Interested in home automation but not sure where to start?
Don’t expect a site like Amazon to list all of the features that you care about for every product you find. They can’t with all of their products.
So, we’ve pulled specs for the best home automation ideas and products together on one page to help you find reliable smart home products.
Finding the Best Smart Home Products
Regardless of your chosen home automation protocol, we’ll help you sort the wheat from the chaff by letting you quickly find the products with features that matter to you. Just browse through the tables below to get started:
Want to compare home automation system features and cost?
Our focus here is on home automation sensors and devices. Open our smart home system comparison page in a new tab to shop systems and compare costs.
Compare Smart Garage Door Openers
Nobody likes the feeling of getting 10 minutes down the road and wondering if they forgot to close the garage. With these solutions, you can take care of that without U-turns by connected via your smart phone to your Z-Wave or WiFi garage door opener.
| Solution | # of Doors Supported | Cost ($) | Protocol | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garageio | up to 3 | 200 - 220 | WiFi | IFTTT support |
| Gogogate | up to 3 | 135 | WiFi | IFTTT support |
| Chamberlain MyQ | 1 | 110 | WiFi | |
| Linear GD00Z-4 | 1 | 90 | Z-Wave | More secure than relay solutions |
| Linear FS20Z-1 + Tilt sensor | 1 | 63 | Z-Wave | |
| Smart outlet + Relay + Tilt sensor | 1 | 72 | Any | See our how-to guide! |
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Compare Motion Sensors
Getting a reliable motion sensor setup can be tricky business, which makes it even more important to look for features like sensitivity adjustments to adjust for pets and changing light conditions when purchasing a motion sensor for your smart home system.
| Name | Protocol | Cost ($) | Default Turn off delay (s) | Sensitivity Adjustment | Outdoor* | Light Sensor | Temp. Sensor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aeotec Z-Wave Multi-Sensor | Z-Wave | 49 | 240 | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | - Humidity - False alarms outdoors - Goes through batteries quickly |
| Ecolink PIR Motion Sensor | Z-Wave | 35 | 240 | Yes | No | No | No | - Configurable turn off - Very sensitive |
| Enerwave Motion Sensor | Z-Wave | 40 | 180 | Yes | No | No | No | - Ceiling mount |
| Fibaro Motion Sensor | Z-Wave | 60 | 30 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | - Vibration - Lots of electronic configuration options |
| Linear Motion Detector | Z-Wave | 43 | 180 | No | No | No | Yes | |
| Monoprice Motion Detector | Z-Wave | 30 | ? | Yes | No | No | Yes | - Often misses motion - Slow activating |
| Schlage RS200HC Motion Sensor | Z-Wave | 55 | 240 | Yes | No | No | No | - Very sensitive |
| SmartThings SmartSense Motion Sensor | Zigbee | 49 | 30 | No | No | No | No | |
| WeMo Motion Sensor Kit | WiFi | 73 (kit w/ switch) | 3 | No | No | No | No | - Loses communication with SmartThings hub |
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Compare Smart Light Bulbs
Not every application is well-suited for smart light bulbs. In many situations, you might choose to go with a smart light switch instead. But in lamps and some single bulb applications where the use of the light is nearly entirely automated, the cost savings of a $15 smart light bulb rather than a $30 Z-Wave light switch can be pretty compelling.
