Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Best smart home Thread devices

Apple HomePod mini in hand
John Velasco / Digital Trends
Best Product Promotional Image
Get straight to the top tech—no junk, just the best.
Updated less than 5 days ago

Thread is a promising way for all of your smart home devices to connect to one another. With a bit of foresight, you can build a network that’s extra-responsive and doesn’t require a dedicated hardware hub. As a widely-adopted standard, Thread is still picking up steam, but you can already get started supporting it with some of the best smart home devices available.

At a glance

Apple HomePod mini

HomePod Mini in a hand on its side.
John Velasco/Digital Trends

Apple’s entry into the Thread family of devices marked a big spike in interest with the feature. The HomePod mini is one of the few Thread border routers available, which is something of a lynchpin for the home network. Once set up, all of your other Thread devices can connect to your home’s Wi-Fi network, including the internet and other non-Thread devices.

Recommended Videos

As a smart speaker, the mini performs admirably when it comes to sound — and as well as you can expect from Siri. Seamless Airplay integration lets you send audio to the speaker from the rest of your Apple devices.

Read our review to get all of the details on the Apple HomePod mini.

Nanoleaf Essentials Bulb

Nanoleaf Essentials Bulb on desk.The Nanoleaf Essentials Bulb is currently the only Thread-enabled smart bulb out there. Its lightstrip cousin also works on Thread. The Nanoleaf Essentials Bulb offers all the functions you could ask for from a smart bulb: A wide range of colors, control via Google Assistant and Siri, custom schedules, and even PC screen mirroring.

Integration with Google Home and Apple HomeKit provide a unified interface for managing the as well. This feature is quite handy for inclusion alongside all of your other non-Thread smart home products.

Eero Pro 6

Eero Pro 6 making a connection.
Eero

Eero has made a name for itself as a user-friendly mesh router system. On top of a slick app that lets you dig into the details of your Wi-Fi usage, it also supports some of the latest networking technologies — including Thread.

The is a natural pick for building the backbone of your home Thread network, since you’re building out coverage anyway. Eero Pro 6 devices are designated border routers, so you can start extending your Thread network right away. As an added bonus, the Eero Pro 6 also supports Zigbee, for any of those legacy devices you may still have around the house.

Read our Eero 6 review to learn more about how it fares in real-world performance.

Google Nest Hub Max

Nest Hub Max on a table.
John Velasco/Digital Trends

As a physical centerpiece of the smart home, it’s hard to go wrong with the Google Nest Hub Max. The 10-inch display acts as your portal to controlling all connected home devices, watching videos, and enjoying video calls.

The camera is quite handy in a number of ways. Either enable facial recognition, so different household members get personalized options when approaching it, or set it up as a security camera to alert you to strangers passing the field of view. The device acts as a hands-free smart speaker too, so you can issue Google Assistant questions to the and get answers.

Read our review of the Google Nest Hub Max to learn more.

Eve Energy

Eve Energy smart plug installed with oscillating fan.
Eve

Eve Energy is a great way to bring your current home appliances kicking and screaming into the future. These smart plugs provide full control of scheduling, the ability to use voice control, and the ability to set up automations. HomeKit support is included, so you can manage your recently-upgraded devices alongside those that are already quite clever.

As the cherry on top, also monitor energy consumption of connected appliances and provide cost estimations through the companion app.

Apple TV 4k Gen 2

Apple TV 4K 2021.
Phil Nickinson/Digital Trends

It’s hard to talk about the smart home without the TV getting into the mix. The latest Apple TV provides an AirPlay target for your TV to mirror whatever’s on your iPad, iPhone, or Mac. It also has its own ecosystem of apps — not to mention a fancy new remote with a built-in Siri microphone.

The Apple TV 4K Gen 2 is a border router, which is great news if you want to enable a wider Thread network and don’t have a border router yet. Heck, even if you do, extra border routers provide a lovely bit of redundancy so all your bases stay covered.

