I share with you 10 of my favorite smart home devices I use with Apples HomeKit and Amazon Alexa. We are seeing more affordable HomeKit devices and so many more choices for Alexa and Google Assistant. One of my favorites is the Eufy Indoor 2k Cameras that work with HomeKit Secure Video. Others on the list include new HomeKit smart plugs from SwitchBot, the Thread Nanoleaf Essentials bulbs and strips, Ring Video Doorbell Pro, Lutron Caseta Dimmers, Apple TV 4K and more.
🍿 Why I Switched From Alexa to Apple’s HomeKit! –
🍿 3 Reasons You NEED a HomePod Mini! –
🍿 Apple TV 4K vs Fire TV 4k Max –
🟢 #1 ECHOS
🛒 Echo 4th Gen –
🛒 Echo Show 8 –
🛒 HomePod Mini – apple.com
🟢 #2 RING VIDEO DOORBELL PRO
🛒 Ring Video Doorbell Pro Gen 1 –
🛒 Refurbished –
🟢 #3 SWITCHBOT PLUG MINI
🛒 SwitchBot Plug Mini –
🟢 #4 NANOLEAF BULBS & STRIPS
🛒 Nanoleaf Essential Bulb –
🛒 Nanoleaf Essential Strip –
🟢 #5 LUTRON CASETA SWITCHES
🛒 Lutron Caseta Starter Kit –
🛒 TP Link Dimmers –
🟢 #6 APPLE TV 4k
🛒 Apple TV 4k (2021) –
🟢 #7 EUFY CAMERAS
🛒 Eufy Indoor Solo Camera –
🛒 Eufy Indoor Solo Pan Camera –
🟢 #8 SWITCHBOT CURTAINS (Do Need A Hub)
🛒 SwitchBot Curtains –
🛒 SwitchBot Hub Mini –
🟢 #9 FLIC & AQARA BUTTONS
🛒 Flic Buttons –
– SAVE 10% OFF of FLIC 2 Buttons – Promo Code: CTT10
🛒 Aqara Buttons –
🛒 Aqara Hub –
🟢 #10 RING ALARM
🛒 Ring Alarm 14 Piece –
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CHAPTERS
00:00 Introductions
00:36 #1 Favorite Smart Speakers
01:43 #2 Ring Video Doorbell Pro
02:28 #3 SwitchBot Mini Plug
03:15 #4 Nanoleaf Essentials Bulb & Strips
03:46 #5 Lutron Caseta Switches
04:58 #6 Apple TV 4K (2021)
06:18 #7 Eufy Indoor Cameras
07:22 #8 SwitchBot Curtains
08:06 #9 Flic & Aqara Buttons
08:46 #10 Ring Alarm
09:34 Hoobs Hub
#Alexa #HomeKit #AmazonEcho #Echo #HomePod #CraigsTechTalk #SmartHome #SmartDevices
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Thank you for not saying that💀
In the section on Nanoleaf bulbs and switches, you praise them for their white light (and that they have the range of warm and cool white light), but then right at the end you say "At places where white is a priority, I'm starting to swap these out". To me, "swapping something out" means "getting rid of it". That seems like an odd thing to say after praising the Nanoleafs for their white light.
I like our Nanoleaf Essential bulbs – when they work. Seems like I have to fully reset them every 1-2 weeks, otherwise they just get more and more delayed with their response (to voice or to HomeKit control buttons).
Musk?
Craig,
Do you know when ecobee thermostat with Alexa will join the group when you try to play music everywhere? As well the sensor can trigger a skill.
Always enjoy your vids. Thanks for sharing.
My biggest issue was wireless network scaling. I have 104 wireless devices and 23 wired devices. I had to go to a netgear orbi with two satellites to get everything connected and stay connected.
My favorite smart home device is the Echo 4th gen, it control the smart switches for my dumb lights. It also improves the sound to my music everywhere setup. Next would be Hue smart switches (no wiring needed).
Just a week old I wonder how much of this video will be different in a few month with Matter. 🙂 Will Echo’s zigbee be visible to homekit? Will the thread in HomePod and appletv be accessible to Alexa? Will the ring alarm’s zwave be bridged to Apple and google? #matter #multiadmin
Can Craig or anyone else help. Just moved from google to Alexa. We have 4 adults in the house, the devices can run routines when anyone speaks but only my wife and I can play music from our Spotify accounts and the devices only recognise my wife and My voice. I know in household you can only have two adults but is there anyway to enable the other 2 adults to use the devices for their personal Spotify accounts and other things. In google home they could just be invited to join the home. Thanks.
I find the Starling hub to be simple and rock solid way to merge google into HomeKit
For some reason I cannot use my HomePod as a speaker for my tv my Apple TV 4K won’t connect and I have oled tv, and everything is up to date
Thanks Craig.
Awesome video. Didn’t know what “ARC” stood for. Really learn a lot from you. Thanks man! 👍🏾✌🏾🫡
Meross is a great brand that works with HomeKit and it’s cheap
Excellent video! Filled with great commentary and info that will save me a lot of time and money.
I have a UV pan and tilt camera as well I don’t know if I like the fact that it doesn’t say that there’s a person detected just says motion
I wouldn’t recommend ring. Go with eufy. Better camera and no monthly subscription
Really like your coverage on smart devices that are controllable from “Alexa”
I’ve been using Hue bulbs for over a decade and they keep getting better. Now that they offer bulbs with 1600 lumen (100 W equivalent) brightness, I’m using them throughout my house. Their new smart switches do a great job of providing manual control without having to rewire physical switches. I do have a few Nanoleaf Essentials bulbs and lightstrips but find the poor brightness (especially when using colors) limiting and, despite having multiple thread border routers (HomePod minis and Apple TV 4K version 2s), the Nanoleaf bulbs/strips still spend WAY too much time “updating”.
Great video. Thanks for making it!
Hi Craig, quick question. Does the flick bottoms need their own brand hub or can a homepod mini or an Ipad can be used as hub? very interested to get some of those so my gf can use it (non tech girl lol) Thanks! nice recommendations btw
hello, we are looking for partner to make a review video on our 4K POE security camera system with audio and detection we, we willing to sponsor the whole system to your channel, so any chance for us to work together? I had messaged you the details to your ins and waiting for your reply to get start.
The Apple Home pod mini has been a complete disappointment, turns on without being summoned and often blaring my music out of the blue .
I just got the switch bot curtain
Awesome videos sorry I’m so late
Not a fan of anything that requires a monthly paid subscription (Ring)
I agree with you the Apple TV 4k
My flic buttons have required so much troubleshooting over the years that I have replaced them with Aqara buttons.
I’ve only had them for about a month, but that have never, ever failed to work when clicked. 100% reliable so far. My family members actually use them, instead of getting pissed off at flipping the light switch anyway
Lutron 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾👏🏿👏🏿
Switchbot are the single most impressive low fi smart tech company around, no BS just simple solutions delivered smartly
Hi one of my favorites that we’re not mentioned is Meross switches and garage opener control. Love having them in HomeKit and the lower cost enabled me to add more switches which is good as have many switches. The 3 way ones work great as you only need one smart switch to control the lights. No connection issues at all.
I agree the apple tv 4k is the best! Super long support for updates for this device from apple! tried them all and always come back to this! I still have the first gen of the 4k with the older remote!