Tesla Zigbee Hub discounted to a minimum! It costs only three hundred crowns, but its quality is rather questionable

Black Friday brings interesting discounts on smart home products. Alza has just discounted the Tesla Smart RJ45 ZigBee Hub from 699 CZK to 299 CZK, which is a 57 percent drop. At first glance, a decent offer for a central unit for a smart home. But before you add the product to your cart, you should know what people who have already had it at home say about it.

What the Tesla Smart Hub promises

The Tesla Smart RJ45 ZigBee Hub is a central control unit for smart homes that uses the ZigBee communication protocol. According to specifications, it can manage up to 50 devices at once and offers a range of up to 120 meters. It connects via Ethernet (RJ45) or 2.4 GHz WiFi, supports Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa voice assistants, and works with the Tuya app.

The compact unit measures 8.5 × 9 × 2 cm, is powered via USB-C, and according to the manufacturer, covers a typical family house. It serves to control lighting, heating, security, blinds, and other smart home elements. In theory, everything sounds great. In practice, however, it’s a different story.

Reality from reviews: 3–5 meters range instead of 120

The Tesla Smart RJ45 ZigBee Hub has a rating of 3.5 out of five stars on Alza, which is not a disaster. What’s worse is that most negative reviews report the identical problem: tragically short signal range. Instead of the declared 120 meters, users report a range of around 3 to 5 meters – and that’s with direct line of sight.

„I repeatedly complained, not one of the three hubs worked beyond 3 m in a single room with direct line of sight,” writes user Jaroslava from Prague in her review. Dominik from Blansko adds: „The range is practically only within the room, so you have to put one of these hubs in each room.”

Antonín from Přezletice bought a newer and more expensive model of the Tesla Smart RJ45 ZigBee Hub precisely because of the promised „several times greater range”. His experience? „When I add devices, I have to be 2 m from the hub. Tesla disappointed again, I will never buy anything from Tesla again and I don’t recommend it to anyone.”

An anonymous customer summarized it dryly: „I bought two pieces and both had a range of 5 meters, 3 when the wind blows in the wrong direction.” Out of more than 20 Czech and Slovak reviews, the range problem is repeated in practically all negative ratings.

Why is the range so bad?

The ZigBee protocol theoretically handles tens of meters even through obstacles because it creates a mesh network – each device acts as a repeater. Tesla’s problem is likely in the hardware implementation or a poor-quality antenna. Some reviews speculate that the problem might also be with Tesla’s own ZigBee sensors, but even when combined with other brands, the range does not meet the standard.

One user, after returning the Tesla, opted for an Immax hub, which seamlessly covered the entire house, including another floor, through several walls. This suggests that it is indeed a problem with a specific product, not the ZigBee standard itself.

For whom might it still make sense?

If you live in a small apartment or studio apartment where you don’t need to cover more than one room, the hub for 299 CZK might work. Alternatively, if you plan to place the hub directly next to the controlled devices – for example, on a bedside table in the bedroom where you have a few smart bulbs and a thermostat.

Some reviews suggest that not all units are faulty – Filip from Trnava, after exchanging the first unit, received a functional hub with normal range. However, relying on a lottery to get a functional unit is not exactly an ideal strategy.

The discount is tempting, but beware of the risk

The drop from 699 to 299 CZK looks interesting, but a cheap product that doesn’t work is not a good buy. If you are looking for a central unit for a smart home with greater range requirements, you will probably have to opt for a different brand. Alternatives like Immax, Aqara, or Sonoff offer more stable solutions, albeit at a higher price.

Tesla Smart has an „open system” according to the manufacturer and works with the Tuya app, which is a plus. The problem is that if the hub doesn’t even cover the next room, the openness of the system doesn’t help much. The reviews are so consistent in this case that it’s hard to argue that these are just isolated incidents.

If you decide to buy the hub at the Black Friday price, be prepared that you might have to return or claim the device. Alza has decent return policies, but unnecessary complications probably don’t please anyone.

Do you have any Tesla Smart product at home? What are your experiences?