As smart home technology advances, more tech-savvy gadgets are finding their way into our daily lives. From smart assistants to robots who help you with chores, the list is never-ending!
Did you know? Over 65% of U.S. households have at least one smart living product, whereas 12% have multiple units!
Some use them for convenience, while others deploy larger systems that help them monitor their house, lower their utility bills, and provide an extra layer of security.
Why should you be left behind? Join the bandwagon by viewing the best smart living products and gadgets in the list below!
Best Products: At a Glance
Smart living products are gadgets and applications which can be controlled remotely/automatically. Users can modify most of these devices using their smartphones or computers, which saves not only time but also energy consumption. Here is a list of the best smart products you must add to your cart to take your house a notch above the others.
| Category | Product Name | Key Specs | Buying Link |
| Smart Home Assistant | Amazon Echo | ● Speaker/AI assistant
● Add notes/reminders/control other smart gadgets |
Check it out here |
| Smart Bulb | Philips Hue Iris Lamp | ● Automated lighting
● Voice assistant compatible |
Check it out here |
| Cleaning | Roborock S7+ | ● Automatic cleaning
● Edge detection ● 3D house mapping |
Check it out here |
| Video Surveillance | Mi Security Camera | ● 1080p FHD video
● 360 Vision |
|
| House Security | Haven | ● Aluminum chassis
● Prevent unwanted entry |
|
| Video Surveillance | Ring Alarm Pro | ● Built-in Wi-Fi router
● 1500 sq. ft. coverage |
Check it out here |
| Electronics | Wipro Smart Plug | ● Has voice control feature
● Schedule on and off |
Check it out here |
| Pets | Eufy Pet Camera | ● 16 gb local storage
● Pet detection feature |
Check it out here |
| Electronics | Nolii Battery System | ● Magnetic plug and power bank system
● Fast charging compatible |
Check it out here |
| Smart Wearables | Oura Ring | ● Water resistant
● 27/4 heart rate monitoring |
Check it out here/ |
| Electronics | Levitating Lightbulb | ● Energy efficient
● Wireless power transmission |
Check it out here |
| Speakers | Ampere Shower Speaker | ● 10m bluetooth range
● IPX6 waterproof rating |
Check it out here |
| Sleep tracking | Withings Sleep Tracking Pad | ● Detects snoring
● Automatic Wi-Fi syncing |
Check it out here |
| Electronics | Fingerbot | ● 6 months battery life
● Works with google assistant |
Check it out here |
| Plants & Greens | Lua Smart Plant Pot | ● Built-in sensors for regular updates | Check it out here |
| Smart Remote | Sevenhugs Smart Remote X | ● In-built point and click feature
● Voice control enabled |
Check it out here |
| Home decor | Atmoph Window | ● 27-inch high contrast display
● 2GB memory |
Check it out here |
| Smart Security System | ADT Command | ● Encrypted alarm sensors
● Panel camera |
Check it out here |
| Smart Lights | Philips Hue Color Ambiance | ● 16 million color combinations
● Syncs with music and games |
Check it out here |
| Thermostat | Ecobee Smart Thermostat | ● Siri and Alexa-compatible
● Built-in occupancy sensor to adjust temperature |
Check it out here |
List of Best Products for Smart Living
Below are some of the best smart gadgets sorted by category and functionality. While some of these might help bring down your energy bills, others simply work to enhance the functionality of the space you put them in. Dive in to know more!
Amazon Echo
Are you looking for a good speaker with great bass and Alexa compatibility? If yes, Amazon Echo is your item to purchase. The Echo 4th gen brings great functionality and also doubles as a smart home speaker. Weighing just under a kilogram (986g), it takes up an area of 144 x 144 x 133mm.
The fourth iteration of smart speakers by Amazon brings a round design with a glowing ring at the bottom that lights up whenever you call for the device. The Alexa app is available on both iOS and Android. You can do things like controlling your home devices, getting weather updates, playing music, and much more.
