Where do YOU spend or save money in your smart home? 💸 Also don't forget to subscribe! bit.ly/3joO1dZ

@MrSpock888

Жыл бұрын

For video cameras Ring, Blink and Dlink are the most reliable. For lights- Hue, Lifx and Wiz. I find Alexa as a more dependable and wiser smart hub.

@jfarre20

Жыл бұрын

Local API or I don't buy!

@scoty_does

Жыл бұрын

Im saving my pennies for Matter+thread stuff (out of beta).

@nolank.3982

Жыл бұрын

On the video doorbell i decided to get a ring pro 2

@Hash625

Жыл бұрын

Please add a summary chart at the end of video, it will be helpful.

May I just say how I love the playful quips between you and @PaulHibbert. Please never stop, unless they get mean, we are all lovers in the smart home realm... Robots are the fighters.

@baitykris1

Жыл бұрын

All of Paul's Robots end up dead because he kills them with sugar.

This is arguably One of your top 3 most useful & must-see videos on KZread, you save us effort and money and helped us to know more about the best smart devices' functions dependencies and when to go cheap, and e when to look for an expensive option sometimes is much suitable solution. Besides, this video is a goldmine, YOU DESERVE to be at THE TOP SPOT in the smart home industry, I really enjoyed every second watching it. I never thought of myself like omeone who could enjoy watching a guy bragging about how a simple smart home setup can be like this, amazing and highly organized. I have one request tho, if we can see more of you since you opened second youtube channel

this video is GOLD for us who are just buying new homes and are looking for pro tips on making it smart, thanks!

Thanks to videos like this, and my resistance to jumping into a new technology before I research it thoroughly, I've avoided buying mistakes. I'm nowhere near as automated as you, but I never will be. My goals are different. Again, thanks for the work and for this roundup.

The Lutron switches I decided on based on this channel is the best upgrade I’ve done to my home automation, cost almost $2k to do all of them but well worth it.

@BroncoPatriot

Жыл бұрын

I am in the same boat. After our move to the new home I was going through my automation device boxes and realized I practically double paid between Zooz and TPLink basically being $10-15/device more expensive than the Lutron switches overall. Couldn’t be happier. This channel is also the reason I invested in Lutron.

@BigtimeBigA

Жыл бұрын

@@BroncoPatriot I built my house in 2008 with a central upb system that was getting outdated. In my setup I only had 1 or 2 scene switches per room that controlled sometimes 5-6 switches that were all wired hidden away in closets so the programmable 4 button remotes I can make scene switches were huge for me. These switches have been rock solid though and integrate so easily with Alexa and other devices.

@davidchan1733

Жыл бұрын

Same here.... I originally was forced into the Lutron boat since I didn't have neutral wires in the majority of my light switches. I haven't had a single hiccup using them over the last 6 years. Only wished they had come out with the new rocker dimmer model earlier, since the older design is a little harder to operate if you are walking by and just reaching out for the switch.

@Gabriel-vi7nl

Жыл бұрын

Are they compatible with matter ?

@BroncoPatriot

Жыл бұрын

@@Gabriel-vi7nl HA handles that for ya.

Hello from UK, love your videos man !! Moving to my new house soon and I can't wait to start playing with smart things your videos are very helpful 👍👍

I just upgrade to home assistant and you gave me a lot of ideas, continue your work, it is amazing!

Great insights Reed. I typically buy 1 or 2 of something and if it is not reliable I dump it. Nice to see you spell out what has worked for y’all. Loved the trailer😊

Thanks for another great video. I am having success using most of the items you recommended. For doorbell and camera outdoor, I went with ring as I already had and cannot justify spending as I am happy with what they do and reliability. My biggest frustration is Home Assistant. As someone still learning this is my biggest challenge. But I do see the potential and will eventually overcome. Finally, love the @PaulHibbert reference. I do have my Mr Sockey mug and I will have to break down and get the book.

Appreciate your overview and suggestions. The only one I disagreed on was the Lutron Caseta. Our last home had a mix of TPLink switches and Zooz zwave switches. Nothing but issues with both. Since moving to our new home I invested in Lutron and couldn’t be happier. 100% reliable, never have issues with integration into HA and finally VERY fast response time from either the switch, app or HA. Just my $0.02 if you are starting from scratch this is guaranteed to get lots of wifey points.

