Robot vacuums are more popular than ever. But even as they become more common, they still come with a hefty price tag—especially for models with the latest features. If you’re looking to add a robot vacuum to your home without stretching your budget, a refurbished model might be the perfect solution. It can offer a significant savings, while also reducing electronic waste. Before you make a purchase, though, it helps to know what you’re getting into. From potential savings to questions about reliability, this guide covers everything you need to know to make an informed choice. Buying a refurbished robot vacuum can be a smart way to enjoy the perks of automated cleaning without paying full price. What “refurbished” really means First, let’s clear up what “refurbished” actually means. A refurbished robot vacuum isn’t simply a used device that’s been put back on the shelf; it’s typically one that’s been returned to the manufacturer or retailer due to a minor defect, cosmetic issue, or buyer’s remorse. This feature is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best robot vacuums. After being sent back, it goes through a rigorous testing process. Technicians inspect and repair any issues, replacing parts where necessary to bring it up to like-new condition. In some cases, it may even involve software updates to enhance functionality. A refurbished vacuum offers a blend of affordability and realiabilty.Linsey Knerl/Foundry It’s worth distinguishing refurbished items from “open-box” or “used” ones. Open-box items are generally returns that haven’t undergone repairs because they weren’t found defective; they’re essentially unused but not “new.” Used items, on the other hand, are pre-owned devices sold as-is, often with no inspection or testing. Refurbished items fall somewhere between the two, offering both affordability and reliability. Pros of buying a refurbished robot vacuum Purchasing a refurbish vacuum offers a variety of benefits, including… The price Refurbished models typically cost a fraction of a brand-new one, allowing you to get higher-end features without the higher-end price tag. For those who want advanced navigation, powerful suction, or smart home integration, refurbished models can be a golden opportunity to upgrade without overextending the budget. Making an eco-friendly choice Electronic waste is a growing problem, with countless devices ending up in landfills. By choosing refurbished, you’re helping cut down on waste and promoting a more eco-friendly approach to consumer electronics. Quality control Most refurbished devices undergo extensive testing, sometimes even more thorough than new models. Manufacturers and certified sellers typically examine every component to identify and fix any issues. This level of care means you’re often getting a reliable product with some assurance that it won’t fail on you right out of the box. Warranties While the warranty may not match that of a new model, it’s typically enough to cover any initial hiccups, giving you a buffer of protection and peace of mind. This extra coverage can make a huge difference if you’re wary about buying pre-owned electronics. By choosing refurbished, you help cut down on waste and support an eco-friendly approach to consumer electronics.Ecovacs Cons of buying a refurbished robot vacuum Of course, buying refurbished isn’t always a perfect solution. Some of the downsides include… Shorter lifespan While refurbished models are tested and repaired, they may already have some wear on components, especially the battery. Robot vacuums are designed for daily or near-daily use, so older models could show signs of age faster than a brand-new vacuum. If longevity is a priority, be prepared to eventually invest in some replacement parts like a new battery or brushes. Limited selection Since refurbished models come from returns or excess stock, you won’t always find the latest model or all the features you’d get with a new one. If you’re set on a specific model or advanced capabilities like self-emptying dustbins or high-end mapping, the refurbished market might not always have what you’re looking for. Older models may also lack support for the latest app features and firmware updates, which can affect performance or limit compatibility with other smart home devices. Limited tech support Some refurbished models may come with limited or no tech support from the manufacturer, especially if they’re a few generations old. So, while you’re getting a discount, you might also miss out on certain perks—like troubleshooting help or software updates—that come standard with a new purchase. Key features to prioritize when shopping refurbished If you’re sold on the idea of a refurbished robot vacuum, it’s important to know which features to prioritize. The first thing to check is battery health, as the battery’s condition will have a big impact on how well the vacuum performs and how long it lasts. Many refurbished sellers don’t provide specific battery details, but some reputable sources will replace the battery or provide testing results to give you an idea of what to expect. Buying refurbished is a great way to get advanced features like smart navigation without stretching your budget.iRobot Cleaning performance is another top consideration. Look for models with strong suction and good brush quality, as these are essential for tackling dirt, pet hair, and other debris. If possible, seek out models with advanced navigation systems, like LIDAR or camera-based mapping, which help the vacuum navigate more efficiently and avoid obstacles. These features can make a big difference in how efficiently the vacuum cleans. Don’t forget smart features, especially if you have a smart home setup. Models with Wi-Fi connectivity, app control, and voice assistant compatibility can enhance the overall experience and make it easier to control and schedule cleanings remotely. Just be mindful that older models may not support the latest smart home standards or features. Where to buy a reliable refurbished robot vacuum Buying from a trusted source is essential with refurbished products. Look for refurbished models from official manufacturers, such as iRobot, Roborock, or Ecovacs, as they usually include a manufacturer’s warranty and have gone through official testing. Certified resellers like Amazon Renewed or Best Buy’s Geek Squad-certified program also offer warranties and return policies, giving you more security if the product doesn’t meet expectations. Exercise caution Be cautious about buying from unknown third-party sellers, especially if they don’t offer a warranty or return policy. Some unscrupulous sellers have been known to exploit iRobot’s Select program by selling deactivated Roombas to unsuspecting buyers. These vacuums are remotely disabled by iRobot if the original owner stops paying the subscription fee, leaving the new buyer stuck with a non-functional device. Always check reviews, certifications, and policies—if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Ask questions before buying To make sure you’re getting a solid deal, don’t hesitate to ask the seller some important questions. Ask about any testing and parts replacements done during refurbishment. Inquire about the warranty coverage and whether there are any existing issues with the product. Finally, verify the return policy, so you know your options if the vacuum doesn’t work out. Be sure to ask about any testing and parts replacements done during refurbishment.Linsey Knerl/Foundry Tips for extending the life of a refurbished robot vacuum Once you’ve made your purchase, a little maintenance can go a long way. Regularly emptying the dustbin, cleaning the brushes, and wiping down sensors will keep the vacuum working efficiently. Periodically check the battery’s charge and replace it if you notice it running down more quickly than usual. Replacing filters and other consumable parts on schedule can also help maintain performance, ensuring you get the most out of your refurbished vacuum. Balancing savings with quality: a smart choice Buying a refurbished robot vacuum can be a smart way to enjoy the perks of automated cleaning without paying full price. While there are some potential downsides, like shorter lifespan and limited tech support, the cost savings and eco-friendly impact can make it worthwhile. By prioritizing the right features, buying from reputable sources, and taking good care of your purchase, you can enjoy a clean home on a budget. Refurbished or not, a robot vacuum can be a reliable household helper—especially if you know what to look for.