The back of the speaker houses an aux and a power input, via which you can also add this device to your existing setup. The microphones are perfectly tuned and do not sound too grainy even if you play the music at full volume. It has three drivers, which are amped at 20mm and 76mm.
Keep in mind that even though this device comes equipped with Bluetooth 5.0, it is not a portable speaker and will require you to plug it into a power outlet. Another downside is the Alexa app, which might seem quite gimmicky.
If you want an alternative to this speaker, you can look towards the Apple HomePod mini, which has superior sound quality and many features for iOS users.
Philips Hue Iris Lamp
Remodel boring interiors with the Philips Hue Iris Lamp! Designed to be used as a highlight/backlight, this is one of the best lamps that you can get in the sub-$100 category. It boasts a wide color gamut of 16 million colors and offers a 570-lumen brightness output.
What makes it smart is its ability to be controlled with your phone. Kicking things off with the design, this lamp comes in two colors: black and white. The base is made up of plastic along with an aluminum lining along the tube and a fabric-wrapped cord. It measures around 8 x 7.4 inches.
With a rated lifetime of 25,000 hours, this lamp features a built-in 16 million color LED bulb, which can produce 570 lumens of brightness (for perspective, 1 lumen equals the light output of 1 candle).
Unlike the previous model that required a Hue Bridge for wireless operation, the Hue Iris Lamp has a dedicated app called the Hue BT app, which is available on both iOS and Android. Once you are in range, the app lets you program different routines in which the lamp will gradually fade out as you wind down to sleep.
It doesn’t have built-in Wi-Fi, so you will need to put in another $60 for the Hue Bridge if you want to control the device when you are outside your house.
Roborock S7+
Gone are the days when robots were full of bugs; with the Roborock S7+, the Beijing-based brand has proved the value of AI and 3D mapping in our daily lives. Our busy schedules often prevent us from properly cleaning our house. This situation gets even worse for those who have pets and kids around.
Even though it is quite expensive, this is the only robot cleaner that can vacuum and mop your floor at the same time. When it detects a carpet, the S7+ automatically raises 0.2 inches above its normal level. It has a self-emptying bin and impeccable obstacle avoidance, thanks to the LiDAR sensor it ships with.
According to Roborock, the 5,200 mAh battery can last about 180 minutes, provided you are in quiet mode.
It has four power levels: Quiet, balanced, turbo, and max, and reaches a maximum suction pressure of 2,500Pa. It is also quite large (13.9-inch diameter, 3.8-inch height), which helps it effectively clean an area as large as 1000 square feet in about 60 minutes.
You can control the device and view the saved maps using the Roborock app, which can be controlled with all voice assistants. In the safety department, Roborock comes with a carpet and a cliff sensor to keep it from tumbling down the stairs. You also get a 3-liter disposable dust bag with an auto-empty dock within the package.
Its sensor helps it map the entire flooring of your house for tailored cleaning. You can also set up virtual fences and no-entry zones from the mobile app.
Mi Security Camera
A reliable security device is essential for every house. If you are considering buying a security camera for your office or your house, the Mi security camera offers interesting best features. This 360-degree rotating security camera is designed in such a way that it can be installed on any kind of surface.
Once activated, the device gives you a voice notification and allows you to access the captured footage on its Xiaomi Home App, which is available on both Play Store and App Store. The app also guides you through the installation process and allows you to access live feed anytime and anywhere.
The device offers a 2.0-megapixel camera with 1080 FHD picture quality and an f/2.1 aperture, which renders laser-sharp footage even at night.
One of the most unique and useful features of the Mi security camera is its Talkback feature. This feature allows the user to talk to people in the area where the camera is installed. The speakers used for this feature are also of very good quality so that one user can listen to the other one clearly.
Mi makes use of its advanced architecture to reduce bandwidth by 50% and increase nighttime sensitivity. It supports both Network Attached Storage and microSD cards up to 64 GB.
Haven
Smart door locks with wireless connection capabilities have seen major advances in recent years, but nothing comes close to the Haven Smart Lock. Haven Lock’s goal is to make your door more secure and allow keyless entry.