@SolixTanaka

Жыл бұрын

I'm the dedicated tech installer for both my family and extended family. I've installed nothing but Kasa switches since 2016. They're a little slower than Lutron, but I've had no issues with them at all, and I've installed hundreds of them at this point. They're 95% of the functionality for less than a third of the cost.

@BroncoPatriot

Жыл бұрын

@@SolixTanaka yeah that wasn’t my experience. They kept dropping off my Eero Pro mesh and HA doesn’t like TPLink/Kasa devices dropping off. They never seem to reconnect.

@jeevana.6391

Жыл бұрын

I personally use Kasa switches since there were the nicest option when I was installing them (Caseta switches look ugly af and just feel way too mushy for an expensive product). They're in metal boxes and I've had no issue whatsoever. I do plan on switching them out once matter enabled ones come out though for local control. The current switches I'm looking at aren't local control, so im hoping they get updated.

@kristinotto102

Жыл бұрын

Yeah I love my Kasa TPlink switches, they’ve been rock solid and I think they look nice too

4:04 I’m totally with you on getting a robovac that can map out your house. I have a standard one that just bounces around and trust me, its like babysitting with how much you have to make sure it doesn’t run over something that it shouldn’t be around. Thats definitely my next move

That final scene was hilarious. My hue bulbs work flawlessly most of the time but for some reason on Wednesday morning the Wake Up routine failed in the bedroom yet worked perfectly the following day. Who knows why this randomness happens ?!

What a great video, Reed! I have enjoyed Aqara, great price and work exceptionally well. I enjoyed the pacing and flow of your video as well!

The Paul Hibbert at the end was the best!!!!!

Great video Reed! Just moved into a new place and needed some ideas

I have over 15 Wemo outlets. We love them. They do sometimes have trouble getting setup properly. But resetting them a few times (changing name each time) until they work seems to be the work around. Once running they do great for us.

Great video. I agree with everything except the garage openers. Just use an aqara sensor and a Shelly 1 connected to a regular garage opener. All my Shelly works flawlessly.

Love your videos Reed. You're one of the reasons I got into home automation, because you show practical uses for smart tech and differentiate between price points. I'd like to use the Aqara devices but I couldn't get the Aqara M1S to connect so I returned it. But they have so many different great products like the smart buttons and motion sensors and door sensors, so I was disappointed. I use Tuya devices and the hub works fine, but it's a little slow to respond with Alexa so that's why I wanted a ZigBee hub and devices.

Good video Reed! I laughed on the bathroom button segment. It's embarrassing when those automations fail. I've been in that situation a few times as well. 😊

Reed your production quality is top-notch, Great job! I really wish I would have stuck with the same brand of products if I could have so I would have less apps, because I use a lot.

@DIYtechie

Жыл бұрын

Hey Brett! Why don’t you use a hub like Home Assistant? One fully customisable app for everything - and the best automations.

@TechWithBrett

Жыл бұрын

@@DIYtechie From what I have seen it is not fully "consumer ready", but I have seen great progress recently. Once it reaches that point, I might have to try it out.

@DIYtechie

Жыл бұрын

@@TechWithBrett I’m afraid it will never reach that point before all the main features are already available on the main stream platforms. But for the time being it is cool to have the features and dashboards other platforms can only dream about. I love Home Assistant.

@inkbird_yom

Жыл бұрын

Hi Brett! I sent an email to you and I am waiting for the reply.

This might be your best video yet! Loved it!!

Hey Reed I'd love a video about the technology from your old house. What did you take/leave and why, and how you transferred anything you left to the new owner's accounts

2:29 - IMHO, Third Reality Motion Sensors and Buttons are quite good (7:30 - although I agree that you may want to splurge on going higher end with the buttons). I use Sonoff Contact Sensors for doors/windows inside the house and Yolink contact sensors when I need the distance. I've noticed that the Yolink contact sensors doesn't seem to be as reliable when it's competing with other nearby 2.4Ghz devices. 6:38 - Big agree here. We went with an Ecobee Smart Premium (largely based on your video that discussed the air quality sensor), we've already saved so much on our gas costs and just use space heaters for the AZ winter (yes, I'm in the mountains north of your area). The amount of electricity that our solar power generates on a winter day with decent sun is enough to power 3 space heaters that we turn on periodically (two of which are based on temperature sensors nearby and comparing those with the set temperature of the thermostat, so that the space heaters will turn on more frequently during the day, while the furnace will take priority at night). 7:08 - I did go cheap on my first smart plugs, but I use mine primarily to control heaters/toaster oven/coffee maker and you will want to make sure it's 15amp rated. I do this because I have an automation that if the coffee maker is using greater than 1a of current, the smart plugs that are connected to space heaters will turn off (if they're already on, because turning off smart plugs when they're not drawing power causes one of my space heaters to reset back to 95 degrees). Reed, this is a solid video as always and definitely a big help for those starting out or those who are looking to expand their smart home (which is everyone since they're as addicting as tattoos).

