16 Best Smart Home Devices & Gadgets of 2024
Smart home devices you’ll wish you had sooner
Imagine a world where all your home’s devices work together to make your life easier. Your coffee maker turns on automatically. Your thermostat warms up the house when your alarm goes off. Your floors are kept clean by ambitious little bots. With the right smart home devices, you can have this (and much more!) as your reality.
Smart speakers, smart TVs, smart thermostats, smart alarm clocks and many more smart home devices are the perfect addition to any home, and they make great tech gifts too. We’ve rounded up the best of the best in every category, so all you have to do is scroll through and pick what you need. You’re welcome!
What is a smart home device?
A smart home device is a device that can be controlled using an app. Some can be connected to Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa or Siri, and they can often be voice-controlled too.
What makes these devices really cool, other than the fact that you can control them without getting off your couch, is that you can connect them. When connected, they can be scheduled to perform tasks at certain times of the day—on their own or together. For example, when you leave for work, you could have your coffee pot turn off, your smart vacuum bot start cleaning, your smart lights turn off and your smart locks lock up.
While there are a number of smart home brands, a few are more popular than others (and for good reason):
- Alexa
- Ring
- Philips
- WeMo
- Nest
- Roomba
What to consider when buying a smart device
The biggest factor to consider when shopping for smart home devices? How they will all connect. If you choose products that aren’t compatible, you won’t be able to set them up to work together as part of a larger routine.
The best smart home system works with what you already use. So, if you have a Google Assistant, choose products that are compatible with that. Same for an Alexa. Products that are IFTTT (If This Then That) compatible are the most flexible and work with just about any smart home products via a single app. Just like with devices that are compatible with Google or Alexa, devices will list if they are IFTTT compatible in their product information.
How we chose the best smart home devices
Our picks are backed by more than a decade of research into smart home products and hands-on testing in real-life situations. We also considered user reviews and industry insights when choosing the top products, so you can be sure these products will last and do exactly what they claim—including making your life easier.
Winners list
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If you’re looking to get your feet wet with smart home devices, the WeMo Smart Plug is a great option. “This is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to branch into smart home tech,” says tech consultant Stephanie Duchaine Montgomery.
Simply plug it into an outlet and you can control any device—lamps, fans, curling irons—from your iPhone anytime, anywhere, with the Apple Home app or by using Siri or Apple HomeKit. That means you can check to see if you accidentally left your flat iron plugged in or turn off random devices on standby mode to slash energy bills. Plus, the WeMo Smart Plug’s “Away Mode” turns on and off lights in your house randomly to make it seem like you’re home when you’re on vacation.
Pros:
- Pairs with all Apple HomeKit devices
- Inexpensive
- Quick installation
Con:
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