Summary
The Best Smart Home Devices of 2024.. Whether you want to remotely lock your doors, stream music to a smart speaker using Alexa (or Google Assistant), switch on your lights from your smartphone, or clean your floors without ever getting up, the finest smart home appliances simplify your daily tasks for ultimate convenience.
There are an increasing number of smart home brands available. In the meanwhile, gadgets may communicate with each other on any platform thanks to the universal Matter smart home protocol. However, not every smart home gadget lives up to its hype or claims to be as intelligent as it gets.
The Best Smart Home Devices of 2024
The top smart home appliances have been investigated and evaluated by us based on factors including pricing, extra features, simplicity of setup and device integration, and overall quality.
Best Smart Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Detector
Google Nest Protect Smoke & CO Alarm
The Nest Protect could be the ideal option if you’re searching for a smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector in one package. As a member of the Google Nest smart home family, it provides you with the assurance that your house is secure and interacts effortlessly with other Nest devices. When anything alarming is discovered, the Protect changes color to let you know what’s going on. It notifies you aloud where the carbon monoxide or smoke is. Additionally, it may conveniently send an alert to your phone while you’re not at home.
With its ability to detect heat, humidity, carbon monoxide, and both fast- and slow-burning flames, the Protect goes above and beyond your typical home fire alarm. If by mistake you set off the alarm—for example, while preparing dinner—you may immediately disable it using the app.
Protect also regularly checks itself to ensure that it is operating as intended. The Protect just requires a simple setup that involves screwing the base plate into the ceiling, attaching it, and then syncing it with your phone. The Protect is the greatest smart home alarm available, particularly if you already use Google Nest. Its efficiency and simplicity of use make it worth the extra money over a basic smoke alarm.
| Pros | Cons |
| Alerts both vocally and via a notification | Works better as a team than standalone |
| Performs routine self tests | Expensive, especially if you’re buying multiples |
| Easy integration with Nest products | – |
Best Smart Display with Google Assistant
Google Nest Hub 2nd Gen
With Google Assistant and a sleek, contemporary style that complements any decor, the Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen) has all the features we loved about the previous model. The Hub is compatible with thousands of smart devices and is less expensive than the Amazon Echo Show. This enables voice or button-press control over your lights, thermostat, and other smart home appliances.
With its tablet-like 7-inch screen, you can use touchscreen controls on it. You may use it to view your photos as an electronic picture book, cook as Google walks you through the recipe, or listen to music on YouTube. It’s important to note that while having a similar appearance to your tablet, it has poor app connectivity—a design flaw.
We like that the Hub functions as both a personal assistant and a control for your smart home. To make sure you don’t miss anything, personalize it by adding the weather and daily headlines, or by having it show your first appointment.
| Pros | Cons |
| Broad compatibility with smart devices | No camera |
| Great screen and stylish design | Limited compatibility with apps |
| Intuitive and easy to use | – |
Best Smart Thermostat
Google Nest Learning Thermostat
In addition to optimizing your house’s heating and cooling, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat learns your preferences and when you’re not home, making adjustments in accordance. For instance, the Nest will adjust your consumption while you’re gone to reduce your energy costs if you’re out all day. Or it will begin to do so automatically if you have a habit of turning up the heat at night in the winter. It works in tandem with Nest’s temperature sensors, which are available for separate purchase and allow the Nest to monitor and optimize heating performance.
With ease, you can operate the system from your phone and examine use records to determine how much energy you use. The Nest isn’t Apple HomeKit compatible, but for Google enthusiasts, it’s among the greatest thermostats and will transform your house’s heating and cooling systems. Many homeowners choose to have their HVAC professional install it since it might be difficult to install yourself.
Runner-Up, Best Thermostat
Ecobee Smart Thermostat with Voice Control
Thanks to its big touchscreen, Alexa connectivity, and SmartSensor—which its rival, the Nest Learning, only provides as an add-on—the Ecobee Smart Thermostat with Voice Control is a great option for all your home thermostat requirements. Use the Ecobee to regulate the temperature in your house; a useful feature for rooms equipped with a SmartSensor is that it can change the temperature depending on the number of people using the space. It does a fantastic job of maintaining consistent temperatures, making it simple to regulate the amount of heating in your house—even in difficult areas like distant bedrooms or basements.
The Ecobee display also functions as a smart speaker. It can be paired with additional speakers to improve music quality and stream Spotify via built-in Bluetooth. We also like how simple it is for the Ecobee to interface with so many other smart home systems, such as Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings, IFTTT, and Amazon. Although some people may find the size of the display screen unsettling, its simplicity of use justifies its size.
| Pros | Cons |
| Automatic temperature adjustment | Design may be a bit large for some |
| Full compatibility with Alexa | Interface can be buggy |
| SmartSensor included | – |
Best Smart Plug
Amazon Smart Plug
Any appliance or gadget, such as a coffee machine or light, may be easily upgraded to a smart device with a smart plus. Your smartphone may control the gadgets once they are connected into a smart socket. The Amazon Smart Plug, an inexpensive, user-friendly gadget that plugs into your power socket, is among the finest smart plugs available. Next, you insert your gadget into the smart socket. You may get as many as you want for your house, but keep in mind that each plug has a single outlet, which restricts how much you can use it. The small design of the plugs makes them perfect for hiding under kitchen appliances or tables.
