Honestly, I was totally in the "set it and forget it" cloud camp for the longest time, dismissing local setups as overly technical. But then I had a similar moment with a failing smart lock during a storm (a real heart-pounding scenario, not just @kimr10's buffering icon showdown). That instant reliability, knowing everything works because the logic is right here in my house, completely changed my perspective. It feels less like a temporary connected gadget and more like actual, dependable home infrastructure. The setup took a weekend, but the peace of mind has been absolutely worth the initial effort.