Elevate your traditional home into an interactive, intelligent haven by embracing cutting-edge smart home devices. Whether you’re seeking enhanced accessibility for convenience and energy conservation, or just a tech enthusiast looking to create a vibrant atmosphere, there’s a solution for you.
To embark on this journey, a smart hub is your starting point. Many opt for top-notch smart displays and smart speakers, which serve as command centers to effortlessly manage all your interconnected devices. These hubs come equipped with voice assistants such as Amazon’s Alexa, Apple’s Siri, or Google’s Google Assistant, which respond to your voice commands, enabling you to control devices and stay updated on weather conditions.
Once you’ve integrated one of these hubs, you can take control of your energy usage, scheduling your smart lights to automatically turn off at specific times or set the mood with a soothing blue glow. Enhance your home security with the finest home surveillance cameras and intelligent locks. Additionally, you can convert non-smart appliances into smart ones by plugging them into high-quality smart plugs and switches.
We diligently curate a selection of the best smart devices, factoring in pricing, features, and specifications, to assist you in finding the perfect additions to enhance your living space.
Top Picks for Smart Home Devices in 2024
- Best Smart Lighting Device – Lepro B1 Smart Bulbs
- Best Smart Speaker – Amazon Echo Studio
- Best Home Security Camera – Arlo Pro 4
- Best Smart Plug – Eve Energy
- Best Video Doorbell – Eufy Video Doorbell 2K
Lepro B1 AI Smart Light Bulbs
The Lepro B1 Smart Light Bulb stands out as a highly versatile lighting solution, offering a wide array of features to enhance your smart home experience. Its intuitive smartphone app makes it a breeze to adjust brightness, and color temperature, and create custom lighting schedules. Moreover, this smart bulb seamlessly integrates with your smart home ecosystem, providing compatibility with voice control through the Lepro+ APP or Alexa.
What truly sets the B1 Smart Light Bulb apart is its innovative facial recognition capability. Utilizing the Lepro app, you can upload a selfie, and the advanced LightGPT technology analyzes your facial expressions to intelligently suggest lighting settings that align perfectly with your mood. This personalized lighting experience adds an element of sophistication and convenience to your home.
In addition, the B1 Smart Light Bulb simplifies group control, making it effortless to manage multiple Lepro E26 smart bulbs for various scenes or rooms. Furthermore, you can share control permissions for Lepro smart light bulbs with family members, offering them greater control freedom compared to other brands with single-device restrictions.
In summary, the Lepro B1 Smart Light Bulb offers outstanding value for your investment and is a must-have for any smart home enthusiast. With its extensive range of features and user-friendly design, this E26 smart light bulb from Lepro is certain to elevate your smart home experience.
Amazon Echo Studio
For years, we gave smart speakers a pass in the audio department because we thought it was impossible for a speaker to be both smart and deliver excellent sound quality. That was until we encountered the Amazon Echo Studio.
In the Echo Studio, Amazon has crafted its most remarkable smart speaker to date. This speaker not only boasts smart home and voice assistant technology but also incorporates intelligent audio enhancements. At its best, it immerses you in a three-dimensional audio experience, breathing new life into your favorite songs. And that’s not all; it can seamlessly connect to your Amazon Fire TV devices to provide a more captivating audio experience.
Furthermore, the Echo Studio doubles as a ZigBee hub, facilitating seamless integration with thousands of smart home devices straight out of the box, making it a perfect choice for any smart home enthusiast.
Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera
Arlo has earned its popularity among those who prioritize home security. While the Arlo Pro 4 may not offer 4K resolution like its pricier counterparts, the quality remains quite impressive at 2K, delivering detailed footage suitable for most needs.
This camera can be directly connected to your Wi-Fi, eliminating the need for a base station, making it a more cost-effective choice. However, if you desire HomeKit support, you will need that base station, in addition to its Alexa and Google Assistant integration.
During testing, the Arlo Pro 4 consistently recorded clear, detailed footage in full color, both day and night, thanks to its built-in spotlight, which also serves as a deterrent to potential intruders. Automatic zooming and motion tracking ensure that any activity is not only detected but also tracked.
