How to Build a Smart Home Around Apple’s HomeKit
Apple doesn’t make many smart home gadgets — such as smart plugs, smart bulbs, smart thermostats or smart locks — of its own. Instead, it makes the smart platform, , and the devices (such as your iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV or HomePod) for controlling third-party smart home gadgets. The result is an easy and intuitive DIY smart home experience for Apple enthusiasts.
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The HomeKit Advantage
When Apple released iOS 16 in fall 2022, it also released a completely redesigned Home app that’s easier to navigate across all your Apple devices.
Apple
Apple’s HomeKit sets itself apart from the other major smart home ecosystems (specifically Google Home or Amazon Alexa) in one major way: it makes the setup process super easy. After setting up a compatible device — it must “work with HomeKit” — via a third-party app, it’ll then automatically appear in the Home app. There are no multiple setup processes between multiple apps, which is wonderful.
Once you’ve set up a HomeKit-compatible smart home device, you can access and control it from any of your Apple devices, like your iPhone, iPad, Mac or even Apple TV. You can via voice with “Hey Siri” commands.
If you have multiple smart home devices set up, you can use the Home app to group them in “rooms,” which allows you to control multiple devices at the same time. You can also set up scenes or automations. For example, you can make it so that your smart lights gradually start to dim or brighten at certain hours of the day; you can lock the front door every night at 10 pm. Or you can turn on the fan when the temperature of a room gets too high.
In the past, the main criticism of Apple’s smart home ecosystem was that they’re weren’t enough smart home devices that supported HomeKit — especially compared to Amazon’s Alexa and Google Home. The reason for this was that Apple had strict security protocols to protect users’ privacy. The good news is that while maintaining its strict privacy and security standards, Apple has also made it easier for third-party gadgets to get HomeKit certified. So today there are a lot more supported devices.
(Note: For a full list of devices that work with HomeKit, check out . There are hundreds of them.)
If you’re interested in a smart home around HomeKit, the first place to start is with a hub. The good news is that if you already have several Apple devices in your home, you likely have one that works as a smart home hub.
The HomeKit Smart Hubs
Apple TV 4K (3rd-Gen)
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Apple currently sells the Apple TV 4K in two different storage capacities: 64GB and 128GB. Both can work as HomeKit smart hub, but the higher-capacity model is the only one that supports Thread.
Price: $129 (64GB); $149 (128GB)
HomePod mini
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The HomePod mini is a smaller and more affordable version of Apple’s second-generation smart speaker, the HomePod. It works as HomeKit smart hub and is available in five different colors.
Price: $99
HomePod (2nd-Generation)
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Released in early 2023, Apple’s full-sized HomePod is essentially a bigger and better sounding version of the HomePod mini. It works as HomeKit smart hub and is available in two colors.
Price: $299
A smart home hub (also referred to as a bridge) is a necessary device for those who want to get the most out of their HomeKit experience. You need one if you want to do things like access (and control) your HomeKit devices when you’re away from home (but still connected to Wi-Fi). You’ll also need a hub to create automations and scenes. You don’t absolutely need a smart home hub as, without one, you’ll still be able to control your HomeKit devices when you’re at home and connected to your home’s Wi-Fi.
The good news is that Apple has baked the functionality of a smart home hub into several of its devices. This includes any Apple TV (4th generation or later), all its latest iPads, as well as the HomePod mini and the HomePod (2nd generation).
The HomeKit Smart Plugs and Switches
Wemo Smart Plug with Thread
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The Wemo Smart Plug is a great all-around smart plug. It’s roughly half the size of most other smart plugs. It works with all the major smart ecosystems, including HomeKit. It has a physical on/off button. And the latest model supports Thread.
Price: $27
Philips Hue Smart Plug
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The Philips Hue Smart Plug should be your go-to smart plug if you have other Philips Hue gadgets, specifically any of its smart lights, switches or sensors. The catch is that you also need to buy the , as you’ll need it for them to work with HomeKit.
