Find the best smart home devices with our buying guides. Compare cameras, lights, plugs, and more to make the right choice.
Every smart bulb roundup on the internet ranks bulbs by brightness, color count, and price. None of that matters if the bulb can’t join whatever app already runs your house. A premium Philips Hue bulb and a bargain-bin no-name Wi-Fi bulb both make light. The question that actually decides which one you should buy is … Read more
Most “best smart plugs” roundups start with brand names and work backward. Start with protocol instead. A plug’s price and looks matter less than whether it actually talks to the app or voice assistant you already use, and whether it still works in five years or turns into a paperweight the day the manufacturer’s servers … Read more
Ring sells more doorbells than any one household needs, and the lineup keeps moving. In March 2026 Ring replaced its entire battery doorbell range with 2nd-generation models – a 4K Pro at the top, a redesigned 2K Plus in the middle, and a cheaper base model underneath. The wired side got its own shuffle too. … Read more
Most people overthink smart thermostats. The real question is simple: do you want a learning thermostat that figures out your schedule, or do you want remote control and not much else? The answer narrows the field considerably. Ecobee Enhanced Smart Thermostat Best Overall Smart Thermostat 4.6 Works natively with HomeKit, Alexa, and Google Home SmartSensor … Read more
A smoke detector that does not connect to anything is still better than nothing – but when you travel or spend time away from home, you get zero warning about problems until you walk back in. Smart smoke detectors fix that. The question is which one is worth the price premium over a $15 unit … Read more
Ring is fine. It’s also subscription-dependent, Alexa-centric, and not particularly private. Once you see what else is out there, the reasons to default to Ring get thinner – and the reason that actually gets you to switch is usually one specific thing, not a general dissatisfaction. So let’s start there. Why Look Beyond Ring Ring’s … Read more
Blink’s claim of two-year battery life is real – but only if you use lithium AAs. Put alkalines in a Blink camera and you’ll be climbing a ladder to swap batteries twice a year instead of once every two years. The chemistry matters more than the brand. If you want the full walkthrough on swapping … Read more
Smart doorbells deliver real value from day one. You stop missing deliveries, you can talk to whoever’s at the door without opening it, and you have footage if anything goes wrong. The question isn’t whether to get one – it’s which one fits your setup and how much you’re willing to pay for cloud storage … Read more