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The Best Smart Hub
Smart hubs have evolved from single-brand bridges into multiprotocol controllers that speak modern standards. In 2025, the baseline is Matter for device interoperability and Thread for low-power mesh, with many hubs also handling legacy Zigbee and Z‑Wave via native radios or bridges. Matter’s recent releases expanded device types and improved multi-admin sharing, so you can onboard a device once and control it from multiple ecosystems (CSA: Matter 1.4). Thread border routers are increasingly embedded in speakers and mesh routers, which stabilizes battery devices and reduces extra boxes (Apple on Thread; Nest Wifi Pro; Amazon Echo Hub). We weighed Matter/Thread support, legacy compatibility, local automation, and accessibility when choosing our top picks.
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The 3 Best Smart Hubs
The Best Smart Home Hubs: Summed Up
SmartThings (Aeotec Smart Home Hub)
Pros
Easy setup
Thoughtful home automation
Supports several home automation products and brands
Cons
No voice assistant
Why we chose it
Easy setup
The Aeotec Smart Home Hub is the official SmartThings hardware and remains one of the simplest ways to unify mixed radios. It pairs Zigbee and Z‑Wave devices directly and acts as a SmartThings Matter controller so you can onboard Matter accessories with QR codes and Bluetooth LE commissioning (Aeotec Smart Home Hub; Apple: Use Matter accessories). For Matter-over-Thread devices, you only need a separate Thread Border Router elsewhere in the home (for example, an Apple TV 4K/HomePod mini, Nest Wifi Pro, or compatible Echo/eero) (About Thread; Nest Wifi Pro; Echo Hub).
Thoughtful home automation
SmartThings supports robust Scenes and Routines, and it benefits from Matter’s multi-admin so devices can be shared across ecosystems without re‑pairing. Recent Matter updates improved device coverage and reliability, making it easier to build routines that run quickly and, where supported, locally (CSA: Matter 1.4).
Supports several home automation products and brands
With native Zigbee and Z‑Wave plus LAN/cloud integrations, SmartThings handles large mixed-radio homes. It also plays well with bridges like Philips Hue, which can expose an entire Zigbee lighting network to Matter so your scenes appear in multiple apps (Philips Hue + Matter). This protects existing investments while you add new Matter devices.
Points to consider
No built-in voice or Thread
The hub has no speaker/mic and no Thread radio inside. For hands‑free control or Thread mesh coverage, pair it with a voice device or router that includes a Thread Border Router (Apple TV 4K/HomePod mini, Nest Wifi Pro, or eligible Echo/eero devices) (Apple on Thread; Nest Wifi Pro; Echo Hub).
Amazon Echo Hub
Pros
Leading-edge voice technology
ZigBee hub integration
New design and features
Cons
Weaker bass and limited music options
Why we chose it
Leading-edge voice and control
Echo Hub is Amazon’s wall‑mounted smart home control panel designed for whole‑home dashboards, cameras, and scenes with Alexa built in (Amazon: Introducing Echo Hub). Amazon has also previewed a more natural, generative‑AI Alexa with better context carryover and easier routine creation (Amazon: Conversational Alexa preview). Industry trendsetters are moving to real‑time, multimodal assistants, raising expectations for low‑latency conversations and visual context (OpenAI: GPT‑4o).
Tell Alexa to “start my day” and refine routines conversationally. The broader Alexa ecosystem supports Matter and Thread across compatible Echo and eero devices, simplifying onboarding and local control for many devices (Echo Hub).
Matter/Thread-centric ecosystem
Echo Hub complements Amazon’s Matter‑first approach. With eligible Echo/eero products acting as Thread Border Routers, you can add Matter devices once and share them across apps using multi-admin—reducing lock‑in and improving reliability (CSA: Matter 1.4).
Purpose-built design
The wall‑mountable touchscreen emphasizes at‑a‑glance control and presence‑aware experiences. It’s intended as a central control surface rather than a hi‑fi speaker, so pair it with your preferred audio gear if music is a priority (Echo Hub).
Points to consider
Control panel first, audio second
Echo Hub focuses on home control. For premium sound or stereo pairing, use separate speakers or Echo models optimized for audio. Generative‑AI Alexa features are rolling out and may vary by region and device (Amazon: Conversational Alexa preview).
Google Nest Wifi Pro
Pros
Powerful speaker
Voice assistant
Voice recognition
Cons
Limited connectivity
Why we chose it
Built‑in Thread Border Router + Matter controller
Nest Wifi Pro is a Wi‑Fi 6E mesh system that doubles as a Thread Border Router and Matter controller for Google Home, improving reliability and local responsiveness for Thread accessories (Nest Wifi Pro). That makes it an excellent backbone for a Google‑centric home where you want fewer boxes and simpler onboarding.
Voice and automations via Google
Use compatible Google speakers and displays for voice control and manage routines in the Google Home app. Google is transitioning users toward Gemini for richer, more conversational help with multimodal context and on‑device options where available (Say hello to Gemini). Google’s research direction highlights real‑time, context‑aware agents that understand what your camera or screen shows, pointing to more natural smart‑home interactions (Project Astra).
