Apple’s HomeKit might be a great foundation for smart homes… some day. Right now, there just aren’t enough compatible products to make Apple’s solution worthwhile. Meanwhile, Apple’s top rival Samsung recently acquired SmartThings, which is easily one of the best and most versatile smart home solutions out there. It works with more smart home devices than you would ever believe, and the SmartThings Hub — the brains of the operation — costs just $99. It’s also the #2 item on Amazon’s list of best-selling home automation controllers.
SmartThings Hub, $99.00 with free shipping
If you’d rather not start from scratch, you can also get SmartThings Smart Home Starter Kit (includes a hub, one motions sensor, one open/close sensor and one presence sensor) for $199.00.