| Bulb | Price ($) | Protocol | RGB? | IFTTT? | Native hub/kit pricing | Light Output (lm) | Color Temp (K) | Flood | Energy Usage (A19) | Longevity (hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aeotec Bulb (site) | 50 | Z-Wave | Yes | N/A | N/A | 2580-7050 | 9 | 50000 | ||
| Belkin Wemo LED (site) | 30 | Zigbee | No | Yes | $50 Wemo Link + 2 bulbs | 800 | 3000 | 9.5 | 25000 | |
| Cree Connected (site) | 15 | Zigbee | No | N/A | N/A | 815 | 2700 | 11.5 | 25000 | |
| GE Link (site) | 15 | Zigbee | No | No | $50 Wink or $30 Link | 800 | 2830 | BR30 & PAR36 | 12 | 25000 |
| Philips Hue Lux (site) | 20 | Zigbee | No | Yes | $80 Hue bridge + 2 bulbs | 750 | 2640 | 9 | 25000 | |
| Lifx (site) | 80 | WiFi | Yes | Yes | N/A | 1000 | 2500-9000 | 17 | 25000 | |
| Lifx White 800 | 40 | WiFi | No | Yes | N/A | 890 | 11 | 25000 | ||
| Lifx Color 650 | 100 | WiFi | Yes | Yes | N/A | 650 | 11.5 | 25000 | ||
| Ilumi bulb (site) | 90 | Bluetooth LE | Yes | No | N/A | 800 | 2000-8000 | PAR30 | 13 | 15000 |
| Linear Linc LB60Z (site) | 30 | Z-Wave | No | No | N/A | 750 | 2700 | 9 | 25000 | |
| Osram Lightify (site) | 33 | Zigbee | No | No | $57 Gateway + 1 bulb | 805 | 2700-6500 | PAR16 | 9.5 | 20000 |
Compare Home Automation Light Switches
Even with your smart lighting solution, you’re still going to want a way to manually switch your lights on. That’s where a smart light switch comes in. Some of these modules can even handle fans, appliances, and other small motors. Just check the power needs of your application against the maximum rating in the table below.
| Price | Protocol | Dimmer? | Power Handling | Size (HxWxD) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belkin WeMo Light Switch (site) | 50 | WiFi | No | 1800 W | |
| Evolve 3-Way Switch (LTM-5) | 48 | Z-Wave | No | 1800 W | 4.5"x2.75"x1.75" |
| Evolve Wall Mounted Dimmer (LRM-1000) | 50 | Z-Wave | Yes | 1000 W | 4.5"x2.75"x1.75" |
| Evolve Wall Mounted Switch (LSM-15) | 49 | Z-Wave | No | 1800 W | 4.5"x2.75"x1.75" |
| Evolve Contact Relay (LFM-20) | 45 | Z-Wave | No | 3"x1.875"x1.5" | |
| GE Wall Switch (12722) (site) | 40 | Z-Wave | No | 1800 W | |
| GE BLE Dimmer (13870) | 42 | Bluetooth LE | No | 1800 W | |
| Nortek Wall Dimmer (WD500Z-1) (site) | 35 | Z-Wave | Yes | 500 W | |
| Nortek Wall Dimmer (WD1000Z-1) (site) | 59 | Z-Wave | Yes | 1000 W | |
| Nortek 3-Way Switch (WT00Z-1) (site) | 35 | Z-Wave | Yes | ||
| Nortek Contact Relay (FS20Z-1) (site) | 35 | Z-Wave | No | 250 VAC, 1 HP | |
| Quirky+GE Tapt (site) | 60 | WiFi | No | 1800 W | |
| Insteon Dimmer (2477D) (site) | 50 | Insteon | Yes | 600 W | 4.2"x1.8"x1.2" |
| Insteon 1000W Dimmer (2477DH) (site) | 70 | Insteon | Yes | 1000 W | 4.2"x2.5"x1.2" |
| Insteon 2 Wire Dimmer (2477DWH) (site) | 50 | Insteon RF | Yes | 600 W | 4.2"x1.8"x1.2" |
| Insteon Switch (2477S) (site) | 50 | Insteon | No | 1800 W | 4.2"x1.8"x1.47" |
| Insteon Dimmer Toggle (2466DW) (site) | 50 | Insteon | Yes | 600 W | 4.1"x1.7"x1.41" |
| Insteon Toggle Switch (2466SW) (site) | 50 | Insteon | No | 13 A resistive | 4.1"x1.7"x1.41" |
| X10 Wall Switch (WS13A) (site) | 27 | X10 | No | 1800 W | 4.8"x3"x2.4" |
| X10 Dimmable Wall Switch (WS12A) (site) | 21 | X10 | Yes | 500 W |
Compare Smart Outlets
Need to control a lamp or a small appliance? Want to water your plants?
