12 smart-home gifts that people actually want

Building a smart home can be rewarding, but knowing which pieces to get (and in what order) can be daunting. If you’re the techy one in your family, save your family and friends the stress by getting them smart-home gifts they’re actually going to use. Whether they’re interested in home security or just want to be able to turn on their lights without having to flick a switch, we’ve got the right recommendations.

Amazon Echo

Smart-home accessories can always be controlled using an app on an iPhone or Android phone, but it’s a lot cooler to use your voice instead. The Amazon Echo smart speaker lets you control smart-home accessories using Alexa, Amazon’s smart-home assistant. Once everything is configured, you can say commands like “Alexa, turn off bedroom lights,” and watch as the smart light bulbs (more on them next) shut down. Alexa can also be used to set timers, play music, get answers to questions, and even send audio messages to other Echo speakers.

Few smart home devices offer the sheer convenience upgrade that comes with a smart lock. This smart door lock can remotely indicate whether or not the door is locked, so no more worrying when you leave the house. If the door does happen to be unlocked, this smart setup can lock it with a single tap. The Assure Lock 2 can also be unlocked using a programmed code, fingerprint, or physical key. One of the best reasons to gift a smart door lock is the additional peace of mind that comes with it. Your giftee will get a notification each time their door has been unlocked—and by whom, if they’re using a specific numeric code—so they’ll know if someone has gotten inside. Yale also offers a Lever Lock smart lock, in case their door is configured that way.

GE Cync Dynamic Effects Smart Light Bulbs (2-Pack)

Smart light bulbs are the most practical smart-home gift you can give because they’re the easiest to install. This two-pack of smart light bulbs from GE’s Cync line will screw into any standard-sized light fixture without any adapters or special tools. Once they’re installed, the lights can be turned on and off, dimmed, or set to one of up to four million colors using the Cync app. One underrated feature is the ability to turn lights on and off at a set schedule, which comes in handy if you install the light bulbs outdoors and want them to turn on and off at dusk and dawn, respectively.

Nest Learning Thermostat

A smart-home gift should have a material impact on the person you’re giving it to, and the latest generation of Nest’s Learning Thermostat checks that box. The thermostat can be controlled via a smartphone app, but its best feature is its ability to learn when you’re home and when you’re not. This allows it to manage your HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system as efficiently as possible. By running your heating and cooling systems less often, this thermostat could help lower the utility bill. This generation of the Nest Learning Thermostat comes with a temperature sensor. If you have a room that’s always too hot or cool, this sensor can help the thermostat know when that room needs a little more attention.

Eureka J20 Robot Vacuum

Nobody wants to clean their floors, and you can spare someone in your life from having to do that chore ever again with Eureka’s J20. The robot vacuum and mop will scan the entire floor of a home and intelligently clean it as efficiently as possible. The J20 can be set to run on a set schedule or begin a cleaning session on command, all through Eureka’s app. The best part is that it’ll automatically return to its charging dock when its dust or water tank gets too dirty. This automatic emptying system makes cleaning the J20 as hands-free as possible. This is an ultra-luxe gift, but one that’ll save the person you gift it to a lot of time each week.

Ring Battery Doorbell Plus

Ring’s Battery Doorbell Plus is another excellent smart-home security gift to give this holiday season. The HD camera will alert the owner’s smartphone each time its motion sensor is tripped or its button is pushed. A microphone and speaker system will allow them to communicate with whoever’s at the front door. The camera can record video in 1536P (better than high definition) and capture a taller field of view. A night vision mode is turned on automatically once the sun goes down to ensure it captures a clear picture 24 hours a day. We choose the Battery Doorbell Plus as a gift over other Ring models because it doesn’t require existing doorbell wiring for installation.

