In 2018, Moen announced the U by Moen shower unit, promising HomeKit support down the line. That time has finally come and AppleInsider was on hand to see what it really was like to use Siri to control our shower.
We were more than skeptical going into the U by Moen, but after testing out, it may have won us over. There is no getting around that the U by Moen is expensive, but HomeKit seems a worthwhile addition to a traditionally low-tech fixture.
The basics of the unit include a non-touch screen wall controller that gives you the shower's status, as well as a few buttons for jumping to presets or controlling the shower without your device. As the water approaches the selected temperature, the screen changes color to be easily glanceable.
Then of course, you have the HomeKit integration. Here, you can view the shower status in the Home app, turn on the water, change the temperature, toggle the showerhead, and toggle the hand wand.
The perks of HomeKit and Siri support don't come in way of trying to make turning a shower on easier than a simple knob, but it is creating presets and tying it into scenes. For instance, you can ask Siri to set your post-workout scene where the bathroom lights and shower both turn on to their appropriate color and temperature respectively.
It also can help save water. When you turn it on to heat up, it will reach temperature and pause as to not send water down the drain unnecessarily.
In our testing, U by Moen was extremely fast and responsive and we could see the utility of being able to turn it on from anywhere in the home, always having the shower and lights set to your preference. It is useful for multiple people in the home who prefer different temperatures where they don't have to spend time twisting the knob waiting for it to get to the perfect temp.
AppleInsider will be attending the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show starting on January 8 through January 11 where we're expecting 5G devices, HomeKit, 8K monitors and more. Keep up with our coverage by downloading the AppleInsider app, and follow us on YouTube, Twitter @appleinsider and Facebook for live, late-breaking coverage. You can also check out our official Instagram account for exclusive photos throughout the event.