Best smart home hubs in 2024

We studied user reviews and compared products in hands-on tests to bring you the best smart home hubs.
Best overall
Amazon Echo (4th gen)
Amazon Echo
(4th Gen)
  • pro
    Alexa skills
  • pro
    Good sound quality
Best budget Alexa hub
Best budget Google hub
Google Nest Mini Smart Speaker
Google Nest Mini
  • pro
    Broad compatibility
  • pro
    Better voice recognition

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One of the most important questions when you’re shopping for a smart home hub is “Will it work with my devices?” The 4th generation Amazon Echo earned our top pick because, more often than not, the answer to that question was “yes” with this hub.

The Amazon Echo is also very compatible with smart home automation devices and security systems. It works with Alexa, Arlo, August, Ecobee, GE, Honeywell, Kwikset, LIFX, Lutron, Nest, Philips Hue, Schlage, SmartThings, Sylvania, TP-Link, Wemo, and Yale.

Find out how it compares to the competition in our full breakdown of the best smart hubs.



Compare the best smart home hubs

Product
Best price
Connection type
Smart home compatibility bullet
Learn more
Best voice controls Bluetooth,
Wi-Fi,
Zigbee
Alexa, Arlo, August, Ecobee, GE, Honeywell, Kwikset, LIFX, Lutron, Nest, Philips Hue, Schlage, SmartThings, Sylvania, TP-Link, Wemo, Yale
Budget Alexa hub Bluetooth,
Wi-Fi
Alexa, Arlo, August, Ecobee, GE, Honeywell, Kwikset, LIFX, Lutron, Nest, Philips Hue, Schlage, SmartThings, Sylvania, TP-Link, Wemo, Yale
Budget Google hub Bluetooth,
Wi-Fi
Arlo, August, Cree, Ecobee, GE, Google Home, Honeywell, Leviton, LG, LIFX, Nest, Philips Hue, SmartThings, Sylvania, TP-Link, Wemo

Price is accurate as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

Best smart hubs reviews

1. Amazon Echo (4th Gen): Best overall

Best overall
Amazon Echo (4th gen)

Price is accurate as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

The Amazon Echo (4th Gen) takes the Echo family further into smart home integration by adding a Zigbee-enabled smart home hub. It supports Zigbee, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth smart home devices. Use it to call people hands-free or ask Alexa to read the news, answer questions, and play music.

It can also work like a home intercom system with other Amazon Echo devices in your house. If you’re like me and you don’t want your smart home hub to look like an alien spaceship that landed in the middle of your home, you’ll appreciate the variety of Echo finishes to choose from.

The fourth-generation Echo is touted as having better sound quality than its predecessor, with front-firing speakers and a mini woofer for better bass performance. Many users who have upgraded say that the sound quality is better when compared to the previous Echo, but not by much.

pro
Pros
pro Voice control
pro Alexa skills
pro Different finishes
pro IFTTT compatibility
con
Cons
con Incompatible with some devices
con Disappointing sound quality

2. Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen): Budget Alexa hub

Budget Alexa hub
Amazon Echo Dot (4th Gen)

Price is accurate as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

The Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) is a lot less expensive than traditional hubs and still performs many of the same functions, like giving you Alexa integration and voice control for your smart home devices.

It costs half as much as the Echo, so you can expect lower sound quality and no built-in Zigbee controls, but the Alexa voice assistant still answers your questions, plays your music, and gives you access to thousands of other skills.

pro
Pros
pro Voice control
pro Thousands of skills
pro Three colour choices
con
Cons
con Incompatible with some devices
con Lower sound quality
con No built-in Zigbee controls

3. Google Nest Mini: Budget Google hub

Budget Google hub
Google Nest Mini Smart Speaker

Price is accurate as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

Like the Echo Dot, the Google Nest Mini isn’t much of a hub, but the smart speaker offers hub-like features like controlling your smart home devices using your voice. It’s compatible with a wide variety of smart lights, plugs, appliances, and home security products.

We found that Google Assistant is a little bit better at recognising a voice command than Alexa, and we like the option for using less specific follow-up questions, like asking, “When does it open?” after asking where the nearest bakery is.

pro
Pros
pro Voice control
pro Four different finishes
con
Cons
con Incompatible with some devices
con Less than stellar sound

Final word

The Amazon Echo is our top smart hub pick thanks to its compatibility with an overwhelming number of smart devices. We especially like how you can just press Discover Devices in the Alexa app, and Alexa hub does the rest for you. 

Smart home hub FAQ

Always look at the compatibility, mobile app, and setup when choosing a smart home hub:

  • Compatibility: Make sure the devices are compatible with each other to avoid buying additional hubs or new devices. If you already have connected devices in your home, choose a hub that connects with them as well as future devices on your wishlist. The hub's website should have a full list of compatible devices.
  • Mobile app: As you shop for a hub, read app reviews from users, and if you can, test drive different automation hubs. You want a user-friendly app that’s easy to navigate while interacting with your smart home device.
  • Setup: Most smart home hubs walk you through setup using tutorials and guides. It’s nice to have help setting up your hub and other devices in this growing market with lots of unknowns.

Technically, no, and it can be tempting to rely on Wi-Fi-enabled smart gadgets and apps to avoid a hub setup altogether. Wi-Fi is fine for wired smart devices like smart light bulbs, smart plugs, a smart thermostat, and video doorbells, but it quickly drains the batteries of your wireless devices like a security sensor or smart lock.

Having too many can also drag down your network speed. If you want to avoid frequent battery replacement and keep your Wi-Fi network running smoothly, it’s worth it to look into wireless home automation devices that use radio frequencies like Z-Wave and Zigbee.

Yes. You may have some hubs that speak one language and some that speak another, and that’s okay. As you learn more about how home automation works and get more comfortable with your system, you may discover more gadgets that don’t work with your current hub.

In that case, you can use another hub or a bridge to loop them into your smart home system.

Yes, the “brains” of some of the best smart home security systems also operate as smart home hubs and give you control of your smart home gadgets (like a security camera) through your security system app.

If you want voice control, look for a system that’s compatible with a voice assistant, and you’ll be able to access devices like your Ring Video Doorbell with your voice. Security system hubs can also offer you the added bonus of cellular and battery backups in case of power outages.

How we reviewed the best smart home automation systems

To select the best smart home hubs, we dug for hubs that were compatible with the most brands and easy to use. We studied real user reviews and compared product features side by side in hands-on tests. Read our full methodology to find out more.

Contributing writer: John Carlsen


Disclaimer
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time of publish and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on the retailer’s website at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. SafeWise Australia utilises paid affiliate links.
Kasey Tross
Written by
Kasey Tross

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