Blink Indoor Wireless Security Camera (2-Pack)

Our final smart-home security gift recommendation is a pair of Blink’s Indoor Wireless Security Cameras. These battery-powered cameras can be installed out of sight, so anyone snooping around will be less likely to notice them. Each camera runs on a pair of AA batteries, and Blink says they can run for up to two years without being swapped out. The Blink cameras will notify the owner each time their motion sensor has been tripped. A microphone and speaker system will allow them to speak with anyone in their home at any time, too. Blink offers its smart security cameras in larger bundles, which may be necessary in larger homes, but this set of two is perfect for keeping an eye on the front and back doors.

TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug (4-Pack)

If you know someone who likes the idea of a smart home but doesn’t feel comfortable replacing their perfectly fine appliances and gadgets with newer models, get them this four-pack of smart plugs. This accessory will allow them to turn whatever is plugged into them on or off. This could mean turning on the coffee maker when they get up in the morning or a lamp across the room when they want to read in the evenings. TP-Link designed its smart plugs to be small enough that two could be used next to one another. Smart plugs require a little creativity to use effectively, but the possibilities they offer are part of what makes them a great gift.

GE Profile Smart Indoor Smoker

GE’s Profile Smart Indoor Smoker is the high-tech kitchen gadget your friend or family member didn’t know they needed. The pellet smoker intelligently and automatically manages smoke inside the smoker using fans while spent pellets fall into a water bath. This system keeps the smell of smoke from getting out while bathing the food in it. Presets for different types of food (wings, ribs, brisket) make it easy to dial in the appropriate settings for whatever you’re cooking. However, you can control the smoker’s temperature, time, and smoke level manually. This smoker works with GE’s SmartHQ smartphone app, which allows you to start and monitor cooks remotely.

Breville the Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro

Breville’s Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is the ultimate countertop appliance, and it’ll immediately become the sous chef for anyone you gift it to. The smart oven has specific modes for both cooking styles (baking, broiling, toasting, proofing, air frying) and foods (cookies and pizza,) so it can be used in almost any situation. Breville says it designed this smart oven to cook foods in 30 percent less time by independently controlling six quartz elements. The Air Fryer Pro works with the Breville+ app, which offers over 1,000 guided recipes. This countertop appliance is so powerful that your giftee may not have to turn their full-sized oven on more than a handful of times yearly.

Rachio 3: 8 Zone Smart Sprinkler Controller

We all know someone obsessed with keeping their lawn in pristine shape, and you can lend them a hand by gifting the Rachio 3. This 8-Zone Smart Sprinkler Controller will allow them to intelligently and independently manage the sprinklers in different parts of their lawn. Rachio’s app will tell them the current soil moisture percentage, along with the last time that sprinkler system has been run. Once they’re armed with that information, they can start or schedule the sprinklers to go off as appropriate. The Rachio 3’s best feature is that it can keep track of the weather and skip scheduled waterings if it’s rained recently. The company says the Rachio 3 is compatible with 99 percent of existing sprinkler controllers and can be installed in about a half hour. Help your friend or family member have the healthiest lawn on the block without having to lift more than a finger.

Hisense 65U8N

Hisense’s U8N is an incredible smart TV that deserves to be the crown jewel of any home theater system. The U8N runs on the Google TV operating system, allowing you to quickly access any major streaming services. Dedicated buttons on the TV’s remote allow you to launch the most popular services with the push of a button, great for all ages. The U8N supports Dolby Vision IQ HDR, so the colors of properly mastered movies, TV shows, and games will really pop. Dedicated IMAX and Filmmaker modes will allow you to see video the way producers and editors intended while making their movies and shows. The U8N’s 144Hz VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) panel makes the U8N an excellent choice for gamers who need the highest levels of fidelity to play games at top speed. Hisense even built a 2.1.2 speaker system in the TV, so both stereo and Dolby Atmos audio sounds great. Anyone using an older TV or smaller screen will be blown away by what Hisense’s U8N has to offer.

 

PopSci’s Guide to Cyber Monday

The best Cyber Monday sales, deals, and everything else you need to know. Our team spends hundreds of collective hours searching and evaluating every deal we can find online, focusing on well-made and reviewed products for prices that make sense.