When I got my Google Home I thought: Is z wave compatible with google home?
It would be awesome to start automating our homes with z-wave products all over!
They work flawless, their prices are super affordable and they let you automate your home in so many different ways that it’s hard to ignore them.
Google Home is a hub that is Wi-Fi based. As Z-wave is a mesh network, it would need a smart home Hub that can handle both protocols to allow Google Home to interact with any type of Z-Wave gadget. The most recognized one that is capable of controlling both networks is the Samsung SmartThings
But how can a smart home hub handle both protocols being so different?
In this post, we’ll learn how you can integrate your Google Home to any type of z-wave devices that are out there in the market.
And how do you do it?
Our first idea is to control through a voice command on our google home any type of z-wave product.
But as there are so many devices in the market right now, let’s narrow it down to a z-wave temperature sensor as an example.
It’s easier to understand and you can do the same for any type of gadget.
Now, as you may know, your Google Home by itself can’t work with z-wave.
Maybe in the future Google will think about this and our lives would be better, but as 2020 this is not the case.
But, I know you want to start automating more chores at home right?
So, let’s dive in.
Your first choice:
Start taking your smart home seriously by getting a cool brain. This is your best choice to have full control over your smart home at this point in technology. If you get a cool hub, you can control virtually any type of smart home gadget with your google home, or Alexa, or Cortana.
A smart home hub will be the brain of all the tech inside your house.
And the possibilities are practically endless.
It doesn’t matter which type of technology you decide to use in your house, a good hub that cost around 50 bucks will do the job just fine.
My best advice is to get the Samsung SmartThings. It’s very affordable and it has everything you need to control your home gathered in one brain.
If I intrigued you with the idea, please check a review that I did of it here.
There are other hubs in the market that does the job “Okay”, but in most cases they make you buy their own smart products and ask for a monthly subscription.
If you feel fine having all smart devices from one brand, that’s fine
But you can diversify your home and have the best devices of each brand and take advantage of them as much as you can!
And now, how do I connect my z-wave temperature sensor to my Samsung smartThings?
It’s pretty simple:
- After getting the hub ( V3 version is the best one right now), you need to set it with your phone and install the SmartThings App.
- From the Home screen, tap the (+) icon and select “Add device”
- Select the device for the brand or tap Generic Z-Wave Device
- Touch Start
- Choose a room for the device
- While the Hub searches:
- Perform the pairing process detailed by the device manufacturer
Now that you have connected the z wave device, Google Assistant on your phone and in your Google home will have the skill to control it!
You can automate your doors, your windows, you can have smoke sensors.
It’s incredible how many ideas will start coming to your brain once you can control it with your voice.
- Create a smart home brain using your Laptop
This option’s a little bit cheaper, but you would need to explore your tech skills a little bit more.
Did you know you can create a z-wave gateway with your laptop?
Well, it’s possible
There’s this super cool USB stick that lets you create a hub with your computer.
Using some third-party software, you can just buy and start automating your home right on Windows or iOS
As long as you have an internet connection, you’re pretty much good to go.
Open-source home automation Software
The one I would personally recommend is Home Assistant
Simple because is open source, which in common words means that you don’t need to pay a dime to use it.
And it doesn’t mean that because is free it is bad!
Totally the opposite! As it is open-source people all over the world can check how the program was built and analyze it!
And if you find something that could be improved or needs a re-write you can send them your findings so the owners will edit it or not.
This software works extremely well.
But like everything in life, there’s a learning curve so you can actually feel comfortable with it
That’s why I told you that you would need to pull out the big guns on your tech skills when talking about software.
And at least in my case, I love it.
Since I got my first laptop when I was 13 years old, I started installing and removing operating systems like it was a game
When a friend of mine showed me Linux, I fell in love with it right away.
I keep using it until this day, but to be 100% honest, it’s not an easy task to learn how to code.
You just need to learn lots of stuff and try everything until you actually pull it off.