There’s nothing quite like the tedium of vacuuming floors. While it doesn’t come with the ick factor of scrubbing toilets, pushing and dragging a noisy, cumbersome vacuum remains its own kind of torture. Fortunately, robot vacuums are here to do that thankless task for us–and an increasing number of models can mop your floors, too. Once you’ve dealt with the initial setup, robot vacuums require little effort to manage. They don’t have unwieldy cords to wrangle or hoses to contend with, and you can run one from your couch using a physical remote or smartphone app. Pricier models can even be programmed to wake up and start cleaning without any intervention at all. Why you should trust us TechHive’s editors and contributors have been testing robot vacuums for years, and we frequently evaluate the latest hardware, along with their accompanying mobile apps. We’ve checked out single-purpose robot vacuums, hybrid robot vacuums with mopping functionality, robovacs with self-emptying base stations, and vacuums that can map your floors as well as scoot around obstacles. You can trust us to guide you to the right robot vacuum for your needs. Updated November 20, 2024. We’ve added a link to our feature on how to shop for a refurbished robot vacuum. From what a “refurbished” robot vacuum really means to the pros and cons of purchasing a refurbished unit, we’ll guide you the various factors to consider as you shop. We’ve also added a link to PCWorld’s feature on 8 critical tips for extending your robot vacuum’s life expectancy. This collection of tips and tricks can help keep your robot vacuum good as new, from regular maintenance and caring for the battery to keeping tabs on consumable parts and updating the robot’s software. Our top picks in robot vacuums and vac/mop combos iRobot Roomba j9+ — Best robot vacuum overall Pros Excellent obstacle detection/avoidance Detects dirt levels and prioritizes room cleaning accordingly Impressive cleaning peformance Cons PrecisionVision navigation feature depends on ambient light Many app controls buried in sub-menus Price When Reviewed: £949.00 Best Prices Today: £829.64 at Amazon£949 at iRobot Why we like the iRobot Roomba j9+ With its new flagship, the Roomba j9+, iRobot has taken the best features of its predecessor and added a new superpower: the ability to identify and prioritize the dirtiest rooms in your home. The Roomba j9+ can also spot and avoid obstacles on the floor (including pet poop), and it now comes with a more compact self-emptying Clean Base. The result is a truly automated cleaning experience that should be welcome in any household. Who should buy the iRobot Roomba j9+ With its terrific suction power, self-emptying base, and ability to avoid obstacles, the iRobot Roomba j9+ is a great choice for anyone shopping for a robot vacuum. Yes, the Roomba j9+ is expensive, but we believe the robot’s ability to complete vacuuming jobs and empty its dustbin without human intervention makes it well worth the money. Just keep in mind that the Roomba j9+ is a robot vacuum only, not a hybrid vacuum/mop. Read our full Roomba j9+ review Eufy X10 Pro Omni — Best robot vacuum/mop combo for pet owners Pros Thorough, balanced vacuuming and mopping Excellent obstacle avoidance Auto-detangling brush Requires little hands-on attention from user Cons Large base station Self-cleaning functions are noisy Price When Reviewed: £799 Best Prices Today: £799 at Amazon£799 at AO£799 at Currys Why we like the Eufy X10 Pro Omni Eufy’s X10 Pro Omni is one of the latest vacuum and mop combos to promise a hands-off cleaning experience, courtesy of an AI-enhanced robot and a self-maintaining base station, and we’re happy to report that it mostly delivers. The X10 Pro Omni does an impressive job of navigating floors and avoiding obstacles, and besides emptying its own dust bin and cleaning its mop heads, the robot can even detangle its roller brush, perfect for dealing with pet hair. Who should buy the Eufy X10 Pro Omni With its self-cleaning abilities and navigational prowess, the Eufy X10 Pro Omni should appeal to a wide range of robot vacuum shoppers, but the bot’s auto-detangling brush makes it a must-have for pet owners. Even better, the price is right. Read our full Eufy X10 Pro Omni review Wyze Robot Vacuum — Best budget robot vacuum Pros Includes laser mapping and room customization Three suction levels Advanced features at a budget price Cons Easily gets stuck under low-slung furniture Can’t be controlled with voice commands (Alexa or Hey Google) No specialty cleaning modes Best Prices Today: $274.99 at Wyze Labs£280.84 at Amazon Why we like the Wyze Robot Vacuum Wyze delivers a raft of top-shelf features not typically available in budget robot vacuums. Its LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor, for example, enables it to build an editable floor map of your space. That’s typically a perk of robot vacuums in the $400 to $800 range. Same goes for its ability to section that map into multiple rooms and dispatch the vacuum to any one of them. Who should buy the Wyze Robot Vacuum On a budget, but looking for a robot vacuums that’s a tad more sophisticated than a basic bump-and-run model? Give the Wyze Robot Vacuum a try. Packing LiDAR-enabled floor mapping and the ability to add virtual walls to the map, the Wyze Robot Vacuum delivers a lot of vacuum for the money. You will miss out on features like a self-emptying dock and mopping, but that’s not surprising given the vacuum’s sub-$300 price tag. Read our full Wyze Robot Vacuum review Eufy Clean L60 — Best budget robot vacuum, runner-up Pros Affordable Tough on pet hair Accurate room mapping Great battery life Cons Missed larger debris So-so obstacle avoidance Why we like the Eufy Clean L60 Like the Wyze Robot Vacuum, the Eufy Clean L60 is a budget robot vac with an ace up its sleeve: LiDAR navigation, which allows it to map your floors and set up “no-go” zones. Rated at up to 5,000 Pa, the L6 offers plenty of suction power, and it excels at busting pet hair. The exceptional battery life is another plus. Who should buy