Airversa QliQ Smart Button w/Thread (review)

It’s fair to say I’ve owned and reviewed quite a few smart buttons over the years, but given how common they’ve become, it’s difficult to say anything that hasn’t already been said. Because of that, much like smart plugs, they’re usually not worth my time reviewing if I’m honest. However, the new QliQ Smart Button from Airversa is a little different – it’s a device that genuinely deserves a closer look. Read on to find out why.

PACKAGING | CONTENTS

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Airversa sent me this unit way ahead of its release (with no strings attached), so the packaging and presentation you see here may differ from the final retail version. The device itself is pictured on the front, though it’s worth noting that there’s only one button in the box, despite the appearance of two on the packaging. However, multipacks are also be available.

While this is a Thread device, it’s not Matter compatible, offering only HomeKit over Thread. That shouldn’t make any real difference if you’re fully invested in Apple Home, but I’ve been told that the QliQ has been designed so it can be updated to support Matter if required. Of course, if Matter compatibility is important to you, it’s always wiser to wait rather than buy based on potential future features.

Since this uses Thread, you’ll need a Thread Border Router (TBR) built into one of your Apple Home hubs. Currently, that includes the HomePod mini, HomePod (2nd gen), Apple TV 4K (2nd gen), and Apple TV 4K (3rd gen, 128 GB).

The back of the box doesn’t reveal much beyond what I’ve already mentioned, aside from the battery details, which is where the QliQ starts to stand out. Instead of the usual coin cell battery (such as a CR2032), this button features a built-in rechargeable battery. Whether that’s a good or bad thing depends on a few factors, which I’ll touch on later.

You’ll also spot the Bluetooth logo, typically used for the initial setup. In theory, the button can operate over Bluetooth without a Thread Border Router, but in practice, that’s not ideal. Based on my experience with Thread devices that fall back to Bluetooth (like Nanoleaf bulbs), performance can be painfully slow and unreliable. So, in short, stick with Thread!

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The contents are fairly minimal, and even more so in my case, as there was no manual included (you’ll almost certainly get one in yours). Inside the box, you’ll find the button itself, a magnetic wall plate, and a short USB-A to USB-C cable for charging the built-in battery. There’s not much else required, of course, so let’s take a closer look at the button itself.

THE BUTTON | WALL PLATE

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The button has a pill-shaped design, which might not appeal to everyone, though it feels very comfortable in the hand. The front is almost entirely occupied by the three buttons, with only a small LED window at the top. The uppermost button includes a small tactile marker, useful both for anyone with visual impairments and for operating the device in the dark, helping you ensure it’s the right way up in the hand. That’s not the only feature to help those with sight or hearing disabilities, as you’ll see later.

• height – 75mm
• width – 32mm
• depth – 11mm

The rear features the somewhat old-fashioned HomeKit QR code (in today’s world of Matter codes), a small hole for resetting the button, and an indent that aligns with the protrusion on the wall plate.

At the bottom, you’ll find the USB-C port used to recharge the internal battery. While the overall design might not be to everyone’s taste, it makes excellent use of the space for its component parts and maintains a clean, uncluttered appearance. So far, so good!

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The wall plate matches the standard size used for typical North American switches, while a square EU-style version will be available for the UK and Europe. Unlike some wall plates that include mounting holes for securing to back boxes, this one doesn’t. Instead, it uses two adhesive strips on the back, allowing you to place it virtually anywhere. Of course, you could still position it over an existing back box and rely on the adhesive to hold it in place.

There’s a small protrusion at the top of the plate’s recess that aligns with the indentation on the back of the switch. The button itself attaches magnetically, using a built-in magnet on the plate, although the plate itself isn’t magnetic. I found the magnetic grip to be sufficient, though not particularly strong.

Now this may simply be due to my version being an early model, but whilst the plastic for button is glossy, the wall plate uses a matte plastic finish. It’s not overly noticeable, but worth noting all the same.

IN APPLE HOME

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The QliQ is treated as a standard button in Apple Home, so you get a single tile (if you decide to add it to your Home View). The settings page shows you both the battery level and the charging state, and beyond that you simply get the standard Single, Double, and long Press options for each of the three buttons.

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In HomeKit-compatible apps such as Eve for HomeKit and Matter or Controller, you’ll find a few extra options for managing the QliQ. One of these is the audible feedback from the button itself. Each time you press a button, you’ll hear a short beep, which helps confirm that the press has been registered. This is particularly useful for users with visual impairments. You can disable the beep if you prefer, which many will likely do to conserve battery life.

In addition to sound, the QliQ provides tactile feedback. When you press a button, there’s a slight vibration that accompanies it, helping those with limited vision or hearing who might not notice the LED or beep.

