10 Best Smart Home Hubs 2025 in the United States

The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) is a versatile smart home hub that excels in creating a connected environment for users. One of its key strengths lies in its compatibility with a range of smart devices, supporting standards like Zigbee, Matter, and Thread. This means you can easily control your lights, cameras, and other gadgets without needing additional hubs. Its 8-inch HD touchscreen and spatial audio enhance media consumption, making it great for watching videos or listening to music through popular streaming services. The 13 MP camera also facilitates clear video calls, which can be more engaging thanks to features like auto-framing and noise reduction.

Another notable benefit is the Echo Show 8's user-friendly design. Setting up and managing devices is straightforward, and you can control everything with simple voice commands through Alexa. The integration of Amazon Sidewalk helps maintain connectivity for compatible devices even when your Wi-Fi is down, adding an extra layer of utility.

There are limitations to consider. While the device supports many smart home products, it may not work perfectly with all brands, which could frustrate users with existing devices outside the supported ecosystem. Additionally, some features may require subscriptions, which can add to the cost. Concerns about privacy also linger for some users, despite Amazon's efforts in providing multiple layers of security and options to control data sharing.

The Amazon Echo (newest model) is a strong contender in the smart home hub category, particularly appealing to those who want a device that integrates seamlessly into their smart home ecosystem. Its built-in smart home hub allows easy voice control of compatible devices like lights, locks, and sensors, making home automation straightforward and user-friendly. Additionally, the Echo delivers premium sound quality that adapts to any room, enhancing your music experience, especially if you're a subscriber to streaming services that support HD audio.

One of the standout features is Alexa’s versatility; you can set timers, reminders, and control music just with your voice. The ability to set up routines triggered by motion adds an extra layer of convenience. For those who enjoy multi-room audio, the Echo can synchronize music across different rooms, which is great for entertaining.

The Echo’s expandability is decent, with support for Zigbee, Matter, and Thread, but integrating with some other platforms may require additional steps. If you're not invested in the Amazon ecosystem, you may find better alternatives that cater to your specific smart home needs.

The Amazon eero 6 mesh wifi router is an excellent choice for a smart home hub, especially for homes with many devices and moderate space. With its Wi-Fi 6 technology, it supports fast internet speeds of up to 900 Mbps and can connect more than 75 devices, making it suitable for streaming, gaming, and video conferencing without experiencing dead spots or buffering.

The TrueMesh technology intelligently routes traffic to maintain a stable connection throughout a 1,500 sq. ft. area. Setting up the router is user-friendly thanks to the eero app, which guides you through the process and allows network management from anywhere. Additionally, it has built-in Zigbee smart home hub functionality, eliminating the need for separate hubs for compatible devices. This enhances convenience as it integrates seamlessly with Alexa for voice control and other smart home tasks.

The router is designed to improve over time with automatic updates, ensuring you have the latest security features and performance enhancements. Some advanced features do require linking your Amazon account and possibly additional subscriptions. The expandability is another strength, allowing you to add more eero products as needed to extend coverage. On the security front, it includes features like WPA3, VPN passthrough, and cloud connectivity, providing multiple layers of protection for your network. Actual performance can vary based on environmental factors and the maximum speed is also dependent on your internet service provider. It comes with a one-year limited warranty and free customer support available seven days a week. This makes the eero 6 a reliable and versatile option for those looking to set up a robust smart home network.