Samsung SmartThings is a home hub that wirelessly connects your smart home devices. This allows you to remotely control and automate devices across different manufactures that don’t have direct integrations. Want your voice assistant to alert you and turn a light on when your security camera detects a person outside at night? It can do that! SmartThings works with the most devices available on the market right now and is very user-friendly. We’ve tested ours with a variety of different sensors, cameras, locks, thermostats, speakers, plugs, switches, and voice assistants. Setting up the hub is very easy, simply select the manufacture/device from the list within the app and it’ll walk you through the pairing instructions. Some devices will be controlled locally via Zigbee, Z-Wave, or WiFi however others are controlled through the cloud, but there are no subscription fees to make these work.

The SmartThings hub in our home ties our Lutron switches, shades, and LIFX bulbs to our motion sensors and Brilliant Control panel. While it isn’t something we absolutely need, it has added a level of comfort and convenience at a low price point and is much easier to set up compared to other hubs. SmartThings does have a partnership with ADT for home security, however, I would recommend other DIY security system options that don’t require an expenses subscription and offer professional monitoring on demand such as Abode, Simplisafe, Nest, or Ring. If you’re looking for completely local control with even more level of customization Hubitat is another great hub.