By Jennifer Pattison Tuohy , a smart home reviewer who's been testing connected gadgets since 2013. Previously a writer for Wirecutter, Wired, and BBC Science Focus.
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Matter is a new smart home standard built by Apple, Google, Amazon, Samsung, and others to make the smart home easier to use. It’s a common communication protocol smart home device manufacturers can use in their gadgets to be sure they’ll work with other devices and with all the major smart home platforms.
Matter was launched in late 2022 with a few device types — locks, lights, sensors, shades, sensors, and plugs. In October 2023, the Connectivity Standards Alliance announced it’s bringing robot vacuums, refrigerators, washing machines, dishwashers, smoke and CO alarms, air quality sensors, air purifiers, room air conditioners, and fans to the standard. This means device makers and platforms can start adding support for these categories and that smart home users should be a little closer to being able to connect and control all their devices together through Matter.
This is welcome news, but Matter is still far from being the easy-to-use, simple interoperability solution we were promised. We don’t know yet if all the platforms will support all these new device types, as it's not a requirement that they do. We’re also still missing some key features for devices (no energy management for smart plugs, adaptive lighting, or wide support of PINs for door locks), Thread border routers are still causing headaches in some smart homes, and cross-ecosystem support is still spotty. (I tried migrating my Hue smart bulbs to Matter, and my advice is ... don’t.)
Matter is still a long way from maturity. But if you’re eager to get started with the new common language for smart home devices, we’re keeping tabs on everything slated to work with Matter right here, so read on for all the gadgets, gizmos, and Thread border routers you can buy right now and those that are coming soon.
If you’re unfamiliar with what Matter is, check out my deep dive — “Matter’s plan to save the smart home.” Or, here’s a quick summary:
Matter is a new standard developed by all the major players in the smart home, including Amazon, Apple, Google, Samsung, and more. It’s designed to simplify the smart home and make buying, setting up, and using products easier. Its primary purpose is to help connected gadgets work with each other across platforms and ecosystems, so you won’t have to look to see if it works with Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, or Google Home when buying a smart gadget. If it works with Matter, it will work with any or all of them.
With Matter, you can control your smart gadgets with any Matter-compatible platform, simultaneously using iOS or Android devices or your voice assistant of choice. So, if you have an iPhone and your roommate has a Google Pixel, both of you can control your home.
Matter works locally over two wireless protocols, Thread and Wi-Fi, with no required cloud dependency. This should make turning your smart lights on as fast as flipping a light switch (just more convenient). Matter also has security built into the standard, so you can feel more confident about buying connected devices.
For more details on how Matter will work with each smart home platform, what you will need to get started with Matter, and how Matter actually works, read my explainer, “What Matters about Matter.”
In this article, you’ll find a comprehensive list of Matter-compatible products divided into categories and separated by whether you can buy them now or if they are coming soon. We’ll keep this updated as new information comes out.
The Matter standard provides a common language and a set of actions for smart home devices. As of October 27th, 2023, Matter supports the following device types:
Matter generally supports basic functions for most device types. Access to additional features, such as dynamic lighting scenes or adaptive lighting for smart lights and PIN codes for smart locks, will be managed through the platform or app you run your device on.
The Connectivity Standards Alliance says support for security cameras, dryers, garage door controllers, EV chargers, and ambient motion and presence sensors are on the road map. It is also working on more features for existing device types, including energy management, water management features, and advanced lighting features.
When you buy a new product that is compatible with Matter, it will have the Matter logo. Some manufacturers are adding Matter support to existing devices with over-the-air firmware updates; those devices won't have the Matter logo. The same goes for existing devices you may already have, which can be added to Matter through their hub or bridge.
To add a device to Matter, you’ll need a Matter controller and a smart home platform that supports Matter. We’ve got details on controllers at the end of this article, and you can read about the platforms that support Matter here.
Now, let's get into the gadgety good stuff. Here are all the products that currently support Matter or will in the future, according to the companies.
Smart home devices that use a proprietary bridge — such as Philips Hue smart bulbs, Aqara sensors, or a SwitchBot door lock — can be “bridged” into Matter to control their connected devices in a Matter smart home platform.
Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, and Amazon all support bridging in Matter. So, if you have devices that work through a bridge and that bridge has been updated to Matter, the devices connected to it will work in a Matter platform.
Be aware, though, that because of the current limitations of Matter control, you might lose some features if you bridge your devices through Matter rather than through existing integrations.
For example, Apple Home’s Adaptive Lighting feature works with Philips Hue bulbs if you connect your bridge to Apple Home through HomeKit, but not if you connect it to Apple Home through Matter.
There are a lot of smart lighting options available in Matter, from bulbs, switches, and smart plugs, to a lamp or two and a couple of outlets (EU only right now). If you want to control your smart lights with basic on / off, dimming, and color control, then any of the options below will work well for you.
The benefit of Matter here is they will all connect directly to your platform of choice without needing a third-party app and will work locally in your home without needing to rely on the cloud for commands, meaning they should respond more quickly and reliably.
However, if you want to take advantage of features offered by some smart lighting companies (Philips Hue, Wiz, and Nanoleaf, for example), you will also need their app to access and control those features. This includes things like dynamic lighting scenes, security lighting, or circadian rhythm lighting (Apple’s Adaptive Lighting). Advanced options like these are not part of the Matter spec today.