Conventional keyed deadbolts easily break in three to four kicks, but with this smart lock, it’s almost impossible. As soon as the lock is activated, a military-grade wedge blocks the entrance from swinging open and prevents the intruders from entering.
In the official testing, this lock withstood 50 full-strength kicks compared to an average deadbolted door’s three to four kicks. It adds reinforcement across an 11-inch section rather than a single point on the door. You can unlock your door manually and remotely via the smartphone app.
Keep in mind that it is only compatible with doors that swing inwards and surfaces like hardwood, vinyl, concrete, and tile. As for dual doors, you can place the Haven in the middle of an opening. You also get mobile notifications for any attempts of forced entry.
With the Bluetooth key fob or the mobile app, you can let visitors or delivery guys in while you are away. Here are the step-by-step instructions to set up the device.
Ring Alarm Pro
A home protection alarm is your best bet if you wish to keep your home safe from robbery or any other kind of danger. Ring Alarm Pro is one of the most trusted house alarms that not only comes with some very useful features, but is also an affordable option for your pocket.
The device comes with a security kit, which includes a fast eero Wi-Fi 6 router, network security, and the 8 pieces of alarm cubes that cover the security of your whole house.
When you buy the system, you get a motion detector, Z-wave Wi-Fi extender, 4 window sensors, a keypad, and a router. The alarms ring without any network drops regardless of the floors you place them at.
It offers built-in Wi-Fi 6 in case the power goes kaput, along with features like Alexa Guard Plus and local storage compatibility for easily accessing your device.
Alexa Guard Plus allows you to track eerie sounds like glass breaking or footsteps while you are away. You will have to opt in to their subscription if you want to enjoy some high-end features. The Basic version costs $3 a month, while the Protect Pro variant is priced at $20 per month.
Wipro Smart Plug
Being able to keep track of the energy consumption statistics of all your devices is quite handy, especially if you are looking to lower your electricity bills. This is now possible with the Wipro Smart Plug. This small device definitely packs a punch for the affordable price it comes at.
You can remotely control when a certain device is powered on/off by connecting it to this smart socket, which can be connected directly to the main plug. Wipro has built an app called the ‘Wipro Smart Home App’ via which you can control your appliances even when you are far away. For instance, imagine being able to turn on the AC when you are about to reach your place.
One of the most loved features is the ‘set schedules’ feature. When using this, you can regulate and pre-determine the timings when a certain device is turned on, for example: Being able to turn on your lamp for a set time, say 8 pm – 10 pm automatically.
The app also lets you monitor the energy consumed by any device you connect to this plug and even gives you reminders if you forget to turn off a device.
It only comes in a 3-pin configuration for now and is offered in white color with a polycarbonate body.
Eufy Pet Camera
Eufy has made keeping an eye on your beloved pets incredibly easy with their Pet camera. It even lets you toss treats to them while you are away!
This camera brings all the advanced features of other Eufy cameras and offers some pet-centric features such as bark detection and two-way audio on top. As for the treat dispenser, you just need to fill the container once and choose from three ejection intensities.
It has an anti-clog design that prevents any blockage and can take up any treat ranging from 6-16mm in size. Using the Eufy pet app, you can also play a pet toy noise before dispensing any treats to get your pet excited.
The camera offers crystal clear imaging, thanks to the 1080p sensor. You can rotate it and get a wide field of view spanning across 270 degrees. The camera also has 16 gigabytes of additional storage built in, so you do not have to spend more on SD cards.
Another nice touch is the ‘daily dear diary,’ which compiles the footage from an entire day into a 1-minute highlight. Last but not the least, there are features like bark detection and alerts for when your pet poops on the floor.
Nolii Battery System
When a product is featured in one of the most popular tech YouTuber’s videos, you know it’s something worthwhile. Are you tired of carrying the same old boxy and boring charging bricks around? Enter the Nolii Battery System!
