Collection: Z-Wave Controllers, Hubs, and Gateways
Z-Wave hubs and controllers sit at the heart of intelligent automation systems
All intelligent automation systems have a smart controller at their heart. The best of them make that controller a Z-Wave Plus compatible one. The purpose of the hub is to act as a central point for your smart devices. This allows you to control, schedule, automate, and receive information from your smart home no matter where you are.
The most popular automation standard for homes - over 100 million Z-Wave products have been shipped globally - Z-Wave is exceptionally modular, allowing you to keep your costs down as you start your automation system with nothing more than a controller and your first smart device.
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With 17 years' experience selling Z-Wave and designing smart homes, we recommend only the controllers and hubs we'd use ourselves. Some are 'out of the box', brand name experience. Others are controllers focused on letting you build your own custom and private gateway. Some even work with other standards such as Matter and Zigbee. What each controller shares, though, is a tried and tested foundation in Z-Wave Plus along with quality guarantees and warranties that ZWaveProducts.com stands behind. It's why we choose to recommend these hubs and controllers and not others.
Why a Z-Wave controller or hub?
Of course, there are many valuable reasons to invest in the best Z-Wave smart home automation hub and controller technology. The top Z-Wave Plus scene controllers are a fundamental part of any smart, connected home. After all, they enable all the other smart home products in your house to work together, which will keep your home connected even when you are not present. At the same time, the top rated Z-Wave hubs and scene controllers are the first major step to setting up, and connecting your smart home.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best Z-Wave hub, gateway or controller?
Which is the best Z-Wave hub, gateway or controller?
Are Z-Wave controllers compatible with Zigbee or Matter?
Are Z-Wave controllers compatible with Zigbee or Matter?
If you're interested in running multiple protocols in a single setup, it's worth understanding the differences between Z-Wave and Matter and understanding that Zigbee and Matter are typically considered technically interior to Z-Wave. They're also far more limited in their application; Matter-only hubs are compatible with 37% fewer devices than the likes of the SmartThings controller, for instance.
What is Z-Wave?
What is Z-Wave?
You can learn more about Z-Wave here.
What are features and benefits of Z-Wave?
What are features and benefits of Z-Wave?
- Easy to install. Z-Wave devices communicate wirelessly, meaning you don't have to renovate your property to run cables between different Z-Wave devices. Installation is typically as easy as plugging a device into an outlet or inserting its batteries and then scanning its QR code via your hub's app.
- Huge wireless range. In direct communication mode, Z-Wave devices can communicate.
- Affordable. It's possible to create a Z-Wave automation system at a price far cheaper than other dedicated home automation technologies such as KNX. Unlike other such standards, which require a professional installer to set up, Z-Wave systems can also start small and be expanded. You can start with 2 devices automating your lights and expand, at your own pace and within your own budget, to automate hundreds of devices.
- Stable. Not only can you consider Z-Wave's wireless technology best-in-class, but you can consider it the most tested. Z-Wave has a long history of automating homes and whole buildings - version 1 of Z-Wave was released in 1999.
- Security. With its long history, Z-Wave has proven to not only be secure, it's become more secure with each version. Newer, Z-Wave Plus devices feature ‘Z-Wave Security 2' and can offer over 10 separate security and anti-hack functions. In fact, Z-Wave is so secure that 9 out of 10 of the leading security companies in the USA use Z-Wave Plus for wireless automation.
How many Z-Wave devices are there?
How many Z-Wave devices are there?
How does Z-Wave work?
How does Z-Wave work?
- A phone or tablet to control devices on demand, whether they're at home or away.
- An inexpensive and secure automation gateway to create intelligent automations and monitor the system.
- Z-Wave devices to communicate to the hub and then on to the (optional) phone or tablet for remote control and monitoring. Those devices come from dozens of different categories including safety and security, thermostats, and lighting.
What is Z-Wave Plus?
What is Z-Wave Plus?
- A wireless range of 492 feet
- 50% less power use on battery on battery powered devices
- 250% more data transferable. Of course, it's still not capable of carrying videos or pictures, but that's not what Z-Wave has been designed for
- A total of 3 RF channels for improved reliability and wireless performance
- Firmware update features now available to manufacturers to release new firmware for their devices to fix any bugs
What is Z-Wave Plus v2?
What is Z-Wave Plus v2?
- A wireless range of 656 feet in mesh mode and 1.5 miles in long range mode
- Even lower battery use with some devices able to run for up to 10 years on a single coin cell battery
- Easier installation with Z-Wave's SmartStart QR code scanning and Network-Wide-Include now mandatory in all devices
- Improved security with Security 2 now standard and an optional security vault available to manufacturers
- Firmware update features now mandatory in all devices