It’s never been easier–or less expensive–to build out a state-of-the art true smart home. We have other roundups that name the best smart home components–everything from the best smart bulbs to the best smart speakers–but in this story, we name the best hubs that link all those devices together.
While the lines are becoming increasingly blurred, we see two basic types of smart home systems: Those focused on convenience first and those focused on home security first. You might be able to expand a smart home system to include elements of home security, and you might be able to expand a home security system to control convenience features like smart lighting. But decide your primary goal–convenience or security–first and shop accordingly.
Updated August 9, 2024: We’ve added a link to our Ikea Dirigera smart home hub review, which is now our top pick in smart home systems for people looking for the easiest way to build out a smart home.
Why you should trust us
TechHive’s editors and contributors have been building out their own smart homes for many years, and we continuously evaluate the latest hardware and software. We’ve experienced the great products, the not-so-great products, and everything in between. You can trust us to guide you to the right system for your needs.
The best smart home systems
Aeotec Smart Home Hub — Best DIY smart home hub
Pros
- Works with Zigbee (including Philips Hue), Z-Wave, and Wi-Fi devices
- Easy-to-use software
- Connects to your router via ethernet or Wi-Fi
Cons
- Not compatible with Apple’s HomeKit ecosystem
- Won’t work without a broadband connection
Price When Reviewed:
$135
Why we like the Aeotec Smart Home Hub
Samsung suspended its own SmartThings hub several years ago, incorporating the technology into its Bespoke line of smart appliances, instead. That changed in 2023 with the announcement of the Samsung SmartThings Station. That hub dropped Z-Wave from the collection of support smart home protocols, adding Thread and Matter support instead.
The smart-home stalwarts at Aeotec continue to offer their own SmartThings hub, which supports Zigbee, Z-Wave, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi and every product claiming “Works with SmartThings” compatibility. Every major category is covered, including the Amazon Echo and Google Home smart speakers, numerous smart lighting products (including Philips and Sylvania gear), Ring video doorbells, smart door locks, and more.
Who should buy the Aeotec Smart Home Hub
If you want the freedom to add virtually any product to your smart home system, regardless of which protocol it’s based on, the Aeotec Smart Home Hub is the way to go. It supports Zigbee, Matter, and Thread, but it also has a Z-Wave radio on board. You’ll control everything with the easy-to-use SmartThings app.
If, on the other hand, you’re looking for a home security system with professional monitoring that can dispatch first responders in the event of a break-in, a fire, or a medical emergency, you should consider something like a Ring Alarm product, either in addition to or instead of the Aeotec Smart Home Hub.
Read our full
Aeotec Smart Home Hub review
Ikea Dirigera — Best DIY smart home hub for newbies
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Easy to use
- Supports Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, and Google Home
- Matter support in the works
Cons
- Device support limited to Ikea’s own smart home products for now
- Must be hardwired to your router
- Limited feature set
Price When Reviewed:
$69.99
The Ikea Dirigera smart home hub offers an easy and affordable onramp to the smart home, provided you don’t mind being limited to Ikea’s own broad collection of smart home products or you’re willing to experiment with third-party devices Zigbee devices that won’t be officially supported until Ikea releases a firmware that will render this hub Matter compatible.
Why we like the Ikea Dirigera smart home hub
Hey, we get it. Not everyone wants to jump into the smart home pool with both feet. Despite the age of the market, it remains unsettled and complicated. Not every smart home product is compatible with every other smart home product, the protocols and standards remain in flux, and while things have gotten infinitesimally easier, even the most expert of us can get frustrated. Ikea makes things simpler by–for now, at least–limiting you to adding its own smart home products to this hub.
That said, lots of people have had success adding third-party Zigbee products to the hub, but don’t expect to get support from Ikea if you do that and run into problems. If you do buy a Dirigera–and we think it’s a great deal for the price–you’re better off sticking with Ikea’s products and waiting for the company to complete its Matter update.
Who should buy the Ikea Dirigera smart home hub
The Ikea Dirigera is a great choice for newcomers to the smart home market who just want things to work without having to muck about with things. Ikea’s companion app is supremely easy to use and offers plenty of handholding to step you through getting it set up and adding Ikea’s smart home products to it.
Ikea promises to add Matter support that will enable this hub to work with third-party smart home devices, but buyers shouldn’t count on getting that feature enabled, because it’s proven extremely difficult for other vendors to deliver. Fortunately, Ikea has enough of its own products that most users will see their needs covered. And if you want features such as the ability to control things with voice commands, the hub is already compatible with Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, and Google Home.
