Want to see a smart home in action? Tour our virtual smart home and see how its products all work together seamlessly to create a house that adjusts to your needs automatically. All of the below devices can be commanded using your voice alone through a voice assistant, either Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri or Microsoft Cortana. Here are some of our favorite smart home devices:
Smart light bulbs can be set onto schedules or even synced with the GPS on your phone or the sunrise and sunset.
With dimmable, LED bulbs that you can adjust to over 16 million different colors, smart bulbs last much longer than incandescent bulbs and are a lot more fun as well. After customizing your lighting, you can create scenes, groups of bulbs that you’ve adjusted to your liking, so that you can easily access them later.
Philips Hue is probably the most recognizable lighting brand, and they have a ton of different smart lighting to offer. This white and color bulb has 16 million different color options and is also dimmable, so you can create the exact lighting you want in your home. You’ll also be able to set your lighting onto schedules, group multiple customized bulbs into scenes for easy access, and even sync your lighting with the sunrise and sunset, if you want! Or, hook it up with the GPS on your phone so your lights turn off automatically when you leave the house and vice versa.
Plus, Philips Hue works with products from Nest, Vivint, and SimpliSafe, allowing for convenient home automations. As far as voice assistants go, we controlled our Philips Hue lighting with Google Assistant, Alexa and even Siri. Note that you’ll need the Hue Hub to use the White and Color Bulb, which works using Zigbee protocol. Unlike incandescent bulbs, the Philips Hue White and Color is LED, meaning it uses much less energy. Hue has a ton of smart bulbs to choose from, like the Decorative Candle, Bloom Lamp, Bar Light and more.
If you’re just starting out with your smart home, smart plugs will be a godsend.
They can turn any appliance that uses 1,800 watts or less into a WiFi-connected device, ideal for small appliances like flat irons or space heaters. That means that you’ll be able to turn these appliances off and on using your voice as well as create schedules and scenes.
Smart security systems ensure that you’ll always stay on top of your home’s security. With WiFi-connected sensors, you’ll be alerted if any of your alarms go off when your security system is armed via a mobile notification.
From there, you’ll be able to check in and livestream footage, if your system includes a camera.
ADT Video Package Frontpoint Customized System Vivint Basic Security System Hub/ Base Station No Yes No Panel No No Yes Keypad Yes Yes No Motion Sensor Yes Yes Yes Entry Sensor Yes Yes Yes Recessed Entry Sensor No No No Garage Door Sensor No No No Glass Break Sensor Yes Yes Yes Keyring Remote Yes Yes No Smart Lock Yes No No Alarm Yes No No Indoor Camera Yes Yes Yes Video Doorbell Yes Yes Yes Radio No Yes No Smoke and C.O Monitor No No Yes Price $773 $630 $844Ring Alarm is an incredibly affordable, DIY smart home security system. The Security Kit our experts tested included a base station, keypad, contact sensor, motion detector, and range extender, which we paired with the Ring Stickup Cam Wired and the Ring Video Doorbell 2. A huge advantage of Ring is that users can pay nothing monthly and would still be able to livestream footage, receive notifications and control their devices remotely, which isn’t always the case for smart home brands. Ring offers optional 24/7 professional monitoring and cellular backup for only $20 a month or $200 a year, one of the lowest prices around. Their products work with both Alexa and Google Assistant plus IoT devices from Dome, Ecolink, First Alert, GE and Leviton, allowing you to customize your smart home to your liking.
Everything will be easily accessible via the Ring— Always Home app, highly-rated by both iPhone and Android users alike. Installation is easy DIY, making Ring super affordable from setup to everyday usage. They also make a number of indoor and outdoor cameras and video doorbells which will easily integrate with Ring’s sensors, making Ring a one-stop shop for smart home security.
How useful are security cameras if you can’t actually see their footage? With smart security cameras, you’ll be able to check in and livestream footage anytime, anywhere from your mobile application. You can also show your footage on a smart display, Chromecast, Fire TV, or Apple TV, depending on its make, and review cloud storage as well. Some smart security cameras even have person detection so you’ll only be notified when it detects a person, but more advanced cameras have facial recognition, allowing you to name faces it’s seen multiple times for even more specific notifications.