If you are starting out with smart home tech, just get the Samsung SmartThings.
It’s better down the road and you would avoid the coding!
In the Home Assistant website, there are plenty of tutorials to create your z-wave hub with your laptop.
Right now, they decide to partner up with NabuCasa
You get a 31-day free trial and 5 bucks monthly so you can control Home Assistant with Google Assistant and Alexa in a few steps.
It will create a secure interface between your voice assistant and a z wave USB stick without too much work.
If you decide to do this to control your z-wave device, think that most of the time you would need your laptop on so the gateway is online.
That’s the only disadvantage that it has, but it’s way cheaper than buying directly the hub and if you love coding, you will feel accomplished!
Z- wave devices to control with your Google Home.
Have you checked how many z-wave devices are in the market right now!
It’s crazy! You can automate nearly anything that comes to your mind for less than 50 bucks.
For example, I have a temperature sensor in my room that measures if it’s too hot or cold and closes my roller shades with my Axis Gear.
Everything automated with Samsung SmartThings and cool z wave gadgets
For the doors, I have a sensor to know if my fridge is open for a long time
If I forgot to close a window that will let all the rain come inside my home.
It’s amazing how much you can do.
But specifically, you can gather z-wave devices in these big categories:
- Multi-sensors: Temperature, motion, UV light, humidity.
- Flood sensors: To protect your home from being destroyed by water!
- Z-wave thermostats: There aren’t as great as a smart Wi-Fi Thermostat, but if you already have it it’s nice to control it
- Z-wave locks: Yeap, you can control your doors with z-wave!
- Z-wave Garage doors
- Z-wave energy monitoring
- Z-wave dimmers
- Z-wave switches: You can control the intensity of the lights and cut off the energy!
- Z-wave smoke detectors: Extremely handy because they don’t use much energy so it will last you ages!
- Z-wave outlets: If you get one of these, you can control virtually anything. Lights, your coffee machine, Your electric razor blade… the list can go endless
As you can see, there are a ton of z-wave devices that can be controlled with google home. It’s just a matter of letting your mind fly and create the home you want.
Z-wave hubs that are compatible with Google home
After a thorough search, I’ve found that the Samsung SmartThings V3 is the best choice to work with Google Home and Alexa
But in the market, like everything in life, there are other options that if you are interested you can learn which ones actually worth your while:
- Hubitat Elevation: This little fellow it’s designed for the power user. it lets you create extremely complicated and specific routines in your home that it literally will even help you calling for milk when you’re out.
You can control it from your laptop so the automation process goes a little step ahead.
The design is what I love the most. It’s sleek and elegant at the same time, upgrading your home’s ambiance quickly.
- Samsung Connect Home: this is a two-deal package. Because it is a router and a smart home hub at the same time. If at home you don’t have a good router to cover all corners, this is a great solution. It will help you out automating and reaching all your house at the same time!
- Vera Plus: Another not-so-known hub that works with Google Home. You can control your Vera and z-wave devices with this Hub without having to pay for a monthly fee.
- Wink Hub: This is an inexpensive solution for you Google Home. It will let you control most of the devices through your voice assistant and show you how things are done.
Let me clarify something about this list.
Google Home by itself works a smart home hub because you can add devices that are compatible with it.
But what we are aiming for here is that you can control z-wave devices through your Google Home.
And you just do it using Google Assistant which is the same that Google home uses.
Throughout any type of voice assistant compatible device, such as an android phone, a google home mini, etc, you can control your z-wave devices!
Conclusion
Is z-wave compatible with Google home? Totally!
Google Assistant it’s a great and interactive virtual helper that it just can withstand almost anything.
Whether you get a Hub that is compatible with it or create your own in a laptop
Google Home will manage your z-wave devices by just asking the proper command!
For a z-wave dimmer, you just need to say:
“Hey, Google dimmer the living room lights”
And if you set it up correctly, it will become the house of your dreams.