the Eufy Clean L60 If you’re on a budget but still want a robot vacuum that can map your floors, the Eufy Clean L60 makes for a great choice. The vacuum will also please pet lovers with its prowess at picking up pet hair, and it even cleans well in carpeted rooms. iRobot Roomba Combo J9+ — Best robot vacuum/mop combo Pros Retractable mop arm keeps carpets dry New Clean Base design blends in with home furnishings Recognizes and prioritizes dirtiest areas Cons Companion app’s maps are basic and many controls are buried in sub-menus Mop pads must be cleaned manually Expensive Price When Reviewed: £1,249 Best Prices Today: £996.73 at Amazon£1249 at iRobot Why we like the iRobot Roomba Combo J9+ With new intelligent automation features and an attractive new Clean Base, the Roomba Combo J9+ vac/mop hybrid further refines iRobot’s flagship product. The robot vac/mop combo can identify the dirtiest areas of your home’s flooring and will automatically spend extra time cleaning them more intensely. And pet owners will appreciate its ability to recognize–and automatically avoid–any pet waste in its path. Who should buy the iRobot Roomba Combo J9+ If you like everything about the iRobot Roomba j9+ robot vacuum, but want a smart appliance that can also mop your hard-surface floors, the Roomba Combo J9+ should be on your short list. It’s an excellent vacuum and its retractable mop arm will prevent its mopping function from wetting your rugs and carpeting while it’s scrubbing your kitchen, bathroom, and other bare floors. Read our full iRobot Roomba Combo J9+ review Roborock S8+ — Best robot vacuum/mop combo, runner-up Pros Powerful suction Excellent navigation and obstacle avoidance Highly customizable maps Cons Mopping struggles to remove sticky gunk and stains Expensive Price When Reviewed: Not yet available in the UK Why we like the Roborock S8+ The Roborock S8+ is an efficient cleaner with loads of customization options. While its wet cleaning can’t compete with an old-fashioned stick mop, it’s does the best job of the many mopping robot vacuums we’ve tested. Overall, it’s a superior option for supplementing your regular cleaning routine. Who should buy the Roborock S8+ The Roborock S8+ is a reasonably priced choice for those who want a robot vacuum that can also do a little light mopping. No question, the Roborock S8+ is a better vacuum than it is a mop–for the latter, it just drags a wet cloth across the floor, meaning it will struggle with deep stains. That said, the S8+ will add some polish to vacuum jobs, which it does with LiDAR-powered navigation and an impressive 6000 Pa of suction. Read our full Roborock S8+ review Dreame X40 Ultra — Most sophisticated robot vacuum Pros Excellent vacuuming and mopping performance Empties its dustbin and sanitizes its mops Accurately detects and avoids obstacles Cons Mop heads tend to get stuck on carpet edges Expensive Price When Reviewed: £1,299 Best Prices Today: £1299 at Dreame Why we like the Dreame X40 Ultra The Dreame X40 Ultra maintains the sleek, minimalist design of its predecessor but has enhanced features under the hood, including better suction power, improved navigation, hotter water temperatures for cleaning its mopping pads, and even a robotic arm for extending the side brush deeper into corners. Who should buy the Dreame X40 Ultra With its $1,899.99 list price, the Dreame X40 Ultra is one of the pricier robot vacuum combos we’ve tested, so if you’re on a budget, look elsewhere. Otherwise, this new flagship should be just the ticket for homeowners with large spaces to clean, and especially dwellings with multiple floor types. Read our full Dreame X40 Ultra review Narwal Freo Ultra X — Most sophisticated robot vacuum, runner-up Pros Great vacuuming and mopping performance Excellent obstacle avoidance Automatically cleans its mop heads Disposable dust bags hold up to 7 weeks of debris Cons No self-emptying dustbin Very large base station Expensive Why we like the Narwal Freo Ultra X It’s expensive, and its jumbo-sized base station lacks self-emptying functionality. But if you hate vacuuming and mopping and want some automated help, the Narwal Freo X Ultra is one of the most sophisticated floor cleaners we’ve tested. This feature-packed vac delivers top-notch vacuuming and mopping performance, cleans its own mop heads, and expertly dodges obstacles. Who should buy the Narwal Freo Ultra X As you might expect, the Narwal Freo Ultra X is expensive, making it better suited for robot vacuum shoppers with deep pockets. The robot also comes with an exceptionally large base station, so you’ll need plenty of space in the area where the Freo Ultra X calls home. Read our full Narwal Freo X Ultra review How we test robot vacuums To help you determine which ones are worth the expense, we tested models from some of the most popular brands in a real-world lab: my home, where the floors are punished daily by two kids, three cats, and a dog. I tasked each one with vacuuming a 400-plus square-foot space that includes low-pile carpet, hardwood flooring, and linoleum that was regularly littered with food crumbs, pet hair, tracked-in dirt, stray cat litter, and other debris. To maintain the real-world environment, each model also had to contend with random floor clutter during several cleanings. Read more about how we test robot vacuums and mops at TechHive. What to look for when shopping for a robot vacuum These are some of the top features and characteristics to consider when looking for a robot vacuum. Naturally, not all of the features below will be available at every price point. For example, we wouldn’t expect a sub-$200 “bump-and-run” model to offer Wi-Fi connectivity or an obstacle avoidance system. On the other hand, we would expect a top-of-the-line robot vacuum to pack a self-emptying base station, room mapping capabilities, and even the ability to both vacuum and mop. Size The dimensions of a robot vacuum matter for a couple of reasons. First, they will determine how well it can get into tight spots, such as under your kitchen cabinets and low-clearance furniture (couches and recliners). If it’s too tall, it won’t be able reach into these spots, or worse, it will get in and get stuck until you physically free it. Second, the bigger the robot vacuum, the larger the dustbin. Robot vacuums don’t use expandable bags like many of their stand-up brethren do, so when it comes to debris capacity, what you see is what you get. There is no sweet spot for robot vacuum dimensions that we could determine—it really depends on your particular room layout—but a diameter of 13 to 14 inches and a height of 3.5 to 4 inches are the most common measurements we encountered. Wi-Fi connectivity Wi-Fi-enabled robot vacuums allow you to control them with a smartphone app instead of, or in addition to, a physical remote. That convenience alone doesn’t really warrant the extra cost these models command, but some model’s apps also provide other perks, such as detailed cleaning histories and the ability to save and edit floor maps for better navigation. Those models are worth considering if you’re cleaning large, intricate spaces. Room navigation and obstacle avoidance The allure of robot vacuums is their promise to complete their task with minimal management from you. In order to do that, they must be able to navigate a room’s unique layout, maneuver around furniture and other obstacles, and avoid hazards such as falling down stairs and getting tangled in electrical cords. Robot vacuums “see” the world through a combination of sensors. Cliff sensors let it know when there is an increase in distance to the floor—e.g., stairs or a sunken living room—so it doesn’t tip over the edge. Other sensors tell it when it has bumped into an object, so it can change direction, or is near a wall, so it can follow it. Still other sensors help the robot vacuum track how far it has travelled. The most advanced robot vacs will include laser navigation for mapping the layout of your floors, while obstacle avoidance systems can help bots weave their way around shoes, socks, toys, and other items strewn on the floor. Check out our guide to robot vacuum navigation more details, including the scoop on SLAM, vSLAM, LiDAR, and other robot navigation technologies. Self-emptying base stations While robot vacuums take over most of the cleaning, they have historically required the user to step in and manually empty the dustbin. Given that most robot vacuums’ have a very small dustbin capacity, they might need to be emptied multiple times per cleaning job, particularly if you have children or pets or live in a large home. That’s not just annoying, it can be downright uncomfortable if you have allergies or dust sensitivity. Auto-emptying robot vacuums bridge the last mile of the vacuuming process with a charging dock that includes a canister vacuum and a dust bag that can hold one to two months of debris. When the robot docks after a cleaning job, its bin’s contents are automatically sucked into the dust bag. Typically, the robot’s companion app alerts you when the dust bag is full, at which point you will have to manually dispose of it. Many bags, however, seal themselves when you remove them, so no dust escapes. Mopping capabilities Some robot vacuums include a mopping capability to meet all your floor’s cleaning needs with one device. While this sounds like a great idea, in practice it often yields subpar results. The problem is the method these hybrid devices use for wet cleaning. Mopping robot vacuums include a flat, small-capacity water tank that you fill from your tap. A microfiber cloth is then attached to the bottom of the tank, and the tank is installed under the robot. As the robot rolls across the floor, it drags the dampened cloth over it. This usually removes surface grime and spills but leaves deeper dirt and stains behind. If you have a lot of hard flooring in your home, it’s worth considering a dedicated robot mop. These appliances are better suited to wet cleaning, spraying water directly on the floor to soften gunk and stains, and applying some agitation via a scrubbing pad or brush. If you still want a vac/mop hybrid, look for one that has spinning brushes or pads as opposed to a cloth that attaches to the bottom of the appliance. A model with a docking station that can clean those brushes or pads and reservoirs for clean and dirty water are even better. Those models will, of course, cost quite a bit more. Frequently asked questions about robot vacuums 1. How much does a robot vacuum cleaner cost? The convenience robot vacuums provide come at a cost: As much as $1,700 at the high end, with many of the best models running no less than half that. On the other end of the scale, there are plenty of good “bump-and-run” robot vacuums that cost less than $200. These bargain vacuums lack sophisticated navigation and mapping systems; instead, they simply move in a straight line, changing course once they bump into an obstacle. While the priciest robot vacuums require the least hand-holding, the cheaper “bump-and-run” models can be quite effective and reliable–after all, they have fewer systems that can fail. 2. How do robot vacuums operate? Fundamentally, the robot vacuums in our guide all operate the same way: They autonomously maneuver around your home on a couple of wheels suctioning debris from your floors. Two to four brushes on the bottom—both rolling-style agitators and spinning side brushes—grab dirt from the floor and wall edges respectively, and guide it into the suction area or direct it straight to a small, filtered dustbin. When cleaning is complete, or their battery is running low, they return themselves to their charging dock. But just how they get the job done can differ across manufacturers and models. Be aware even the most premium robot vacuums are a supplement, not a substitute, for your stand-up vacuum. Despite manufacturer claims, most just don’t have the same suction power of an upright. Think of them as an easy way to maintain your floors in between deeper cleanings with your current vacuum. 