Read our Apple TV 4k review to get into the details.

Those are our top picks for Thread devices, but be sure to check back again soon. New Thread-enabled products are coming out all the time, and it’s worth benefiting from the standard while it’s gathering momentum.

Simon Sage

Simon Sage is a green tech contributor at Digital Trends. He looks at all sorts of devices that can help reduce emissions through electrification, like power stations, solar panels, smart thermostats, and LED lighting. He's also keen on exploring right to repair and sustainable transportation.

Simon started journalism 17 years ago in the mobile tech space, covering the meteoric rise and fall of BlackBerry. Since then he's dipped his toe in mobile gaming, app reviews, and sponsored content. He's been to his fair share of trade shows, such as Mobile World Congress, the Consumer Electronics Show, E3 (RIP), the Game Developer Conference, and a smattering of smaller shows. He's done multiple TV interviews, the most surreal of which was explaining how Pokémon Go works on a morning show. Simon's also hosted over 100 podcast episodes.

Previous publications include BlackBerry Cool, IntoMobile, and Mobile Nations sites like Android Central, iMore, CrackBerry, and Windows Central.

Simon's based in Ottawa, Ontario, where he is constantly clawing against the gravitational pull of becoming a government drone. He studied English at Carleton University there, including a stint at Lancaster University in the UK. He has since levelled up his education in sustainability through the Climatebase platform. Simon spends way too much of his free time playing games, especially Magic: The Gathering.

Presidents’ Day appliance deals: Huge discounts on washers, dryers, ovens, refrigerators
The Samsung 27 cu. ft. 3-Door French Door Counter Depth Smart Refrigerator in the kitchen.

Presidents' Day is an excellent time to go shopping, and if you've been thinking about making some upgrades around your home, you may want to check out this year's Presidents' Day appliance deals from Best Buy. The retailer has already rolled out huge discounts for washer and dryer deals, oven deals, and refrigerator deals, among lots of other appliances, and we've rounded up some of our favorite offers below. Go ahead and browse through everything that's on sale through the link below if you've got the time, but you better hurry because there's no assurance that stocks will remain available until the final minute of the holiday.

Insignia 4.1 Cu. Ft. Top Load Washer and 6.7 Cu. Ft. Electric Dryer -- $760 $1,100 31% off

Read more
The best smart light bulbs
Wyze Bulb Color in lamp green

Smart bulbs offer a simple way to upgrade your home. Not only are they affordable, but they’re much easier to install than most other smart gadgets — allowing even DIY novices a chance to join in on the smart home movement. From allowing you to program schedules and change their colors to setting a “vacation mode” and syncing with other smart devices, they’re a well-rounded addition to most rooms.

However, choosing the best smart light bulb for your home can be a challenge, as there are tons of options on the market. Many of them share similar specs, but not all of them are reliable. Some are also slow to respond to your commands. Others are low-quality bulbs with a lackluster range of colors to choose from. Thankfully, the majority of smart light bulbs are LED bulbs, so regardless of which product you choose, it'll likely do a great job of cutting down your energy consumption.

Read more
The 6 best smart displays for Alexa and Google Home in 2025
Nest Hub Max Hands-On Review

Smart displays are one of the best ways to organize your smart home. Offering displays so you can quickly see all your most important info, the ability to sync with other devices, and a wealth of apps for both productivity and entertainment, they often become the hub of the smart home. However, shopping for the right one can be a challenge — dozens of products are available, but not all of them will be a perfect fit for your needs.

Do you want a massive display or something tiny for your kitchen counter? Do you want access to apps like Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube? And what about connectivity — do you prefer Google Home, Alexa, or want the best of both worlds with Matter ? Whatever the case, we’ve put together 6 of the best smart displays for Alexa and Google Home. Regardless of what you’re seeking from your smart display, these are the best in the business, and one of them is bound to make an excellent addition to your smart home.
The best smart displays for Alexa and Google Home

Read more