We research and compare the best home automation products, so you can buy with confidence, not guesswork.
The Amazon Echo Show 8 is the better buy for most households thanks to its bigger, sharper screen, built-in Zigbee and Thread smart home hub, and stronger overall speaker quality, while the Google Nest Hub is the smarter pick for a bedroom or anyone who wants a camera-free display with Soli-powered sleep sensing.
The Ring Battery Doorbell Plus is the better pick if you want the sharper, more polished app experience and don't mind paying for a subscription, while the Wyze Video Doorbell Pro is the smarter buy for budget-conscious shoppers who want local storage and a cheaper subscription tier without giving up a wide head-to-toe view.
August and Schlage take opposite approaches to the smart lock problem. The Schlage Encode Plus is the stronger pick if you want the highest security rating and a lock built from the ground up to be smart, while the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Gen) is the better call if you rent, want to keep your existing exterior hardware, or just want the simplest possible install.
Philips Hue vs Govee smart lights comes down to how much you value a polished, whole-home ecosystem versus a lower cost per bulb. The Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance A19 is the stronger long-term pick if you want reliable Zigbee mesh networking, precise color, and deep Apple HomeKit, Alexa, and Google Assistant support. The Govee Smart Light Bulb A19 is the better call if you want vivid color and music sync on a tighter budget without buying a separate hub.
The Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) is the better buy for most households thanks to fuller sound, a built-in Zigbee and Thread hub, and the deepest smart home device support on the market, while the Google Nest Mini is the smarter pick if your home already runs on Google Assistant, Nest cameras, or Chromecast.
The Arlo Pro 5S is the better pick if you want the sharpest video and the most flexibility across smart home platforms, including Apple HomeKit, while the Ring Spotlight Cam Plus is the smarter buy for Alexa households that want lower upfront and subscription costs without giving up core features like color night vision and a built-in siren.
The Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra is our top pick for large homes in 2026, with a 220-minute runtime, 4-floor mapping, and 10,000 Pa suction that hold up across big, multi-room layouts.