3. How do you control a robot vacuum? Autonomy puts the “robot” in “robot vacuum.” Virtually all models include an “automatic” mode that requires you to do nothing more than press a button on a remote, in an app, or on the vacuum itself to clean a room. This is great for ad-hoc cleaning, but most models can also be programmed to clean on a schedule. The latter scenario is great if you want them to work when you’re not home, or to create a regular cleaning routine. Some higher-end models also integrate with smart speakers, such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home, which allows you to control them using voice commands. 4. Do robot vacuums have different cleaning modes? Just as your stand-up vacuum can be adjusted to clean either carpet or hard flooring, so too can a robot vac. Most feature the ability to change suction and other cleaning functions to adapt to different floor surfaces, either automatically or with input from you. They may also have a spot mode for more concentrated cleaning on a small area (cleaning up a spill, for example), include options for single- and double-passes of a room, or offer an option to focus just on cleaning along wall edges and baseboards. 5. How do robot vacuums avoid cleaning the same area twice or more? Manufacturers are increasingly including mapping capabilities in some of their robot vacuums. These models use an onboard camera or laser reflections to produce a 360-degree view of the room. This allows the robot vac to create a map of the space and locate itself within that map. The advantage of mapping is the vacuum will know which areas it has already cleaned and which it hasn’t, to avoid going over the same spot unnecessarily. It also lets it know where to resume cleaning if it must stop and recharge midway through the task. This makes it ideal for larger rooms and—because it’s still something of a premium feature—larger budgets. 6. Can I prevent a robot vacuum from going into a particular room? In an ideal world, you’d clear all your floors of clutter before using your robot vacuum. But we live in the real one and that’s not always possible or desirable. Knowing this, many robot vacuums include some way to block off areas you don’t want it venturing into, whether it’s a pet’s area, your kids’ room, or a cluster of device cords in the corner. Often it’s just a length of magnetic tape you stretch in front of or on a forbidden area that the vacuum’s sensors will detect and tell it to avoid. But some models employ virtual barriers, such as the ability to designate boundaries on a floor plan that signal the robot to steer clear. Other notable robot vacuums we’ve reviewed We’ve evaluated many other robot vacuums. If none of our top picks check all the boxes for you, take a look at these other products. We’ve also listed some robot vacuums we think you should avoid. Deebot Ozmo N8+: This affordable vacuum delivers a mostly automated cleaning experience, complete with LiDAR navigation and editable maps. But the Ozmo N8+’s self-emptying bin is annoyingly loud, and its mopping functionality offers only good, not great, performance. Dreame Technology L10: This powerful robot vac is among the most affordable we’ve seen to offer LiDAR navigation, and it boasts as wealth of customization options. But the L10 has trouble avoiding carpets while it’s mopping the floor, and (like other vacuum/mop hybrids) it’s not the best at tackling deep floor stains. Ecovacs Deebot X2 Combo Complete: The Deebot X2 Combo Complete successfully integrates a robot vacuum/mop and a cordless stick vacuum into a single self-maintaining system for maximum convenience. That said, you could conceivably purchase separate products toward the same end and still spend less than the $1,699.99 Ecovacs is asking for this package. Ecovacs Deebot X2 Omni: The Deebot X2 Omni is an impressive (and expensive) robot vacuum and mop that allows for highly customized, hands-off floor cleaning. It delivers super-strong suction and offers a wide range of cleaning customization options, but its rotating mopping pads didn’t provide enough downward pressure to scrub away stains. Eufy X8 Pro: The first vacuum and mop combo from Eufy with an auto-detangling brush, the Eufy X8 Pro will be a tempting pick for pet owners. That said, the X8 Pro’s mopping abilities are only so-so, and it has a tendency to get stuck in low places. Eufy X9 Pro: This vacuum/mop hybrid is one of a growing number of models that offers rotating mops heads, perfect for scrubbing gunk and stains, and its vacuuming performance is just as impressive. But we’re disappointed by the lack of a self-emptying bin, particularly given the $900 list price. Narwal Freo: This 2-in-1 floor robot cleaner performs well enough, but it needs better obstacle avoidance and a much more refined app to justify its high price tag. Proscenic Floobot X1: Self-emptying dustbin? Check. Vibrating mop pads that scrub floor stains and grime? Check. Affordable price tag? Check. But while the Floobot X1 sounds great on paper, in practice it bumped into our furniture too often, scanned its environment too slowly, and required frequent recharging. Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra: Roborock’s new flagship comes loaded with high-end features and has a sky-high price tag to match, but it doesn’t clean appreciably better than some more affordable competitors. SwitchBot Mini Robot Vacuum K10+: If you’re in need of a smaller robot vacuum, this bot is half the size of the competition. That makes it a great candidate for cleaning smaller spaces, such as apartments. Unfortunately, it’s saddled with half-baked mopping functionality, which merely drags a damp microfiber cloth over your floors–and thus, it doesn’t rank as one of our top picks. Vactidy Nimble T8: This budget 2-in-1 vacuum and mop boasts the right price and features for budget-constrained users, but its inability to clean for more than 10 minutes without a recharge makes it impossible to recommend. Yeedi C12 Pro Plus: The C12 Pro Plus does a great job of vacuuming and mopping up messes, but falters when it comes to avoiding obstacles, and it takes its sweet time returning to its base station.

