Thread border router for HA box in location with bad reception

Basically every Homepod and Google Nest hub is an Ethernet connected Thread border router.So if it would not be recommended that would make them bad as well, which they aren't. If you have any of those, join their network. Don't buy extra stuff if what you need is already there. My network is run by HA and a ZBT-1 in a closet, but pretty much everything connects through my Nest Hubs.