r/smarthome

I’m currently looking for a doorbell camera for my apartment (i’m in the USA!!)

I’ve looked and Eufy and Tapo so far, both seem good but they do have their pros and cons based on reviews.

My requirements for the camera:
- must have no monthly subscription but I can still access all the important features.
- preferably battery operated, but wired is fine too
- can detect people and packages
- has a good connection for live feed, fast and reliable notifications
- must be able to use and have a good connection to check on the camera when we’re not home
- I can go in and delete any saved footage in order to free up storage

I really want one that has no monthly fee because I just simply can’t afford that right now!

Thank you in advance!

Apple is working on a new ecosystem of smart home devices via a partnership with LG, Bloomberg has reported.
The new devices — which include a smart lock, a thermostat, and a doorbell — are designed to integrate with the company’s smart home hub, another upcoming product that will reportedly launch on Oct. 13th.

With amazon prime days and black friday going on i'm on the hunt for a video doorbell.

I have a home assistant green with old tablet in kisok mode that i'd like the image to display on when someone is at the door.
In future I hope to add outdoor camera also so same system would be useful.

Only slowly getting my system up and going as budget allows. Have hue lights but will be adding shelly relays to rest of house. And Alexas as our voice control units dotted around the house but use more automation than voice control.

My mom uses the fingerprint reader on our front-door lock, but lately it often doesn't recognize her fingerprint. I've tried adding her fingerprint again, and it's still happening. She doesn't like using a key.

She has tried using the keypad on the same lock, but she hasn't got comfortable with it. Would palm entry on a Lockin Veno Solar Palm be easier for her to get used to? She hasn't tried palm entry, so I'm wondering how much practice it takes to get the hand position right.

If an older parent in your family uses a palm reader, did they find it easier than entering a code? I'd like to hear which lock they use and how they got on with it. Other lock suggestions are welcome too.

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for a smart home controller for my desk. I have a Home Assistant Green with an existing smart home setup, and I’d like to add a dedicated controller for my home office.

I already use Alexa in another room, but I specifically don’t want to use voice control in my office. Instead, I’m looking for something physical or touchscreen-based that I can keep on my desk and use to control my Home Assistant devices and scenes.

I’ve already looked at a few options, such as tablets that are usually wall-mounted, as well as smaller physical controllers like the Hue Tap Dial. However, I’d love to hear what you would recommend for this kind of setup.

Ideally, I’d like to stay under €150, and since Prime Day deals are currently available, there might be some good options on sale right now.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations!

Hi Redditors,

Hoping you can help me with some advice. I’m a single mom with an abusive ex-husband, and wanted to know what the best type of surveillance for my home would be. I have young children and want something that is easy to install, simple to use, and not too expensive. I don’t believe my ex-husband will necessarily break in, but he has been involved with shady people in the past (and may still be), and I need to install cameras at least above the front door and the back sliding door so that they serve as deterrents. I also need to make sure that my driveway can be seen, as he has taken off in my vehicle in the past (the police are aware of this). My main concerns are driveway visibility, front door visibility, and back door visibility. I’d also like something that alerts me on my phone if someone breaks in. I am also thinking that I should have a light or two installed which are motion-activated as a deterrent, though perhaps I should also have them installed at the back. I have friends who have Aosu cameras throughout their condo (different setup, I know), and I’ve seen how they monitor their feed on their phones. I don’t need cameras inside, but would feel much safer with them outside.

Any suggestions on:

-          Additional safety measures I can take?

-          Links to a good system that is not very expensive?

Thanks so much.

Hey everyone,

I’m looking for recommendations for a reliable smart speaker for my dad, who has ALS.

He has very limited hand mobility, so voice control is essential for him. His biggest priority is handling phone calls completely hands-free. Not just initiating calls, but also answering incoming ones and hanging up without needing to touch a screen.

Beyond calls, it would also be great for keeping him entertained and passing the time when he's bored - listening to podcasts, asking casual questions, or getting a quick evening news briefing before going to bed, stuff like that.

Right now, he relies on voice commands on his phone, but it’s very hit-or-miss. He frequently has to repeat himself, which is exhausting and simply not dependable enough.

Can anyone recommend a smart speaker with excellent microphone pickup and robust voice recognition? Any tips on setups or ecosystems that have worked well for someone with disabilities would be deeply appreciated.

I just moved into my new room at a flat I am sharing. Since I have lots of small lights in my room I wanted to be able to manage them as a group turn them in and off all at once. I tried using some cheap smart outlets from Amazon but they ended up connecting really badly so I send them back and baught 4 ikea Grillplats outlets that are matter over thread. I thaught I could use My Apple TV 4K 3rd gen but I have the Modell without thread. So I baught an additional Yeelight Smart hub E1 that’s supposed to act as thread border router.

Now First I struggled forever to even get the e1 setup because it would always crash during setup. After I got it connected, who knows how, I thaught nice now comes the easy part… but now I can’t get the ikea stuff connected to the e1 I tried setting them up via the apple home app which then tells me there is no border router and I tried setting them up through the Yeelight pro app which starts the set up and let’s me chose the e1 as border router but ultimately crashes as well.

I am going insane over something that was supposed to be a quick side project. If u can Help me in any way that would be amazing! I only have a limited budget which is why I didn’t buy the whole setup from one manufacturer which would probably be easier.

I’ve been looking for a simple replacement for my old Lenovo Smart Clock Essential and I’m getting increasingly frustrated with the current options.
My ideal device is actually pretty simple:

Small-ish touchscreen
Always shows time and weather
Good enough speaker for internet radio
Wi-Fi, no phone or Bluetooth required
Google Cast / Chromecast receiver would be a big plus
I want to be able to use the TuneIn app on my Android phone or iPhone and cast it to the device
Ideally I can then put my phone away and the device continues playing
Touch controls are important to me; I don’t want a device that is primarily voice-controlled
A camera/doorbell feed would be nice, but isn’t essential
I don’t need a full tablet, video streaming, or a huge smart-home dashboard
No DIY projects, custom ROMs, Raspberry Pis, etc. I just want something that works.

I recently bought an Echo Show 11 (2026) because it seemed like the obvious modern replacement.
Unfortunately, I’m considering returning it.
The hardware is nice, but it doesn’t really solve my main problem. What I really want is the simplicity of a Smart Clock with a touchscreen and a good speaker. The Echo Show feels much more like an Alexa device that happens to have a screen.

The biggest problem for me is TuneIn. I don’t want to have to use Alexa voice commands to select radio stations. I want to be able to use the TuneIn app and simply cast the station to the device, similar to how I used Chromecast.

That makes me think a Google Nest Hub 2nd Gen might actually be a better fit, despite being old hardware from 2021.

But before I buy one, I’d really like to hear from people who have tried the current alternatives.
Is there anything in 2026 that actually fits this use case better than the Nest Hub 2?

I’m particularly interested in devices with good speakers and proper Google Cast support. I’m also open to something I haven’t considered, as long as it doesn’t require a DIY setup.

I think my Aqara u200 just died. Keypad locked on a battery change and then got really hot! I liked it while it worked.

Assuming I need a new one, my requirements are that it must not change the look on the outside, so a separate key pad is required. The exterior door has woodwork on it where the deadbolt is. So unless the outside is the exact size of the deadbolt, it won't work.

Prefer very long battery life. It can be a separate wifi that connects via bluetooth. I never connected the Aqara u200 to the internet, and it really wasn't needed. I won't be using Apple. Prefer Matter connectivity over the others. Price isn't an issue, as I assume it will be under $300. There is a ELAN home automation system, but am hoping to move to something else.

Thanks in advance!