The ESPHome Starter Kit is the easiest way to build your own smart devices. No soldering, no breadboards, no code. Plug in a module, configure it in a visual editor, and you've built a real device in minutes. It runs 100% locally, works standalone or with Home Assistant, and the majority of profit goes straight to the Open Home Foundation.
Each kit includes a main ESPHome C6 board - a super-compact ESP32-C6-based USB-C microcontroller board which is the brain of every project you'll build with the kit. It handles Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE, and Thread on the same chip (Zigbee is also possible at the chip level), runs your ESPHome config, and exposes the IO pins the modules plug into.
The included interchangeable modules connect to the C6 board via small 14-pin FPC ribbon cables (also included). There are four modules in the kit: the main LED/buzzer module, a PIR motion module, a button module and a temperature & humidity module. A 3D-printed stand is also included, which holds the microcontroller and LED board together.
Apollo Automation (the manufacturer's of the kit) have an easy-to-follow setup guide available online, showing you how to set up the microcontroller, add it to ESPHome/Home Assistant, and then connect and use the included interchangeable modules.
Note: You will need a USB-C cable to program and power the board.
How it works
Plug in a module with the included FPC cable, then use the ESPHome Device Builder app to configure your device in a visual editor. No YAML/coding knowledge is required.
Use the kit standalone or connect it to Home Assistant for deeper automations. By the end you'll have built a motion sensor, a notification light, an environment monitor, and an automation trigger. Run any two modules at the same time to turn the starter kit into a multi-sensor.
Features
Starter kit for ESPHome
Includes ESPHome C6 board
ESP32-C6 based
USB-C
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth LE
Thread
Zigbee support
RGB LED
LiPo support (JST-PH)
CARE! The polarity of this LiPo connector does not match the LiPo batteries we sell at The Pi Hut
GND is on the left (nearest the ESP chip)
You will need to switch the wires around (easily done with a small pin or screwdriver, and a common requirement in a world where battery polarity seems to have no standard!)
