Smart Home Guides
Reviews, comparisons, tutorials, and build logs — all tested in real homes.
Apple HomePad Review 2026: The Smart Home Hub We've Been Waiting For?
Apple's HomePad smart home hub combines a 7-inch display, A18 chip, Face ID, and homeOS into one device. Here's everything we know about specs, price, launch date, and how it stacks up against Amazon Echo Show and Google Nest Hub.
Build a Privacy-First Smart Home: Local Control Build Log
Step-by-step build log for a fully local smart home using Home Assistant, Zigbee, and sensors — no cloud required. Complete parts list and setup guide for 2026.
How to Build Room-Level Presence Detection with ESPresense
Track who is in which room using $5 ESP32 boards running ESPresense firmware. Step-by-step guide covering flashing, MQTT setup, calibration, and Home Assistant integration for room-level presence detection.
Smart Lock Shootout 2026: Nuki Ultra vs Schlage Encode Plus vs Aqara U400 vs Yale Assure Lock 2
We compared 6 top smart locks head-to-head: Nuki Ultra, Schlage Encode Plus, Aqara U400, Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch, August Wi-Fi, and Aqara U200. Pricing, features, real-world battery life, and which one you should buy in 2026.
How to Build an ESP32 Bluetooth Proxy Network for Home Assistant
Eliminate BLE dead zones by building a multi-proxy network with $3 ESP32 boards. Step-by-step ESPHome config, placement tips, and troubleshooting.
Aqara Smart Lock U300 Review: The Best Matter Deadbolt for 2026?
Hands-on review of the Aqara U300 smart lock with Matter over Thread, fingerprint reader, and keypad. Specs, real-world performance, and how it stacks against the U100, August Wi-Fi, and Schlage Encode Plus.
Home Assistant Complete Setup Guide 2026: From Zero to Your First Automation
Step-by-step Home Assistant setup guide: hardware choices (Pi 5 vs NUC), installation, ZHA/Zigbee2MQTT, dashboard setup, and your first automation.
Zigbee vs Z-Wave vs Matter: The 2026 Smart Home Protocol Decision Guide
Zigbee vs Z-Wave vs Matter in 2026: Compare range, device availability, hub requirements, and use cases to choose the right smart home protocol.
Smart Home Hub Showdown 2025: Home Assistant Green vs Hubitat C8 Pro vs SmartThings
The article compares Home Assistant Green ($199, 4GB RAM, no radios, $65/yr sub, 1,000+ integrations, 15-min setup, Ethernet), Hubitat C8 Pro ($169.95, 2GB RAM, built-in Zigbee/Z-Wave 800 LR/Bluetooth/Matter, external antennas, no sub, 30-60 min setup, Rule Machine, Wi-Fi), and SmartThings Aeotec ($119.99-$149.99, cloud-dependent app, Edge drivers, V3 Z-Wave Plus, no HomeKit, 10-min setup, Wi-Fi). Three-year TCO: $469, $170, $150.
SF Bay Area Smart Home Secondhand Market: Real Prices From Craigslist (May 2026)
The secondhand smart home market on Craigslist offers huge discounts (30-70% off) due to ecosystem churn and upgrades. Best deals include Aqara U100 lock ($80, 56% off), Ecobee 3 Lite thermostat ($60, 65% off), and sealed Roborock Qrevo Edge ($499, 64% off). Caveats: locks and Nests need account removal; robot vac LiDAR degrades; Blink/Arlo require cloud subscriptions. Budget starter pack ($230 vs $600 retail): eero 6 mesh 5-pack, Tapo bulbs, Nest 3rd gen, Schlage keypad, Blink doorbell. Wi-F...
Welcome to Smart Home Field Guide
Smart Home Field Guide delivers real-tested reviews, comparisons, tutorials (Zigbee2MQTT), and build logs, cutting through forum knowledge buried in threads. It covers Zigbee, Z-Wave, Matter, and Home Assistant. Upcoming: protocol guide with range testing and device availability, modern dashboard using Mushroom/Layout Cards/HACS, sponsor-free hub comparison covering setup time, automation, radio quality and long-term maintenance, and sensor roundup testing Aqara, Sonoff, IKEA for reliability,...