If you are shopping for a home automation system and want something that works beyond a few smart bulbs, FIBARO is worth a serious look. The Poland-based brand has been building wireless smart home hardware since the early 2010s, and today its products are available in over 110 countries across six continents. FIBARO runs on Z-Wave, one of the most reliable wireless protocols in home automation, and the system sits comfortably between DIY smart home kits and full professional installations.
FIBARO stands out as an impressive home automation system. Originating in Poland in 2010, this brand now sells wireless smart home hardware in over 110 countries on six continents – running on Z-Wave wireless protocol that makes for reliable home automation systems, it sits comfortably between DIY smart home kits and full professional installations.
Who Builds FIBARO:
At its headquarters in Poland, FIBARO designs, engineers, and produces all its products with care to meet its quality-first approach – testing each step throughout production for any defect that does not meet quality control. Consequently, this has led to one of the lowest defective rates in its industry.
In 2021, FIBARO joined the Nice Group – an Italian automation company. Their Yubii Home gateway served as the first hub to connect Nice, FIBARO, and Elero technologies while remaining open for integration of third-party devices – greatly expanding their ecosystem without disrupting compatibility for existing users.
The Hub Lineup:
FIBARO’s core product is its smart home hub, and there are a few options depending on your setup size.
Home Center 3 is a flagship product. Running on a quad-core ARM Cortex A53 processor running at 1.2GHz, featuring 2GB RAM and 8GB storage, connecting via Ethernet and boasting 1.3 times faster processing, 2x more RAM and 50% greater wireless range compared to its predecessor – not to mention supporting Z-Wave Plus, Zigbee, Bluetooth LE, Wi-Fi and Nice protocol integration for truly multi-protocol support.
The Home Center 3 Lite is a Wi-Fi-only version designed for apartments. Powered by a single-core ARM Cortex A7 at 900MHz with 512MB RAM and 4GB storage, and Z-Wave 700 Series, it provides an ideal starting point if your space is smaller with limited device count.
The Yubii Home fits in a similar tier with the Lite: it is a compact and cost-effective Z-Wave 700 gateway designed to suit apartments or smaller to medium-sized homes with free mobile apps for iOS and Android that connect directly with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Siri for seamless control.
Device Compatibility:
The Home Center 3 can connect with over 2,000 third-party products using Z-Wave technology, including lighting, blinds, alarms, HVAC and watering systems. FIBARO currently boasts 175 smart integrations; audio brands such as Bose, Sonos Yamaha Bang and Olufsen as well as security brands Yale August are just a few of these integrations.
Communication among devices uses TLS encryption with WAF and anti-DDoS protection on a network level, with local processing also supported allowing automations to continue running even if there is no active internet connection – an invaluable feature for those dealing with cloud-dependent systems that go down during outages.
The App Experience:
The Yubii Home app works with the Yubii Home Pro, Home Center 3 Lite and Yubii Home gateways and requires firmware version 5.153 for operation. Redesigned specifically to reduce setup times for installers while improving usability for end users as well as adding support for QuickApps across device integrations; two color themes and a customizable Favorites tab offer seamless remote access from anywhere with internet access via this app.
Automation and Energy Tools:
Block Scene Editor allows for visual building of automations without writing code, while more experienced users may utilize Lua scripting within the hub itself to script automations directly within household profiles, alarm panels or time-based automations all from one convenient place.
Energy monitoring with FIBARO modules and wall plugs enables real-time energy tracking per device and automations that respond to usage thresholds, adding up to tangible savings over time. In a home using lights, heating, appliances and FIBARO this could result in tangible cost reductions over time.
Buying Considerations:
FIBARO products are intended for professional-grade use, and pricing reflects this fact. For instance, their Home Center 3 hub sits at a higher price point compared to entry-level hubs but covers far more protocols and device types than most comparable offerings at that range. Meanwhile, for buyers new to Z-Wave home automation, their more accessible starting point would be the Yubii Home.
If you already own Z-Wave devices from another system, FIBARO hubs work with Z-Wave Plus certified devices from other manufacturers – meaning your sensors, locks and dimmers can seamlessly transition into the FIBARO ecosystem without starting over from scratch.
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