Insteon devices are primarily designed and manufactured by Insteon - a SmartLabs company. Insteon combines both AC powerline communications as well as RF/wireless to create a very strong and stable 'mesh network'. Most devices act as repeaters automatically so the more you add, the strong the system becomes. In wall keypads have a great look and feel as do wall switches and dimmers and they're very easy to program. Insteon can actually be used without any automation hub so it makes a good choice for scene lighting and to solve wiring problems. Insteon has their own simple to use automation hub. Or for those who expect more, the ISY994 home controller is a very powerful choice at a reasonable price. There is also an ISY994 model with built in ZWave support offering the best of two worlds.

Starting in late 2018 we've seen an increase in WiFi smart home devices. Instead of using a proprietary technology like ZWave or Insteon, these devices link to the home's WiFi network for communication. The benefit is that WiFi is already in most homes and it's a technology anyone can implement. There are some caveats - make sure your home has a strong and reliable WiFi network or your home automation system will be a nightmare. Also WiFi is not particularly battery friendly so there is much better support for AC powered WiFi devices. Originally only basic plug in modules and wall switches were available with WiFi technology but we're seeing an increase in support for other devices like locks starting in 2019. While WiFi is a standard - don't assume all WiFi devices will talk together. If you're looking for more than basic on/off times and control with your smart phone you'll want to use a home automation hub and in that case you need to confirm that the hub supports a wide range of WiFi devices.

This is the switch army knife of Insteon controllers. It supports simple control, remote access and email alerts but it goes way beyond that. It can be used to set up and link your entire Insteon system whether it's 1 or 150 devices. It helps the user build scenes for elegant lighting and it offers advanced timrs and scheduling with as many events as you need in the day or week. The ISY994 supports advanced conditional logic (if/then/else programming) that lets the user be more creative. For example, turn on the foyer lights when the front door opens, only if it's dark or after 7pm. The ISY994 can be expanded to also support Zwave devices, to control network based devices, and can integrate with Elk M1 Gold alarm systems.

Homeseer software was voted #1 by TopTenReviews and is primarily designed around Zwave, with some free and mostly paid software plug-ins to allow integration with alarm systems, other technologies like Insteon, even AV equipment. The Hometroller series combines a self contained mini computer (hardware box) that runs Homeseer inside. It is higher on the 'techie' scale but very powerful. Homeseer has also developed many of their own branded devices with enhanced features. It's a powerful system worth considering. Homeseer/Hometroller has all the programming stored locally so the system is not dependant on a working cloud.

The SmartThings V3 Hub is very simple to install and use. All set up is done using the iOS or Android apps, as is the daily operation and control. SmartThings works with their own 'Things' as well as supporting a wide range of ZWave and Zigbee devices as well as network based products. As a SmartThings company, you'll see integration with Samsung's smart TVs and appliances as well. SmartThings does run some routines locally but many of the triggers, events and devices use the SmartThings cloud so they work only as long as the Internet connection is up. All of the above smart home hubs require ZERO monthly fees. This is key to keeping costs down and actually being able to save money by automating your home or business. Paying monthly fees really eats in to any saving afforded by the technology.

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