Read our full
Ikea Dirigera review
As we mentioned earlier, smart home systems come in a dazzling array of shapes and sizes, from brain-dead simple to vastly complex. Features vary just as widely, so you’ll need to pay more attention than usual when you’re narrowing down the field to find the product that’s right for you. Here’s a look at some of those key decision factors. To see how each system on the market measures up to those promises, drill down into our reviews.
Device support
Some smart hubs–SimpliSafe, for example–only support their own accessories, though they might support Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant for voice control. Other systems–such as the Ring Alarm family–offer certification programs for third-party devices. They might also offer hooks into systems developed by third parties: Amazon (Alexa smart speakers and displays), Apple (HomeKit and Siri), Google (Google Home speakers and displays as well as Nest thermostats, cameras, and smoke/CO detectors), are the biggies here.
You should also consider whatever smart devices are already in your home. Do you want to use them with the new system you’re buying? If the hub doesn’t support them, you might be looking at a massive upgrade cycle to replace them. As well, you need to think about what devices you plan to add to your system down the line.
IFTTT support
Many top smart home systems support IFTTT (If This Then That), a simple scripting system that lets you connect devices that otherwise wouldn’t be compatible. For example, you could use IFTTT to turn all the lights in the house blue if a water leak is detected by your smart hub—even if it can’t speak directly to the lighting system itself.
Wired vs. wireless hub connection
Many smart hubs must connect to your wireless router via an ethernet cable, which limits their placement and, of course, requires a free ethernet port on your router or switch. That can be an issue with puck-shaped routers that have just two ethernet ports–you’ll need to buy an ethernet switch to have enough ports. A smaller number of hubs are wireless and can be placed anywhere in range of the router, increasing your flexibility.
Sensor range
If your home is large or spread out, you’ll need to pay attention to the range that the hub’s sensors support. Hubs may support a wide array of connection protocols, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, and Zigbee, all of which have very different ranges. As with a wireless router, smart hub range can also be impacted by interference and device placement, and smart home devices themselves have different specs, as well. Take the time to look into the detailed specs to be sure sensors and third-party devices will work with your home’s infrastructure.
Battery backup
If the power goes out, your smart lights won’t be useful anyway; but other smart home features, like security sensors, rely on a hub that’s always powered on. Some smart home smart hubs feature battery backups (thanks tol rechargeable or disposable cells). Even a short power outage can cause a significant delay while the hub reconnects, so a battery backup makes sense in many home environments. If you like everything else about a particular hub that lacks a battery backup option, consider investing in an uninterruptible power supply to plug it into.
Mobile app usability
You’ll probably be interacting with your hub primarily through its mobile app, so you’ll want one that’s intuitive and powerful, with all the key features you use front and center. App-store screen shots and, of course, our reviews can help you get a sense of what you’re dealing with on the app side of things.
Overall complexity
This is a companion consideration to the mobile app, relating primarily to the audience for whom the smart home system was developed. Is the system geared toward everyday users with limited customization needs? Or is it built with extreme flexibility in mind, to the point where the configuration decisions might overwhelm a novice user? Again, close attention to our reviews can help you gauge how comfortable you’re likely to feel with any system.
Service plan costs
Service plan costs vary widely from system to system, and many vendors offer a range of plans to choose from. Some systems will work without a service plan at all, allowing you to self-monitor. Some require a plan to function at all. Also note that lower-tier service plans might provide only cloud storage for your security cameras. Wyze Labs offers one of the least-expensive plans: $9.99 per month with no long-term commitment, or $99.99 for a full year. Price out service plans carefully, taking the overall quality of the system into account, before you pull the trigger.
Other notable smart home systems we’ve reviewed
We’ve evaluated lots of other DIY smart home systems. If none of our top picks check all the boxes for you, take a look at these other products.
- Aqara Hub E1 is very similar to Aqara’s Hub M2 system, except it plugs into a USB power adapter and doesn’t have its stablemate’s infrared blaster feature. And like the Hub M2, the Hub E1 controls only Aqara Zigbee devices.
- Aqara Hub M2 is mostly about the convenience aspects of the smart home. It’s very easy to set up, but that ease of use is largely attributable to how it limits you to using only Aqara’s own devices.
- Homey Bridge is a SmartThings-like smart home hub that supports Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Z-Wave, Bluetooth, 433MHz, and infrared devices. Like SmartThings, it’s focused primarily on convenience versus home security. But you’re limited to just five devices unless you pay for a subscription.
- Hubitat Elevation (model C7) is a powerful smart home hub favored by many hardcore enthusiasts, and unlike the Aeotec Smart Home Hub we like so much, Hubitat’s product isn’t reliant on a connection to the internet. Less-experienced users, however, will encounter a steep learning curve.
- SwitchBot Hub 2 is primarily a gateway for other SwitchBot smart home products, but it can also serve as a Matter bridge for a host of third-party products.
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