Z-Wave

Pros
  • Popular among many smart home devices
  • Secure transmission
  • Low interference
  • Compatible with a variety of devices
Cons
  • Requires a central hub
  • There is a maximum amount of devices that can connect to a single hub
  • Closed system

Z-Wave is the “it girl” of the home automation world. It’s the most popular smart home protocol around, especially in the United States. And it’s easygoing. Z-Wave works with hundreds of different manufacturers and thousands of different smart home devices.

You’ll need a central Z-Wave hub to control all your smart devices. You can find standalone Z-Wave hubs that will integrate with third-party devices, like the Samsung SmartThings hub. SmartThings links all your smart devices together and lets you control them from a single app.

Another common way to implement a Z-Wave smart home system is through your home security system. Many home security systems build Z-Wave functionality into their control panels or base stations. Popular companies like ADT, Vivint, and Ring Alarm all offer Z-Wave integrations.