Wireless Plug-In Price abode Cam No Yes $112.00 abode iota No Yes $299.00 ADT Indoor No Yes N/A Amazon Cloud Cam No Yes $119.99 Arlo Pro 2 Yes Yes $219.99 Arlo Ultra Yes No $200.00 Arlo Q Yes No $399.99 Blink Indoor Yes No $99.00 Blink XT Yes No $119.99 Brinks Home Indoor No Yes N/A Canary All-In-One Yes No $109.00 Canary Flex Yes No $169.00 Canary View No Yes $49.00 Fortress Indoor No Yes $79.99 Frontpoint Indoor Camera Yes Yes $99.99 Honeywell Lyric C2 No Yes $90.00 iCamera Keep Pro No Yes $100.00 iSmartSafe Indoor Yes No $69.99 Lifeshiled Indoor No Yes N/A Link Interactive V522IR Yes No $104.99 Logitech Circle 2 Yes Yes $179.99 Lorex Super HD 4MP Camera No Yes $139.99 Nest Cam Indoor No Yes $99.00 Nest Cam Battery Yes No $179.99 Nest Cam with Floodlight No Yes $279.99 Netatmo Welcome Indoor Yes No $200.00 Night Owl HD Wired Bullet Camera No Yes $349.99 for 4 Ring Stick Up Cam Wired No Yes $180.00 Scout Indoor No Yes $99.00 Swann Thermal Sensing Camera No Yes $199.99 for two Tend Lynx Secure Indoor No Yes $60.00 Tend Secure Lynx Pro No Yes $150.00 Vivint Indoor No Yes N/A Wyze Cam No Yes $29.99 Wyze Cam Pan No Yes $33.99 YI Home Security Camera No Yes $31.00At only $29.99, the Wyze Cam is an incredible little device that doesn’t sacrifice quality for its shockingly low price. It has the industry standard of 1080p HD, making for a super clear shot, plus we were able to zoom in eight times to capture those tiny details. The camera also has excellent infrared night vision, two-way audio which let us speak to whoever we were livestreaming, plus integrations with Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT. Storage is done through a micro-SD card, sold separately, plus Wyze gave us 14 days of cloud storage on the house! Cloud storage is usually an additional monthly cost, but not with Wyze. The camera even recognized our existing smoke and CO alarms so we got mobile notifications when they went off. Overall, this plug-in indoor camera is high-quality, low price, and an excellent addition to our smart home. The company also makes security sensors, smart plugs, smart bulbs, and more, making it a robust smart home hub.
Aside from being able to control your home’s temperature remotely and set it onto schedules, many smart thermostats also have sensing for movement and occupancy, meaning they’ll adjust based on your location and even if you’re awake or asleep.
You can also set up geofencing with some smart thermostats, meaning they’ll adjust based on your location by using the GPS in your mobile device. Many smart thermostats can save you money on heating and cooling costs compared to regular thermostats.
If your smoke alarm goes off and no one is home to hear it, is it really that useful? With smart smoke and CO detectors, you’ll always get notified if there were any huge increases in temperature, or if dangerous levels of smoke and/or CO are detected. If you already have existing smoke and CO detectors that aren’t connected to the Internet, there are also smoke and CO listeners that’ll alert you if any of your alarms go off, a cost-effective solution to get smart environmental monitoring.
Floods can cause thousands of dollars worth of damages to your home, which is why it’s best to catch them early with a flood or water leak sensor. Placed near anywhere that water could leak, like near a dishwasher or washing machine, you’ll get a notification if the sensor detects water so you can fix the problem early.
If your pipes freeze it could cause them to burst, resulting in, you guessed it, a flood. Fortunately for you, there are WiFi-connected freeze sensors that will alert you if temperatures reach a certain level.
