5 Apple Home-Compatible Devices That Can Come In Handy For Homeowners

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If you’re looking to upgrade to a smart home, Apple Home is designed to help those in the iPhone ecosystem easily control and automate pretty much anything, including lights, thermostats, and even home security. These are all connected through the Home app, available on any Apple product with App Store access, but you’ll need to connect smart gadgets first. At this point, Apple Home isn’t compatible with nearly as many devices as its competitors, but the company clearly sees its smart home platform as a priority.

Apple is set to release a smart home hub in late 2026, so more device support is surely on the way. While there may not be as many options, there are still some incredibly useful gadgets that Apple Home users can use right now. As of this writing, Apple makes only two smart devices, both of which serve dual purposes as both a gadget and a hub. Several new Apple smart home products may be coming sooner than you think, but for now, these five first- and third-party devices are helpful options for any homeowner who wants to upgrade their home.

The Apple TV media streaming device can do a lot of cool things, and that includes serving as a smart home hub. In fact, it’s considered the best option for Apple Home at this point, particularly for more complicated smart setups with lots of devices. In addition to being an easy way to control your smart home, Apple TV 4K also lets you access the company’s other services like Apple Music, Apple Arcade, and, of course, Apple TV (the other one).

Apple TV 4K costs $199 for the Wi-Fi model with 64GB of storage and $249 for the Wi-Fi + Ethernet one with 128GB. This is a case where the more expensive option is worth the extra cost for the option to hardwire it for a stronger and more consistent connection, making it a more reliable hub than the Apple HomePod or Wi-Fi-only device.

Apple’s dedicated hub will hopefully offer an even better Apple Home experience, but at an expected price of $350 and without the media player’s other functionality, it’s likely Apple TV 4K will become an ideal mid-price option. As for the box itself, Apple TV 4K has 4K Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos tech that allows it to deliver dynamic and vibrant video when used with a compatible TV.

Apple’s only other first-party smart home product is the HomePod, a speaker that can also serve as an Apple Home hub. As with the previous device, it comes in two models: the HomePod Mini ($129) and the HomePod ($349), with the main difference between them being audio quality. Both have Siri, sound recognition, and sensors to monitor temperature and humidity that allow you to use them for smart home controls and as a virtual assistant.

Though the Apple TV 4K is the better option overall, the HomePod Mini’s price makes it a great starter device for new and simple setups that you can continue using as a speaker and smart home controller even if you decide to upgrade. That said, the HomePod is a much better speaker featuring a high-excursion woofer, spatial audio, and other advanced tech to deliver high-quality sound. For the average user, that probably won’t matter enough to warrant spending over $200 more, but if you’re an audiophile or want a good speaker over a better hub, go with the basic HomePod over the Mini.

A smart thermostat comes with a lot of major benefits that include reducing energy consumption, making it one of the first things any smart home needs. Not only is that more eco-friendly, but it’ll also cut down on your utility bills. Though there aren’t nearly as many Apple Home-compatible options, Ecobee Smart Thermostat is a favorite among Reddit users and has been called the best smart thermostat across all smart home platforms by CNET and Wirecutter.

Ecobee offers three different models: Essential ($139.99), Enhanced ($199.99), and Premium ($259.99). All offer things like temperature control, scheduling, and basic security features, but Premium has a lot more going for it, like a built-in air quality monitor and a smoke alarm detector that can hear if the alarm goes off and alert you via smartphone. The only real downside here is price. There are cheaper options like the Sensi ST55, but a smart thermostat is one of those things that’s worth investing in, and the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium really is unmatched.

Smart home technology can improve basic things you probably didn’t think could be upgraded; one major example is your home’s locks. Being able to check that you’ve actually locked up the house from your phone is incredibly useful, and providing more ways to unlock the front door makes it way harder to get locked out. While there are smart locks that replace your doorknob altogether, the best options available to Apple Home users are deadbolt locks.

Our pick is the Aqara Smart Lock U100, available on Amazon for $149.99. In addition to a keypad and fingerprint reader, it’s one of the first to be compatible with Apple Home Keys, allowing you and anyone you set as a resident or guest to unlock the door with a tap of an iPhone or Apple Watch. You can even set it up to activate automations when a certain person gets home.

Technically, you don’t need to have an Apple Home hub to use the U100, but you’ll miss out on a lot of major features without one. That’s because the lock doesn’t have Wi-Fi built in; instead using Bluetooth for local connection and Zigbee (the network standard for smart home devices) to connect to a hub. Aqara’s smart lock is highly recommended by users who appreciate its range of features, particularly its Apple Home Key compatibility.

It’s probably not among the first things that come to mind when you think of smart home devices, but a water leak detector is one of the best investments you can make. Leaks, flooding, and water damage can quickly become costly, but issues often go unnoticed until it’s too late. A leak detector can alert you to things ranging from a burst pipe to an overflowing bathtub, allowing you to handle the problem as quickly as possible. Of the Apple Home-compatible options, the Eve Water Guard offers some of the best protection.

It uses a 6.5 ft long cable as a sensor for extensive coverage and plugs into an outlet, meaning you don’t have to worry about the battery dying. If water hits the sensor, you’ll be alerted by a 100 dB siren and red flashing warning light. As with the Aqara Smart Lock, you’ll only get a smartphone notification if you’re at home unless you connect your leak detector to an Apple Home hub. This leak detector even comes recommended by Apple itself, which sells the Eve Water Guard on its website for $99.95. It’s also available on Amazon, where it’s often on sale for around $80. For more coverage, you can also get extenders for around $20 each.

While the two Apple-made devices were important to highlight since they’re currently the only hubs, the rest of the Apple Home-compatible gadgets on this list were selected based primarily on how necessary they are for a smart home setup. We narrowed that down to a thermostat, lock, and water leak detector, which all serve important roles and are made far more convenient with smart home technology. As for specific products, we looked to reviews from trusted outlets, social media users with experience with the devices in question, and devices endorsed by Apple itself.