New Smartish Home

[imsam9022]

Hey everyone,

I wanted some suggestion on how to make my home semi smartish. I want everything to connect with smartthings as I already have a smart washing machine and dryer. I want light strips and bulbs and alexas and stuff all connected. I just want some suggestions on this and if I should stay with using smarthings for the whole home. If not should I use a different app and will it be able to control my washing machine. Most appliances should preferably be samsung. Unless of course it's a light bulb. Alexa or google assistant? I also want electric blinds that can suit this too. Thankssss

[Obsydian]

I think i am in the space, with a hotch spotch of "Smart" devices and systems,a s sadly none offer eveything and none always play nicely with competitors even though protocols like MATTER and previous ones aimed to address this.

Anywroad, my hotch potch is as follows and can maybe give you some idea, pit falls to avoid and what to expect.

SMARTTHINGS
Current - Controls my fridge, microwave, modes, routines Smarttag1 &2 linked, also control BASIC routines from the car (lights off, switches off, geo linked alerts, someone home, left home, etc...) Beyond that only my Fridge/Microwave (SMS Perks) allow Energy monotoring, though recently Hive is playing nice with Smartthings but only the Heating, not water or anything else. No hub required, but very South Korea centric will the extensive list of comptaible devices, shame you look and think WOW, then quikcly realise vast majority of UK non Samsung devices not support. Workaround is dread IFTT type commands, that usually conflict with Alexa Routine/Skills.

HIVE
Current a dead duck, great hardware, sensors, lights, etc... but only works with Alexa rotuines. Hub required.

ALEXA
Current, the whole house lights, switches, alarm, alerts, either automated or voice command, the voice assistant sucks though.

KASA
Currently - two 3 way smart power strips, for dehumidifier, monitors, turn all switches on or off, also have the solo plug which can power monitor but is big and cluncky. Works with Smartthings, Alexa, Google, NO HUB REQUIRED.

BG HOME
Currently - niche but two UK double wall sockets, app is rubbish, but solid control of an AC outlet and NO HUB required.

IDEALISTIC
If you had all Samsung 2025 appliances you would have great control and energy monitoring, but as soon as you advance to lights, switches, blinds, door locks, etc... its not really a holistic ecosystem.

About a decade ago Samsung was all in to lights, switches, sensors, but ditched it and their Hub approach, the latter i love the former i do not.

My advice of banging at this for 15 years, is firstly we usually havee the latest ish Samsing Mobile, use that and ideally a 2025 TV as the core hub, it will have Smartthings, Alexa, Google an forms the core, then figure your budget and pick a lights, then switches brand and go all in with that, heating/water is tricky but i have no idea beyond Hive British Gas which is pants.

So your end game would be an ecosystem with Smartthings at the core, then say Phillips Hue for lights switches (note it is expensive), then Alexa (i tried and hated Google Home) but sadly that is becoming another dead duck and now paywall features.

Let us know what you decide.
By the way i have dabbled wit Apple Homekit, cheap chinese types, al lthe same, but worse.
I
think put your money with Smartthings for me the AI will bring cool smart home automations.