If you’ve ever wanted to hit pause without getting out your phone, smart speakers are for you. You’ll be able to play music, audiobooks, and podcasts using your voice alone. Plus, smart speakers let you control other connected devices hands-free. Some even double as a timer or clock.
Smart locks are super useful. Aside from being able to control them remotely, users will also be able to create passcodes for specific periods of time to let people in when they’re not home. This is particularly handy if you have a dog walker, house sitter or babysitter that needs to be let in in a way much safer than hiding a key under the mat. You’ll be able to see your lock’s activity and some locks can even be opened with voice commands!
Video doorbells are essentially cameras designed specifically for your doors, allowing you to see your guests and speak to them through two-way audio. The best video doorbells have person detection, leading to super helpful notifications and preventing false notifications from cars, animals, and other moving objects. Some video doorbells require an existing doorbell and chime setup, while others are totally wireless with no installation requirements.
Nest Doorbell Ring Video Doorbell 2 Ring Video Doorbell Pro Video quality 960x1280p HD 1080p HD 1080p HD Field of View 145 160 160 Field of Zoom 6x n/a digital zoom Two-Way Audio Yes Yes Yes Infrared Night Vision Yes Yes Yes Local Storage No Yes Yes Cloud Storage Yes Yes Yes Subscription Required for Storage? Yes Yes Yes Smart Platform Integrations Google Assistant Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant Person Detection Yes plus familiar face alerts with Nest Aware No NoThe eufy Security Video Doorbell has the highest video quality of any video doorbell we’ve reviewed, 2K HDR with distortion correction. Requiring an existing doorbell setup, this camera has person detection, so it only notified us when it detected a person and ignored movement from cars, animals, and other inanimate moving objects. In fact, it even sent us a screenshot of the person it detected so we didn’t have to livestream the footage and check. Aside from that, the eufy Security Video Doorbell works with both Alexa and Google Assistant, has infrared night vision, two-way audio, plus 4 GB of local storage, and a wide, 160-degree field of view. Plus, at $159.99, it’s slightly cheaper than the industry average.
Finally, smart displays are tablets that connect all of your IoT devices and can also play TV shows, movies, and the like. Amazon’s version of the smart display is their Echo Show devices, while Google’s version is their Nest Hubs.
The Echo Show 8, which has Alexa built-in, is an eight-in touch screen display with two-inch speakers and microphones. Using the Echo Show 8, we were able to access over 100,000 Alexa skills, which included everything from playing music from Amazon Music and Spotlight, watching Prime Video and Hulu, Skyping with friends and shopping on, you guessed it, Amazon. In particular, the Echo Show came in handy when we were cooking. Not only was it convenient to set up a time hands-free when we were covered in flour, but we could even tell Alexa to buy any ingredients we forgot. Plus, when all went wrong, we simply told Alexa to order food from Seamless.
To learn about more connected devices, check out our experts’ favorite smart home products.
My house is working toward a PhD. Little by little, it's getting smarter.
The transition started a few years ago, out of necessity. After peering beneath my bed to retrieve a fallen item, I was horrified to discover a thick coating of dust on the floor. My old-school corded upright vacuum was too bulky to fit all the way under, so I picked up a robot vacuum to handle the dirty work for me.
Then I got a dog, which led to the purchase of a smart air purifier to help combat allergies and asthma, and a pet camera to keep an eye on my fur baby (and my home) from my phone, 24/7.
Since then, I've been reviewing smart home gadgets for PCMag and my little Florida beach bungalow has transformed into a test bed for the latest home tech, growing smarter by the week. Now I walk into the bedroom and tell Google Assistant to turn on the lights. I ask Alexa to reorder protein powder and dog food and it arrives on my doorstep two days later. I adjust my thermostat via an app on my phone from the comfort of my bed. I receive severe weather warnings and recipe ideas on the screen of the smart display in my kitchen. Even my air fryer sends me a notification when it's done preheating.
These days, there's a smart version of pretty much every home device you can think of. In general, these products connect to the internet, so you can control them from your phone through a companion app. Most also work with various forms of voice control.