Price: $35
Lutron Caseta Dimmer Plug
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The Lutron Caseta Dimmer Plug is specifically designed for lamps. There are buttons on the smart plug that let you dim it or turn it on or off. It also comes with an actual remote for those dimming controls as well. Requires you to buy the company’s for it to work with HomeKit.
Price: $47
A smart plug is one of the most popular and affordable smart home devices you can buy. It connects to Wi-Fi and allows you to turn normally dumb devices — such as a fan, lamp, humidifier or space heater — into smart devices that you can control via the Home app or via Siri voice commands. When shopping for one, some things to look for are size (you don’t want it to block other outlets) and if there’s a physical button (so you can manually turn it on/off if you don’t want to use your voice or smartphone).
The HomeKit Smart Light Bulbs
LIFX White
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The LIFX White is one of the most affordable smart light bulbs that work with HomeKit. It can’t change colors and doesn’t get as bright (only 690 lumens) as other options, but it’s dead simple to use and just works.
Price: $10
Nanoleaf Essentials A19
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These are one of the best and most affordable options for those looking color-changing smart bulbs that don’t require a smart hub. Each bulb supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity — so no smart hub needed — and the companion app is really easy to use.
Price: $20
Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance (Starter Pack)
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The Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance are those who want to play around with colored bulbs — you can get them to change between 16 million colors and shades of white. The downside is that you need to use the Hue smart hub (included in the starter pack) to get the most out of them.
Price: $199 (4-pack)
Smart light bulbs are another more entry-level smart home gadget. They look identical to regular LED bulbs, but they come with a number of added benefits. You can control turn them on/off and dim them with an app; with some, you can even change their color, hue or temperature. There are quite a few smart light bulbs that work with HomeKit these days. When deciding which is right for you, you should factor in price, if you want it to be able to change colors, and if it requires a separate hub to work with HomeKit.
The HomeKit Smart Home Cameras
Eufy Solo IndoorCam C24
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The Eufy Solo IndoorCam C24 is one of the most entry-level — and affordable — smart home cameras that works with HomeKit. It delivers a solid picture with a wide (125-degree) field of view, gives you the option of cloud-based or local storage. It supports HomeKit Secure Video.
Price: $43
Logitech Circle View
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The Logitech Circle View is a wired smart home camera that’s unique because you can use it either indoors or outside. It’s also cool because it has a fully-articulating base and works with different accessories. It supports HomeKit Secure Video.
Price: $159
EufyCam 2C Pro (2-Cam Kit)
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The EufyCam 2C Pro is a system of portable smart home cameras — they’re not wired so you can place them around your home as long as their connected to Wi-Fi. Each camera can go about six months between charges. There’s also no subscription required.
Price: $200 (2-cam kit)
A smart home camera is great because it allows you to check in on your home or year when you’re not there. Most of today’s smart home cameras can do the same basic things, like offer a 24/7 live feed, two-way talk, night vision and motion alerts. And most deliver the same 1080p picture quality (more expensive options do deliver 4K).
When deciding which model to buy, one of the most important things to consider is its subscription service. Most manufacturers offer a monthly or annual fee that gets the most out of the smart home camera. Specifically, subscribers generally get a lot more storage (so you can check footage from previous days or weeks) as well as advanced features (such as facial recognition and person alerts).
One unique feature to look out for in a HomeKit smart home camera — as well as video doorbells — is if it supports . This means all the video footage that’s recorded is end-to-end encrypted and you can view it directly from the Home app on your iPhone (or other device) from anywhere.
The HomeKit Video Doorbells
Logitech Circle View
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The Logitech Circle View is unique because it exclusively works for HomeKit. Plus, it’s a more affordable option. It supports HomeKit Secure Video (and has all the benefits that come with it), delivers a 1080p picture and has package detection.
Price: $160
Belkin Wemo Smart Video Doorbell
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The Wemo Smart Video doorbell has many of the same features as the Logitech Circle View, including HomeKit Secure Video and package detection. It separates itself by having an even wider field-of-view so you can see more of the area around your front door.
Price: $250
Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell
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The Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell is a wired doorbell that works with many smart ecosystems including HomeKit. It’s unique because of its modern design and its local storage — it accepts microSD cards. It unfortunately does not support HomeKit Secure Video at this time.
