WHAT ARE THE BEST SMART HOME DEVICES IN THE MARKET TODAY?
Imagine a world where all devices connect to the internet. Not just smartphones and computers, but everything in your house, including speakers, clocks, cameras, lights, water heaters, windows, doors, cooking utensils, appliances, you name it. Now, what if these devices can communicate with each other, send you information, or even take your commands? This isn’t a fallacy. It’s called the Internet of Things (IoT), which is a critical component in the creation of smart homes. Here, we will review the best smart home devices that have made home automation possible in this decade.
Best Smart Home Devices of 2024
- Samsung SmartThings
- Vera Plus
- Wink Hub 2
- Ezlo Atom Smart Home Hub
Samsung SmartThings
Having a Samsung SmartThings hub is like having a friend who can communicate fluently in multiple languages. As you probably know, most home devices and appliances come with different communication protocols. Some communicate via Bluetooth, while others communicate via Z-wave and ZigBee frequencies. Samsung SmartThings Hub breaks down communication barriers between devices, thus helping them to communicate better.
Samsung SmartThings hub is compatible with almost every device in your house. The best part is that you don’t need to scan QR codes for all the devices in your home. Samsung SmartThings can discover other smart devices in the house on its own. They also come with a Samsung app that allows you to manage all devices in your home from one place. Samsung SmartThings also have artificial intelligence (AI) that enables them to predict human behavior. For instance, they can observe your sleeping patterns as well as other activities that you engage in while indoors.
Pros
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- It’s easy to set up
- It’s compatible with both Android and iOS
- Can observe routines and scenes
- Can communicate via multiple protocols
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Cons
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- Samsung SmartThings has connectivity problems
- It’s not compatible with Nest
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Vera Plus
VeraPlus takes the runners-up position of the best smart home devices because it has a robust platform and can accommodate devices with diverse communication protocols. VeraPlus smart is pricier than other smart home devices, and it’s for a reason. According to the manufacturer, Veraplus smart home hub can connect to more than 2,000 devices. Besides, it can connect to about 200 devices at a time, which is more than what most people have in their homes. The ability to connect to many devices makes VeraPlus smart home tops the list of the best smart home devices to use in a residential and commercial set up.
Like Samsung SmartThings and other smart hubs, VeraPlus supports major protocols such as Bluetooth, Z-Wave, ZigBee, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. VeraPlus can function across multiple platforms, including Android, iOS, web browser, and Windows Phone apps. VeraPlus smart home hub is a great device, especially for people with devices from different brands. It makes the integration of these devices seamless.
Wink Hub 2
Wink Hub is among the first smart home hubs designed for the mainstream consumer. It has an attractive vertical stand that you can easily tuck in the bookshelf or even at the entertainment center. Besides the sleek design, Wink Hub 2 smart home hub supports a vast list of protocols, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Z-Wave, ZigBee, Lutron Clear Connect, Kidde, among others. Like other smart home hubs, Wink Hub 2 can connect with almost every device in your home.
One of the cons of using Wink Hub 2 is that it doesn’t pick signals automatically. The smart hub comes with a barcode scanner, and you have to scan all the best smart home devices manually to pair up. Wink Hub 2 works perfectly with most of the major brands but not Apple’s HomeKit. Wink Hub 2 is among the best smart home devices under $100.
Ezlo Atom Smart Home Hub
Ezlo Innovation is a leading provider of smart solutions for homes and businesses. The company which came into limelight in 2017 announced the Ezlo Atom smart home hub. The company claims that Ezlo Atom home hub is the smallest and the most energy-efficient smart home hub in the market today. The Atom smart home hub is quite small, measuring less than two inches long. It supports USB connection and can look a lot like a flash drive.
Ezlo Atom smart home hub can connect to almost every device in your home. It supports Z-wave, ZigBee, Bluetooth, and many other communication protocols. Ezlo Atom is an ideal IoT for individuals seeking an inexpensive device to automate their homes and business. It is the cheapest and the smallest among the best smart home devices available in the market today. It is currently retailing at $40, which is half the cost of the other best smart home devices.
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