

The Google Nest Hub Max is an excellent smart display: It has a spacious 10-inch screen which can be used for watching YouTube and Netflix, looking up recipes, news, and more its dual speakers are powerful and its 6.5MP camera is great for Google Duo video calls, and will even "follow" you as you move across the room.Ĭonnectivity-wise, it has Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Thread, a new smart home networking protocol that Google has been trying to popularize for a few years. Google Home has limited smart home capabilities And, because the Echo is a smart speaker, you can also control your smart home devices by talking to Alexa. Alexa Guard can also turn on smart home devices if your Echo hears a fire alarm or a window breaking. Amazon's Alexa app allows you to create routines that can activate your smart home devices through triggers, such as you leaving or arriving home. It lacks Z-Wave, but has Zigbee, Bluetooth and Amazon Sidewalk. The 4th-generation Amazon Echo will probably appeal to more people, as it doubles as a smart speaker. And, it now works with Nest products, something it's been missing for years. However, Samsung has discontinued making its own hardware we recommend the Aeotec Smart Home Hub ( $134, Amazon) as a good alternative. It even has a home monitoring component, which can send you an alarm, record video, turn on lights, play sounds, and unlock your doors in the event of a smoke or fire alarm. What are the best smart home hubs?įor years, our favorite smart home hub has been the Samsung SmartThings Hub, not so much for the hardware, but for Samsung's SmartThings platform, which makes it easy to connect Zigbee, Z-Wave, and other devices. That's why we've tested the smart home hubs on the market to let you know which is best.


That's just one of the things a good smart home hub can do, but some are more capable than others. Start saving energy: The best smart light bulbs right now.

It's a key gadget for creating an automated smart home. For instance, when you lock your smart lock, a smart home hub can tell your lights to turn off, and your thermostat to go into eco mode. More importantly, a smart home hub lets you connect all those smart home devices together.