I have 6 Wemo light switches and dimmers in my house. They work flawlessly! Works with HomeKit Google and Alexa all at the same time in the same home.

@2:34 That's such a cool effect dude. The editing there just made me smile so much

Kasa switches have been great! Just bought some Aqara sensors and hub, so far I love them. Guess I need to buy Paul's book! Seems wife approved!

I really love having a Tailwind iQ3 smart garage door, It automatically opens/closes once your car is within a user set distance. It also auto closes your door if its left open. Its compatible with most garage door opens on the market.

@navreetgill

Жыл бұрын

Tailwind smart garage door is super underrated, especially if you have an Android phone like a Pixel. Their android app can open/close the garage door automatically as you approach/leave the home in your car. I don't know why they don't have more exposure.

@beau2418

Жыл бұрын

Yup, and it has a wired door sensor built into it so that it's 100% reliable at knowing whether the door is open or closed. Plus, no MyQ subscription fees if you want to enable integrations.

@chrisvldz

Жыл бұрын

What happens if you're just parking real quick in your driveway?

@navreetgill

Жыл бұрын

@@chrisvldz it will open, and then close after I drive away or after some (configurable) time.

More of this kind of video please, lots of great information, ah and the Paul Hibbert segment was good fun (it just WORKS! so to speak). Thank you! I've had mixed results with some expensive and some cheap sensors and I suspect it has a lot to do with environment. I have an Aqara Zigbee button in the mancave (same room as the coordinator) which has worked flawlessly. 100% of presses register. However I also have two in the kitchen which has 13 Zigbee GU10 bulbs and they've both been hit and miss almost every day. My Hue motion sensors (no hub, just de-conz) have been flawless for years..until last weekend when they all went offline and needed resetting. Nothing changed, no devices turned off. "The lights aren't coming on again". Nightmare.

Your house is amazing dude!

With the roller blinds fella, you can get plastic trim for the sides that the guides the blind as it goes down but the important part is that it stops the light coming through so it fully blacks out the room

Great video Reed. I agree Wemo sucks. It's hard to say that because those are what got me started. I've since switched to sonoff zigbee and tasmota devices! I've also followed in your footsteps and recently switched all my switches and outlets over to Home Assistant and I'm now ready to unplug my Smarrthings hub after almost 7 years!

tHIS WAS THE BEST VIDEO EVRER I HAVE A LOT OF THINGS YOU SHOWED IN THE VID

Brilliant video! Loved the ending 😂

2:30 what a cool effect!

@SmartHomeSolver

Жыл бұрын

Thanks! That was a fun one to do.

I really love your videos

Heck yeah, my favorite kind of video!!

I would go for the cheapest possible garage door opener that has a non-proprietary simple button control on the inside then add a zigbee/z-wave/homekit/matter garage kit / relay control.. myQ requires a cloud service and may charge a fee for basic features down the road.

Love the ending!

At 3:20, oh yes I know the feeling. So glad I went with Gigabit for my home network.

Can you do a full training video on Home Assistant please?

we bought a house last year and it has those same fans and remotes like yours, I just installed a bond bridge this weekend and didnt even know my fan light could dim or even get brighter lol

I love the last part seeing the collaboration with @Paul Hibbert supporting my countrymen :D

Best smart home video i have watched this year. Do you have a video on everything you need to know about Aqura?

The iLife Shinebot does a good job and actually mops the floor

For the cameras, having local storage is a very nice thing to have. Significantly less risk of a cloud based attacker getting access to your video streams.

Been watching your videos a long time! Thank you for everything, 1st time I’ve seen the 3D printer, have you done any esp devices with 3D prints

I upgraded my Tesla and now it works with my garage door. When I leave it closes and when I come back it opens. Pretty sexy. My favorite smart home thing is my watch, I tell it to clean the floor and my robot cleans the section on command. And you are right, roborock is really good. The next logical step is a robot that can empty and fill the water from a water/drain connection. Then I can just let it go til it needs scheduled maintenance. I look forward to the new robot lawn mowers coming out soon.