These smart outlets and plug-in switches might be just the thing you need.
| Outlet | Price | Protocol | Neutral Req'd? | Plug-in Module? | Dimmer? | Power Meter | Proximity Trigger | Capacity (# outlets switched + not) | Phys. Size (outlet) | Power | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aeotec Smart Strip (site) | 93 | Z-Wave | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | 4 + 2 | 16.9"x2.4" | 1875 W | |
| Aeon Labs Smart Switch 6 (site) | 50 | Z-Wave | No | No | No | Yes | No | 1 | 2.3"x2.3" | 2400 W | USB |
| Ankuoo Nut (site) | Bluetooth | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | 1 | 4.33"x2.56" | |||
| Belkin WeMo Insight (site) | 50 | WiFi | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes* | 1 | 1.5"x2.9"x2.9" | IFTTT | |
| Belkin WeMo Switch (site) | 40 | WiFi | No | Yes | No | No | No | 1 | 2.6"x5.3"x2.2" | 1800 W | IFTTT |
| D-Link Smart Plug (site) | 40 | WiFi | No | Yes | No | No | No | 1 | 3.58"x2.44"x1.42" | ||
| D-Link DSP-W215 (site) | 47 | WiFi | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | 1 | 2.9"x1.4"x3.5" | ||
| Edimax WiFi Smart Plug (site) | 55 | WiFi | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | 1 | 4.125"x2.5"X 1.56" | ||
| GE Smart Outlet (site) | 38 | Z-Wave | Yes | No | No | No | No | 1 + 1 | 1800 W | ||
| Enverwave Wall Outlet | 39 | Z-Wave | Yes | No | No | No | No | 1 + 1 | 4.6"x3.1"x2.5" | ||
| Evolve Wall Outlet (LOM-15) | 38 | Z-Wave | Yes | No | No | No | No | 1 + 1 | 4.5"x2.75"x1.75" | 1800 W | |
| Evolve Plug-in Dimmer (LDM-15) | 45 | Z-Wave | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | 1 + 1 | 2.5"x3.75"x1.5" | 300 W | |
| Evolve Plug-in Outlet (LPM-15) | 44 | Z-Wave | No | Yes | No | No | No | 1 + 1 | 2.5"x3.75"x1.5" | 1800 W | |
| GE Plug-in Dimmer (12718) (site) | 35 | Z-Wave | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | 1 | 1800 W | ||
| GE Plug-in Switch (12719) (site) | 40 | Z-Wave | No | Yes | No | No | No | 1 | 6"x4.5"x2.5" | 1800 W | |
| GE Plug-in Switch (12719) (site) | 38 | Bluetooth LE | No | Yes | No | No | No | 1 | 6"x4.5"x2.5" | 1800 W | |
| GE Plug-in Switch (12719) (site) | 42 | Bluetooth LE | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | 1 | 6"x4.5"x2.5" | 1800 W | |
| GE Plug-in Outdoor Switch (12720) (site) | 43 | Z-Wave | No | Yes | No | No | No | 1 | 6"x4.5"x2.5" | 1800 W | |
| Insteon Plug-in Dimmer (2457D2) (site) | 50 | Insteon | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | 1 | 3.2"x2.05"x1.05" | 300 W | |
| Insteon Plug-in Switch (2635-222) (site) | 50 | Insteon | No | Yes | No | No | No | 1 | 3.24"x2.08"x1.15" | 1800 W | |
| Insteon Outdoor Switch (2634-222) (site) | 50 | Insteon | No | Yes | No | No | No | 1 | 4.2" (10.5" w/ cord)x2.75"x1.27" | 1800 W | |
| Nortek Plug-in Dimmer (PD300Z-2) (site) | 37 | Z-Wave | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | 1 + 1 | 300 W | ||
| Nortek Plug-in Outlet (PS15Z-2) (site) | 38 | Z-Wave | No | Yes | No | No | No | 1 + 1 | 1800 W | ||
| Nortek Wall Outlet (WS15Z-1) (site) | 34 | Z-Wave | Yes | No | No | No | No | 1 + 1 | 1800 W | ||
| Nortek Plug-in Dimmer (PD300Z-2) (site) | 32 | Z-Wave | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | 1 + 1 | 5.5"x3"x3" | 500 W | |
| Schlage Plug-in Dimmer (site) | 20 | Z-Wave | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | 1 + 1 | 1.8"x3.9"x2.5" | 300 W | |
| SmartThings SmartPower (site) | 55 | Zigbee | No | Yes | No | No | No | 1 | 2.4"x2.6"x2.4" | 1440 W | |
| ThinkEco Modlet | 44 | WiFi | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | 6"x3.5"x1.5" | |||
| Zuli Smartplug | 55 | Bluetooth | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 1 | 1800 W | Apple iBeacon, Nest integration |
I hope that helped. If you have any thoughts or comments to add about your experiences with any of these, feel free to let us know in the comments.
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