A smart home isn't a smart home without devices like smart bulbs, smart doorbells and smart plugs, but have you ever thought about how you'll manage all of these different appliances? You'll want to connect them with a smart home hub.
There are lots of different types of hubs to choose from, so it's understandable if you're a little overwhelmed.
Here's our guide about how to choose the best smart home hubs, what they're great at, and some of our top picks.
What's a Smart Home Hub?
A smart home hub is the control center of your smart home. It connects and communicates with your smart home gadgets over Wi-Fi or other standards, like Zigbee, Z-Wave, or Bluetooth. With a smart hub, you can use your voice or an app to tell your connected devices to work together. As an example: You could say "good morning" to your voice assistant, and your hub will gradually brighten the bedroom lights, start brewing your coffee, and raise the thermostat to your preferred daytime temperature - all without you lifting a finger!
For more details, check out our What is a Smart Hub? guide for more comparisons.
What To Consider When Choosing a Smart Home Hub
There are lots of different smart home hubs out there, in a variety of shapes and sizes, with different features and setbacks.
Here are a few questions to ask when you're thinking about a purchase:
1.Is it Compatible With Other Devices?
The best smart home is full of gadgets that work together, including your smart home hub. You can make sure of this by checking your existing smart home appliances, and the smart home ecosystem that they come from. Your smart hub manufacturer's website will be able to tell you about its compatibility, so make sure you take a look before you buy. If your devices aren't from the same ecosystem, you might be able to connect them with Matter, which is a smart home standard for connecting devices from different platforms.
2. Is It Easy To Use?
Most home hubs are really quite simple to get the hang of. Look for one that's simple to set up and easy to use – usually, if the box says it's easy to set up, it is. You might also want to think about getting a device with a status light indicator, so you'll know when it's connected, or if there are any problems.
3. Does It Have A Voice Assistant?
Most, if not all smart home hubs are able to follow voice commands. It's one of the main selling points of a hub, since you don't need to be physically present with the hub to utilize its features. If your smart hub has a voice assistant, like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri, you can use voice commands to do all kinds of things around your smart home. Here are some examples:
· At sunset, your hub can close smart blinds, dim the living room lights, and turn on accent lighting for movie night
· "Hey Google, I'm leaving" can activate the security system, turn off unnecessary devices, and adjust climate control
· When your smart water sensor detects a leak, your hub can shut off the main water valve and send emergency notifications
4. How Much Does It Cost?
The best smart home hub isn't necessarily the priciest. Prices vary, but you can buy a hub with all the necessary features, like an Aqara Hub M3 or similar, for under $200.
5. How Do I Control My Devices Through It?
Most hubs come with their own smartphone app where you can organize your devices however makes sense - by room, by floor, or by what they do. For example, the Aqara Home app can manage and control your Aqara devices, create scenes, and set up automations. It has a dashboard that works a bit like a TV remote. Just tap to turn on a light or change your thermostat temperature.
6. Can I Use A Smart Speaker Instead Of A Smart Home Hub?
Smart speakers like Amazon Echo and Google Nest can do some of the same things as hubs, so it's natural to assume they're a great replacement. The problem with that assumption is that different brands don't play very nicely together. You won't get the best performance or the smoothest experience by mixing and matching.
What Are the Best Smart Home Hubs?
It all depends on your budget, your needs, and which smart devices you have in your home. Here are a few of our favorites:
· Works with Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa
· Supports Matter, Thread, and Zigbee 3.0 devices - future-proof connectivity
· Easy setup with local processing power
· Mid-range price ($150-$200)
· Best feature: edge computing that keeps your smart home running even during internet outages
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· Compatible with Apple HomeKit, Alexa, and Google Assistant
· Supports up to 128 Zigbee 3.0 devices plus infrared control for older appliances
· Simple setup with flexible USB power
· Budget-friendly (around $50-$60)
· Best feature: built-in 360° infrared blaster turns your regular TV and AC into smart devices
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· Works with HomeKit Secure Video, Alexa, and Google Home
· Combines 2K security camera with Zigbee hub and IR controller
· Easy setup with AI-powered recognition
· Moderate price (around $100)
· Best feature: AI facial recognition that can trigger personalized automations when it sees family members
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· Compatible with Matter, Thread, and major voice assistants
· Weatherproof outdoor design with 2.6K night vision camera
· Straightforward setup with PoE or Wi-Fi options
· Premium price ($180-$200)
· Best feature: True Full-Color Night Vision with built-in spotlight for crystal-clear outdoor security
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What Smart Products Are Compatible?
There are loads of smart home products out there. Here's what's popular and what they actually do for you.
Smart Lighting
Smart bulbs let you control your lights with your voice or phone app. Dim them for movie night, or set them to gradually brighten as your alarm goes off in the morning. Aqara LED Ceiling Light T1M and Aqara Smart LED Bulb T2 can seamlessly integrate with your smart home. As an added bonus, LED bulbs save energy too - they turn more electricity into light instead of wasting it as heat.
Smart Thermostats
These do way more than just change the temperature. With smart sensors, they can learn when you're home and away, then adjust heating and cooling automatically. Set yours to warm the house before you get back from work, or cool it down when you leave. Enjoy a comfortable home environment with Aqara Smart Radiator Thermostat E1 now.
Smart Doorbells and Locks
Smart doorbells have cameras and speakers built in. See who's at your door from anywhere and talk to them even when you're not home. Great for avoiding awkward conversations with salespeople. The Aqara Camera Hub G410 boasts built-in gateway functionality, 2K image quality, and a 175-degree field of view, making it one of the most versatile and cost-effective smart doorbells. Aqara also has a wide variety of smart door locks. Among them, the best-selling Smart Lock U200 has received rave reviews. It supports Matter over Thread, is compatible with multiple ecological platforms, and is equipped with multiple unlocking methods, allowing you to enjoy smart life with peace of mind.
Smart Home Security Systems
Modern smart security is more than just door sensors. Complete systems can include motion detectors, cameras, and alarms that ping your phone instantly. Watch live video feeds and respond to real threats right away. You can purchase a complete set, such as the Aqara Camera Protect Kit Y100, which comes with a camera, motion, door, window, and shock sensors—perfect for those just starting out with a comprehensive home security system. Of course, you can also build your system step by step, starting with security cameras. Whether you're looking for indoor or outdoor cameras, Aqara Camera Hub G3 and Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro have what you're looking for.
Aqara offers far more smart devices than these. If you want to learn more, click here to explore!
Do I Need a Smart Home Hub to Smart Devices?
If you want to control your devices better when you're not at home, then yes. Some smart devices that only support WiFi cannot be remotely controlled once the WiFi is disconnected. With the hub, you can have no worries and enter the worry-free smart home more "officially".
Conclusion
Start with a hub and a few devices, and you'll instantly make your daily routine easier - maybe some smart bulbs for the living room or a smart plug for your coffee maker could help too. Once you find out how easy it is to control everything from your phone (or just by saying "Hey Google!”) you'll probably want to add more devices – it's a bit addictive, but that's the beauty of a good smart home hub, it grows with you!
Get started with Aqara products today. Browse Aqara's smart home hubs and devices, all designed to work together seamlessly, whether you want basic automation or a full smart home setup.