Oh the Zigbee!! I've got a bunch of hue bulbs and I have been happy with them - they just work. Same with a couple of hue motion sensors that I use to monitor light levels and turn on my zwave controlled strip lights.

@Budha75

Жыл бұрын

Nice, a fellow Paul Hibbert connoisseur.

@neilarmour4497

Жыл бұрын

They do just work don't they?

Hi Reed,great video 👍🏻👍🏻. I wouldn’t go cheap on a smart plug, I read a review on Amazon about a Meross smart plug that went faulty, when the person opened up the plug they found a 10A relay inside instead of a 16A relay (soc,et outlets are rated to 13A in the uk. I only use them to switch light loads like for E.g. trailing sockets, Christmas lights., slow cooker, my CPAP machine, bedroom pedestal fan which I have set up on a routine which utilises the temperature sensor in the Echo. When the room goes above 25 Deg C the fan will come on. The cameras are ok not great but good.

I've been using Ikea's new hub with their smart bulbs for the last few months and they've been working perfectly so far.

@jancko995

Жыл бұрын

..he said, that those small remotes are problematic. ..i bought it too,..as my entry into this world...i hope they ll be good

Unifi has some great wireless cameras if you haven't checked those out. All of mine are the $99 G4 Instant. Love them. The G3 ones were $30, but they got bumped up to $79 recently.

Lol, one of the best ending skits you've done!

Honestly I spent money on a Tailwind Iq3 after the Chamberlain ones, and it was 100% worth it!

I loved the home tour and automation ideas! I'm a bit jealous because I can't set up HA myself cause of the programming! Anyway, I'm looking forward to a Magic Mirror installed in your next vids.

👍Great review as always !

If you run home assistant you need to mess with custom Lutron buttons. Hack those picos and 4 scene Lutron buttons to do any automations you want. It’s fantastic.

Great video as always! I've not had any issues with my wyze window and door sensors. Knock on wood lol.

interesting about the MY Q hub. Ive been using it for a few years now and haven't had any issues. The app does decide to throw in the towel from time to time .. but that's about it. I use google assistant through Android Auto in my car anyway then . Also have an NFC tag on my visor as a backup. when i arrive home, I just use the craftsman remote hung up on the garage wall to close the garage door behind me

Sweet video! If something can last the Arizona summer (in the garage) that should receive a special award lol

I spent a decent bit on a Withings Sleep Analyzer from your recommendation. I love it, works so well

I have been using calex lights and they are fantastic I have five now as I am trying to build a smart home.

I'm happy with the meross garage door opener, also works w/ my apple watch.

I think 2023 might be the year I get some smart shades

@SmartHomeSolver

Жыл бұрын

Do it! So many good options now.

Hi Reed, love your content! I'm looking to upgrade my home WiFi to the unifi ecosystem. Which APs do you have, and how many of them? Do they work well between floors? Keep up the great content!

The wifi thing is one of those "no simple answer" problems to me. eg you want some smart lights, tell someone not savvy to get a hue - moderate cost, very easy to use. I don't recommend mesh systems with wireless backhaul to solve congestion/interference/reliability issues. Coverage of a large house on a spacious block it might be set and forget. Unifi I believe gives you the best result for $$. If you're tech savvy you can purchase a couple of cost effective AP's, run ethernet backhaul and host your own Console on a VM or docker and IMHO (and country) get better than an off the shelf mesh for the $$ - but I can't recommend this to a non tech savvy friend. ISP routers are often fine - for just routing (not wifi) - so no need for a dream machine.

Thanks for the video - I am just starting to research Smart Home stuff and this really helps! You showed a bunch of hub options in this episode, which is where I am stuck. It seems you run everything through Apple Homekit, but is it worth me starting with an Apple hub as well?

Yes, @SmartHomeSolver and @PaulHibbert are helpful and fun to watch!

"It says Mom because she only wants mom to help her" rofl! I'm dying! lol

Glad I stayed for the otro. Oh the zigbee!!!

4:55 great advice!!

Good and fast advice video. I'm still wondering if it's a good idea to spend money on the Unify ecosystem for my new home. That would include the router, switch, camera's and wifi points. All software defined, so once it's setup properly it's more secure because of the different vlans and local installation. Any thoughts about this?

Ally had better watch out or Neesha might get jealous and bring out the red eyes! Thank you Reed, great summation!

Our Roborock is one of the best purchases we ever made, especially since our house is wood throughout.

I invested in Wemo many years ago by purchasing quite a few of them. I’m currently in the process of changing them all over to Kasa!