Price: $300
A video doorbell is a smart home gadget that helps you keep on eye package deliveries as well as keep track of who comes and goes from your house. It’s essentially a smart camera that’s specifically designed for your front door. It has many of the same features, such as a 24/7 live feed, two-way talk, night vision and motion detection. But they also have some unique features like package detection — they can alert you if there’s a package dropped off — and allow you to set pre-recorded responses to play when somebody rings your doorbell and you’re not home.
Video doorbells come in wired and wireless models. If it’s a wired model, it’s generally a little more affordable, however, it will replace your existing doorbell and installation is a little more complicated; you’ll need to know your doorbell’s voltage (most need between 16 and 30 volts) and whether it has a wired chime. A wireless doorbell is generally more expensive, but easier to install and allows for more customization (like the type of chime).
When deciding which model is right for you, there are a couple other factors to decide, like if it works with a certain ecosystem, what its video resolution and field of room are (the wider FOV the better as you’ll want to see the bottom of your door, too).
The HomeKit Smart Thermostats
Emerson Sensi WiFi Thermostat
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The Emerson Sensi Touch is a great entry-level smart thermostat that works with HomeKit. It’s simple to use and setup, and has a backlit display that makes it easy to adjust the temperature at night.
Price: $129 $115
Ecobee3 Lite SmartThermostat
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The Ecobee3 Lite is an entry-level smart thermostat that works with all major ecosystems including HomeKit. It has a large intuitive touchscreen display that’s easy to control and work. You can purchase compatible smart sensors for better temperature controls in specific rooms.
Price: $145
Honeywell Home T9 Smart Thermostat
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The Honeywell T9 is one of the company’s high-end smart thermostat. It has a large touchscreen display and a minimalist design that will blend into your home. It works for the company’s portable sensors for more accurate room temperature controls.
Price: $210 $180
Smart thermostats are admittedly more advanced smart home gadgets — mainly because they require some installation and you need to have a knowledge of your home’s current heating and cooling system. Most smart thermostats require a common wire — or C-wire — installation, which it needs to stay constantly connected to a home’s Wi-Fi. The good news is that most new HVAC systems have C-wires, which are fairly easy to install yourself. If you have an older HVAC system you may have to jump through some more hoops to make a smart thermostat work for your home.
When properly installed, a smart thermostat allows you to adjust the temperature of your home via an app or with Siri voice commands. The more advanced smart thermostats use geofencing (from your smartphone’s location) or motion sensors to detect whether you are home or not, and then they can adjust the temperature accordingly (which is a big energy-saving feature). The other thing to keep in mind is a single smart thermostat can only control the temperature of one HVAC system in your home; so if you have a big house with multiple floors and multiple HVAC systems, you’ll need a smart thermostat for each.
The HomeKit Smart Locks
August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Generation)
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The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is the best smart lock for most HomeKit smart homes. It’s relatively small, easy to install and doesn’t cover up your deadbolt (so you can still use physical keys). It also has built-in Wi-Fi so you can control with it remotely.
Price: $230 $199
Schlage Encode Plus
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The Schlage Encode Plus is the best high-end smart lock that works with HomeKit. It has both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, comes with a number keypad and has a built-in alarm. Also, you can unlock the door simply by tapping your Apple Watch on the smart lock.
Price: $320
Level Lock Touch
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The Level Lock (Touch Edition) is a bespoke smart lock that’s designed to blend into your home. It also unique because it allows you to unlock your door by “touching” the lock with your finger (your smartphone needs to be nearby). Level also sells a separate key pad.
Price: $270
A smart lock is another “more advanced” smart home gadget because it requires some installation. It replaces the existing lock on your door — many options also replace the deadbolt, too — and allows you to get into your home without your physical keys. Depending on the smart lock, you can unlock the door by simply holding your smartphone next to it or via its smartphone app, or you can type in a passcode on its keypad. You can even share temporary passcodes with guests, like house sitters or family members, so that they can gain access to your home as well.