You could think of the electric garage door opener as the very first smart home device. Openers with radio-based remote controls came to market in 1931, 20 years before even the first TV remote. Comfort and convenience were the motivation behind all three technological advances. In the case of the garage door, people were looking for a way to get out of their cars and into their homes while avoiding the weather. Given that history, it’s a wonder that it took so long to bring IoT technology to the biggest door in the house. The good news is that it’s here now. The even better news is that most existing garage door openers can be integrated with the rest of your smart home ecosystem, greatly reducing the cost of that convenience. What’s more, these products are rapidly improving in both simplicity and capability. Buy one and you’ll not only be able to open and shut the door from anywhere—letting in guests, relatives, or delivery people—you’ll also know whether the door is open or closed in real time. Why you should trust us TechHive’s writers and editors have been reviewing smart home products for decades, and they draw on their deep and wide experience to evaluate every new product that comes to market. We install the products we review in our own homes to gain real-world experience as we evaluate how well they can be integrated into existing systems as well as how they perform on their own. The best smart garage door opener controllers Best smart garage door controller — Chamberlain myQ Smart Garage Hub (model MYQ-G0401) Pros Price remains unbeatable Attractive styling fits in with the typical garage décor Plenty of third-party compatibility Cons Occasional trouble with disconnects Still no support for a third garage door (you must buy a second controller) Best Prices Today: £75.21 at Amazon It’s still a no-brainer: Everything we said about the Chamberlain model MYQ-G0301 myQ Smart Garage Door Hub is now true of the Chamberlain model MYQ-G0401: It’s the easiest smart garage door controller to set up, the most functional controller on the market, and, it’s the least expensive on the market—by a wide margin. That said, there’s little reason to upgrade from the previous model. The myQ app is simple to configure and use, and the system supports a small but growing number of smart home ecosystems, including HomeKit. While it isn’t compatible with every opener—check online before you buy—it’s definitively the one to get. Read our full Chamberlain myQ Smart Garage Hub (model MYQ-G0401) review Best smart garage door controller, runner-up — Meross Smart Wi-Fi Garage Door Opener (model MSG100) Pros Very inexpensive Solid performance during our testing Lots of extra features to ensure you don’t leave the door open Cons Wired door sensor adds complexity Virtually no handholding during installation Meross smart home products have left us with mixed emotions. They’re all inexpensive, but value is defined by more than a price tag. The Meross Smart Wi-Fi Garage Door Opener is on the better end of that scale. If Chamberlain’s product doesn’t fit your needs, this one is worth your consideration. (Note: This device is not HomeKit compatible, but Meross offers a separate model that is. It wasn’t available at press time, however, for us to evaluate.) Read our full Meross Smart Wi-Fi Garage Door Opener (model MSG100) review Best security camera for garages — LiftMaster myQ Smart Garage Camera Pros Easy to set up and simple to use Magnetic base makes it tailor-made for garage mounting Good overall video quality Integrates well with other myQ gear Cons No recording features unless you pay for a subscription Electrical outlet management can be tricky in a garage setting Best Prices Today: $149.99 at LiftMaster£167.81 at Amazon We criticized the high price of this effective special-purpose camera when we first reviewed it several years ago, but times have changed and its MSRP–and especially its street price–have dropped substantially. You don’t need to have a myQ smart garage door controller installed (and the myQ camera doesn’t interact with the myQ controller at all); but if you do, your camera feed will appear directly above your garage door controls within the app. It’s a handy way to get one-stop access to everything that’s going on in the least inviting room of your house. Its magnetic base makes it easy to mount on the bottom of any garage door opener with a metal enclosure. The camera also works with the Key by Amazon system and app, which in this case would empower Amazon delivery drivers to open your garage and place your Amazon packages securely inside. Read our full LiftMaster myQ Smart Garage Camera review How to pick the right smart garage door controller While garage door openers come in a vast range of brands, styles, and capabilities, the good news is that you’ll likely be able to find a smart controller that works with your system without much trouble. As I mentioned above, the Chamberlain myQ is my top pick for a variety of reasons, but because it exclusively relies on wireless technology, it isn’t compatible with every system on the market. To start, visit myQ’s compatibility tool and check whether your existing opener is supported. If it is, and you don’t care that it’s not compatible with Alexa or Samsung SmartThings, your work is done: Get the myQ. If it isn’t, you can either get an all-new opener as Chamberlain suggests (although that won’t resolve the Alexa and SmartThings issues), or delve into the world of wired smart garage door controllers. The Nexx NXG-200 must be attached to your garage door opener via wires, and space can be tight depending on your ceiling height. Actually, upgrading your old, incompatible door opener is not a terrible idea, and new models are more secure and less expensive than you might think. Considering that a wired garage door controller can run you about $100, it’s worth thinking hard about whether you want to pour more money into an outdated system that might be close to failure, or just upgrade it from the start. (Many new openers have smart technology built in, obviating the need for an add-on controller.) But if you do have an opener that’s incompatible with our top pick, and you want to keep it around, you’ll need a wired controller like the Nexx Garage NXG-200 (be sure to read our April 5 story about a security vulnerability associated with Nexx garage door controllers) or the Garadget Wired controllers. These must be connected to the opener via a pair of wires, so you’ll need to be comfortable with some minor electrical work in order to install them. Like myQ, Nexx offers an online compatibility tool, but here you’re likely to find that Nexx is either compatible straight out of the box, or compatible only with an additional adapter. In other words, wired controllers are generally compatible with everything, or, at least, I haven’t found any openers yet that aren’t compatible with them. The Garadget fires a laser once a second at the door to determine whether it is open or closed.As with the product from NEXX, the Garadget must be hardwired to your opener. The catch involves the adapter. Generally speaking, if you have an older garage door opener, Nexx and Garadget will work with it straight out of the box. If you have a newer opener, you’ll need their adapter as well. This is because newer openers often have a more complex encryption system built in, and a standard push-button remote—which is what wired smart controllers emulate—won’t work with them. The solution is to place a button that is compatible with this encryption in between the controller and the opener: The controller tells the button to activate, which in turn tells the opener to open or close. It’s a little wonky, but in my testing, these setups work just as well as the wireless alternative. The problem is that it’s just a lot more expensive to do it this way. Purchasing a Nexx and an adapter will run you $105 at press time, and a Garadget plus adapter costs $98. Compare that to the less than $40 you’ll spend on the myQ and there’s really no choice. Again, if myQ isn’t compatible, either Nexx or Garadget will make for an acceptable alternative, provided you’re willing to spend a little extra to get the job done. We’ll review new products in this space as they come to market and will update our top pick as warranted.