This battery system comes in three minimalistic finishes: blue, gray, and orange. There is a textured finish on top for a premium look. You also get a power bank, which can be attached to the primary brick and has enough capacity to charge an iPhone 12/11 up to two times.
You will find a smartly integrated lightning cable on the brick, so you do not have to carry one! The plug gets attached to the power bank magnetically, ensuring smooth and optimized battery charging. The charging device has a USB port on top as well, which you can use to power another device simultaneously.
Oura Ring
Fitness bands are useful but not ideal for formal occasions and are even prone to fall damage/scratches. The Oura ring 3.0 aims to solve this problem and provide easy activity tracking.
Oura ring calls for a $6 per month subscription and offers a six-month free membership to new users. With this subscription, you can gain detailed fitness insights and view contextual information and ‘mindfulness’-related media.
Do not let the small size fool you; this ring comes with all the bells and whistles. You get sensors for tracking temperature, respiration rate, heart rate, and even an accelerometer. The design is totally plain on the outside, whereas the titanium surface is coated with a PVD coating.
Keep in mind that since this device misses out on built-in GPS, you will always need your mobile phone to be around if you want the tracking features to work properly.
This ring can effortlessly withstand heavy workouts and is rated to be water-resistant up to 100 meters of depth. As for the battery life, you can expect this ring to last around 5-6 days on a single charge, which is quite impressive given the size.
Additional features include daily recovery assessment, blood oxygen measurement, and active calorie burn.
Levitating Light Bulb
Not all smart gadgets have to add functionality, some are made to be downright cool, and this bulb is the perfect example of it! Using a combination of an innovative design and combining them with a device as simple as a light bulb, you get something that is definitely a head-turner for anyone who walks into your room.
The bulb is rated for a light-up time of 50,000 hours, which is the equivalent of almost 6 hours a day for 22 years, speaking for efficiency and quality. The design is really simple, with a base and a stand that crawls upwards and houses the bulb, which floats through magnets and electromagnetic fields. Fascinating, right?
This technology was invented by Nikola Tesla, a world-renowned scientist. The magnets are housed in the base and repel the bulb while also ensuring that it stays straight and centered. The bulb thus floats in the air and does not fall even if you pass a sheet of paper through the gap.
Ampere Shower Speaker
Even though most smartphones are IP certified these days, taking one along in the shower is not what the manufacturers encourage users to do. But what about all the music lovers then? Not to worry, as the Ampere Shower Speaker has got you!
This speaker uses the water flow to charge itself so it can play along with you during your next shower sing-along. Coming in at a sub-hundred dollar price range, this is definitely one of the coolest gadgets you can add to your bathroom utility set.
It uses the hydropower system to charge itself from your shower head so that you never run out of power. It boasts a music playback time of 16 hours when fully charged if the shower is off, whereas it can run endlessly when the shower is running.
With Bluetooth 5.1 support, you can easily play any playlist from your smartphone, even when it is kept at a considerable distance. Users also get the option to purchase the ‘Shower Power Pro’ variant, which comes with LED lights and even tracks your water usage and temperature.
The speakers are located in a cylindrical opening, which lets out sound from all directions. You also get touch buttons on top which let you play, pause, or skip tracks even with wet fingers.
Needless to say, Ampere ships this product with an IPX6 waterproof rating, meaning the speaker itself can go through a 30-minute bath, if it ever had to (pun intended).
Withings Sleep Tracking Pad
Proper sleep and general well-being go hand-in-hand. With this incredibly advanced sleep tracking pad by Withings, you can keep a check on things like snoring, sleep quality, heart rate, and much more.
This pad analyses your sleep and gives detailed insights on how your bedtime was divided into deep, light, and REM sleep. You can set this up using their Health Mate App, which transcribes the data using Wi-Fi. Due to this and the IFTTT integration, you can also connect your device to a thermostat and smart lights if you want to.
This means that your thermostat will automatically set to a particular temperature, and the lights will also dim themselves whenever you land on the pad.