Many smart home companion apps support scheduling, so you can easily program your devices to perform a certain action at a certain time. After having a bike stolen, for instance, PCMag's Editor-in-Chief Wendy Sheehan Donnell programmed her smart garage door to automatically close every night at a specific time.
With Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, you can set up routines for your devices to work together and do multiple things at once, such as adjusting the temperature and lighting when you get home. With Apple HomeKit, you can control your devices with Siri voice commands, or from an Apple Watch, and create scenes to trigger several devices at the same time. Using IFTTT, a service that many of the top smart home brands support, you can link various internet-connected devices and easily program them to respond to real-world events, such as setting your lights to turn on automatically at sunset. And the rollout of Matter, a new smart home interoperability standard, makes it easier than ever to set up and integrate connected gadgets.
What follows is a rundown of the best smart devices we've tested for every area of the house. There are so many products that we've arranged them by room to help keep things organized, but that doesn't mean you can't use most of these gadgets just about anywhere.
And make sure to check back soon, as we're regularly testing new products and adding them to this guide.
(Credit: Bob Al-Greene)
At the ultimate smart home, you're met with technology before you even step through the front door. Some of the most useful connected home gadgets reside in the front yard, starting with outdoor security cameras. Our top pick overall for keeping tabs on your home from your phone is the Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera. This high-resolution, weather-resistant security camera not only captures motion-triggered video, but casts a bright light on whatever is moving around on your property. It's wireless and installs in minutes, delivers detailed 2K video with color night vision, provides accurate and intelligent motion detection, and offers plenty of integration options.
Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera (Credit: Arlo)
For those times you want to check whether it's a delivery person or an unwanted solicitor knocking on your door, a video doorbell will let you see who's there without getting up from the couch. Beyond this convenience, video doorbells can serve as the first line of defense against property theft, home invasion, and porch pirates. They not only let you see and speak with the person outside, but they also record footage of visitors that approach your door while you're away or unable to answer. Our favorite budget-friendly model, the Ezviz DB1C Wi-Fi, delivers sharp HD video with a wide viewing angle, offers local and cloud video storage, and supports IFTTT as well as Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands.
Another piece of technology you might want on your front door is a smart lock. Arguably the most important part of a truly connected home, these devices offer both security and convenience, letting you come and go as you please, and monitor who is entering and leaving your home while you're away. Our current favorite is the Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro Wi-Fi, a dependable and versatile smart lock that lets you lock and unlock your door with your voice and fingerprint, as well as via keypad, mobile app, or traditional key.
For the highest level of protection, consider a professionally monitored smart home security system. One of our top picks, ADT Command, is a hefty investment, but it offers virtually everything you need for maximum protection. Compared with Vivint, another Editors' Choice winner, ADT is a bit pricier but offers superior customer service.
SimpliSafe Home Security System (Credit: Zlata Ivelva)
For a more affordable alternative, do-it-yourself smart home security systems are ideal for homeowners who want to save money by monitoring their homes themselves. The SimpliSafe Home Security System, our favorite DIY option, lets you secure and monitor your home from afar without spending a bundle or signing a long-term contract. Just keep in mind that DIY systems leave it up to you to take action when an alarm goes off.
4.5
The Eufy S220 Indoor Cam is an affordable indoor home security camera that delivers vivid high-resolution video and packs features typically found on pricier models.
MSRP $51.99
$54.99
at Amazon
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Eufy E220 Indoor Cam Review
The Simplehuman Dual-Compartment Rectangular Sensor Can can open and close its lid in response to voice commands.
Further reading:MSRP $250.00
$191.41
at Amazon
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The Govee Lyra Floor Lamp can be customized with 16 million colors, more then 25 different scenes, and 6 modes that dynamically react to the sound of music.
MSRP $149.99
$149.99
at Amazon
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(Credit: Bob Al-Greene)
Water and tech don't usually mix, but that hasn't stopped a swell of connected bathroom gadgets, from high-tech toilets that can clean themselves to smart scales that can measure a lot more than just how much you weigh.
