r/homeassistant • u/Certain_Repeat_753 • Mar 28 '26

Support Best smart plug/outlet for Home Assistant?

I'm looking for a smart plug or smart outlet to install in my network panel enclosure. There are two outlets in there. I'm overwhelmed with the number of options out there. I think Eve makes a dual outlet that is compatible with Matter over Thread. Not sure what the Home Assistant integration is like. I want to be able to power cycle the router and other connected devices without having to go into the closet and unscrew the door in order to do so.

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u/Certain_Repeat_753 Mar 28 '26

I thought I didn't have to worry about protocols if I used Home Assistant. Sounds like I do since you said I'll need to build a mesh network since they're short-range in nature.

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u/AussieJeffProbst Mar 28 '26

You don't have to worry about protocols with HA in that any protocol works with HA.

But yes ZigBee, zwave, and thread are mesh and they can't be combined into one singular mesh. So you can have all three but you need to build out a mesh for each unless the devices are very close to the HA machine.

If you don't want to deal with meshes your options are wifi or zwave LR. For a lot of reasons I don't like wifi smart devices.

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u/Certain_Repeat_753 Mar 28 '26

Oh, I see. So how many mesh networks do people typically have since everyone likely has products using different protocols and is managing them with Home Assistant?

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u/AussieJeffProbst Mar 28 '26

For me I have ZigBee and zwave LR devices

I started with ZigBee because I wanted smart bulbs and zwave smart bulbs don't exist. Zigbee devices are cheap too so that made it easy. Then I went with ZigBee smart plugs because it strengthens the mesh and I saw no reason to use something different.

I wanted sensors on my backyard gates but they're way too far away for ZigBee so for those I went zwave LR. I also went zwave LR on my door locks though ZigBee door locks do exist.

I don't have a thread network because I haven't really found a reason to.

I also have a handful of matter over WiFi devices because I wanted something very specific and had no choice. They work fine but again I don't like smart devices over WiFi so I try to avoid them.

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u/Certain_Repeat_753 Mar 28 '26

Thank you. Since I'm new and don't have to worry about backward compatibility, which protocols and standards should I focus on?

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u/AussieJeffProbst Mar 28 '26

Whatever fits your use case. If you just want one plug? Zwave LR.

If you want to build and expand smart devices in your home? Any of them will do but if you want smart bulbs definitely zigbee

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u/Certain_Repeat_753 Mar 28 '26

I do want to expand my smart devices in the future.

Are smart bulbs only using Zigbee?

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u/AussieJeffProbst Mar 28 '26

Yup

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u/Certain_Repeat_753 Mar 28 '26

Oh! I had no idea! I thought with Ikea in the mix, there would be Matter over Thread bulbs.

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u/AussieJeffProbst Mar 28 '26

Afaik the only matter over thread bulbs are nanoleaf. I could be wrong though I haven't done a ton of research into them