Smart home for beginners (UK & US): where to start in 2026
A practical first smart home plan for UK and US homes: Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Thread and Matter explained, what to buy first, and the electrical rules that differ between 230V and 120V.
A smart home doesn’t have to start with a big hub and a weekend of wiring. This guide gives you a step-by-step path that works in a UK flat or a US house, and flags the points where the two countries really differ: plugs, mains voltage, certification and who is allowed to wire what.