If you currently utilize the Amazon ecosystem, the Smart Plug is your best option even if it is only compatible with Alexa. But with Alexa, you can use voice commands or digital controls to operate any device, and if you don’t already have a home hub, you can use the Amazon Alexa app. Smart plugs make it easy to manage your whole house as long as your Wi-Fi is operational. Just plug them in, connect using the app, and go. If you’re new to smart home technology, they are an excellent way to get started because of their affordability and ease of use.
| Pros | Cons |
| Affordable | Only works with Amazon Alexa |
| Simple and convenient design | Only one outlet on each smart plug |
| Supports Alexa | – |
Best Robot Vacuum
iRobot Roomba s9+ 9550 Robot Vacuum
The company’s best cleaning robot, the iRobot Roomba S9+, is priced high, but its convenience is supposed to make up for it. Robotic vacuums are becoming more popular in smart home technology since many people detest vacuuming. The S9+ takes care of housekeeping so you don’t have to, if you can get beyond the high cost: Its docking connector emptys its garbage and functions as a charger. It also eliminates the need for you to empty it after every usage since it can contain up to 30 bins of dust and debris.
The D-shaped body of the S9+, in contrast to earlier generations, makes it perfect for getting into all the nooks and crannies in your space. The robot is guided precisely around your walls by sensors utilizing a technique called PerfectEdge technology, which makes sure that no place is missed. You can set the schedule for when each room is cleaned using the iRobot app, and the robot can recognize various regions of your home thanks to Smart Mappings, which help it learn how to navigate about. With novice programmers in mind, the S9+ offers a plethora of programming and customization choices. The intended pairing for the S9+ is the Braava Jet M6 from iRobot, which cleans up after the Roomba vacuums.
| Pros | Cons |
| Holds up to 30 bins of dust | Expensive |
| D-shape body for edge cleaning |
Works best with Braava smart mop |
| Lots of options for custom programming | – |
Best Smart Mop
iRobot Ultimate Robot Mop
If most of the flooring in your house is wood or tile rather than carpet, you could find a robot map useful. The iRobot Braava Jet M6, which functions similarly to a robot vacuum but is designed for mopping purposes, is an excellent smart home appliance for wet floor cleaning. The M6 can effectively clean up to 1,000 square feet in a single session, making it ideal for clearing sticky spills, oil from the kitchen, and other messes spread over many rooms.
Its quiet operation and easy navigation make it a perfect tool for when you want to use the mop to unwind or do some work. The M6 can roam between the rooms in your home according on the cleaning schedule you select in the iRoomba app because of its smart mapping technology. Additionally, it may be coupled with the iRobot Roomba S9+ to start mopping as soon as the vacuum cleaner is done.
It’s undeniable that this is the priciest mop you will ever purchase, yet it performs really well. By doing the grunt work for you, the M6 simplifies your life. For voice control, it works with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa.
| Pros | Cons |
| Quiet and small | Big messes may require manual scrubbing |
| Great navigation skills |
Works best with Roomba S9+ |
| Can easily mop large spaces | – |
Best Smart Light System
Philips LED Smart Bulb
The Philips Hue system could be everything you need to set up a smart home lighting setup. The Hue is only one example of the hub that is necessary for a smart home lighting system, which is an investment. With up to 50 lights per hub, the Philips Hue with Bridge will allow you to manage every room in your house. With apparently unlimited possibilities to automate and customize your lighting, the Hue offers a simple setup process, an easy-to-use software, and a plethora of customization applications. With the Hue, your only limitation for your home lighting is your creativity.
One of the most well-liked house lighting systems is for good reason—users like being able to customize lightning sequences to gradually change and dim the lights throughout the day, as well as brightness, color, and time. It may take some getting used to, but using an app to control your lighting system will quickly become second nature. Despite being an investment, the Hue is an all-in-one smart lighting solution that works well for many homes.
| Pros | Cons |
| Plenty of options to automate home lighting |
Take some getting used to |
| App to customize lighting |
Pricy |
| Connect up to 50 bulbs to one hub | – |
Best Doorbell
Remo+ RemoBell S Smart Video Doorbell Camera
You can see who’s outside no matter where you are with the easy-to-install, reasonably priced Remo+ RemoBell S WiFi Video Doorbell Camera. Better more, you can communicate in both directions. This is perfect for informing your neighbor when you’ll be home or giving the postal carrier directions to drop off a box. The Remo system installs easily since it uses the wire from your doorbell.
This smart doorbell allows you to watch live video of your front entrance at any time, as well as send notifications to your phone whenever motion is detected or the bell rings. Families will find it useful since the system supports up to five users and works with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and IFTTT. If you decide to get the Remo, be aware that the software might be complicated at first, and it could take some time to become used to all of its capabilities. But in terms of utility and value for the money, this one is difficult to match given the price.
| Pros | Cons |
| Connects via your existing doorbell wiring |
Video quality isn’t always the best |
| HD video and night mode for better visibility |
App can be confusing |
| Two-way talk | – |
What to Look for When Buying Smart Home Devices
Never before have consumers had so many alternatives for smart homes.
With well-known platforms like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit, you can set up a home hub and use voice commands or button presses to manage various home appliances, vacuums, lights, and smoke alarms.
Ecosystem
When buying a gadget for your smart home, compatibility with your current setup is the most important consideration. Make sure your new devices can communicate, regardless of whether you want to use Apple’s Siri, Google Home, or Amazon Alexa as your device’s controller. This will be less of an issue once the Matter standard—which enables devices to connect across ecosystems—becomes more widely used.
Hub versus No Hub
A central hub is necessary for some devices (like the Philips Hue lighting system) to function on your Wi-Fi network. Make careful to confirm if a certain product will function directly out of the box or whether you will need to buy an extra hub.
Apps for smartphones
The majority of smart home appliances need setup using a smartphone. Before making a purchase, be sure the gadget has an app accessible for the device of your choosing.
