I upgraded my home with numerous Matter-compatible smart products in 2025. Turns out, cost has little to do with the impact a well-designed device can have on your life. Only one of my favorite purchases cost me over $100, and half were less than $20! While not every Matter product is a winner, here are some that have become valued parts of my home.
TL-Link Tapo S505
This year, I installed smart switches all throughout my home, and I documented the entire experience in a five-part series here on the site. The first entry was why I opted to go with Tapo TP-Link smart switches. In short, they’re cheaper than the competition, Matter-compatible, and well-reviewed.
TP -Link Tapo S505 Smart Wi-Fi Light Switch
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Some switches have been up and running in my home for half a year now, and I haven’t had any issues. The lights work as expected when I press the physical button (all of my Matter devices also work as 'dumb' devices), and they quickly respond to commands from my phone as well.
SwitchBot Meter Plus
The SwitchBot Meter Plus is one of my favorite types of smart home products. At first glance, there’s nothing smart about it—this is simply a digital thermometer and hygrometer that measures the climate of the room it's in. Yet thanks to Matter-compatibility, apps like Samsung SmartThings and Home Assistant now know the temperature and humidity in my bedroom as well. Spoiler alert: my review of the SwitchBot Meter Plus was a positive one.
SwitchBot Meter Plus
Honeywell Home X2S Thermostat
I didn’t want a thermostat that would stop receiving software support in a few years, so I opted not to go with a Google Nest thermostat despite its Matter support. Instead, I purchased the Honeywell Home X2S. It looks very much like the legions of thermostats that reside on walls all throughout the US. This one can be installed and set up just like any other Honeywell Home thermostat, and you could easily never know that smart capabilities are there. But they are, and that Matter support means I rarely need to look at this inconspicuous thermostat. I can adjust any of the settings from my phone instead.
I had a few issues with the Matter support when I reviewed the Honeywell Home X2S thermostat, but my issues using the device with SmartThings have gone away. This thermostat now works as expected. It easily makes our list of the best Matter-compatible thermostats.
FocusPro S200 / X2S Smart Thermostat
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Govee Floor Lamp 2
The ceiling lights in our living room are too bright for me, as there is rarely a time at night when I want the room to suddenly be more brightly lit than it is during the middle of the day. Thankfully, the Govee Floor Lamp 2 provides just enough light to keep me and the rest of the family happy. We have two in our living room, which is large thanks to our open concept floor plan. With both lamps at 100%, the room is bright enough to read in, but not nearly as overwhelming as the ceiling lights. More often, I keep them under 30%, where they provide enough ambient lighting to see without throwing off my circadian rhythm.
Thanks to Matter, I have never needed to install the Govee app. I imported both lamps into my smart home apps and use them that way. While a smartphone is needed for granular control, the lamp does come with a remote that my kids use when they want to manage the lights.
Govee Corner Floor Lamp 2
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Looking ahead to 2026
2025 was a big year for my Matter home. Smart thermostats and smart switches are the kind of upgrades you live with for years. But there are still a wide range of areas I have yet to explore, like water leak sensors and Matter-compatible robot vacuums. And even with some early concerns about the IKEA Bilresa remotes, I look forward to getting my hands on a couple of these Matter-connected smart buttons.
