Great video with great information. Really appreciate you putting it together. Is there any chance that you have a Google sheet or CSV with all of this info somewhere?
Nice video. I was disappointed that the Aeotec Hub/ST v3 hub just got an honorable mention. The Aeotec and ST v3 hubs have Zigbee, Z-Wave and Thread radios. And now with SmartThings transition to Edge Drivers on the Lua-based architecture, the SmartThings ecosystem runs mostly local. The Edge drivers are installed directly on the hub. The majority of my routines are local now. There are a few exceptions, like the ones that depend on presence or sunrise and sunset. It was really great to see John again. Thanks for having him on. I can relate to John's comments about the Stringify app. I loved that app. That's what pushed me into ordering a Homey Hub to check out.
I definitely think Hubitat Elevation C8 should be in the Elite category. Admittedly the dashboard isn’t the best but isn’t the whole idea to use automations? I rarely ever need to use the dashboard. The Hubitat C8 has handled anything I have wanted it to do. It’s local, fast, extremely reliable and very affordable compared to Homey Pro.
Thank you for this video, which I feel is a must-watch for novices, amateurs, and experienced alike. I like the pace of the ratings and comparisons. I feel like you have kept it sensible as well to how most average/typical users and not-wealthy consumers would consider for a smart home. I too experienced the same problem with TP-Link Kasa light switch; so very disappointing. Kasa products have not improved in quality nor reliability over the last 4 years. My advice to viewers/readers is to Absolutely avoid Feit products --> total hot garbage! Meross products are decent for the price point --> does the job. I too have been impressed with and have started acquiring more GE Cync products.
Wonder why you had such problems with the Kasa switches? Was it the hub you were using? I have a mix of Meross, Kasa and Lutron switches. Meross used to be unreliable until they were Homekit certified. I suspect they really beefed up their servers to get there as they have been rock solid since. Lutron is limited to either 3 ways, places I want to add a 3 way or fixtures that draw tremendous amounts of wattage. While Kasa has been about 98% reliable, their software options are second to none.
My problems with kasa all started when I started messing around with matter. I don’t know if that is the problem or if it is just a coincidence, but they kept falling off the network so often I stopped even trying to reconnect them.
New to the channel. First time commentor. I paid someone to set up all my home automation using an Elan, but now he's gone and a lot of my automations are starting to fail. So now i need to rip that pig out and redo everything. Fortunately most of my automated switches are Z-Wave, but i have no idea which protocol my door security ecosystem uses. Im going to start small with homey pro and go from there. Thanks for sll your insight and info!
Thanks for doing the video. For my hub I use Homeseer the HS3 version (very dated and only zwave) It does work with just about any zwave product. With your experience with Homey Pro if you were to try and pair "old zwave" like an Ecolink motion sensor or Linear smart bulbs from years ago, would the Homey Pro see them?
All my zwave devices are zwave plus so I can’t test any further back than that. I would recommend checking out the homey pro app store link and search for the devices and see if they are compatible. Homey pro can connect generic zwave devices, but only plugs and bulbs so far. Also, I will note that homey pro does not have a way to exclude zwave devices connected to other hubs so be sure to exclude them from your homeseer before trying to add them to homey. homey.app/en-ca/apps/homey-pro/
@@DIYSmartHomeGuy1 Thanks for the reply. The ecolink motion sensors are Z-Wave +, so maybe there is hope with HomeyPro able to play just about any z-wave+ device.
