Science

10 Gadgets to Take Your Home to the Next Level

by Tom Philip

Having a smart home isn’t all getting the news from your washer-dryer or yelling at your fridge to make a dentist appointment; there are smaller and, dare I say it, more significant ways technology can help you life your best life. And they don’t all cost a bunch of money, either. Even a modest smart home is well within the means of most people now, and it’d be silly not to make your life easier, and your home a better place to be, with just a few small, easy upgrades.

Even the smallest smart devices can change the whole game: You can turn your AC on or off with the touch of a button on your smartphone; you can watch high-definition live TV without shelling out for cable; you can even check, from the comfort of your office, how many things the dog has peed on today. We searched Amazon for the perfect smart home gadgets for everyone from the beginner to the pro.

Lumiman Smart LED WiFi Light Bulbs

No bridge hub required to connect these bulbs to your home WiFi, just plug them in and go, and experience all kinds of colors and moods.

Alternatives:

Sengled Element Classic Smart LED Light Bulbs

Novastella Smart Light Bulb

Lumiman Smart LED WiFi Light Bulbs

Ring Video Doorbell in Bronze

See who’s at your door in live HD video, and talk to them, from literally anywhere in the world. The UPS guys will never be able to ghost you again.

Alternatives:

Zmodo Greet Select WiFi Video Doorbell

Ring Video Doorbell in Bronze

Astrodot Wifi Smart Plugs, 4-Pack

Connect these to the wifi, plug them into an outlet, and turn literally any device into a smart device. That 15-year-old stereo system? You can now hit play from your phone.

Alternative:

Amazon Smart Plug

KMC 3 Pack Energy Monitoring WiFi Smart Plug

Astrodot Wifi Smart Plugs, 4-Pack

RENPHO Smart Humidifier

Humidifiers and Essential Oil Diffusers are great, but this one can be controlled from anywhere.

Alternatives:

Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier

ASAKUKI Smart WiFi Essential Oil Diffuser

RENPHO Smart Humidifier

YI 1080p Home Camera

For a home camera security system, this is by far the cheapest we’ve found that still functions as a reliable and easy to use home camera.

Alternatives:

Wansview Wireless 1080P Security Camera

YI 1080p Home Camera

Amazon Echo Dot

The best-selling smart speaker is best-selling for a reason. Connect it with other smart devices and you can dim light, close the blinds, and play music with just a simple voice command.

Amazon Echo Dot

KMC 3 Pack Wi-Fi Smart Plugs

Another set of smart plugs, in case the last set didn’t do it for ya.

KMC 3 Pack Wi-Fi Smart Plugs

Philips Hue Go

The Hue Go is Philip’s answer to the humble table lamp. It can be set at an angle or upright, has a ton of colors and modes to choose from, and doesn’t require a bridge to work.

Philips Hue Go

Nest Learning Thermostat

Because your current thermostat REFUSES to learn that you don’t like when it’s suddenly 95 degrees at 5am.

Nest Learning Thermostat

Toshiba 43-inch 4K Smart LED TV

Smart TVs have been around for a while, but can you honestly say you’ve seen a better-priced 4K TV from a big brand in your life?

Toshiba 43-inch 4K Smart LED TV 

110