Once a fable, the smart home is now attainable for many. Though, since all homes are different, there’s no one-size-fits-all method for finding the best smart home devices. Our reviews of the latest smart thermostats, smart speakers, and security systems will help you figure out what’s right for you. And as smart assistants, like Amazon’s Alexa and the Google Assistant, grow in capability, we put them to task to see just how helpful they are.
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Smart ceiling light showdown: Aqara T1M versus Nanoleaf Skylight
Smart ceiling lights are finally becoming a thing and are great for lighting up your whole room with both fun and function. We compared two new options from Aqara and Nanoleaf to find out which is the best.
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Mini but mighty: Blink’s tiny, inexpensive camera can now go outdoors
The new Blink Mini 2 wired security camera is a worthwhile upgrade to the Blink Mini, adding weather resistance, a wider field of view, and person detection for around $40.
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This iPod-like button could be a great smart home controller
With customizable icons and an intuitive click wheel, the Linxura solves a big problem with smart buttons. But it needs to dial up its integrations before it’s worth your money.
The best robot vacuums
Floor-sweeping robots are only getting better, with new mopping skills, better navigation chops, and more automation, so less work for you. We picked nine of the best bots you can buy right now.
The best robot vacuum for me is the one I hacked
Robot Vacuums can be privacy nightmares. That is unless you run Valetudo.
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Yale Assure Lock 2 review: almost perfect
Yale’s latest smart locks offer something for everyone: Apple Home Key, a fingerprint reader, and compatibility with every platform. You just can’t have it all. (And there’s still no support for Thread or Matter.)
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Brilliant’s new smart home controller makes it easier to put a touchscreen on your wall
The new plug-in version of Brilliant’s wired smart switch is simpler to install and just as easy to use. But still-limited integrations keep it from being truly brilliant.
I just got review units of Amazon’s latest Alexa-powered smart speaker and will be putting them through their paces this weekend. Throw any questions you have about the newest (and cheapest) Echo at me in the comments below, and I’ll be sure to answer them in the review.
Aqara’s Video Doorbell G4 launches on Amazon today in North America and Europe for the bargain price of $120, that's $80 less than its closest HomeKit Secure Video-compatible competitor. Alongside Apple Home, the G4 works with Google Home and Amazon Alexa.
Featuring dual power sources, 1080p video, 24/7 recording capability, locally stored facial recognition, and free cloud storage, this smart buzzer ticks a lot of boxes.
Look for our full review on the site later this week.
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Amazon Echo Show 15 review: Alexa’s on your wall
This Echo Show on the wall is the fairest smart display of them all. Updates to support Fire TV, new widget options, and a better Photo Frame mode make the flagship Echo a winner.