Several smart plugs work with Matter (over Thread or Wi-Fi). Matter supports basic on / off functionality but not energy monitoring yet. Some of the Matter plugs listed below do support energy monitoring, but only through their own app (i.e., Eve Energy and the Eve app).
The CSA has said energy monitoring is coming to the Matter spec soon, so if you are interested in using energy monitoring in your Matter smart home, I would hold off on buying smart plugs for now.
Sensors have some of the most robust support of any device type, with support in Matter for occupancy, open / close, light, temperature and humidity, and pressure and flow sensing for water leak detectors. Ambient and presence sensing are promised for a future update.
Smart door locks are supported by all the major platforms through Matter, but only three currently work with the standard. This is largely because most smart locks use Wi-Fi, and battery-powered devices that work over Wi-Fi are not supported by the Matter spec.
I’ve written more about the supported Matter locks here, but the biggest thing to know is that if you are using a lock through Matter, the only guaranteed feature is the ability to lock and unlock it. Features such as adding pin codes depend on what the platform you are using supports. Apple Home and SmartThings support pins, but Google and Amazon Alexa don’t.
It’s not clear why there aren’t more thermostats that support Matter today; the new Nest Thermostat is the only one for the common HVAC units in the US market. The Matter spec supports most functions you might need for controlling such a device, so if you want a Matter thermostat, that’s the one to go for right now.
I spoke to Ecobee recently, and they told me they are committed to Matter but don’t have any new updates on when its thermostats will support the standard. However, when they do, it should be via an over-the-air update, so hold off on swapping out your Ecobee if you’re getting antsy.
Robot vacuums will support functions like remote start and progress notifications, switching cleaning modes (i.e., from dry vacuum to wet mopping), and status details such as brush and charging status and error reporting. There is no support for mapping in Matter, though, so you will still need to use the manufacturer’s app for that. There are no robot vacuums that work with Matter today, but the following companies have said they will add support to their products:
Fridges, dishwashers, washers, and televisions are all supported Matter device types, but we have yet to see any models with Matter support. Appliance manufacturers Whirlpool (which owns KitchenAid and Maytag), Midea, Hisense, Toshiba, LG, Samsung, and Haier (which owns GE Appliances), and several TV manufacturers are all members of Matter. But as of October 2023, no home appliances or televisions work as Matter devices (some Samsung refrigerators and TVs are Matter controllers but not Matter devices; see below). Several manufacturers have promised Matter support in some upcoming and existing products, but notably, Samsung has not committed to making any of its appliances Matter devices.
Controlling shades is fairly simple; it’s up / down or percentage of open / close. Matter support is available for all those features, plus tilting for blinds, so if you are looking for smart shades, those with Matter support will work as expected and with all the big platforms.
You will need a Matter controller to add any Matter device to your home. This onboards Matter devices to your home network, controls them, manages communications and automations, and facilitates remote access (when enabled). A Matter controller needs to be a device that is always in your home, always powered, and has a Wi-Fi or ethernet connection to your home network.
You also need a Matter controller for the smart home platform you plan to use: an Apple HomePod or Apple TV for Apple Home, a Google Nest Hub for Google Home, an Amazon device for Alexa, etc. There is the potential for a Matter controller to control more than one ecosystem, but to date, most Matter controllers just support their own ecosystem.
Every major smart home platform has updated its existing hubs and smart speakers to make them Matter controllers. Some controllers are also Thread border routers, which you will need if you add any Thread devices to your home. Thread is one of the main wireless protocols Matter runs over, along with Wi-Fi. Amazon (Eero) and Google have updated their Wi-Fi routers to be both Matter controllers and Thread border routers, giving you a good all-in-one option (more on that below).
To add Matter devices to a smart home ecosystem, you’ll need to use that platform’s smartphone or tablet app — these act as Matter commissioners, connecting the Matter device to a Matter Controller.
The following smart home apps are Matter commissioners and can add and control devices and set up automations and routines. Matter is also built into the latest versions of Android and Apple’s operating systems, enabling apps to access the local infrastructure required by Matter.
*Tuya Smart is an IoT development platform service provider that supports over 446,000 developers with schematics for over 1,100 smart home products, from robot vacuums to smart lights. It already has Matter certification for a number of light bulbs and smart plugs, as well as a Matter controller. Brands that use Tuya include Teckin, Gosund, Nooie, Lidl, and Iotty.
If you have a Matter and Thread-enabled Wi-Fi router, you won’t need any other Matter controller in your home, assuming it’s a Matter controller for the platform you want to use.
Google Nest’s Wi-Fi routers are Thread-enabled Matter controllers for Google Home, and Amazon (which owns Eero) has added Matter support to its Eero 6 series (Eero Pro 6E, Pro 6, 6 Plus, 6, PoE 6), PoE Gateway, and its forthcoming Eero Max 7.
Amazon spokesperson Connor Rice confirmed to The Verge that these Eero devices can all act as Alexa Matter controllers and Thread border routers. Eero Beacons and the older Wi-Fi 5 Eero Pro devices can also act as Thread border routers in a Matter environment.
Having Matter and Thread built-in to a Wi-Fi router makes a lot of sense. You don’t need to buy additional devices to set up a Matter product, making the process easier. It’s just a shame that most Matter controllers don’t support more than one platform; you still need one per smart home system you want to use.
Last updated Friday, October 27th, 2023, at 6:15PM ET
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