Adrian writes the buying guides and platform comparisons on NXT Smart Home, working through what a device actually does in an Australian home rather than what the box claims — 240V power and Type I plugs, AS/NZS wiring rules, and what the local retailers actually stock.
14 articles
Filters, brushes, mop pads, dust bags, detergent and a surprisingly hungry dock all add up long after the sale price is forgotten. Here is a realistic annual running-cost budget for robot vacuums in Australian homes, plus the parts worth buying generic and the ones that are not.
Most streaming boxes have no TV tuner, so free-to-air still comes from your antenna. Here's how to pick a box that runs the Australian catch-up apps you actually use, keeps live TV one button away, and doesn't leave you juggling three remotes.
Retrofit globe, smart dimmer module, smart switch or full replacement downlight? Here is how each option works in a typical Australian ceiling, what the AS/NZS abutment and coverage markings (IC, IC-4, CA135, non-IC) actually mean, and where a licensed electrician is legally required.
Storms, planned outages and NBN faults take most home camera systems offline within seconds. Here's how to keep recording using a UPS or portable power station, local storage, battery cameras and mobile data failover — sized for Australian homes.
Most Australian homes built before the 1990s run a switch loop with no neutral at the wall plate, which is exactly what a smart switch wants. Here are the five realistic ways around it, what each one costs, where flicker comes from, and where a licensed electrician is legally required.
Most Australian switch boxes have no neutral, which rules out a lot of smart switches. Here's how no-neutral switches actually work, why the ceiling rose is often a better place to install a module, and the renter-friendly options that need no wiring at all.
Confused about smart home hubs? This Australian guide explains what they do, whether you need one, and how to pick the right one for your home.
Most smart devices fail because a company switches something off, not because the hardware breaks. How to buy gear in Australia that outlasts the seller.
Used smart home gear can be a bargain or a brick. What to check before you buy in Australia — account locks, compliance marks, support dates and your rights.
Thread and Matter get mentioned together constantly, which makes people assume they compete. They do not. One is a radio, the other is a language.
Smart plugs are sold as an energy-saving device. Here is what they genuinely save, what they cost you in standby power, and where the real savings are in an Australian home.
Where your security camera stops being your business and starts being a legal problem — surveillance device laws, neighbours, strata rules, and recording audio.
Most overseas smart home guides assume DIY wiring is fine. In Australia it is illegal. Here is exactly where the line sits, and what it means for your project.
Matter promised to make every smart home device work together. Here is what it actually delivers in 2026, what it still does not fix, and whether it should change what you buy in Australia.
