Best Smart Home & Automation Picks for Connected Homes in 2026

Connected Acre tracks flagship smart home & automation gear with real model numbers, pricing context, and ecosystem fit. These are the products our team is watching this season for whole-home upgrades above the $500 tier.

Philips Hue Bridge

Model: Hue Bridge · MSRP: See retailer

Philips Hue positions this SKU for premium connected-home buyers who want Matter-ready or app-controlled workflows without compromising build quality.

Official page · Amazon

Samsung SmartThings Hub v3

Model: SmartThings Hub v3 · MSRP: See retailer

Samsung positions this SKU for premium connected-home buyers who want Matter-ready or app-controlled workflows without compromising build quality.

Official page · Amazon

LG WM8900HBA Smart Front Load Washer

Model: WM8900HBA · MSRP: See retailer

LG positions this SKU for premium connected-home buyers who want Matter-ready or app-controlled workflows without compromising build quality.

Official page · Amazon

Lutron Caséta Smart Hub

Model: Caséta Smart Hub · MSRP: See retailer

Lutron positions this SKU for premium connected-home buyers who want Matter-ready or app-controlled workflows without compromising build quality.

Official page · Amazon

Apple HomePod (2nd generation)

Model: HomePod (2nd generation) · MSRP: See retailer

Apple positions this SKU for premium connected-home buyers who want Matter-ready or app-controlled workflows without compromising build quality.

Official page · Amazon

Before you buy, map your hub ecosystem (Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, or SmartThings) and confirm Matter or native integration for every device on the list. Connected Acre publishes hands-on reviews as our video pipeline fills in for each model.