7: Why We Love Home Assistant

Home Assistant has changed our families' lives for the better. We share tips for getting started, implementing automation, devices we use, and our favorite integrations.
Plus Alex's thoughts on automating his new LG TV and be sure to check the links!
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Nabu Casa — No longer worry if you left the garage door open. Quickly access your Home Assistant instance from your phone, your favorite coffeeshop or at work.

All data is fully encrypted between your device and your Home Assistant instance. No snooping
Home Assistant Cloud
Chris' Z-Wave USB Dongle — Z-Wave Plus certified for wide compatibility
Chris' White Noise Makers — The Original White Noise Machine - Marpac Dohm
Chris' Fav sensor: Aeotec Multisensor 6 — Z-Wave Plus 6-in1 motion, temperature, humidity, light, UV, vibration sensor
Chris' Outdoor Z-Wave Power Plugs — GE Enbrighten Z-Wave Plus Smart Plug, 1 On/Off Outlet, Weather-Resistant, Built-in Repeater/Range Extender
500-Watt Ceramic Small Space Personal Mini Heater — Compact personal space heater design that is small enough for tables or desktops
Chris' Portable Oil-Filled Radiator — 1200 watts of heating power, silent operation, Best for small to medium rooms that need constant heat in the colder seasons.
TP-Link Smart Plug two Pack — Smart WiFi Plug Mini by TP-Link
Home Assistant Integrations Directory
Alex's Fav Smart Plug — Teckin Mini Smart Socket with Schedule and Timer Function
Smart RGB LED strips with Home Assistant — This article will detail how to build a fully open source, 3D printable smart LED strip for $16.38.
Mosquitto - An open source MQTT broker — The MQTT protocol provides a lightweight method of carrying out messaging using a publish/subscribe model. This makes it suitable for Internet of Things messaging such as with low power sensors or mobile devices such as phones, embedded computers or microcontrollers.
Complete guide on setting up Grafana/InfluxDB with Home Assistant