Here are my favorites Switches - Lutron, Inovelli or Zooz, Jasco is acceptable Bulbs - If you can afford Philips Hue get that, lifx connectivity sucks, if your a baller on a budget go with govee or sengled Motion sensors - nyce or hue for sure Plug - Amazon basic for indoor, Lutron or GE/Jasco for outside Sensors - whatever your security system uses and can be integrated into the rest of your system. For me that’s abode but a lot of people will go with ring Light strips - I actually like sengled but govee is also a great option Other sensors - zooz water sensors Thermostat - any ecobee Doorbell - ring, Google or eufy Sprinkler - Rachio or moen Voice - I like the echo 8 & 15 and larger Google Hub but not the small versions or the swivel, the echo dot with clock is great Locks - Schlage Encode plus or kwikset Hubs - hubitat for behind the scenes automations, apple home for dashboard on phone You didn’t mention robot vacuums but I’m still a huge roborock fan Cameras - PoE - Reolink, WiFi - Reolink, eufy or ring
Pete - what an awesome video. Some brands I haven’t used and will take a look. Inovelli reds dimmers. Have to comment about the no-neutral option. But inovelli 500 based products do not compare to zooz zwave performance … but you didn’t mention them. Good to see John again. When wink lost stringify (darn Comcast) that was when I tossed the wink.
GE (also made by Jasco) has gotten much better in the last few years. All of my original switches died with the "blinking blue light of death" problem. Zooz dimmers are better than most. Eaton's Z-Wave switches on sale at Lowes are hot garbage.
one more thing, Eaton does sell a zwave outlet that has the ability to be controlled by a standard wall switch. that feature is something no one else has and comes in handy in certain situations
Do you agree? What devices do you think are Elite? What are hot garbage?
I really like my Zooz Zen34 remote control/ button. It's a close 2nd to the Pico remote, but it's Z-wave.
John did a video about those a few months back. He loves them also
Great video with great information. Really appreciate you putting it together. Is there any chance that you have a Google sheet or CSV with all of this info somewhere?
Nice video. I was disappointed that the Aeotec Hub/ST v3 hub just got an honorable mention. The Aeotec and ST v3 hubs have Zigbee, Z-Wave and Thread radios. And now with SmartThings transition to Edge Drivers on the Lua-based architecture, the SmartThings ecosystem runs mostly local. The Edge drivers are installed directly on the hub. The majority of my routines are local now. There are a few exceptions, like the ones that depend on presence or sunrise and sunset.
It was really great to see John again. Thanks for having him on. I can relate to John's comments about the Stringify app. I loved that app. That's what pushed me into ordering a Homey Hub to check out.
I definitely think Hubitat Elevation C8 should be in the Elite category. Admittedly the dashboard isn’t the best but isn’t the whole idea to use automations? I rarely ever need to use the dashboard. The Hubitat C8 has handled anything I have wanted it to do. It’s local, fast, extremely reliable and very affordable compared to Homey Pro.
John agreed. Elite for capabilities, hot mess for UI. But does everything you want it to and is very capable out of the box. Thanks for watching!
Was it so hard to do for taking Hubitat and drag it to the top? ;-)
Did you guys forget about home assistant
We just don't have that much experience with it yet.
@@DIYSmartHomeGuy1 what are you waiting for! Home Assistant Green makes everything easy. Just set mine up today. Works great.
I actually appreciate the noisy schlage lock! I can hear my wife coming when she's a quarter mile away!
Great point! Wouldn’t have to worry about my kids sneaking in or out when they get to high school.
Love this video! Please do an updated one in the future!
Will do!
Thank you for this video, which I feel is a must-watch for novices, amateurs, and experienced alike.
I like the pace of the ratings and comparisons. I feel like you have kept it sensible as well to how most average/typical users and not-wealthy consumers would consider for a smart home.
I too experienced the same problem with TP-Link Kasa light switch; so very disappointing.
Kasa products have not improved in quality nor reliability over the last 4 years.
My advice to viewers/readers is to Absolutely avoid Feit products --> total hot garbage!
Meross products are decent for the price point --> does the job.
I too have been impressed with and have started acquiring more GE Cync products.
Wonder why you had such problems with the Kasa switches? Was it the hub you were using? I have a mix of Meross, Kasa and Lutron switches. Meross used to be unreliable until they were Homekit certified. I suspect they really beefed up their servers to get there as they have been rock solid since. Lutron is limited to either 3 ways, places I want to add a 3 way or fixtures that draw tremendous amounts of wattage. While Kasa has been about 98% reliable, their software options are second to none.
