Smart home: where to start so you won't have to redo it

The first decision is the network, not a device

Smart devices hang on the same Wi-Fi you use every day. One old router with twenty connected devices is the most common reason a bulb turns on after three seconds or not at all.

Before buying a second or third device, it is worth upgrading the router or adding a second access point. It is the most boring investment on the whole list and also the one that most decides whether the system feels reliable.

Protocols: Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Matter

Wi-Fi devices need no hub, but they load the network and drain batteries faster. Zigbee devices connect through a separate hub, last longer and form a mesh with each other — a good choice for sensors.

Matter is a common standard that lets devices from different manufacturers work in one system. If you are choosing today, Matter support is the one item on the side of the box worth looking for.

• Wi-Fi — for bulbs and plugs that are always powered
• Zigbee — for door, motion and temperature sensors
• Matter — the common denominator that lets you switch ecosystems later

Ecosystem: pick one

The voice assistant and the app are what you will interact with every day. Choose one system and stick with it — even if a particular device would be ten euros cheaper in another.

A mixed system works as long as every device is healthy. The first fault, update or new phone turns it into three separate apps you have to remember.

The first three devices

It is worth starting with what brings benefit every day rather than what looks most impressive. The most reliable trio is a smart plug, a few bulbs in the most-used room and a door or window sensor.

The plug makes any old appliance controllable, the bulbs give you evening scenes, and the sensor is the first thing that starts telling you about what you would otherwise miss. A thermostat, cameras and locks are the logical second step, but not the first.