If you’re using older and newer Nest Cams in the same household, your life is about to get much easier.  Making good on a promise it made more than a year ago, Google has announced that all its older Nest Cam models can now be transferred to the Google Home app, meaning that all Nest Cams–including those made as early as 2015–can be managed and controlled from one spot.  Specifically, the Nest Cam IQ Indoor, the Nest Cam IQ Outdoor, and even the camera embedded in the Nest Hub Max smart display can now be moved over to Google Home.  This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best security cameras. Those cameras join the legacy Nest Cam Indoor and Nest Cam Outdoor, which made the leap to Google Home last year. The first-gen Nest Doorbell also works with Google Home.  Previously, owners of older Nest Cams could only control them with the aging Nest app, meaning that if you had a collection of both newer and earlier-gen Nest Cams, you needed two apps to manage all of them. Besides being able to join newer Nest Cams within the Google Home app, older Nest Cams will be getting several new features, including the ability to browse their camera feeds from the Favorites tab on Google Home, on the web, on the Pixel Watch 3, and on the new Google TV Streamer.  Even better, old Nest Cams will be able to take advantage of the latest Google Gemini-powered features, such as the ability for Gemini AI to generate descriptions of what’s going on in a captured video event.   You’ll also be able to use natural-language queries (such as “Did I get any packages today?) to search video clips, including those recorded by older Nest Cams.  One caveat is that you must be a member of Google’s Public Preview program, which offers new and experimental features to willing Google users, to move your older Nest Cams to the Google Home app. Luckily, anyone can sign up for the Public Preview program.  Also worth noting is that if decide to move your older Nest Cams to the Google App, the legacy Nest app will lose access to live feeds for those cameras, and it won’t be able to save new video events from the cams, according to Google.   And while you will be able to move most older Nest Cams back to the Nest app if you change your mind, the same doesn’t go for the camera on the Nest Hub Max. For that device, it’s a one-way trip to Google Home, Google says. 

At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Backlit, rechargeable remote with remote-finder function Faster than Roku’s cheaper streaming dongles Apple AirPlay and Google Photos integration Cons Barely noticeable performance improvements versus older Ultras Home screen sorely needs streamlining Increasingly annoying banner ads Our Verdict Roku’s latest flagship has solid performance and a great remote, but the interface needs a rethink. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today The 2024 Roku Ultra is in some ways a victim of Roku’s own success. Roku has designed its platform to run well even on cheap streaming dongles and smart TVs. It also has a strong track record of keeping those devices up to date, so even streamers from seven or eight years ago are still getting new features. That’s great for Roku device owners, but it doesn’t leave the new Roku Ultra with much to distinguish itself from older models. It has a new remote and upgraded internal tech specs, but real-world performance is nearly identical to the old Roku Ultra, whose hardware dates back to 2020. And while Roku has made some welcome software improvements in recent years, other elements of the Roku experience are getting worse, including a growing amount of home screen clutter and more distracting banner ads. The result is a streaming box that doesn’t feel quite as premium as its $100 asking price suggests. What’s in the box Jared Newman / Foundry If you’re comparing Roku streaming players, these features are unique to the Roku Ultra: Wired ethernet port USB port for playing media files from a thumb drive Bluetooth for playing TV audio through headphones or streaming music from a phone Built-in remote finder Dolby Atmos decoder Programmable remote with a rechargeable battery While the 2024 Roku Ultra looks identical to previous iterations on the outside, it adds a few new features to the mix. It’s the first Roku player with Wi-Fi 6, which is better at handling lots of simultaneous device connections than earlier versions (assuming you have a Wi-Fi 6 or newer router). Wi-Fi 6 also offers faster theoretical connection speeds, but that’s unlikely to make a difference for streaming, which generally doesn’t require more than 25 Mbps. The 2024 Roku Ultra also supports Quick Media Switching, a feature of some high-end smart TVs that can adjust video refresh rates without flickering the screen off and then on again. As of now, only a select few LG and Samsung OLED TVs support this feature. Lastly, Roku claims that the new Ultra is 30 percent faster than its other streamers. The difference is noticeable in side-by-side testing with Roku’s Streaming Stick 4K, with the latter’s app load times routinely about four seconds slower. But when I ran the same tests against a 2022 Roku Ultra, the performance was barely distinguishable. At best, the new Ultra was a split-second faster. Because Roku doesn’t have a recent apps menu or system-wide picture in picture like Apple TV, the benefits of a faster model aren’t that significant. Upgraded remote Jared Newman / Foundry The 2024 Roku Ultra comes bundled with Roku’s best remote, the second-gen Voice Remote Pro. Unlike Roku’s cheaper remotes, it has backlit keys, a programmable button, support for hands-free “Hey Roku” voice commands, and an internal speaker, which chimes in when you press the Roku box’s remote finder button. It’s also rechargeable via USB-C, so you don’t need to go hunting for AAA batteries. Overall, it’s an improvement over previous the Roku Ultra remote, which lacked backlighting and used Micro-USB for charging. While there’s only one programmable button instead of two, it brings up a handy quick launch menu where you can store a pair of custom commands along with the search and Bluetooth pairing menus. The Voice Remote Pro’s Quick Launch button includes two programmable slots.Jared Newman / Foundry But there is a trade-off: This remote no longer includes a headphone jack for private listening. Instead, you can pair a set of wireless earbuds or headphones directly to the Roku Ultra or use the Roku mobile app to listen through whatever headphones are connected to your phone. As for those hands-free commands, they can be helpful for basic playback commands, but “Hey Roku” recognition can be unreliable in my experience. The always-listening remote isn’t a huge privacy concern—it’s only listening for the wake phrase, not recording everything you say—but a switch on the remote’s side disables the feature if you’re worried or just want to conserve some battery life. Not so simple anymore Jared Newman / Foundry While Roku has always emphasized simplicity, recent changes have made the platform more complex. Yes, the Home screen still provides a basic grid of app icons, but now it also includes a row of content recommendations, a list of genres to browse, and shortcuts to additional functions, such as the live channel guide. Roku’s app grid is now full of non-app clutter.Jared Newman / Foundry Roku’s left sidebar menu is also busier than ever, with sections for live TV, search, a “What to Watch” menu, free content, daily trivia, sports, an app store, and settings. The point of all these menus is to help you find something to watch without bouncing between individual apps, and some of them are genuinely useful. Still, jumping between all these