The rapid growth of consumer-oriented Internet of Things devices, encompassing smart home applications like energy management, entertainment, security, and environmental control, has created a complex ecosystem of smart devices. Platforms such as Home Assistant (HA) simplify device integration and control, enabling users to query and command all devices from a single hub. However, users still encounter important challenges and a steep learning curve to fluently interact with each device. This study explores the initial user experience of individuals adopting HA for the first time to accomplish certain tasks involving interaction with smart devices. We conducted a comparative observational study asking participants to perform increasingly complex tasks with HA and by using a voice assistant as an interface to HA. Finally, we asked participants to reflect and brainstorm about features they would like the system to exhibit so they could accomplish the tasks more easily. We report key usability findings regarding observed and self-reported challenges, positive experiences and potentially new voice interaction scenarios to simplify HA functionality. Our findings offer insights for designing intuitive and adaptable interfaces for smart home platforms.