41 articles
Best indoor security cameras in 2026: Wyze Cam v4, Blink Indoor, Arlo Pro 5S, and Eufy Indoor S350 compared. Subscription vs local storage, and Home Assistant support.
Best Matter smart bulbs in 2026. Nanoleaf Essentials, Kasa KL135, Sengled, Eve Light Bulb, and Govee Matter bulbs compared. Thread border router requirements explained.
Best robot vacuums for smart homes in 2026. Roborock Q Revo MaxV, Dreame L10s Ultra, iRobot Roomba j9+ and Ecovacs Deebot X8 reviewed. Home Assistant integration compared.
Best smart air quality monitors in 2026: Airthings View Plus, Awair Element, Aranet4 HOME, SwitchBot, and uHoo compared. CO2, PM2.5, radon and VOC tracking.
Best smart garage door controllers in 2026. ratgdo local control, Tailwind iQ3, Meross, SwitchBot, and how to escape Chamberlain myQ's API lockout.
The best smart thermostats in 2026 compared: Google Nest 4th gen, Ecobee Premium, Honeywell T9, and Wyze. Pick the right one for your platform.
Complete guide to the Home Assistant Companion App for iPhone. Remote access setup, widgets, location automations, Siri Shortcuts, and Apple Watch dashboard.
How to expose Home Assistant devices to Apple HomeKit using the HomeKit Bridge integration. Pair with Apple Home, filter entities, and troubleshoot common issues.
How to install Home Assistant on Raspberry Pi 5 in 2026. Hardware requirements, SSD setup, flashing with Raspberry Pi Imager, first boot and SSH guide.
How to automate your thermostat with Home Assistant. Presence-based heating, weather-adjusted setpoints, room sensor averaging, and schedule automations.
How to install HACS in Home Assistant step by step. Unlock custom integrations, themes, and Lovelace cards including Mushroom Cards with the HA Community Store.
How to set up Zigbee2MQTT with Home Assistant. Install Mosquitto MQTT broker, configure the Z2M add-on, set USB dongle path, and pair your first Zigbee device.
Home Assistant 2026 updates: new dashboard, voice assistant, Matter camera support, energy tracking, and automations that regular users actually care about.
Build a professional Home Assistant dashboard with custom cards, themes, and layout. Step-by-step guide for 2026.
The best Zigbee sensors for Home Assistant in 2026. Motion, contact, temperature, water leak, and mmWave presence sensors tested and reviewed.
Apple Home vs Home Assistant comparison. Features, device support, automation, privacy. Which platform is right for you?
Complete guide to migrating your smart home from SmartThings to Home Assistant. Learn hardware, device pairing, automation setup, and timelines.
Step-by-step guide to setting up Frigate NVR with Home Assistant for local AI-powered camera detection. No cloud, no subscriptions, full privacy control.
Comparing SmartThings, Home Assistant, and Hubitat—the three major smart home hubs in 2026. Find which one fits your needs, skills, and ecosystem.
Roborock Qrevo Curv review: flagship robot vacuum with 18,500Pa suction, FlexiArm mop, dual-camera navigation, and tight Home Assistant integration for 2026.
Zooz ZEN76 and ZEN77 800 series Z-Wave switches reviewed. Long Range ready with SmartStart pairing, tested on both Hubitat and Home Assistant hubs.
The Emporia Vue 3 lets you monitor your whole home electricity usage in real time. Here's whether it's worth the $100-$150 price tag.
Build a DIY smart home security system using Home Assistant. No subscriptions, no cloud dependency, complete control over cameras, sensors, and alerts.
Step-by-step guide to setting up Home Assistant's Energy Dashboard: hardware options, sensor configuration, solar tracking, and automation.
Best UPS backup power for Home Assistant, Hubitat, and smart home hubs. Recommended models and setup guide.
Home Assistant Voice Preview Edition runs entirely local with no cloud dependency. Full review of this $59 privacy-first voice assistant for Home Assistant.
UniFi Protect G5 cameras review. Local-first, no subscriptions, Home Assistant integration. Bullet, Turret Ultra, and Flex models compared.
Shelly Plus 1 review—tiny Wi-Fi relay that hides behind existing light switches. Local control, Home Assistant compatible, $14.
Lutron Caséta and Inovelli Blue represent two completely different approaches to smart switches. Here's which one you actually want.
Step-by-step guide to flashing Tasmota on smart plugs. Replace Tuya firmware with open-source local control—no cloud, no app.
Home Assistant Green setup guide for beginners. Step-by-step unboxing, first boot, device discovery, and automations. Local smart home control made easy.
ratgdo brings local, cloud-free garage door control to Home Assistant. Here's why it beats MyQ and how to install it in 20 minutes.
Learn how to automate your existing window blinds without replacing them. SwitchBot, IKEA FYRTUR, and SOMA smart shades compared with installation tips.
Learn how to install and use Node-RED with Home Assistant to build visual flow-based automations without coding. Perfect for complex conditional logic.
Build a DIY presence sensor with ESP32 and LD2410B mmWave sensor for under $15. ESPHome firmware, Home Assistant integration, step-by-step guide.
Best Z-Wave 800 series devices for 2025: top switches, sensors, and plugs for Hubitat and Home Assistant. Long range, better battery life, S2 security.
Home Assistant SkyConnect vs Sonoff Zigbee Dongle comparison. Which USB dongle is right for your setup? Comparing Thread, Zigbee, price, and features.
Review of the Sonoff NSPanel Pro smart wall panel. Thread, Zigbee, HomeKit integration, and Home Assistant support. Is it worth the $90?
SwitchBot Curtain 3 review: clip-on smart curtain motor with Matter support, Solar Panel charging, and silent operation—no installation required.
Aqara FP2 mmWave presence sensor review. Wi-Fi connected with no hub required, reliably detects stationary humans. Works with HomeKit and Home Assistant.
Build your own smart addressable LED strip controller with WLED and an ESP32. 200+ effects, music reactive mode, and Home Assistant integration for under $30.