What should I compare when choosing Matter smart home devices?
Start with the ecosystem and hub, because that decides what works together later. Aqara supports Alexa, Google, HomeKit, Matter and SmartThings, and it needs a hub of its own, which adds a cost and a box to mount. Its range covers hub, sensor and lighting, so check the category you actually need is there. Local control and local storage are both available, so routines can run without a cloud round trip.