7 Excellent HomeKit-Compatible Devices for Your Smart Home
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Setting up a smart home can be a daunting task, especially if you’ve opted for HomeKit instead of the more popular automation ecosystems. There are, unfortunately, fewer options availble for HomeKit than there are for Alexa.
But going with Apple’s platform doesn’t mean you have to compromise
Ecobee Smart Thermostat
Ecobee is one of the foremost names in the smart thermostat sphere and their thermostats are a great choice for a HomeKit-based system. This model comes with Alexa built right in. That means you can control it via Siri or directly from the thermostat itself using Alexa.
There’s everything you’d expect from a smart home thermostat, too — including smart Home and Away settings, app-based scheduling, and geofencing. This particular model also comes with a baked-in motion and temperature sensor. Get it here.
Philips Hue Starter Kit
Being able to control the lighting in your house is a simple but essential benefit to a smart home setup. And when it comes to smart lighting solutions, it’s hard to beat Philips’ Hue lineup of bulbs and plugs.
This HomeKit-compatible starter kit comes with a single hub and four A19 60W dimmable, color-changing bulbs. Through a voice command or the HomeKit app, you can easily set timers, light schedules and other lighting automation features from wherever you are. Get it here.
iHome ISP6X Smart Plugs
A smart home plug is one of the best investments you can make when setting up a HomeKit smart home. That’s because you can turn basically any electronic device into a smart home device controllable via Siri on your iPhone or HomePod.
iHome’s ISP6X is one of the better options that are compatible with HomeKit. It’s fairly affordable and is compatible with anything you can plug into it — including small appliances that are rated at 1,800 watts or lower. Get them here.
August Smart Lock Pro
You can’t put a price on peace of mind. And one of the perks of a smart home setup is getting a bit of extra security through a smart home lock. August’s Smart Lock Pro is well-known in this space — and for good reason.
The August features proximity-based locking, allowing for seamless entry to your home. But you can also lock or unlock it via voice command. It’s also compatible with most existing deadbolts, meaning you don’t have to get a whole new lock or keys to work with it. Get it here.
MyQ Home Bridge
Forget to close the garage door? You can actually make that inconvenience a thing of the past with a MyQ garage door opener – but you’ll need this add-on for MyQ’s lineup of garage door systems which introduces HomeKit functionality to the platform.
That means you can control your garage door right from your smartphone. The MyQ platform also comes with some features of its own, like the ability to allow guests to unlock your garage door and in-home package delivery through Amazon Key. Get it here.
Sonos One
The Sonos One is a high-quality speaker with some serious sound quality. But it’s also compatible with most home automation platforms — including HomeKit. It also has its own comprehensive app and support for several music streaming services.
With the recent addition of AirPlay 2 support, the Sonos One makes a great choice for multi-room audio setups. Combine it with a HomePod and you can easily put together a great-sounding home audio system. Get it here.
OneLink Safe & Sound
The OneLink Safe & Sound is an aptly named product. It’s essentially a smoke and carbon monoxide detector with some tricks up its sleeve. When it detects a dangerous situation, it’ll sound an alarm — but it can also pinpoint exactly which room that situation is in.
Interestingly enough, it’s also an Alexa-based speaker. That means that, while it’s controllable via HomeKit, you can also access Amazon’s home automation ecosystem via Alexa voice commands. Get it here.