If you're building a new house, or renovating an old one, consider a smart toilet for your bathroom. We haven't reviewed any yet, but the Kohler Veil looks to be a promising option that, among other nifty features, offers a hands-free opening and closing system that should eliminate squabbles over whether the toilet seat should be left up or down. It also features a night light, a heated seat, a warm-air drying system, an automatic deodorizer, a self-cleaning function that uses UV light to sanitize the bowl, and an emergency mode that lets you flush up to 100 times during a power outage.
In the ultimate smart bathroom, you can even start the shower with your voice. The U by Moen is a wall-mounted smart shower controller that works with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant to let you turn on the water and set it to your preferred temperature with voice commands.
Simplehuman Sensor Mirror Hi-Fi (Credit: Zlata Ivelva)
Upgrade your vanity with the Simplehuman Sensor Mirror Hi-Fi, which features a variety of customizable light settings for flawless makeup application and a built-in speaker so you can listen to your favorite music or podcasts while getting ready. It lights automatically when it detects your face, and it supports Alexa voice control, features that come in handy when you have powder in one hand and a brush in the other.
A smart scale is useful if you're looking to lose a few pounds or just want to keep a closer eye on your health. The affordable Wyze Scale X tracks 13 metrics, including your BMI, body fat percentage, body water percentage, heart rate, muscle mass, protein level, and weight up to 400 pounds.
The Wyze Scale X (Credit: Andrew Gebhart)
Our favorite connected bathroom tech can even help you earn an A+ at your next dentist visit. Instilling good oral hygiene habits in kids can sometimes feel like pulling teeth, but the Colgate Magik can help with that. Designed for children five to 10 years old, the Magik is a manual toothbrush that works with an augmented reality smartphone app that turns a twice-daily chore into a fun game. As they brush, children work to scrub away Cavity Monsters and earn diamonds that can be used to unlock fun, Snapchat-like AR face masks, and new worlds.
CES 2024 delivered new health and wellness tech for the bathroom, including the Baracoda BMind smart bathroom mirror that offers mental health and wellness advice, the Laifen Wave Electric Toothbrush that vibrates 66,000 times per minute while simultaneously oscillating 60 degrees, and the Kohler PureWash E930 standalone smart bidet.
The Kohler Veil smart toilet boasts a hands-free opening and closing system, plus a number of other convenient features including a night-light, an automatic deodorizer, and a self-cleaning function that uses UV light to sanitize the bowl.
MSRP $5,500.00
$4,725.00
at Amazon
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The U by Moen wall-mounted smart shower controller works with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant, so you can turn on the water and set it to your preferred temperature with the sound of your voice.
MSRP $1,321.20
$819.65
at Amazon
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(Credit: Bob Al-Greene)
Whether you're lucky enough to have a dedicated workout room or just an empty corner with enough space for a yoga mat, the smart home gym equipment market offers no shortage of options to help you work on your fitness in your own abode.
Smart fitness devices like the Peloton Bike+ allow for a level of interactivity far beyond their more affordable, non-connected counterparts. The Bike+ and many others offer large libraries of guided classes with knowledgeable instructors and/or customized workouts and programs based on your goals and current fitness level. It's like having a personal trainer in the comfort, safety, and privacy of your own home.
Indoor cycling can help you burn calories, boost your cardiovascular endurance, and elevate your mood. You might assume the Peloton is the best smart stationary bike because it's the most popular, but in reality, the best option is the one that's going to motivate you to hop back on day after day. Peloton motivates you through metrics and competition, while the SoulCycle At-Home Bike, another Editors' Choice winner in this category, offers a more meditative, dance-focused experience. The MYX II, a more affordable alternative, emphasizes personalized heart rate zone training.
