Smart home, built right.
Still the speaker in a lot of houses. “Works with Alexa” usually means two clouds, unless the device is Matter and you set it up that way.
Buying guides · Sensors and switches
Five US outdoor smart plugs for Christmas lights compared on Home Assistant route, IP rating, LED load limits and GFCI needs. Research-based, with sources.
Buying guides · Lighting
Govee Christmas Lights 2, Twinkly Strings and Philips Hue Festavia compared on effects, outdoor ratings and what Home Assistant, Alexa, Google and Apple Home can control.
Buying guides · Radios
Which Thread border router to use with Home Assistant: ZBT-2, SMLIGHT, Apple TV, HomePod, Nest and Echo compared on compatibility, Thread 1.4 and price.
Buying guides · Deals
Black Friday 2026 smart home picks by budget: outdoor plugs, Christmas lights, sensors and Thread hubs, with notes on which ones work locally in Home Assistant.
Buying guides · Ecosystems
Smart home gift ideas by budget, filtered by Alexa, Google Home, Apple Home and Matter, with no-subscription picks and notes on which ones grow into Home Assistant.
Standards · Matter
Stuck at 'Checking network connectivity'? Why Matter-over-Thread pairing fails in Home Assistant, IKEA's known issues, and a fix-it checklist in order.