In the app, you get to see a sleep score, which indicates sleep quality and is a cumulative result based on sleep time, interruptions, heart rate, etc. All you need to do is place this pad beneath your mattress, and you are good to go.
Withings also offers a 30-day trial and 2-year warranty with this product.
Finger Bot
With Finger Bot, you can even make non-smart devices smart! Let’s find out how. As mentioned above, smart gadgets are all about automation and convenience; what if we told you that you could operate your ‘dumb’ devices intelligently using a universal switch?
This Bot is a battery-powered second-gen integration of the original Finger Bot which was released back in 2019. It improves on its predecessor by adding features like stronger pressing power, enhanced range, and a tactile touchpad for manual operation.
A single charge gives you around 5-6 months of usage. Simply attach the Finger Bot to your device and make use of more than 10,000 automations that the toolkit allows for. You can then control your gadgets via voice or through their app.
If you want to use it with voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant, etc., then you will have to purchase an extra accessory called the Adaprox Home Hub.
What’s cool is that you can adjust the size of Finger Bot and even order a fully customized shape. For just $25 a piece, you can convert your manual devices like printers, washing machines, coffee makers, etc., into smart gadgets. You can install it using 3M VHB tape followed by attaching it to any switch you like.
Lua Smart Plant Pot
This one is a delight for all the plant lovers out there. You might already know that plants respond to external stimuli, such as music and light, but with the Lua Smart Plant Pot, you can get the feeling of having a virtual pet from your plants. This feedback also encourages you to nurture and take care of the plant.
This pot comes with a 2.4 LCD that uses a range of sensors to make out the condition of plants in real-time. Based on this, it conveys the results via a cartoon on the front display. For instance, if you have just watered your plant, then you will see a smiley on the display and vice versa.
Smart Remote X
We have discussed automatic plugs and automatic switches, but have you ever wanted a remote that can control basically any electronic device you point it at?* Enter the Smart Remote X by SevenHugs. Deemed to be a potential game-changer, this sleek remote features an LCD on top, which changes what’s on display depending on the device you point it at.
Compatible with over 65,000 devices, you can control just about every smart gadget in your house with this remote. Not just that, you also get to control home entertainment devices like speakers and television sets with it.
SevenHugs has taken a bold step by removing all the buttons from this remote and replacing them with a slender and sleek glass screen, completely eliminating the need for buttons that wear off over time.
There is a programmable menu that can easily be navigated from the Home Screen and lets you control multiple devices simultaneously with the touch of a single button.
All the good features aside, this device has been somewhat controversial due to issues like lack of haptic feedback in the display or the laggy interface.
Atmoph Window
Want to improve the overall aesthetic of your living room? Or simply want to travel to the other end of the world while still staying in your room? Sounds too good to be true, right? You definitely haven’t heard about the Atmoph window yet!
This is a window with a touch screen panel and AI integration, which lets you set it up on your wall while choosing from over a hundred different views that you would like to have. Be it 4k videos or exotic locations, you can view all sorts of beautiful landscapes using this window.
It measures around 640 x 380 x 55 mm and weighs 10.8 pounds. Atmoph also provides a 1.5 GHz quad-core ARM Cortex A5 processor for fast touch response.
The 27-inch high contrast display window is made up of an anti-glare display with a sharp resolution. It initially comes with 80 different 4K footage filmed by the team, while more keep getting added every day.
You can change images with voice commands and even sync your google calendar with it to display things like date, time, and weather.
ADT Command
This is a fully-fledged security system with industry-leading security features for providing complete security to your house. With a starting price ranging between $599-$699 per month along with a $59.99 service fee, this device surely bears a premium price tag, but that is completely justified by its functionality.
ADT is also known for its quality customer service and has won many awards for the best smart home security system. Once you book a subscription, you will get a central smart lock along with technical support, including modification of existing devices like smart lights, glass break sensors, carbon monoxide sensors, and floor detectors. You also have the option of adding a Google Nest Hub smart display if you choose to go for the premium package.