Lastly, there’s the LED indicator at the top of the QliQ. Each button press triggers a brief green flash. For long presses, the LED flashes once at the start and again at the end of the press, accompanied by a beep and vibration at both points.

The Controller app gives you access to all these options, although, as is often the case with Controller, many of the features are simply labelled as ‘Custom’. This means you’ll need to go through a bit of trial and error to work out what each one does. That said, it can be quite useful, as several of these settings can be incorporated into automations. For example, you could have the LED flash only during certain evening hours when visibility is low.

These, in my view, are the features that make the QliQ stand out from the competition, even setting aside its design. In a world where many overlook how valuable smart home technology can be for those with disabilities, it’s a reminder that automation isn’t always the end goal. For people who rely on physical buttons, these thoughtful touches (figuratively and literally) can make a real difference. Even for those fortunate enough to be in good health, these features can still prove handy in various situations.

THE SLEEKPOINT APP

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While the Controller app offers plenty of useful features, it isn’t free. If you’d rather not pay, the Sleekpoint app provides access to many of the same functions at no cost. As the QliQ has only just been launched, at the time of writing some of its dedicated features weren’t yet available. As shown, there was no proper icon for its tile yet, and the user interface currently displays only a large circle.

Even so, you do get access to a few key options, such as the ability to disable vibration or the audible feedback sound. There doesn’t, however, appear to be any way to turn off the LED at this stage.

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In addition to these features, you can enable or disable each type of press (single, double, or long) on a per-button basis. While this might not noticeably improve battery life, limiting a button to single presses can make it respond slightly faster and reduces the chance of accidentally triggering something with a double or long press.

What’s more, if you have a family member who finds double presses difficult – often because of getting the timing right – the Sleekpoint app lets you adjust both the interval between double presses and the duration required for a long press. It’s a thoughtful feature, and one that’s particularly useful for older users who can really benefit from having accessible, responsive smart buttons.

THE QLIQ SMART BUTTON IN USE

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So far, the one thing I haven’t touched on is how the QliQ feels in use, but this might actually be one of its strongest points, even setting aside the accessibility features I mentioned earlier. Many smart buttons I’ve tried tend to have a bit of ‘play’ in their movement when pressed. In other words, the buttons can feel a little loose or wobbly, moving slightly around rather than simply pressing straight down. A good (bad) example of this would be the Hue Dimmer Switch, which suffer quite noticeably from this issue. The QliQ, however, doesn’t. It’s easy to underestimate just how satisfying these buttons feel when pressed. There’s very little travel, yet even without the vibration, flashing LED, or beep, you still get a subtle but distinct click that feels clean and precise. For that reason alone, I’d say this is the best-feeling smart button I’ve tested so far.

As for performance in Apple Home, I’ve had no disconnections or ‘no response’ errors to date, which is more than I can say for my recently replaced Nanoleaf HomeKit over Thread bulbs. Reliability is vital for any smart device, but especially for smart buttons, so the QliQ’s stable behaviour so far is a definite plus.

Of course, there’s the question of why it doesn’t support Matter over Thread, and that’s a fair point. However, if you’re solely using Apple Home, I’m not sure it’s worth worrying about, at least in the medium term. That said, in the time since I first received this button, Ikea has surprised everyone with the launch of a smart button – named Bilresa – in both dual button and scroll wheel formats – that undercuts all of the competition on price by a LOT. Currently, the Bilresa is selling for a mere £3.00 in the UK, and just US$5.99 in the US, so in all honesty it’s a hard sell to convince you to buy the QliQ over the Ikea, which aside from the massive price difference, also offers Matter over Thread out of the box – you can check out our video where we look at the Bilresa, along with the Myggspray motion sensor and the Alpstuga air quality monitor HERE.

The accessibility features, while not something I personally need, are genuinely valuable for those with visual or hearing impairments. Airversa deserves credit for addressing accessibility in a way that’s often overlooked in smart home design.

Aesthetically, some might have preferred something closer to a traditional light switch, but that would likely mean sharper, square edges, which wouldn’t feel anywhere near as comfortable in the hand as the pill-shaped design they’ve chosen.

Taking everything into account – the tactile quality, thoughtful design, accessibility features, and Thread connectivity – I’d confidently say this is probably the best smart button currently available – despite the existence of Ikea’s offering. The Arre (formerly Tuo) Smart Button may offer Matter over Thread, but it only has one button. The Onvis Smart Button supports HomeKit over Thread and five buttons, but suffers from the same wobbly feel I mentioned earlier, and having five buttons might be overkill. Three feels like the sweet spot to me, and with single, double, and long press options for each, that gives you up to nine actions – more than enough for most setups.

A definite must buy – with caveats already mentioned!