All amazing reed once again...your the best . Was windering how mych yoy pay for your internet , must be wopping, cheers, carlos

Hey dude, I love your content. I have a question, I for sure want to start my home on to be a smart home, I have a few things not many that are smart and I have learned so much from your content. 2 questions can you mix mach the sensor of door alarm systems let's day ring and another company and if I wanted to start my smart journey with things that will save money on monthly bills, what would be the best approach?

IT JUST WORKS!!!!!

Have you ever looked into smart devices for your breaker box to see what areas of your home spike in voltage use? I'm curious if they're worth it. Also, got any good apartment friendly smart home systems?

I'd love to see a smart house that automates rain water collection, gray waters treatment, automated orchard, energy saving, etc.

I have some kasa products and they are great. The switches work, however, the construction is much lower quality than my home seer or ge z wave stuff. I have the myq hub and it has worked well, but before I put an access point in the garage it was not nearly as good. I have a detached garage with a covered walkway, climbing through there was terrible. I really enjoyed the vid and mostly agree with your recs.

An interesting overview, thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences. What is the device that your echo speaker is stood upon?

Great content! You talk about similar video quality between unifi and reolink cameras, but what about UX with the apps and interacting with recordings...does that push you one way or the other?

Awesome video. I am just starting to get into HA and want to setup a automation like you use with your doorbell to turn on the outside lights when it detects motion but having a hard time getting it to function. Any tips on how to get it right? I am using the new Nest wired doorbell and Leviton wifi switches.

Good general tips. Maybe should also mention about whether it is cloud based or purely local controlled. Many of us, including myself are only interested in local control. If the device can't be flashed with 3rd party open-source firmware like Tasmota or ESPHome, won't touch it. Having a command to control something in my home first go out to someone else's computer and then return back, no thanks.

hey man, love your videos, question, why dot you like Wemo switches? I have a ton, no issues.

We don’t have a neutral wire. I’ve been using Philips hue switches that are wireless. Works great. But you might have a suggestion.

Haha funny corporate agreed, Paul Hibbert 😂, thanks Reed and his wife for the video 👍

I would go with Aruba Instant-On access points. They don't need the controller and are super reliable. They are the cheaper version of the enterprise grade meant for businesses.

I also have the Unifi Dream Machine it’s amazing plus using the Protect câmeras it’s really good,

So is ring your go to door sensors? Do they work with smartthings? If not what do you recommend that does work with smartthings

Looking to get some more smart switches due to remodeling. I love the Kasa light switch ! Currently my smart home is based in the “Smart Life” app. If I were to use the Kasa smart lights I would need to switch to the “Smart Things” app. Any thoughts on if the switch would be worth it? I have almost 20 smart devices I would have to rebuy. I have tried moving over my devices from Smart Life to Smart Things but hadn’t had success as just the automations (not devices) move over. My question in short is smart things the best centralized system for multiple smart devices?

Anyone have a recommendation for a smart outdoor gate lock? I'm horrible with keeping up with my keys and smart locks enabled my bad habit of loosing them.

Is that a battery powerbank for the Echo I see there? I've been considering getting one of those, what brand is that/can you recomend a good brand?

You made a comment in a video I saw recently that WeMo switches were crap. I can certainly agree that I have had my fill of frustration with the several that I have. What would you recommend for my next wall switch?

Can you recommend a few smart dimmer switches that won't cut power to a smart light when the switch is switched off? And if possible, can they be available for purchase and use in the UK? Thank you

Hey great video. I was wondering if you could do a video, or answer questions about the Ecobee thermostat. No one who has covered it answered the question I have. Can the sensors be set by time of day and day of the week? I currently have the Nest and hate how restrictive the se senors are. I work until 3, not 4 so I would rather it stop using my office sensor at the end of my work day, not an hour later. If Ecobee can do that I may switch.

When you gonna review the 75w and 100w equivalent hue bulbs I just noticed at Home Depot. I have the 60w for longest time and love them especially in my coach lanterns outside home. But really curious on the higher output ones for review now!!

Have you looked into or considered SmartWings for smart shade options? they seem to have much of the functionality of lutron shades (smart home integration with multiple platforms, and battery powered) but for a fraction of the cost, roughly 25% of lutron for similar shades. I was originally considering the serena shades too but now I am seriously considering SmartWings.

Great video as always :D What's the name of the sensor shown at 6:54 ? I'm looking at a reliable way to have presence detection in the rooms :D Tks!