While smart home devices are all unique, they all share one important goal: to help make your life easier. The only issue is that with so many smart home devices by so many different manufacturers, each with a dedicated app, it can make a mess of your phone pretty quickly. Wouldn't it be easier if there was just one central app for everything?

That is where the Matter protocol comes in. Matter is an open-source, internet-based protocol to help smart home devices be more easily supported across the platform so that everything can be ideally controlled by the same app. Matter-compatible devices come in two flavors: controllers like smart speakers and displays can use Matter to control certified products from various manufacturers. We've gathered the best of the fully certified Matter controllers and Matter products available right now. And as the list continues to grow, we will continue to keep you updated on the latest and greatest.

Matter controllers

  • google nest hub max pictured at an angle
    Google Nest Hub Max
    Editor's choice
    $159 $229 Save $70

    With the Google Nest Hub Max, you can check in on your house while you're away, make video calls, play music, take notes, check the weather, and more. This smart tabletop display is the epicenter of your smart home. With Matter certified and enabled, you can control all your smart home devices with one centralized device. The 30W subwoofer also makes for a nice mini speaker.

  • Google Nest Wifi Pro in three colors
    Google Nest Wifi Pro
    Premium pick

    The Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro is the perfect starting point for creating a curated smart home device network at an affordable price. This entry-level Wi-Fi 6E mesh router runs on three wireless bands: 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz, and it has a large coverage area of up to 2,200 square feet per node. With official Matter and Thread integration, this powerful Wi-Fi mesh network is perfect for your up-to-date smart home.

  • Amazon Echo Dot with Clock 5th Gen white background
    Amazon Echo Dot with Clock (5th Gen)
    Best value
    $40 $60 Save $20

    Amazon’s Echo Dot with Clock (5th Gen) is a dual-band smart speaker that easily pairs with Matter devices. It boasts a front-firing driver that delivers quality sound and can expand Eero Wi-Fi networks. The device also has a display and features an onboard accelerometer and temperature sensor for user convenience. Additionally, the built-in microphone offers control of paired devices by voice and has an on/off button for user privacy.

  • Amazon Echo Show 15, foward facing with a lively display
    Amazon Echo Show 15
    Largest smart display

    While it may look like an oversized digital poster or frame, the Echo Show 15 is much more impressive than that. With features like Alexa, Fire TV Integration, Thread, and Matter, this smart display has much to offer. Best mounted on the wall for optimal usage, the built-in camera can automatically detect which user is standing before it and load up custom personalized information, schedules, lists, and more.

  • google nest audio, forward facing on a white background
    Google Nest Audio

    The Google Nest Audio packs an unexpectedly loud punch you don't get with small speakers. It has no business sounding this good for such a small, slim, portable, and affordable smart speaker. Although mobile, this device only features a wire-in design suitable for indoor at-home setups. However, that doesn't mean you can't move it from room to room as you clean.

  • The Apple TV 4K (3rd Gen)
    Apple TV 4K (3rd Gen)
    $125 $130 Save $5

    The Apple TV 4K is arguably one of the best media streaming devices on the market and absolutely worth every penny. The powerful A15 Bionic chip keeps everything running smoothly, allowing you to stream your favorite shows at quick speeds. In addition, the interface is extremely user-friendly, and if you're already part of the Apple ecosystem, Apple TV 4K is a must-have for your smart home.

  • amazon echo studio, forward facing on a white background
    Amazon Echo Studio

    The Amazon Echo Studio is small but powerful. It packs five speakers in one to produce deep bass, dynamic range, and an immersive 3D soundscape for an all-around musical experience. It also adjusts to the acoustics of any space using room adaptation technology that fine-tunes playback for optimal sound. While Alexa is built into the device, so is the Matter protocol, which means you can use it to control your entire smart home.

  • apple homepod 2nd gen on a white background
    Apple HomePod (2nd generation)
    $285 $300 Save $15

    Don't overlook the Apple HomePod because of its price. This smart speaker boasts high-quality surround sound with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos for crystal clear sound. Automatic bass correction, room sensing, and real-time tuning lend to a customized audio experience you won't find with other smart speakers. You can keep the party going throughout your home using multiroom audio with AirPlay or use it as a Matter controller for all your smart home devices.

Matter products

Now that you've had a chance to view the Matter controllers, the range of versatility, and the ease of accessibility to the Matter protocol, all that's left to do is onboard some of your favorite smart home devices. Most devices have already received or will soon receive an update to make them compatible with Matter controllers. This means that if you already own a smart device like the Google Nest Thermostat, you won't need to buy a new one for the Matter protocol to work.

