Govee’s Permanent Outdoor Lights 2 Pro use a clever dual-light design to create richer, more dramatic effects across your home. Installation can be frustrating, but the results are worth the effort.
I tested Apple’s $149 HomePod mini 2 ahead of launch, and while its audio is merely solid, fast Matter and Thread performance makes it one of Apple Home’s most useful hubs.
Linkind’s Smart Light Stick brings Matter, RGB effects, and Adaptive Lighting to ordinary lamps, with stable Wi-Fi control and no hub required.
The SwitchBot Bot has always been one of the most useful gadgets in a smart home, letting you press nearly any physical button remotely. The obscure CR2 batteries were annoying — but now, it's rechargeable.
Superbly smooth lighting that folds neatly around corners, with strong brightness, excellent whites, and DreamView support for immersive gaming setups.
The Zemismart M1 Hub Pro tries to be a Matter bridge, Zigbee gateway, Thread controller, and IR blaster all at once, but falls short. Thread support is frustrating, IR devices aren’t bridged into Matter, and Tuya remains a weak point. Most users should look elsewhere.
SwitchBot's Lock Vision Pro brings multi-biometric entry and native Matter support to a secure deadbolt replacement.
The SwitchBot RGBICWW Ceiling Light is an affordable Matter-over-Wi-Fi smart light with solid reliability and adequate brightness — but cheap build quality, awkward installation, limited effects, and buggy out-of-box Matter support hold it back.
SwitchBot’s budget-friendly presence sensor brings reliable mmWave detection and Matter compatibility to every room, making whole-home automation attainable without breaking the bank.
The Busy Bar combines a Pomodoro timer, programmable pixel display, smart-home trigger, and desktop status indicator into one delightfully over-engineered gadget, and Matter support makes it far more interesting than the average productivity toy.
It’s a black-and-white E-Ink frame that lacks deep Matter integration and makes calendar management a chore. So why is it the only gadget my family loves?
At just $10, IKEA’s KLIPPBOK water leak sensor is an absolute bargain. It’s a set-and-forget Matter-over-Thread device that offers peace of mind even if you never connect it to a hub.
A Matter-over-Wi-Fi curtain motor tested with Zemismart’s smart curtain track system. Reliable, app-free, and thankfully... Thread-free.
SwitchBot’s Standing Circulator Fan is a masterclass in design. It’s quiet, portable, and battery-powered—making it a must-have, even if its Matter integration is lackluster.
Why? It targets the biggest pain point for shoppers (price and reliability) and acts as a bold, expert recommendation.
Linkind’s new $8 smart plug combines power control with a dimmable LED night light. It’s a clever, space-saving Matter device that’s hard not to recommend.
Most USB devices are "always on," which is a pain for smart home hubs. The Fugetek USB Power Switch is a $15 fix that finally puts power in your control.
I'm not the right customer for the Homey Pro, but I'm not sure who is. At nearly $500, You're getting a marginally better experience than the Homey Pro mini, for nearly twice the price.
The Govee Ceiling Light Ultra delivers an industry-leading 5,000 lumens, but does its pixel-art display and quirky Matter integration justify the price?
I haven't had the most reliable experience with this product, but I suspect that has more to do with my Thread network than the product itself. If so, that's a hard problem for IKEA to solve.