Crafting a smart home ecosystem can be tricky. There are a lot of product categories, and it can be hard to know which ones to prioritize. Here are some of my go-to smart home recommendations for outfitting your smart home setup … and they all integrate with Apple’s HomeKit platform.
Lutron Caséta
There’s no better option for smart lighting solutions than the Lutron Caséta system. Lutron’s smart lighting switches replace the existing switches in your walls, which means they work via smart control solutions, and you can just flip the switches on and off.
Smart bulbs
If you’re in a situation where Lutron Caséta switches aren’t an option, such as renting, you have other options. Smart bulbs are a staple of the HomeKit ecosystem, and there are more options on the market now than ever before. Smart bulbs are also incredibly useful for lamps.
Lutron Aurora
If you’ve outfitted your home with Philips Hue bulbs, the Lutron Aurora is a wonderful accessory that solves one of the most frustrating smart bulb limitations. The smart lights will go unresponsive whenever a wall light switch is flipped off. This is because Hue bulbs require the lights to always stay in the “on” position to be controlled via the Hue app or HomeKit.
The Lutron Aurora is placed on top of the physical wall switches. Once you have the hardware installed, you set up the Aurora’s integration with the Philips Hue app.
The Lutron Aurora is available on Amazon for just under $40. If you’re a Philips Hue user, this is an easy way to add some additional convenience to your smart home setup
Home Key Smart Locks
One of my favorite HomeKit features is Home Key. This lets you lock and unlock your door by tapping your iPhone or Apple Watch.
Home Key-enabled smart locks can vary widely in pricing. My go-to recommendation is the Aqara Smart Lock U50, but here are a few different options:
Smart Plugs
HomeKit-enabled smart plugs are an excellent stocking stuffer. They can turn almost anything into a smart-enabled accessory, such as lamps, light strips, Christmas trees, and more. I’m a big fan of the Meross Smart Plug Mini, which you can buy in a pack of four on Amazon.
Door and Window Sensors
I just moved from the suburbs to the city, and it’s more important than ever that I ensure my doors are fully latched and my windows are closed. Luckily, there’s a HomeKit solution for that.
Smart Thermostat
One of the absolute best quality-of-life upgrades you can make is a smart thermostat. My favorite product in this category is the Ecobee Smart Thermostat, which integrates with HomeKit and Siri with a sleek and easy-to-install design. It’s the gold standard of smart thermostats.
Water Sensor
If you’re a homeowner, you know that water is the number one enemy of your home. Using a HomeKit water leak sensor means you’ll know immediately if you’ve sprung a leak. I recommend getting a few of these to place around your house.
Smart Light Strips
One of the classic accent lighting choices is a smart light strip. Whether you’re placing it under your cabinets, behind a TV, or anywhere else, a smart light strip is an excellent way to elevate your environment. I have smart light strips placed behind my desk and behind my TV, and it’s my favorite way to bring accent lighting to my setups.
Eve Flare
One of my favorite HomeKit accessories is the Eve Flare for accent lighting. It features a portable design and charges wirelessly, so you can easily take it around your house and place it where you want some extra light.
HomePod or Apple TV
If you’re starting a HomeKit setup from scratch, you’ll need a home hub to control your accessories while you’re away from home. You can use an Apple TV or HomePod as your hub. In my testing, I’ve found the Apple TV to be the most reliable solution.
Wrap up
These are just some of my favorite HomeKit accessories. There are plenty more on the market, and I’ll point you to a few of them below.
What are your go-to HomeKit products? Let us know down in the comments.
More HomeKit favorites:
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