Automate your home with smart devices for convenience and efficiency.
Reviewed May 18, 2026
Getting started
Choose your ecosystem
Matter/Thread (cross-platform, future-proof), Google Home, Amazon Alexa, or Apple HomeKit each create a walled garden. Matter now works across all four, but device support and app quality still vary. Decide based on what phone you use and what devices you already own.
Set up your first smart device
A smart bulb (Philips Hue, LIFX) or a smart plug is the lowest-friction entry point. Both are reversible, require no wiring, and teach you the pairing and app configuration workflow that applies to every future device.
Set up a local hub or controller
A hub keeps automations running without an internet connection. Philips Hue Bridge, Samsung SmartThings, or a Raspberry Pi running Home Assistant. Cloud-dependent devices stop working when the cloud goes down or the company folds.
Advanced projects
Build a custom ESPHome sensor or device
ESPHome compiles custom firmware for ESP8266/ESP32 microcontrollers. A CO2 sensor, a soil moisture monitor, or a custom button panel built with ESPHome and integrated natively into Home Assistant is the advanced DIY milestone.
Integrate a machine learning or AI component
Frigate NVR (local AI object detection for cameras) or a local LLM (Ollama) integrated with Home Assistant's conversation agent. Both run entirely locally and represent the current frontier of DIY home automation.
Take a beginner Home Automation course
A structured course is the fastest way past the awkward beginner stage. Browse highly-rated home automation classes for beginners.
Take the free quiz to rank the full catalog by your time, motivation, and setup — about five minutes.
Hobby robotics has never been more accessible — cheap microcontrollers, free tutorials, and an enormous community mean you can build a working robot in your first weekend. This guide covers everything a beginner needs: which platform to choose, what to buy, and a progression of projects that builds real skills.
Read guide
Ham radio has one of the lowest barriers to entry of any technical hobby — a free study app, a $15 exam fee, and a $25 radio gets you talking to operators across your region within weeks. This guide covers everything from passing the exam to making your first contact.
Read guide5 stages · 20 milestones
Tick off milestones as you go — from first session to confident practitioner. Progress saves to your account so you can pick up where you left off.
Choose your ecosystem
Matter/Thread (cross-platform, future-proof), Google Home, Amazon Alexa, or Apple HomeKit each create a walled garden. Matter now works across all four, but device support and app quality still vary. Decide based on what phone you use and what devices you already own.
Set up your first smart device
A smart bulb (Philips Hue, LIFX) or a smart plug is the lowest-friction entry point. Both are reversible, require no wiring, and teach you the pairing and app configuration workflow that applies to every future device.
Find gearSet up a local hub or controller
A hub keeps automations running without an internet connection. Philips Hue Bridge, Samsung SmartThings, or a Raspberry Pi running Home Assistant. Cloud-dependent devices stop working when the cloud goes down or the company folds.
Find gearCreate your first automation
Lights on at sunset. Heating off when windows open. A reminder notification when the washing machine finishes. The first automation you build that saves you a real action is the moment the hobby becomes useful.
~$800
Core gear to get going. Estimates from curated picks; actual spend varies.
+~$240
Nice-to-have upgrades once you know you are sticking with it.
Links open Amazon with your affiliate tag. Prices are ballpark catalog values.
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