If you've got older smart home tech lying around, it's quietly collecting dust and could be creating security vulnerabilities. The upgrade path is simpler than you'd think. Matter-enabled devices (a newer smart wireless communication protocol) give you local control, faster response times and most importantly, your data stays yours. Swipe to see which upgrades make sense for your setup.

Google Nest Thermostat (Gen 1 and 2)

Waking up on a freezing winter night with a broken thermostat app is a miserable experience. Google has officially terminated all remote features for legacy Nest Learning Thermostats and these unpatched devices can now expose your entire home Wi-Fi network to hackers. Protect your property by switching to a modern local option like the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium.

Legacy Wemo Smart Plugs

Relying on cloud-dependent plugs means a manufacturer can cut your access at any moment. In January 2026 Belkin permanently deactivated legacy Wemo smart plugs by shutting down all cloud-based services. Swap these bricked outlets for a secure Tapo Matter Smart Plug to protect your network.

Logitech POP Smart Buttons

Logitech deactivated support for its POP Smart Buttons late in 2025, turning $100 setups into useless e-waste. Zigbee and Matter-based smart home devices execute automations locally. Choose a reliable Aqara Wireless Mini Switch to handle commands instantly.

Outdated Wi-Fi 5 Routers

Legacy Wi-Fi 5 routers cannot keep up with high-density smart home traffic. Modern households easily average more than 40 connected devices at once. Tri-Band Wi-Fi 6E systems solve this by adding a dedicated six-gigahertz channel. This clears the airwaves to keep low-power sensors running smoothly. You can grab a solid Wi-Fi 6E system like an ASUS mesh setup on Amazon, or stick with a single-unit router depending on your home's size.

Google Nest Secure and Dropcam HD

Google shut down cloud access for Nest Secure systems and original Dropcam HD cameras in 2024, leaving a lot of people with devices that simply stopped working. It's a harsh reminder that relying entirely on manufacturer servers puts your security at their mercy. The smarter move is switching to hardware that stores footage and security data locally—on your device, not in the cloud. Wyze cameras and similar local-storage options give you the same protection without the dependency risk.

First-Generation Voice Assistants

Your original Amazon Echo from 2014 or Google Home from 2016 was cutting-edge once, but time hasn't been kind. These devices send every single command to remote servers to process, which means sluggish performance and constant cloud connectivity. More concerning, they're running on years-old code with no security patches coming. Upgrading to a newer voice hub with local processing, like the Echo Show 5, means faster responses and a device that's actually getting security updates.