ADT guarantees 24/7 support with a sub-two-minute wait time. You can view recordings using the Command system, which shows you everything from daily events to door lock status.
Philips Hue Color Ambiance
Bored of those cheap lights which don’t change colors? Add some flare to your house with the Philips Hue Color Ambiance kit. These lights are quite reliable and can be controlled using all voice assistants except for Siri. You can easily set the mood and choose from the 50,000 shades of warm white light these bulbs offer.
The beginners kit comes with 4 bulbs and a wireless remote that lets you set the warmth of each light, and a second-gen Hue Bridge. You can choose from multiple lighting presets like ‘relax’ and ‘concentrate,’ which adjust the light tones as per your needs.
The bulbs are rated for 800 lumens light output and are marked at 10 watts each.
Hue bulbs also have the ‘timed routines’ feature as well as location-based routines that integrate with your phone and adjust the lights automatically.
Ecobee Smart Thermostat (5th gen)
This is a smart thermostat with Alexa support and excellent speaker output. It supports features like Alexa calling, drop-in and messaging, and has a blue bar light on top that lights up whenever you give a command.
The 2021 update to this device also added Siri compatibility, which is a nice touch. Speaker quality is quite similar to what you get with the 3rd gen Echo dot: loud enough for casual music but not ideal for parties.
The thermostat also has built-in Spotify support along with services like Amazon Music, Pandora, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, and much more. The in-house sensors are excellent at detecting occupancy and temperature. The company claims that the battery will last for about 5 years, and the range is now extended to an impressive 60 feet.
This thermostat also supports 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi. Last but not least, one of the best features is the SmartCamera, which gives you a 180-degree field of view and can track people too.
All-in-all, this is a good smart thermostat for anyone who uses Alexa often.
Will a Smart Home Benefit You?
You might have gotten the idea of smart homes from a fancy infomercial, but the added utility aside, does having a smart home benefit you in any way? To further shed light on this, here are a few key benefits of smart home technology:
Energy Management
Since most smart home appliances give you control over their functionality, you will be compelled to change your energy consumption habits. Triggering auto-shutoff on devices such as bulbs, TVs, and gaming systems will further cut your electricity bills. Devices like smart thermostats will also allow you to save on heating and cooling costs wherever necessary.
Automation
Automation is one of the key reasons why people are turning towards a smarter ecosystem. Not only is it highly efficient, but also quite convenient. Things like being able to turn off your TV with voice commands, having a robot clean your house, or keeping track of your health by using just a small ring seem like they have been pulled straight out of science fiction.
Enhanced Safety
Smart technology also brings the added advantage of a secure home interface where all your networks, data, and health analytics are protected and can even be saved in the cloud for easy access whenever you need them. Devices like smart lock systems and monitoring cameras are thus becoming increasingly popular these days.
Improves Overall Wellness
Security features, easy access, and low operational costs transcend users into a better quality of life, thus promoting safe and independent living. Many smart gadgets are also equipped with two-way audio/video support, which you can use when talking to your loved ones.
Customization
There are a wide variety of gadgets that may be tailored to an individual’s personal needs. Take the example of a smart thermostat, which can regulate the temperature of your house to better suit the needs of its residents depending on the weather conditions. Automated light bulbs and lamps are a few more examples of this concept.
Remote Monitoring
Smart gadgets help you monitor your pets/elderly remotely and thus give you peace of mind knowing that they are safe. Be it live video feed, fire warnings, or any home safety alarm that gets triggered; smart gadgets help you monitor your house even when you are not there.
Inter-connectivity
Companies are now launching their native app, which lets you control a device using your phone. Once you download these apps, you can simply activate a particular function with the help of your voice assistant instead of worrying about multiple remotes.
Conclusion
There you have it, the best smart living products and gadgets that will make your day-to-day tasks easy and alleviate your lifestyle and well-being. Before you go on your shopping spree, make sure to streamline products according to your needs, the size of your house, and your budget.
While cheaper options might seem good, we would recommend avoiding any knock-offs for long-term benefits.
Thanks for reading!
