@konacurrents Agree with you! USB uploads can be frustrating when they hiccup or stop halfway. Using OTA to update by exporting the binary and then pushing it through the cloud just makes things way smoother. It’s cool that you can even trigger the update from the serial monitor or send MQTT messages to update devices remotely. That way, managing multiple M5 units becomes much easier and less stressful. OTA feels like the better, more reliable way to go. Thanks for sharing your experience.

I’ve been using M5Stack modules for a few personal projects lately, and I’m starting to look for low-cost add-ons, things like sensors, displays, small batteries, or even cases. I figured it might be helpful if we all shared what’s worked well for us (and what hasn’t).

Have you come across any cheap accessories that surprised you with how well they worked? Or maybe something you found online that saved you a few bucks?

I recently stumbled on some good amazon discounts while browsing, so figured I’d check here too and see what others are using.

Would love to hear your suggestions, what’s worth grabbing, and what to skip.

@konacurrents I love how you’re using the M5Atom with different sensors and making everything so flexible. It’s smart how you’re handling everything with BLE and MQTT, and still keeping things lightweight. Being able to switch sensors or features without changing the code every time is super useful, especially out in the field.

Also, big respect for getting C++ working smoothly on such a small device! The object-oriented setup sounds like a great way to manage all the different parts, and it’s awesome that it can be controlled remotely.

Your setup with OTA, MQTT, and Node-RED sounds solid, having that kind of backend makes everything so much more reliable. And using 3D printed cases too? That’s the full package.

@konacurrents Agree with you! USB uploads can be frustrating when they hiccup or stop halfway. Using OTA to update by exporting the binary and then pushing it through the cloud just makes things way smoother. It’s cool that you can even trigger the update from the serial monitor or send MQTT messages to update devices remotely. That way, managing multiple M5 units becomes much easier and less stressful. OTA feels like the better, more reliable way to go. Thanks for sharing your experience.

@konacurrents Thanks, really appreciate that! You're right, being able to share BLE and Wi-Fi on the ESP32 opens up so many possibilities. The way you've built the system makes it super adaptable, and it's clear you've thought through the practical side of things. I'd be up for trying it out sometime, would love to see how it performs hands-on. Thanks again for being so open to sharing.

@konacurrents I love how you’re using the M5Atom with different sensors and making everything so flexible. It’s smart how you’re handling everything with BLE and MQTT, and still keeping things lightweight. Being able to switch sensors or features without changing the code every time is super useful, especially out in the field.

Also, big respect for getting C++ working smoothly on such a small device! The object-oriented setup sounds like a great way to manage all the different parts, and it’s awesome that it can be controlled remotely.

Your setup with OTA, MQTT, and Node-RED sounds solid, having that kind of backend makes everything so much more reliable. And using 3D printed cases too? That’s the full package.

@ajb2k3 Yes, I know how to code and have a solid understanding of electronics, especially when it comes to working with microcontrollers like the ESP32, which M5Stack devices are built around. I’ve spent a lot of time digging into M5Stack’s documentation and exploring their ecosystem from the Core2 and Atom series to various accessories like the ENV sensor, LoRa modules, and small displays. While I can’t physically test them myself, I’ve gone through many example projects, helped replicate setups based on their docs, and even debugged code using UIFlow, Arduino, and PlatformIO. If you're experimenting with M5Stack gear or want help combining modules or writing custom code, I'm all in; I love this kind of stuff.

I’ve been using M5Stack modules for a few personal projects lately, and I’m starting to look for low-cost add-ons, things like sensors, displays, small batteries, or even cases. I figured it might be helpful if we all shared what’s worked well for us (and what hasn’t).

Have you come across any cheap accessories that surprised you with how well they worked? Or maybe something you found online that saved you a few bucks?

I recently stumbled on some good amazon discounts while browsing, so figured I’d check here too and see what others are using.

Would love to hear your suggestions, what’s worth grabbing, and what to skip.

Already try it