The home is getting smarter and smarter. Gone are the days when you had to “get up” and walk to a “light switch” to turn on the lights. Today, with the right hardware, you can simply use your voice or phone to control your lights and many other smart home devices. But finding the best smart home devices can be difficult, given the number of products available.
There are several things to consider before buying a smart home product. First, you need to make sure that the device you buy integrates with your smart home ecosystem, whether it’s Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. Many products today integrate with all three ecosystems.
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Other things to consider depend on the type of product you’re buying. Some products, like smart bells, come in wired or battery-powered models. Others, like smart light bulbs, are available in white or colored models. And so on.
We’ve tested hundreds of smart home devices in many categories, so you don’t have to. Here are the best smart home devices out there today.
The best smart bulbs: Philips Hue
Pros: works with a wide range of ecosystems, responsive, easy to use.
Cons: Higher initial cost
Light bulbs are perhaps one of the most common smart products, and for good reason. They are easy to install and lighting is an important part of our daily lives. If you’re looking for the best smart lighting system, you can’t beat Philips Hue.
When you first set up a Philips Hue system, you’ll need to get a Hue Bridge, a sort of hub that connects to all of your Hue-compatible bulbs. This means the initial cost is slightly higher, but your lights will respond faster to your instructions. Individual bulbs are often a little cheaper too.
Philips Hue bulbs work with HomeKit, Alexa and Google Assistant, and there is a great standalone app. This app allows you to automate your smart lighting, change the colors of your lighting, and more. The app has gone through a few iterations over the years, but the current version is pretty well built.
There are tons of bulbs that work in the Philips Hue ecosystem. You’ll find basic white bulbs, colored bulbs, strip lights, outdoor lights, and more. There are even switches that work with Hue. Just starting out? We recommend the Philips Hue WhiteSmart Bulb Starter Kit, which includes four white bulbs and a Hue hub.
Philips Hue White Smart Bulb Starter Kit
You save: $20.00 (20%)
Best Smart Lock: August Wi-Fi Smart Lock
Pros: Works with many smart home ecosystems, easy to use, works with older locks.
Cons: A little bulky, expensive
Want a smart lock without having to replace all your keys? The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is the lock for you. This lock essentially replaces the inside of your existing lock. This means you can continue to use the keys you already have. The device works with HomeKit, Alexa and Google Assistant - plus, there’s an app to make locking and unlocking super easy.
The lock is bulky inside your home, but August actually did a lot of work on that. This model is 45% smaller than the previous generation. It also offers some great smart features, like the ability to view a full lock and unlock history, create automations based on things like your location, and more. It is available in silver and matte black.
The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is well-designed, but it has a few drawbacks. Besides being bulky, the keyboard compatible with the lock is sold separately, though not everyone wants or needs one. Also, the lock isn’t necessarily cheap, costing $250 when not on special. Still, for most people, it’s well worth that money.
You save: $50.00 (20%)
Best Smart Thermostat: Nest Learning Thermostat
Pros: Grand design, very easy to use
Cons: Doesn’t work with HomeKit, a little pricey
Nest is the original smart thermostat, and it’s still the best option for most. Therefore, it’s easy to recommend it as one of the best smart home devices. Now, in its third generation, the device offers a sleek and stylish design, as well as the ability to learn your habits and automatically adjust accordingly.
One of the best features of the Nest Learning thermostat is its ease of use. Its thumbwheel design allows you to control everything about the device, including your home temperature and thermostat settings. The device even works seamlessly within the Google Home app and with Google Assistant. You can also integrate the device with Alexa, but it is not compatible with HomeKit. If you are looking for a HomeKit compatible thermostat, we recommend checking out something from ecobee.
The Nest Learning Thermostat is also quite nice, and thanks to the fact that it’s available in a range of colors, it should fit in perfectly with the home. This device is pricey at $200, but if you want the best smart thermostat on the market, this is the best choice. It also comes in a range of different colors, so you can find something that fits your home decor.
You save: $20.00 (8%)
Best smart doorbell: Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2
Pros: Well designed, outstanding image quality
Cons: No Google Assistant or HomeKit integration
Ring pioneered the concept of the smart doorbell, and Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 proves why. The device is not only beautiful, but it also offers excellent picture quality, and a range of outstanding features that should make the overall experience of using the device better.
The Pro 2 video doorbell is relatively small and compact, which means it should fit on most door frames. On the front, there’s an obvious button, and a camera to monitor what’s happening outside your door.
The video quality of the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 is slippery. The camera offers 1536p resolution, with a 150-degree field of view, and it should be able to see most things you need in good detail. You’ll need a Ring Protect subscription to get the most out of the camera, but even if you don’t have a subscription, you’ll be able to see live streams and receive notifications based on what’s happening at your door.
