Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Smart Home

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Best smart home Thread devices

By

Thread is a promising way for all of your smart home devices to connect to one another. With a bit of foresight, you can build a network that’s extra-responsive and doesn’t require a dedicated hardware hub. As a widely-adopted standard, Thread is still picking up steam, but you can already get started supporting it with some of the best smart home devices available.

At a glance

Apple HomePod mini

HomePod Mini in a hand on its side.
John Velasco/Digital Trends

Apple’s entry into the Thread family of devices marked a big spike in interest with the feature. The HomePod mini is one of the few Thread border routers available, which is something of a lynchpin for the home network. Once set up, all of your other Thread devices can connect to your home’s Wi-Fi network, including the internet and other non-Thread devices.

As a smart speaker, the mini performs admirably when it comes to sound — and as well as you can expect from Siri. Seamless Airplay integration lets you send audio to the speaker from the rest of your Apple devices.

Related

Read our review to get all of the details on the Apple HomePod mini.

Nanoleaf Essentials Bulb

Nanoleaf Essentials Bulb on desk.The Nanoleaf Essentials Bulb is currently the only Thread-enabled smart bulb out there. Its lightstrip cousin also works on Thread. The Nanoleaf Essentials Bulb offers all the functions you could ask for from a smart bulb: A wide range of colors, control via Google Assistant and Siri, custom schedules, and even PC screen mirroring.

Integration with Google Home and Apple HomeKit provide a unified interface for managing the as well. This feature is quite handy for inclusion alongside all of your other non-Thread smart home products.

Eero Pro 6

Eero Pro 6 making a connection.

Eero has made a name for itself as a user-friendly mesh router system. On top of a slick app that lets you dig into the details of your Wi-Fi usage, it also supports some of the latest networking technologies — including Thread.

The is a natural pick for building the backbone of your home Thread network, since you’re building out coverage anyway. Eero Pro 6 devices are designated border routers, so you can start extending your Thread network right away. As an added bonus, the Eero Pro 6 also supports Zigbee, for any of those legacy devices you may still have around the house.

Read our Eero 6 review to learn more about how it fares in real-world performance.

Google Nest Hub Max

Nest Hub Max on a table.
John Velasco/Digital Trends

As a physical centerpiece of the smart home, it’s hard to go wrong with the Google Nest Hub Max. The 10-inch display acts as your portal to controlling all connected home devices, watching videos, and enjoying video calls.

The camera is quite handy in a number of ways. Either enable facial recognition, so different household members get personalized options when approaching it, or set it up as a security camera to alert you to strangers passing the field of view. The device acts as a hands-free smart speaker too, so you can issue Google Assistant questions to the and get answers.

Read our review of the Google Nest Hub Max to learn more.

Eve Energy

Eve Energy smart plug installed with oscillating fan.
Eve

Eve Energy is a great way to bring your current home appliances kicking and screaming into the future. These smart plugs provide full control of scheduling, the ability to use voice control, and the ability to set up automations. HomeKit support is included, so you can manage your recently-upgraded devices alongside those that are already quite clever.

As the cherry on top, also monitor energy consumption of connected appliances and provide cost estimations through the companion app.

Apple TV 4k Gen 2

Apple TV 4K 2021.
Phil Nickinson/Digital Trends

It’s hard to talk about the smart home without the TV getting into the mix. The latest Apple TV provides an AirPlay target for your TV to mirror whatever’s on your iPad, iPhone, or Mac. It also has its own ecosystem of apps — not to mention a fancy new remote with a built-in Siri microphone.

The Apple TV 4K Gen 2 is a border router, which is great news if you want to enable a wider Thread network and don’t have a border router yet. Heck, even if you do, extra border routers provide a lovely bit of redundancy so all your bases stay covered.

Read our Apple TV 4k review to get into the details.

Those are our top picks for Thread devices, but be sure to check back again soon. New Thread-enabled products are coming out all the time, and it’s worth benefiting from the standard while it’s gathering momentum.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Simon Sage
Simon Sage
Contributor

Simon has been publishing in tech since before the first iPhone was released. When he's not busy lighting a candle for the bygone BlackBerry glory days, he's digging deep into how to upgrade the smart home to be greener. Follow him for news on battery tech, solar, LED lighting, and smart thermostats.

Built for pet hair: This robot vacuum was $900 but is now $220
The bObsweep PetHair Slam robot vacuum cleans the floor while a nearby dog looks at its food.

It isn’t all that uncommon to find a discount on one of the best robot vacuums, but it is pretty rare to find savings like you can currently find on the bObsweep PetHair Slam robot vacuum. This robot vacuum would normally cost $900, but right now at Best Buy you can grab it for just $220. This is a massive savings of $680, but you’ll need to act quickly. This is a limited time deal and the clock is ticking. Best Buy is also including free shipping with your purchase.

Why you should buy the bObsweep PetHair Slam robot vacuum
One of the first things you need to look out for when adding a robot vacuum to your smart home is capability. It isn’t going to add much convenience to your life if it doesn’t function at least as well as a traditional vacuum. The bObsweep PetHair Slam is a good addition to homes with pets and kids distinctly because it has such great vacuuming capabilities. It easily lifts fur off floors, and it makes easy work of large scraps and bits as well as dust and dirt that collects along baseboards and in corners. It competes well with the best robot vacuums for pet hair and can do the job on any home or office floor surface.

Read more
The best smart plugs of 2023: What is a smart plug, and which do I need?
A Wemo Indoor smart plug on a table.

Smart home devices have come a long way over the past few years. Walk into any home improvement store or supermarket, and you’re bound to find a wide variety of smart lights, smart locks, smart thermostats, and an assortment of other “smart” gadgets. But one often overlooked category is smart plugs – tiny devices that plug into your electrical outlet and give your “dumb” electronics the versatility of a modern smart home device.

Beyond giving you remote control of your outlets, many smart plugs allow you to set timers or monitor your electricity usage. This makes them surprisingly versatile while still carrying an affordable price tag. Plenty of big names (like Amazon and Wyze) are producing smart plugs, but they’re far from your only option. Here’s a closer look at the best smart plugs of 2023.

Read more
Best security camera deals: Get a single camera for $30 and more
Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera

Whether you're working at home or still going to an office, having security cameras around your has can offer you peace of mind, but what might not give you as much peace of mind is finding the right one. Luckily, the best security cameras usually have some form of deal on them, and we've collected some of the best here for you to save you the trouble. So, whether you need a whole-house setup or just a single camera, there are deals for every need.
Today's Best Security Camera Deals
While there are a lot of great deals, our favorite is probably the Swann Enforcer bundle, with four 1080p cameras and local storage. That last bit is important if you have choppy internet and can't rely on cloud storage; plus, you don't have to deal with annoying subscription services, which is always a big plus. The downside is that it's a wired system, so you'll have to run cabling, and not everybody is willing to do that. On the other hand, if you want a wireless system, the Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera Security Bundle is a great option since it comes with a charging station and costs $300 for three cameras, so essentially $100 per camera for 2k and a bunch of other functions.

Of course, if you only need one camera, the Arlo Essential Indoor Camera and the eufy Security SoloCam L40 are both great options. Which one you go for depends wholly on whether you feel the need for 2k resolution or not, although if you're doing it for an indoor space that isn't too big, it might not be worth going for 2k, especially if you only need a pet camera.

Read more