Hunter Fan Company presented its latest smart home products at CES in Las Vegas, with plans to introduce the HunterSMART collection, a new range of smart accessories designed to add connected control to existing household devices, with a particular focus on ceiling fans and lighting.
The HunterSMART range is built around the Matter standard which of course includes Apple Home, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home, amongst others. According to Hunter, the system is designed to provide unified control of lighting and airflow through apps and voice assistants, both at home and remotely. Alongside the accessory range, Hunter will also show its ZenTech ceiling fan series, which the company positions as its most advanced smart fan lineup to date.
HUNTERSMART ACCESSORIES
The HunterSMART collection includes several Matter-compatible devices aimed at retrofitting existing homes rather than requiring full replacements.
- Smart plug – A compact plug designed to add on and off control and scheduling to corded devices. Hunter states that it supports automatic state restoration after power loss and is certified for electrical safety.
- Dimmer switch – A wall-mounted dimmer designed to provide smart lighting control without requiring smart bulbs. Control is available via the HunterSMART app or supported voice assistants, with support for schedules and scenes.
- Smart fan controls – Through the app and voice control, supported fans can be adjusted beyond simple on and off operation. Available controls include fan speed, lighting schedules, and seasonal blade direction reversal.
- Smart Wall Panel – A touchscreen wall controller designed to replace traditional switches. The panel provides direct control of connected fans, lights, and scenes, and includes built-in Alexa voice support. Hunter says it is intended to work with most AC ceiling fans and can be used to create schedules and automations.
- Smart Fan Upgrade Kit – A retrofit solution intended to add smart control to most existing AC ceiling fans without replacing the fan or rewiring internal components. The kit supports fan speed and lighting control through the HunterSMART app and voice assistants. DC motor fans are not supported.
Hunter says the HunterSMART platform is optimised for 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi networks to improve range and reliability across larger homes, so you can take it from this that these devices will be Matter over WiFi as opposed to Matter over Thread.
ZENTECH CEILING FAN RANGE
ZenTech represents Hunter’s newest smart ceiling fan line and is designed to integrate fully with the HunterSMART system. Hunter states that ZenTech fans use a DC motor that is approximately 43 percent slimmer than previous designs, allowing for a lower-profile installation suitable for rooms with lower ceilings. The range includes three-blade and five-blade models, as well as bladeless and chandelier-style designs.
In performance testing conducted by the company in 2023, Hunter reports that ZenTech fans delivered 33 percent higher air velocity than competing models. The fans are also ENERGY STAR certified, with Hunter claiming up to 64 percent energy savings compared with conventional AC motor fans.
ZenTech models include integrated LED lighting with adjustable colour temperature and dimming. Hunter says the fans are suitable for indoor use and covered outdoor installations.
Hunter Fan has not yet announced pricing or retail availability for the HunterSMART accessories or ZenTech fan range. The company has indicated that further details will be shared closer to launch.