The device also offers some great smart features. It can detect motion, set in motion zones and support two-way audio. Not to mention integration with Alexa. Unfortunately, there’s no integration with Google Assistant or Apple HomeKit here - so if we built your home on those ecosystems, you’ll have to look elsewhere.
Best smart security camera: Arlo Ultra 2
Pros: Well-designed, versatile, excellent image quality
Cons: Expensive
Looking for a solid, reliable security camera that you can use in your home? The Arlo Ultra 2 is probably what you need. This camera is expensive, but with its 4K resolution, it should be able to capture an incredibly detailed image.
One of the best things about the Arlo Ultra 2 is the fact that it works with a range of smart home ecosystems. That includes Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple’s HomeKit - though you won’t get support for HomeKit Secure Video, and HomeKit only supports footage up to 1080p.
It’s important to note that to use the Arlo Ultra 2, you’ll need an Arlo Smart Hub - unlike some of Arlo’s other cameras. This adds to the initial cost, but you can connect multiple cameras to the Smart Hub for an all-in-one security system. Arlo also offers an excellent app, as well as a host of smart features that make the overall experience even better.
Of course, there are a few drawbacks to the camera. The Arlo Ultra 2 can be quite expensive, especially considering you need the hub to use it properly. Still, once you have a hub, you should be all set - so if you plan to place many cameras in your home, it may be worth it.
Arlo Ultra 2 Outdoor Video Camera
Best smart switch: Belkin Wemo Smart Plug
Pros: Compact, easy to use, works with a range of ecosystems
Cons: No power control
Belkin’s WeMo brand has been making great switches for a while now, and the newest Belkin Wemo Wi-Fi Smart Plug is a perfect example of why the WeMo line consistently makes lists of the best smart home devices. The plug is compact, well-designed and works with all the major smart home ecosystems, including Alexa, Google Assistant and HomeKit.
For the uninitiated, smart switches essentially plug into an outlet and allow users to control the power sent through them with their phone. That means you can make some old, dumb appliances smart. The Wemo Smart Plug plugs into your electrical outlet, but there are smart plugs that can be permanently installed instead.
One of the most interesting aspects of the Wemo Smart Plug is its compactness. The device is small enough that you can use a second outlet in a two-gang setup, and it blends in easily.
The Belkin Wemo Smart Plug is great, but like everything, it’s not perfect. The device doesn’t offer power control, unlike some of its more expensive competitors. Despite this, its low cost makes it a great option for those who want to make the devices in their home smarter.
You save: $7.00 (28%)
Best smart electrical outlet: iDevices Smart Wall Outlet
Pros: Well designed, looks like any other power outlet, works with a range of ecosystems.
Disadvantages: Expensive
A smart wall outlet replaces your traditional outlet and gives it smarter control, allowing it to fit in much better with its surroundings - just make sure you turn off the power when you install it, or better yet, get a professional to help you. The iDevices smart wall outlet integrates with HomeKit, Alexa and Google Assistant, plus it has buttons on its face to control power manually, and it looks great.
IDevices has done a great job of refining its app. It allows you to monitor exactly how much power your connected devices are using. As mentioned, it also works with whatever smart home ecosystem you choose. That means you can control it with your voice, and in your favorite apps.
The downside of the iDevices Smart Wall Outlet? It’s that it’s pricey. The device costs $89.95 on the iDevices website, or up to $100 to other retailers. That said, this outlet is really only for those who want to create a seamless smart home. It’s not for renters or those planning to move soon. For a long-term solution, it’s worth the money.
Price: Price too low to display
Best smart light switch: TP-Link KASA smart dimmer switch
Pros: Easy to use, supports dimming, inexpensive.
Cons: No Home Kit support
Smart light switches are a bit more versatile than smart bulbs, and have long been included in lists of the best smart home devices. This is because with light bulbs, if you or someone else turns them off at the switch, it rendered them useless. This is not the case with smart switches. If you’re ready to replace your switches, we recommend the KASA smart dimmer from TP-Link.
There are several things that make this switch so versatile. First, it is easy to use. It’s a simple button, with smaller buttons at the top to control dimming. This simple design means that it should be relatively easy for customers to control lights without needing to learn how to use new technology.
The TP-Link Kasa smart dimmer integrates with both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, but it does not support HomeKit. If you’re in Apple’s ecosystem, you’ll have to look elsewhere. The other thing to consider for this switch is that you’ll need to hard-wire it into your home - so if you don’t know what you’re doing, we recommend asking an electrician to help you. But those issues aside, the TP-Link Kasa Smart Dimmer Switch is a great option.
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