Smart home hubs: Do you need one?

If you're a homeowner interested in the latest and greatest home technology, you might have wondered, "do I need a smart home hub?" While the answer might be different for everyone, there are some prime advantages to using smart home devices with a central hub.

What are smart home automation hubs?

Smart home hubs are the modern version of a universal remote. A dedicated smart home hub connects all your devices together, so you can use them from a single app. If you have more than three smart home devices in your home, it might be a good idea to use a hub to control them all in a more efficient way.

Hubs that do double duty

Not all hubs are created equal. Some hubs have additional functionality to help enhance other home necessities like Wi-Fi. A hub combined with a wireless mesh network, for example, allows for equal signal strength everywhere in the home. This eliminates "dead zones" and also makes it easier to protect your network with guest access protocols and more.

Do you need a smart home hub?

Your need for a smart home system hub is dependent on many factors. These would be the size of your home, the number of devices and your comfort level dealing with multiple apps. Once your smart hub is set up with your smart devices, you'll have a much simpler time controlling the technological ecosystem of your home.

However, one reason to caution against using smart hubs would be that if the hub fails, your devices might become unusable until you resolve the problem. Many smart devices work independently regardless, but it's crucial to research the functionality of each piece of equipment you plan to use.

Smart home technology can make our lives easier, but it's important not to go overboard! Managing numerous smart devices can be confusing, but the best smart home hubs will help you enjoy your technology in a more efficient and effective way.