USA Today editors reviewed some of the hottest smart home products out on the market now to find the ones that consumers will like most, from smart light bulbs and garage door controllers to voice assistants and thermostats. In this article, Daniel Wroclawski presents seven that consumers will love having in their home:
1. Ring Video Doorbell
The Ring Video Doorbell is one of my favorite smart home devices. It works as a doorbell, motion sensor, security camera, and a two-way intercom to speak with guests. And the best part of installation is that it can work of an existing doorbell power line. I installed two at a family vacation home and they’re a great way to keep tabs who is coming and going when we’re not there—like our neighbor’s dog Max, who occasionally wanders by.
2. Chamberlain MyQ Garage Door Controller
I don’t know about you, but I frequently forget whether I’ve closed my garage door. And with this Chamberlain MyQ controller, you can check and close (or open) the door from anywhere. I’ve used the actual MyQ garage door openers, but this $99 controller will work with just about any modern garage door opener.
3. Amazon Echo Dot
Alexa is the queen bae of the smart home. The virtual assistant can control just about any connected gadget—from lights to robot vacuums. And I personally prefer Dot over the full-size Echo simply due to the price. At $49, the Echo Dot is a steal. And if you own speakers, you can connect the Dot via hard wire or Bluetooth for better sound output.
4. LIFX A19 Smart Bulb
I’m not a big fan of smart bulbs. All it takes is one flip of a light switch to cut the power and make them dumb again. But I have tested many smart bulbs, and my personal favorite is the LIFX smart bulb. You can change the bulb to any color imaginable, as well as just about any temperature of white light. It can also be controlled with your voice through Alexa, which feels like magic the first time you try it. But perhaps my favorite thing about this bulb is that it doesn’t require a hub to use it.
5. Switchmate
This clever little switch is a great alternative to hard wiring in new smart switches—and you don’t need to know anything about wiring, or hire an electrician. It magnetically sits on top of a “dumb” switch and will turn the switch on and off for you via Bluetooth. At at just $29.97, it’s definitely worth trying out. New integration with the $99 Wink Hub 2, means you can even control Switchmate remotely.
6. Ecobee3 Smart Thermostat with Remote Sensor
Here’s my smart home hot take: The Nest thermostat is overrated. For the same amount of money, the Ecobee3 comes with a remote sensor that you can put in another area of your home to better balance heating throughout your home. It also works with both Alexa and Siri, whereas the Nest works with Alexa and Google Home. And if you don’t care for the extra sensor, you can get the Ecobee 3 Lite Thermostat for just $168.95 on Amazon, which offers significant savings compared to the Nest.
7. Samsung SmartThings Hub
Last, but not least, I want to mention the SmartThings Hub. I’m always asked what the purpose of a smart home hub is—and I could bore you with the technical details—but I’m not going to go there. Instead, I want to tell you the advantage of connecting everything via a hub, and it’s rather simple—you can control just about everything in your home from ONE app. SmartThings doesn’t work with everything, including a couple of the products on this list, but it does offer a robust ecosystem and a compelling way to connect all your devices. I installed one at home and I absolutely love it. It’s not perfect, but it makes managing your home (dare I say it?) fun.
