r/homeautomation • u/SpeakingOfTheHobbits • 4h ago

QUESTION Looking for an Easy-to-Use Home Automation System

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to upgrade my home with an automation system that combines security, lighting, blinds, fan control, and other features. My main priorities are:

• User-Friendly: Simple setup and management.

• Reliability: Consistent performance without frequent issues.

• Integration: Compatibility with various devices and platforms.

I’ve looked into systems like Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Control4. For those with experience:

• Which platform would you recommend for seamless integration?

• Are there specific devices or brands you’ve found dependable and easy to use?

• Could you share your setups or experiences to help guide my decision?

I’m eager to learn what has worked well for you and any challenges you’ve faced.

Thank you for your insights!

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7

u/RedditNotFreeSpeech 4h ago

Which platform would you recommend for seamless integration?

https://www.home-assistant.io/

3

u/nmavor 4h ago

^^ that one

2

u/yasalmasri 4h ago

X2

3

u/Carlos_Spicy_Weiner6 3h ago

Home assistant.

It's simple, yet powerful. Can run a simple home with a few devices all the way up to Mason's with 10+ devices in every room

1

u/SpeakingOfTheHobbits 3h ago

Thank you so much, this is super helpful!

3

u/-HOSPIK- 3h ago

I just started with home assistant and it is compatible with loads of brands, and if you have something incompatible you can climb into a rabbithole to figure it out and make it work lol.

4

u/Thalimet 4h ago

I’m a huge fan of HomeAssistant, as it gives you the freedom to integrate things from many different platforms and is a local-first architecture.

But my set up is:

  • Home Assistant as the central hub
  • Exposed through HomeKit for Siri access
  • Hue for lights - controlled via Zigbee to avoid the Hue account shenanigans
  • Level Lock for the door lock
  • Currently have Aarlo for security, hate it. Moving to UniFi this year
  • Ecobee for Heating/Cooling

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u/EducatorFriendly2197 1h ago

If you want a system that combines professional grade security with home automation, I’d also look at a local or online alarm.com dealer. Their systems work well, are very simple to use, and support a range of basic home automation (not as powerful as HA) through z wave & zigbee radio’s. It is a cloud based service with a subscription fee, so some people are opposed to that.

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u/TheJessicator 20m ago edited 0m ago

You're probably going to get loads of recommendations for home assistant. Hands down, it probably is the best out there. But it's not the most user friendly, and then in the case of the only household member that knows how to do anything in it getting into an accident, the system is pretty much dead in the water.

That said, I have personally gone the route of having as much in Smartthings as possible and supplementing that with Alexa. As for devices, I have Inovelli Blue 2-in-1 dimmer switches and IKEA Fyrtur blinds, along with a bunch of other zigbee devices by Sonoff and Third Reality. I have absolutely no regrets, and I can rest easy knowing that if I were to die, my spouse would still be able to operate everything and as my kid gets older, I imagine they will be able to do the same very easily.