  • Google Nest Thermostat with temperature information displayed
    Google Nest Thermostat
    $89 $130 Save $41

    One of the best smart thermostats you can buy, the Google Nest boasts many powerful options to keep you comfortable and your energy bills low. It's as user-friendly as they get, and it's easier to install and use than any of the competition. It's also the only Nest thermostat that supports the Matter ecosystem.

  • eve energy smart plug positioned at an angle on a white background
    Eve Energy

    The Eve Energy combines a smart plug and power meter with Matter compatibility to turn tons of basic electronics into smart devices. It connects directly to your smart home hub or app to let you control lights, appliances, and devices directly over Thread. You can also keep an eye on and track the energy consumption of each device and even forecast a projected cost based on rates.

  • nanoleaf matter a19 smart bulb on a white background
    Nanoleaf Matter A19
    $15 $20 Save $5

    As the first Matter-compatible smart bulb, the latest Nanoleaf A19 is ideal if you want streamlined smart lighting anywhere in your home. It's easy to use, supports voice control and wide-ranging customization via the Nanoleaf app, and requires a Thread border router. It also comes in BR30, GU10, and recessed ceiling downlighting formats.

  • tp link tapo-p125 m smart plug angled and pictured beside packaging
    TP-Link Tapo P125M
    $15 $20 Save $5

    TP-Link makes many great smart devices, and the recently released P125M is no exception. It's the first reasonably priced smart plug to support Matter and uses the highly convenient Tapo app for user-friendly control. It's also pretty small, so it won't block adjacent outlets.

  • wiz squire smart light lit and positioned at an angle
    Wiz Squire

    Since Philips Hue backed out of its promise to deliver Matter compatibility at the moment, the Wiz Squire is your best bet if you want a highly interoperable portable lamp. It offers customization with brightness adjustment and 16 million colors, plus it works swimmingly with Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant commands. This smart lamp is the perfect choice for adding versatile mood lighting to any room in your home.

  • Coiled nanoleaf matter smart lightstrip lit and positioned at an angle
    Nanoleaf Matter Lightstrip
    $40 $50 Save $10

    Lightstrips are an easy way to add premium mood lighting to any room and make your home more luxurious. Nanoleaf is well-known for its lights' high-quality output and ease of use, and this new Matter-compatible model perfectly embodies that reputation. Despite its recent release and ease of use, it's not even all that expensive in light of how great it looks.

  • eve door window smart sensor beside a smart phone with a notification
    Eve Door & Window Sensor

    To make certain your sensors maintain support with any of the upcoming smart home security systems in the Matter ecosystem, you can't go wrong with this premium two-pack from Eve. The integrated Thread router and unbeatable development and customer support teams ensure it'll work with the most advanced systems on the market, whether you're using Android or iOS.

  • Black Aqara Smart Lock U100, keypad and lock views
    Aqara Smart Lock U100
    $190 $230 Save $40

    The Aqara Smart Lock U100 is one of the best Matter biometric locks. It supports remote unlocking/locking, has an IP65 rating, can store 50 unique fingerprints, features an auto-lock function, works with NFC cards, and is compatible with many voice assistants (Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, IFTT, and Siri). Additionally, the lock generates one-time passcodes locally, meaning you can unlock it without connecting to a Wi-Fi network.

How is Matter different?

For efficiency and streamlined interoperability, a good proportion of smart home devices, particularly early and specialty ones, use the specialized Zigbee or Z-Wave protocols. However, because those are both relatively niche standards, the majority of common smart devices today rely on Wi-Fi for broad interoperability.

Matter aims to change that by merging Wi-Fi, Ethernet, and the up-and-coming Thread communications protocols, allowing you to use a wide range of devices from various manufacturers. It may even simplify the integration of some Apple HomeKit gadgets into non-Apple smart homes. The Matter protocol shows a lot of promise, but is still in its early stages, which is why we've gone to great lengths to only give you smart gadgets that already support the new ecosystem.

Matter's growing pains

It hasn't exactly been smooth sailing since Matter officially hit the market. Some major brands, such as Philips Hue and Belkin, initially promised Matter support but have since pulled back after deciding it was not quite ready. As a result, there's a lot of inconsistent information as far as which devices genuinely support the new standard. Nonetheless, there are a handful of premium smart devices that are 100% ready for the groundbreaking protocol, ensuring that you are completely prepared for the transformation.

What you can be sure of, however, is that we'll continue to find you the best deals on the most effective Matter-compatible smart home products as they become available.