ESP32-C6-DevKitC-1-N8 Development Board

I'm currently using this for a DIY smart thermostat project. This unit is complete overkill for it currently but it allows me the headroom to add tons of features in the future. It works perfectly so far and I plan to buy many more in the future for additional projects that I can dream up.

I have quite a few ESP32s at this point. This is the one I consider the "reference". The best packaging for an ESP32 I've seen. It works with zero fuss. No "reboot button" dance when I flash it, which is worth the price right out of the box. There may be newer ones with more features, but this is the definitive ESP32, imho.

If you want an ease of use test platform, this is the way to start. I have tested Zigby, Wi-Fi, ESPnow and a lot of others. Perfect fit on my bread board. Full support from arduino IDE. Best feature is ultra low power sleep mode, Micro-amps.

This is from Espressif with the quality/reliability and most importantly documentation as you'd expect. As a minor point, I liked the WS2812 LED that was on the board - it provides an easy way to get feedback. I used it with micropython.

This is a great choice for an ESP development board. It's well made and comes in a quality package. There's no documentation included, but you can easily find that by searching on the part number [ESP32-C6-DevKitC-1] (the QR code on the box links to the documentation in Chinese). The manufacturer's documentation is about the hardware (pinouts, etc.) and is well written. I was able to easily find and install the macOS UART driver on the Silicon Labs website which worked flawlessly. After multiple false starts to setup an IDE to use Micro Python, I settled on using the Arduino IDE which includes support for this board. The false starts are related to my environment and have nothing to do with this board whatsoever. There are tons of example sketches in the Arduino IDE software. Some reviews say that the board is not well supported, but I didn't find that to be the case (in December 2024). I would recommend this devkit to anyone.

The two I purchased worked good as a Zigbee Range Extenders. I will buy these again when I need an ESP32-C6. They also have nice packaging.

Lots of fun

I was excited to get this for some Home Assistant projects but it really isn't supported yet by anything nor do I think it will be any time soon, something I did not realize when I bought it. I'll hold on to it for the time being as I look forward to using it eventually, but if you're looking for something for similar use, I would advise finding an esp32 that's better supported.