Update 31/01/24:

TP-Link have recently made some great software/firmware updates to much of the Tapo product line.

Firstly some degree of local automation is now available, when an automation is created in the Tapo app it will be identified whether or not it will continue to function without an internet connection.

Even better news for some, Matter compatibility is now available on the H100 Smart Hub allowing most of the sub-devices to be connected to a Matter controller. This function is still in beta however I have found it to be working well through Home Assistant (where Matter is also still in beta). For those HA users who have been using the Tapo HACS integration I strongly recommend switching to Matter as the polling lag experienced by the Tapo HACS integration does not exist using Matter and it also works entirely locally with no need to connect to TP-Link’s servers. As Matter is still rather new buttons and the water leak sensor currently aren’t supported, but I suspect this is only a matter of time.

Original review:

The Tapo H100 smart hub is required if you wish to use any Tapo sensors/buttons/switches as these battery powered devices communicate over a ~868MHz connection not WiFi (2.4/5GHz). It is not required if you only have Tapo WiFi plugs, bulbs, cameras etc. The H100 is cheaper (at 15) than many hubs/bridges/gateways but as you would expect from TP-Link is a quality item and easy to setup via the Tapo app.

Whether this hub and associated devices will work for you will really depend on what you’re trying to achieve. Automation options in the Tapo app are somewhat limited and are certainly less customisable than other ecosystems. For instance phone notifications cannot be setup for all sub-devices; sensors yes, buttons no.

For those using Alexa once the Tapo skill has been installed the sub devices connected become available as triggers which opens up far more possibilities and the capability to control devices across other ecosystems. I tested using the motion sensor (T100) and smart button (S200B) to control some Philips Hue lights and both worked fine, albeit with occasionally a little delay.

For those using Home Assistant the Tapo integration currently cannot access any sub devices connected to this hub.

Unlike most systems that utilise a hub/bridge/gateway, any buttons or sensors connected to the Smart Hub will entirely cease to function if the internet connection is lost. There is no good reason for this and in my opinion is a very poor decision by TP-Link, local functionality is an absolute necessity for a reliable smart home. Light switches or security sensors not functioning because of a lost internet connection is a really dumb problem to introduce.

Curiously this device fails badly with two of the main advertised features; smart doorbell and burglar alarm/deterrent. At the loudest setting the doorbell chime cannot be heard through more than two closed doors in silence, let alone with any background noise. Additionally the smart button does not permit phone notifications meaning you can’t be alerted that way either (this can be achieved via Alexa). The idea of using this in conjunction with some sensors as a burglar alarm is also sadly farcical. It is not loud enough to scare off anyone plus can be easily unplugged by a burglar.

It is tricky to rate the H100, if the available sub-devices and automations meet your requirements then this is a good quality and well priced device. However if you were to rate it against some of the headline advertised features it would rate quite low. I’ve been generous as I mostly wanted this as a stand alone system in conjunction with a motion sensor (T100) to notify me by phone and keep a log, which it does well enough.