I’m going to cheat a little for this entry and include several options, that way you have extra choices. Think of the hub as the central controller or brain that’s used to interact with the various limbs, parts, and organs. It still needs wireless access over something like Zigbee or Thread, for instance, to communicate with external devices. You’ll want to select a hub that follows the ecosystem or platform you’re most interested in. If you choose Matter or Thread, you want Matter or Thread-capable devices, if Home\u00a0Assistant you’ll want that, if Zigbee you’ll want that, and so on.<\/p>\n
First up is the Aqara Hub\u00a0M3 for $160<\/a>, which features support for Zigbee, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Thread, and also works with Apple HomeKit, Home\u00a0Assistant, SmartThings, Alexa, Homey, and more. Homey Pro is another option for $449<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 or Homey Mini for $249<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 which support Zigbee, Bluetooth, Thread, Wi-Fi, and Z-Wave Plus. They’re also compatible with Apple’s Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant. Hubitat Elevation C-8 Pro is $210<\/a> with Zigbee, Matter, Z-Wave Plus, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. It works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit.<\/p>\n