After graduating with a BAS in Technology Administration, Christopher has been covering Matter, Apple HomeKit, and the smart home industry for various sites including iMore, MakeUseOf, HomeKit News, and HomeKit Hero since 2018. Whether it is installing smart light switches, testing the latest door locks, or automating his households daily routines, Christopher has done it all.
Whether it is VOCs, allergens, or smoke, there are a lot of things in the air that can make an impact on your health. To make managing your home's air a breeze, consider a Matter-compatible air purifier.
Radiators are great for keeping costs down by heating just the rooms or areas around them. However, they are not so great when it comes to convenience and controls, as most require making a trip over to the unit to make a simple adjustment. To reduce the number of trips, consider installing a Matter-compatible radiator valve.
At just $9.99, IKEA's SOMRIG Shortcut Button is an incredibly enticing solution for adding physical controls to Matter devices. However, there are some requirements and limitations that you'll want to know about before making the trip to your local IKEA.
Even though the best smart plugs have decreased in size over the years, they can still be an eyesore. If you are tired of seeing unsightly boxes hanging from your walls, consider installing a Matter-compatible in-wall smart outlet.
iOS 18 is officially here and with it come some small, but significant changes to the Apple Home app. This year, Apple has introduced new ways for managing your smart home, expanded the capabilities of the Energy tab, and opened its doors to a whole new category of devices.
Even though Matter has been around for a while now, Nest is still the only game in town when it comes to thermostats that support the smart home standard. However, with two options to choose from, how do you know which is the best Matter-compatible thermostat for your home?
The lack of color and ambiance in my household has always been on my mind so I recently branched out a bit by deploying a pair of Tapo Tl135E Smart Wi-Fi Light Bulbs in a few bedside lamps. At just under $15 each and with full multicolor capabilities, the price was simply too hard to pass up. After spending a few weeks with Tapo's bulb, am I regretting my decision?
After rolling out a limited beta for lighting earlier this year, IKEA has finally expanded its Workshop program to include Matter support for even more device types. Starting today, users can download a new firmware update (version 2.615.8) for the DIRIGERA smart hub that brings Matter support to seven devices.
While the transition to Matter for Apple HomeKit users was pretty seamless, the omission of one major feature—Adaptive Lighting—left some smart home fans in the dark. Thankfully, that changes with the release of iOS 18. Apple is finally bringing Adaptive Lighting to Matter devices with its latest operating system, so users both new and old can put their home's lighting on auto-pilot.
Ready to give your home a smart lighting upgrade? These Matter-compatible recessed lights may be just what you're looking for.
Whether you need to replace an old non-working fixture, or looking to modernize your home, there's a Matter-compatible ceiling light that can meet almost any need. With a Matter ceiling light, your home will not only benefit from an updated look, but it will also gain convenient smart controls and maybe even a few extras like colorful scenes.
While Matter brings enhanced security, reliability, and a streamlined pairing process to the smart home world, the real star of the show is interoperability through its Multi-Admin feature. But how exactly do you use Multi-Admin with your devices? We'll walk you step-by-step through the process.
Is Tapo's $20 Matter-enabled smart plug too good to be true? We put one of the most affordable plugs around to the test.
Are you tired of waiting on Matter software and product releases? Then it's time to go DIY with one of the best Matter-compatible relay switches.
At $39.95, the Eve Door and Window is one of the most expensive Matter contact sensors around. But how does it actually perform especially when considering the abundance of low-cost alternatives? Let's take an in-depth look.
By now, you've most likely heard about all the many ways that Matter can simplify your smart home. But up until recently, Matter was limited to inside our homes, leaving key areas out in the cold—quite literally. That changes with the Tapo P400M Outdoor Smart Plug.
If you have multiple HomePods or Apple TVs in your smart home, you may notice that the Home app doesn't always pick the most centrally located or the most powerful home hub. This can lead to slower response times and disconnections, and it may even break Matter device automation. To better optimize your smart home, you'll need to know how to set your preferred Apple Home hub.
Motion sensors play a critical role in automating and securing our smart homes. With their wire-free ability to turn on the lights when our hands are full, and sending smart notifications for potential activity around our homes, it's hard to imagine life without them. This includes the Eve Motion, which I have been using to automate my home over the course of the past year.
Staying on top of the latest firmware updates is crucial for securing your Matter devices and ensuring your smart home runs smoothly. However, navigating through various vendor apps for each of your devices can make tracking down updates rather tedious.Thankfully, some Matter platforms—like the Apple Home app—can help by offering firmware updates directly to compatible devices.
Matter is bringing smart home convenience outdoors with connected lighting, sensors, plugs, and weather-ready automation