SoulCycle At-Home Bike (Credit: Angela Moscaritolo)
For a full-body, low-impact workout that puts minimal stress on your knees and other joints, consider a smart rowing machine. The NordicTrack RW900 is an excellent choice for beginner, intermediate, and advanced rowers alike. It features a 22-inch touch screen on which you can browse and stream outdoor iFit workouts filmed in picturesque locations all around the world, from Inniscarra Lake in Ireland to the Kafue River in Zambia. During outdoor workouts, the machine automatically adjusts your resistance to match the wind and water conditions, so you feel what the trainer feels. Trainers often point out the sights along the way, so you're getting a workout and a tour. The Hydrow is more expensive, but it's one of the most luxurious smart rowing machines you can buy, combining top-of-the-line equipment with live streaming workouts.
While rowing machines can feel intimidating to newbies, and cycling bike seats can be a literal pain in the butt, treadmills are more user-friendly, accessible, and comfortable, since walking is an activity most of us do daily anyway. The Peloton Tread takes up about as much room as a couch, and features a gorgeous 23.8-inch 1080p touch screen on which you can access Peloton's vast and varied library of well-produced, entertaining classes. For a more affordable option, we recommend the Echelon Stride, which connects with your smartphone or tablet to let you stream live and on-demand running and walking classes with competitive leaderboards, and folds up when not in use.
To build muscle, consider a smart strength training machine. Our favorite is the Tempo Studio, which has an easel-like design with a 42-inch touch screen on which you can stream a variety of trainer-led workouts, including live classes. Below the screen is a cabinet that neatly stores four sets of weights, so they're out of sight when not in use. On the back, you can hang the included dumbbells and barbell. The machine keeps track of how much weight you should be lifting, counts your reps, and offers feedback about your form to help you strength train safely. The Tonal, another excellent option in this category, uses a combination of electricity and magnets to digitize weights, offering up to 200 pounds of resistance in a sleek wall-mounted machine. Meanwhile, the Peloton Guide camera offers strength training help for much less. It requires only a TV and a bit of free space.
Tempo Studio (Credit: Angela Moscaritolo)
Short on space? Try the Forme Studio. It looks like a regular mirror when not in use. When it's time to workout, you can make use of the full touchscreen and personalized weekly workout plans from a human Fitness Concierge to help you crush your goals.
(Credit: Bob Al-Greene)
Whether your garage serves as a storage area, a workshop, a party zone, or a place where you actually keep your car, there's plenty of tech available to make it smarter.
If your old garage door opener struggles to fully raise and lower the door, and makes a racket doing so, it might be time for an upgrade. Belt-driven smart garage door openers are typically pin-drop quiet compared with the chain-driven models of yore. More importantly, they let you view the state of the door (closed or open, and for how long), and control it from your phone so you don't have to trudge outside in your PJs when you're already comfy in bed. The Genie QuietLift Connect is super quiet and connects to your home Wi-Fi network, allowing you to control it using a phone or tablet. It supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands, and is relatively easy to install thanks to a five-piece rail system that snaps together.
Garage door openers that work with the Aladdin Connect, myQ, or OHD Anywhere app are compatible with Amazon's in-garage delivery service, Key, which can give you peace of mind if you're worried about porch pirates stealing packages from your front door. To set it up, link your compatible garage door to Amazon Key in the Amazon app, and enable In-Garage Delivery. The service is exclusive for Amazon Prime members; once you set it up, just select "In-Garage Delivery" at checkout. It used to be a free Prime perk, but Amazon is now charging $1.99 for in-garage deliveries outside Amazon Day delivery slots.
Don't have the money to spring for a new smart garage door opener? No worries: The affordable Chamberlain Smart Garage Hub lets you add connectivity to your existing setup. It's compatible with all major garage door openers manufactured after 1993.
Rachio 3 (Credit: Rachio)
In addition to your high-tech car and e-bike, the garage is probably where you store many of your outdoor smart home devices. One of our favorites, the Rachio 3 smart sprinkler controller, can help you keep your beloved lawn looking green and lush while saving money on water. It installs in minutes, letting you control your in-ground sprinkler system from anywhere using your phone. It can also automatically reschedule watering cycles when significant rainfall is in the forecast, a standout feature that performed well in our tests.
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