Interoperability and bridging
Matter’s multi-admin lets the same device be controlled from multiple apps, and bridges like Philips Hue expose legacy Zigbee lighting to Matter without re‑pairing (CSA: Matter 1.4; Hue + Matter), giving Google‑centric homes flexibility with older gear.
Points to consider
Limited legacy radios
Nest Wifi Pro doesn’t include Zigbee or Z‑Wave radios, so you’ll keep device‑specific bridges (e.g., lighting) or add a multiprotocol hub if you have many legacy sensors and switches (Hue + Matter; Aeotec Smart Home Hub).
How We Chose the Best Smart Home Hubs
We focused on modern hub roles: Matter controller for cross‑ecosystem onboarding, Thread Border Router for low‑power mesh, and paths for legacy Zigbee/Z‑Wave via native radios or bridges. We also weighed local‑first automation and privacy, and considered embedded hubs in speakers/routers alongside dedicated controllers (Matter 1.4; Thread in Apple Home; Nest Wifi Pro; Aeotec).
Wide appeal and user-friendly design
We prioritized hubs that are easy to set up with QR codes and Bluetooth LE commissioning, clear dashboards, and reliable automation. We excluded pro‑install systems and required strong interoperability so buyers aren’t locked into one brand. Embedded hub functions (speakers, routers, TVs) count when they provide Matter/Thread coverage with local control for eligible devices (Use Matter accessories; CSA: Matter 1.4).
Compatible smart home devices
Prefer Matter‑native devices when possible; use Thread for low‑power sensors/locks and Wi‑Fi for higher‑bandwidth products. Matter’s multi-admin lets the same device appear in multiple apps so households can mix ecosystems. Keep bridges where needed (e.g., Hue) to preserve advanced features while exposing them to Matter (Matter 1.4; Hue + Matter).
Protocols to know: Matter runs over IP (Thread for low‑power mesh; Wi‑Fi/Ethernet for high‑bandwidth) with Bluetooth LE typically used for commissioning. Thread 1.3.0 standardized Border Router behavior, improving mixed‑ecosystem reliability. Zigbee Direct makes onboarding legacy Zigbee via Bluetooth simpler; Z‑Wave LR supports very long range and larger networks. Wi‑Fi 7 improves throughput and latency for the home backbone (Apple on Matter; Thread 1.3.0; Zigbee Direct; Z‑Wave LR; Wi‑Fi 7).
The 10 smart hubs we tested
- Amazon Echo Hub
- Amazon Echo (4th gen)
- Apple TV 4K
- Apple HomePod mini
- Google Nest Wifi Pro
- Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)
- SmartThings (Aeotec Smart Home Hub)
- Hubitat Elevation C‑8
- Home Assistant Green
- Philips Hue Bridge (v2)
Ease of setup
Modern hubs use QR codes and BLE for commissioning, clearer status, and straightforward sharing across apps via Matter multi-admin. The smoothest experiences combined fast discovery, minimal account hopping, and stable Thread coverage where required (Use Matter accessories; Thread 1.3.0).
App control and automation
If a smart hub is the brains of your smart home, the app is the interface. We looked for dashboards that clearly show rooms and scenes, powerful but approachable automations, and transparency about what runs locally versus in the cloud. Natural‑language routine creation is increasingly supported as assistants adopt generative AI (Amazon: Conversational Alexa; Google: Gemini).
Guide to the Best Smart Home Hubs
Research smart home devices
Map what you own and what you plan to add. Apple‑centric homes can use Apple TV 4K or HomePod mini as home hubs and Thread Border Routers (About Thread in Apple Home). Google‑centric homes can anchor on Nest Wifi Pro for Thread and Matter (Nest Wifi Pro). If you have lots of Zigbee/Z‑Wave devices, SmartThings (Aeotec) or Hubitat keep them running alongside new Matter gear (Aeotec Smart Home Hub; Hubitat Elevation C‑8). For premium lighting, keep a Hue Bridge and expose it to Matter so scenes appear in multiple apps (Hue + Matter). If your needs are simple — a Chromecast TV, a few lights, and a Nest thermostat — a speaker or router with built‑in hub features may be enough.
Consider whether you need a voice assistant
Assistants now emphasize natural, conversational control with better context and on‑device processing for privacy. Amazon previewed a generative‑AI Alexa aimed at more natural phrasing (Amazon), Google is moving to multimodal Gemini (Google), and Apple announced a rebuilt Siri under Apple Intelligence with on‑device models and Private Cloud Compute (Apple). If you prefer apps and dashboards, a basic hub without a speaker remains a great choice. See our voice control guide for more.
Look for deals
Electronics discounts peaked around 25–30% on average during Cyber Week in 2024, and similar seasonal patterns are expected this year (Adobe Holiday Insights; Salesforce Holiday Insights). Watch mid‑year Amazon events too — Prime Day and the October deals event typically deliver strong prices on smart-home gear (Amazon Prime Day). Recent MSRPs for context: Echo Hub $179.99 (Amazon), Hubitat Elevation C‑8 $149.95 (Hubitat), Apple HomePod mini $99 (Apple), Nest Hub (2nd gen) $99.99 (Google Store). Bundles (hub + sensors/bulbs) often undercut piecemeal pricing during these windows.
Smart Home Hub FAQ
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