Smart home devices

How to choose smart home devices

A smart home starts with one problem: a light left on, water under the washing machine, a radiator heating an empty room. Pick the protocol first, then the devices — so you do not end up with three apps and three hubs.

• Protocol. A Wi-Fi device (Tapo, Philips Smart, Osram SMART+) connects straight to the router and needs no hub. Zigbee (Aqara, Hue) and Z-Wave (Fibaro, Aeotec) need a hub but run for years on a battery. A Matter device works with Apple Home, Google Home and Alexa at once.
• Hub. For Zigbee an Aqara Hub M2 or Philips Hue Bridge, for Z-Wave a Fibaro Yubii Home Pro or Aeotec Smart Home Hub 2; the Aeotec Z-Stick turns a Home Assistant PC into a hub.
• Sensors. A motion sensor switches lights; a presence sensor (Aqara FP1E, FP2) sees a person sitting still. Door, leak, smoke, temperature and humidity sensors underpin security and heating automation.
• Switches and modules. A smart switch replaces the wall switch: Aqara H1 and H2 come with or without neutral. An in-wall module (Fibaro FGS-213/223, Aqara T1) hides behind the existing switch; the Fibaro Dimmer 2 dims LEDs.
• Smart plugs. Check the rated load: 3680 W, or 16 A, handles a heater, a 2500 W model does not. A plug with energy monitoring (Tapo P110M) shows consumption in kWh.
• Heating. A radiator thermostat (TP-Link KE100) turns the valve on a schedule; an underfloor thermostat (Fibaro Warm-Control, Aqara W500) replaces the wall controller. Window open, heating off.

Smart home devices in our range

The core of the range is Zigbee devices: Aqara hubs and the G2H Pro and G5 Pro camera hubs, P1, P2, FP1E and FP2 sensors, H1 and H2 switches, curtain drivers, plus the Philips Hue Bridge, sensors, Dimmer Switch and Tap Dial. Z-Wave devices come from Fibaro (Dimmer 2, Single and Double Switch, Roller Shutter, Motion, Flood and Smoke Sensor, Yubii Home Pro) and Aeotec (MultiSensor 7, TriSensor 8, Siren 6, Water Sensor 7, Z-Stick 10 Pro). Wi-Fi devices include TP-Link Tapo plugs, switches and hubs, Philips Smart Matter plugs, Osram SMART+ Planon LED panels, Xiaomi sensors, and EZVIZ, Trust and Mill plugs. There are also Ajax LightCore switches, thermostats, the Anker Eufy HomeBase 3 and Motorola baby monitors.

Brands

Aqara offers the best-value Zigbee devices. Fibaro is the Z-Wave classic: tiny in-wall modules and the dependable Yubii hub. Aeotec makes the strongest Z-Wave sensors and the Z-Stick for Home Assistant. Philips Hue is the benchmark for lighting control, TP-Link Tapo the cheapest Wi-Fi way to start, Osram SMART+ gives LED panels with no hub, and Xiaomi covers the basic sensors for a few tens of euros.

Related products

Automation pairs well with smart bulbs, smart locks for the front door and wireless cameras. Dozens of devices need a good router. The full selection is in smart home.

Frequently asked questions

Does a smart home need a hub? Wi-Fi devices do not. Zigbee and Z-Wave sensors need one, but batteries last 1–2 years and automations keep running without internet.

Zigbee or Z-Wave? Zigbee is cheaper with a wider choice; Z-Wave runs at 868 MHz, does not interfere with Wi-Fi and passes through walls better. You can mix them with an Aeotec Z-Stick 10 Pro or Smart Home Hub 2.

Does a smart switch need a neutral wire? Most do. In an older house with only live in the switch box, choose the no-neutral Aqara H1 or a battery-powered wireless switch.

Does Aqara work with Apple Home? Yes, through an Aqara hub; the Hue Bridge and Philips Smart Matter plugs do too. Fibaro Z-Wave devices need a compatible hub.

How quickly does it arrive? Sensors and plugs ship as a small parcel: to an Omniva, DPD or Venipak parcel locker in 1–2 working days.