I started the home automation thing with Wink. For more than a year is was more or less a downhill slog. GE bulbs that would not stay connected zwave switches that were hard to pair and also disconnected. And there was little functionality by comparison to what Smartthings was offering at that time.
Several Wink community members switched to Smartthings and would post about how they were more satisfied after they made the switch to Smartthings. After a couple of months I took their cue and bought a hub when STs first shipped their version 2 hub.
Unlike with Wink the first year with STs had a lot of good positive activity. And then the move to version 3 hub and the new app. In the months before all the version 3 stuff came out several STs community members made the switch to Hubitat. Based on my previous experience with Wink I didn’t wait quite as long to make the switch.
With local control and the experienced community at Hubitat it feels a lot like those early days I experienced with STs. It sure feels like the focus being on local control is a better foundation for moving forward.
Also, having the ability to choose when you load a hub update is helpful. Sometimes you feel like you are ready for the absolute latest and greatest while other times your schedule will be screaming wait a few days.
All to say, maybe there is something better out there rather continuing the slog.
And when it comes to ZigBee bulbs like Crees, they make terrible repeaters and from experience I can say they wreck your ZigBee mesh.