Z-Wave Stacks & Sticks

Z-Wave is the older, slower, sub-GHz cousin to Zigbee — and the right call for sensors that have to last on a coin cell for 5+ years, locks, and noisy 2.4 GHz environments. The 800-series chips and Z-Wave JS ecosystem make it pleasant in 2026.

For the hub above this layer see Smart Home Hubs; for Zigbee see Zigbee Stacks & Coordinators; for Matter / Thread see Matter & Thread.

The stack

• ★ Z-Wave JS — Node.js Z-Wave driver; the only modern stack worth running. Excellent device DB, fast S2 inclusion, great logging. Adopted as the official Home Assistant Z-Wave backend in 2021 and replaced legacy OpenZWave entirely.
  • https://github.com/zwave-js/node-zwave-js
• ★ Z-Wave JS UI (formerly zwavejs2mqtt) — web UI + MQTT bridge wrapping Z-Wave JS. The fastest way to run Z-Wave JS for HA, Hubitat, OpenHAB, or anything else that speaks MQTT. The default for power users.
  • https://github.com/zwave-js/zwave-js-ui
• ★ Z-Wave JS HA add-on — Z-Wave JS as a Hassio add-on; HA's "Z-Wave" integration in the UI. The default for casual users; less control panel than Z-Wave JS UI.
• OpenZWave (OZW) — deprecated. Project archived 2022. Don't use for new installs. If you're still on it, migrate to Z-Wave JS — Z-Wave JS UI has an OZW import.
• Z-Way (Z-Wave.Me) — closed but loved in some EU installs; runs on RaZberry boards. Niche.

Z-Wave 700 vs 800 series

Z-Wave is on its third major chip generation (700 series 2019, 800 series 2022). For new sticks in 2026 buy 800-series; the wider channel set, lower power, and SmartStart improvements are worth it.

• 500-series — old. Runs S0 only (deprecated security). Replace if you can.
• 700-series — the first ZW Plus v2 / S2 generation. Still fine; many existing installs.
• 800-series — current. Better range, lower idle current, supports Z-Wave Long Range (ZWLR) in NA — a 1-mile-plus star-topology mode for outdoor sensors.

Sticks (USB controllers)

• ★ Zooz ZST10 800LR (TheSmartestHouse) — 800-series; Long Range; USB; sells direct in the US; Z-Wave JS first-class support. The 2026 default.
• ★ Aeotec Z-Stick 7 / Z-Stick 10 Pro — 700/800-series; widely available; well-supported by Z-Wave JS; the EU / UK favorite.
• ★ Home Assistant Yellow — Z-Wave + Zigbee + Thread in one appliance (the Yellow has a 700-series Z-Wave chip onboard). Convenient for "one box for everything."
• Smlight SLZB-06M Z-Wave — Smlight is rumored to be working on a Z-Wave companion stick; verify currency.
• HUSBZB-1 — old Nortek combo Zigbee + Z-Wave 500-series. Still works, but 500-series — replace when budget allows.
• GoControl HUSBZB-1, Sigma Designs UZB-7 — older sticks; pre-Aeotec.

Note: the Nabu Casa SkyConnect is Zigbee + Thread only — it does not include Z-Wave. You need a separate Z-Wave stick.

Z-Wave Long Range (ZWLR)

• NA-only frequency band (916 MHz) and supported on 800-series sticks/devices.
• Topology is star, not mesh — every device talks directly to the controller. Range up to ~1.5 km in line-of-sight.
• Use case: outdoor / outbuilding sensors, end-of-driveway gates, far-flung leak sensors.
• ZWLR and classic Z-Wave coexist; one stick handles both.

Devices worth knowing

• ★ Zooz (TheSmartestHouse) — best US value; switches, dimmers, plugs, sensors, locks; firmware updates via Z-Wave JS UI.
• ★ Inovelli Blue / Red Series — fancy switches with LED bars and notifications; cult following; Blue is Zigbee, Red is Z-Wave.
• Aeotec — sensors and door/window contacts; the MultiSensor 7 is the classic.
• Fibaro — premium EU; expensive; great hardware; sometimes funky firmware.
• Heatit (Thermo-Floor) — Norwegian; great Z-Wave thermostats.
• Yale / Schlage / Kwikset / August — Z-Wave locks; Z-Wave is the right radio for locks (S2 security + low power).
• Honeywell / Resideo thermostats — older Z-Wave models; mostly superseded by Wi-Fi.

Practical guidance

• ★ USB extension cable — same advice as Zigbee. 1 m off the host, away from USB 3 noise.
• ★ Backup the controller before any major change. Z-Wave JS UI has a one-click NVM backup.
• S2 inclusion is the modern default; older S0 devices still work but are noisier on the network.
• Healing the network — Z-Wave JS UI has heal-network; run it after large topology changes.
• Migrating from a dying stick: Z-Wave JS UI can NVM-restore to a same-generation stick (700→700 or 800→800), letting you swap a stick without re-pairing devices. Cross-generation requires re-pair.

Pick this if…

• Default 2026 stack: Z-Wave JS UI.
• HA casual user: Z-Wave JS HA add-on (built-in UI).
• Default new stick (US): Zooz ZST10 800LR.
• Default new stick (EU): Aeotec Z-Stick 7 or 10 Pro.
• Long-range outdoor sensors (NA): any 800-series stick + ZWLR-capable devices.
• Existing OpenZWave install: migrate to Z-Wave JS now — OZW is dead.