My problems with kasa all started when I started messing around with matter. I don’t know if that is the problem or if it is just a coincidence, but they kept falling off the network so often I stopped even trying to reconnect them.
New to the channel. First time commentor.
I paid someone to set up all my home automation using an Elan, but now he's gone and a lot of my automations are starting to fail. So now i need to rip that pig out and redo everything. Fortunately most of my automated switches are Z-Wave, but i have no idea which protocol my door security ecosystem uses.
Im going to start small with homey pro and go from there. Thanks for sll your insight and info!
Thanks for doing the video. For my hub I use Homeseer the HS3 version (very dated and only zwave) It does work with just about any zwave product. With your experience with Homey Pro if you were to try and pair "old zwave" like an Ecolink motion sensor or Linear smart bulbs from years ago, would the Homey Pro see them?
All my zwave devices are zwave plus so I can’t test any further back than that. I would recommend checking out the homey pro app store link and search for the devices and see if they are compatible. Homey pro can connect generic zwave devices, but only plugs and bulbs so far. Also, I will note that homey pro does not have a way to exclude zwave devices connected to other hubs so be sure to exclude them from your homeseer before trying to add them to homey. homey.app/en-ca/apps/homey-pro/
@@DIYSmartHomeGuy1 Thanks for the reply. The ecolink motion sensors are Z-Wave +, so maybe there is hope with HomeyPro able to play just about any z-wave+ device.
Here are my favorites
Switches - Lutron, Inovelli or Zooz, Jasco is acceptable
Bulbs - If you can afford Philips Hue get that, lifx connectivity sucks, if your a baller on a budget go with govee or sengled
Motion sensors - nyce or hue for sure
Plug - Amazon basic for indoor, Lutron or GE/Jasco for outside
Sensors - whatever your security system uses and can be integrated into the rest of your system. For me that’s abode but a lot of people will go with ring
Light strips - I actually like sengled but govee is also a great option
Other sensors - zooz water sensors
Thermostat - any ecobee
Doorbell - ring, Google or eufy
Sprinkler - Rachio or moen
Voice - I like the echo 8 & 15 and larger Google Hub but not the small versions or the swivel, the echo dot with clock is great
Locks - Schlage Encode plus or kwikset
Hubs - hubitat for behind the scenes automations, apple home for dashboard on phone
You didn’t mention robot vacuums but I’m still a huge roborock fan
Cameras - PoE - Reolink, WiFi - Reolink, eufy or ring
That's a nice list @BrandonDoyleMN
@@DIYSmartHomeGuy1 we’re mostly aligned on our top picks
Pete - what an awesome video. Some brands I haven’t used and will take a look.
Inovelli reds dimmers. Have to comment about the no-neutral option. But inovelli 500 based products do not compare to zooz zwave performance … but you didn’t mention them.
Good to see John again. When wink lost stringify (darn Comcast) that was when I tossed the wink.
Thanks @steve228i - always good to have John back!
I use the tp-link light switches all through my home. Have been very good. Do not know why you had trouble with them.
Good to know!
GE (also made by Jasco) has gotten much better in the last few years. All of my original switches died with the "blinking blue light of death" problem. Zooz dimmers are better than most. Eaton's Z-Wave switches on sale at Lowes are hot garbage.
one more thing, Eaton does sell a zwave outlet that has the ability to be controlled by a standard wall switch. that feature is something no one else has and comes in handy in certain situations
Yeah, I’ve been fortunate to not experience the blinking blue light of death. My jasco switches have been rock solid for me
Can you publish the entire table so we can see the final ELITE? Video ends truncated. All we can see is some of the Better than Most.
I think Matter smart devices is the future and it's the way to go for 2024
I hope so, but to me it still looks a few years off until it's all stable and working together. But hard to say at this point