Unfortunately, some of its smart features aimed at reducing unnecessary alerts require a monthly subscription, although it does include a three-month trial.
Eve Energy Smart Plug
In every smart home, a smart plug is a fundamental component, simplifying home automation. However, the Eve Energy smart plug offers more than just control over plugged-in devices. It also provides energy usage monitoring and estimates the cost of powering specific devices in your home, making it an excellent choice for those seeking energy efficiency and cost savings.
This smart plug uses Bluetooth, but if you have a HomePod Mini or an Apple TV in your home, it can also utilize Thread, a wireless technology integrated into the plug. More stable than Wi-Fi, Thread ensures reliable communication with smart home devices. Unfortunately, the Eve Energy smart plug exclusively supports HomeKit and is not compatible with Alexa or Google Assistant.
During testing, it proved to be responsive and offered a range of convenient features, including the ability to set schedules, making it our top choice in the smart plug market.
Eufy Wi-Fi Video Doorbell 2K
When it comes to the best video doorbell, our recommendation is the Eufy Video Doorbell 2K, striking the perfect balance between affordability, reliability, and performance.
In tests, it consistently captured clear, detailed footage during both daytime and nighttime, with a 4:3 aspect ratio that provides a broad view of your doorstep. The best part is that it can be used without a subscription, as it allows you to store video recordings on the 16GB of memory within the included base station, which typically holds about two weeks’ worth of footage.
This battery-powered doorbell is a great choice if you’re renting and can’t replace the existing doorbell, as it operates wirelessly with the help of a hub that connects to your router. It can be easily installed on any outdoor surface and remains operational for up to six months on a single charge. However, please note that the battery is not swappable, so the doorbell will be temporarily out of commission when recharging is necessary. Additionally, it does not support HomeKit.
What to Consider When Purchasing Smart Home Devices
Embarking on the journey of building your smart home is an exciting endeavor, but it’s crucial to carefully consider various factors before delving in.
First and foremost, choose the voice assistant that best suits your needs and your household. Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple’s HomeKit each have their unique advantages and limitations. Keep in mind that not all smart devices are compatible with all assistants. If you already have a preference or currently own smart home devices, this should influence your decision.
For instance, if you own a Ring doorbell, you’ll likely benefit most from an Alexa-driven smart home. Likewise, a Nest security camera seamlessly integrates with Google Assistant. You can accomplish this integration through a smart speaker or display. Our comprehensive guide on designing your smart home can assist you in identifying the perfect smart home ecosystem for your needs.
Additionally, consider the installation process. Some devices, like smart light bulbs, can be easily installed by yourself, while others, such as smart thermostats, might require a professional visit. Think about whether you are contemplating smart electrical sockets or other more complex installations.
Finally, assess whether you need a central smart home hub to facilitate device compatibility or if your existing smart speakers or smart displays can handle this task. Alternatively, online services like IFTTT can enable compatible devices to work together for specific automation tasks without the need for a hub.
Are Smart Homes Worth It?
Even after reading this article, you may still wonder if building a smart home is worth the effort. Constructing an automated home demands time, patience, and sometimes, a financial investment. However, the end result is a significantly more convenient and efficient lifestyle.
If you remain uncertain, consider taking a gradual approach by starting with affordable and easy-to-install devices. Smart plugs, for example, are an excellent choice as they simply connect to your existing electrical outlets, allowing you to automate everything from lighting to appliances. With your smartphone, you can control these devices, and once you’ve experienced the convenience of turning off the lights from your sofa, you won’t want to go back to a traditional home.
As you become more comfortable with smart technology, introduce a smart speaker or smart display to the mix. These devices enable you to use your voice to control your smart home gadgets and establish basic home automation.
For those prone to forgetfulness, the ability to remotely switch off the coffee maker, hair straighteners, or even the lights you accidentally left on without returning home adds a layer of ease to your daily life. It ensures that you’re not only saving energy but also managing your expenses more efficiently.