menus is a hassle, I often found myself ignoring them outright. The “What to Watch” menu shows you’ve been watching and what you’ve bookmarked for later.Jared Newman / Foundry While you can take some steps to simplify Roku’s menu system on your own, Roku itself should be doing the streamlining. Let the app grid be an app grid, Roku, and build a single, more holistic streaming guide alongside it instead of leaving the user with a half-dozen submenus to sift through. Roku’s banner ads have been getting worse as well. As before, the big ad inside the app grid hogs about 40 percent of the interface, but now it uses video to grab your attention. The left sidebar menu has its own occasionally-animated ad as well, leaving less room to navigate all the subsections that Roku keeps adding. The app grid’s banner ad now has video.Jared Newman / Foundry Nice touches and extra features Once you get past the home screen, there’s still a lot to like about the Roku platform. Dialog enhancement and volume-limiting options, for instance, are easy to reach via the remote’s star button, and if a particular line is hard to hear, the remote’s Replay button jumps back 10 seconds with closed captions temporarily enabled. Being able to listen privately to the TV through Roku’s mobile app is also a nice touch, allowing you to keep your earbuds paired to your phone and supporting up to four listeners at once. Jared Newman / Foundry Roku’s free content selection is excellent as well, with a vast catalog of free movies, shows, and linear channels. The Roku Ultra’s remote has a “Guide” button for accessing those channels directly, providing a convenient source of background TV. When you’re not actually watching TV, Roku’s “Photo Streams” feature lets you create slideshows with your own photos. You can either upload photos directly to Roku through a web interface or connect with your Google Photos library. (If you create a live album in Google Photos, your slideshow can automatically update with new pictures of specific people or pets.) Photo Streams can turn your TV into a giant Google Photos picture frame.Jared Newman / Foundry There’s also a separate “Backdrops” app that turns your Roku into a canvas for artwork. You can connect Google Photos here as well, or just use the art collections that Roku provides. Roku supports Apple AirPlay as well, so you can stream content or mirror your screen from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. While many smart TVs now support AirPlay on their own, Roku is the only non-Apple platform that offers it on external streaming players. The only notable weak point is smart home control, which only works with Roku’s own line of cameras, sensors, and switches. It’s just a much more limited platform compared to Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit. Should you buy the new Roku Ultra? With the 2024 Roku Ultra, Roku hasn’t introduced enough to dethrone the Apple TV 4K as our favorite high-end streaming box. Apple’s device costs a bit more at $129, but it’s a faster box that’s better at organizing different sources of streaming content, and its home screen doesn’t have any distracting banner ads. And you don’t need to be an iPhone user–or use any other Apple product, for that matter–to appreciate what Apple has to offer in terms of video streaming. You might still consider the Roku Ultra for its feature-rich remote, and Google Photos users might appreciate being to turn their albums into screensavers. Just think twice before upgrading from an older Roku model, because the experience won’t be all that different.

An external streaming device is the best way to access online video services without replacing your entire TV. By plugging one of these devices into your TV’s HDMI port, you’ll be able to use apps like Netflix and Hulu, possibly with a faster and smoother experience than your TV’s built-in software. But between Roku, Fire TV, Google TV, and Apple TV, picking a streaming device can be overwhelming. We’ve reviewed them all and have come up with a list of recommendations for every need and budget. Why you should trust us As TechHive’s resident cord-cutting expert, I’ve reviewed practically every streaming device that’s come out over the past decade, and I’ve been a cord-cutter myself since 2008. Beyond just product reviews, I write a weekly column about streaming and over-the-air TV for TechHive, along with a weekly cord cutting newsletter for more than 30,000 subscribers. Few other writers are as familiar with how these streaming devices and their underlying operation systems perform. Updated November 19, 2024: We’ve added a link to our Roku Ultra (2024) review. There might be some new components inside Roku’s latest high-end streamer, but they don’t contribute much to the user’s experience. If you’re looking for a high-end product, consider the Apple TV, first; it remains our top pick in that category. Best media streamers for every budget Roku Streaming Stick 4K — Best media streamer for most people Pros Fast, fluid performance with dependable Wi-Fi connectivity Easy-to-operate interface with powerful voice control features Full of nice touches that other cheap streamers lack, such as AirPlay and a Replay button Cons Discovering and tracking shows could be easier No Dolby Atmos support or IR control for external sound systems Only supports wireless connections Price When Reviewed: £49.99 Why we like the Roku Streaming Stick 4K Roku still offers the simplest platform for streaming, and it’s loaded with thoughtful touches (like the “Replay” button that jumps back 10 seconds and temporarily turns on closed captions). At $50 (and often on sale for less), the Streaming Stick 4K hits the sweet spot in Roku’s device lineup, with a better remote than the budget Express model and the same Dolby Vision support as the $100 Roku Ultra. It narrowly beats out the $40 Roku Express 4K+, which lacks Dolby Vision HDR support and has a less-portable design. Who should buy the Roku Streaming Stick 4K While other streaming platforms are more aggressive about recommending movies and shows directly from the home screen, Roku’s main menu is still a traditional grid of app icons, akin to what you’d see on a smartphone. It’s indicative of how Roku values simplicity above all else. If you feel the same way, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is for you. Read our full Roku Streaming Stick 4K review Walmart Onn Google TV 4K Pro — Best media streamer for most people, runner-up Pros Excellent performance for the price Remote is loaded with useful features Google TV is great for finding things to watch Cons Hands-free voice control is a bust Home screen needs better streaming service tie-ins Can’t control volume from your phone while casting Why we like the Walmart Onn Google TV 4K Pro Walmart’s Onn Google TV 4K Pro resets expectations for what a $50 streaming device can deliver. The small box features a chipset that includes a Quad-core Cortex-A55 CPU and Mali-G31 MP3 GPU; 32GB of storage; a Wi-Fi 6 adapter, plus a 100Mbps ethernet port; and a USB-A port for connecting external storage drives, wired game controllers, and other accessories. It comes with a great remote control with backlit buttons–some of which are re-assignable–and the box itself has a remote-finder feature. All that horsepower makes for an extremely responsive user experience, and great voice search features make it easy for you to find what you want to watch. Walmart would like you to think its box is a great smart speaker, too; regrettably, that is its weakest link. Who should buy the Walmart Onn Google TV 4K Pro Like Walmart’s budget-priced media streamer, the Onn Google TV Pro is particularly well suited to TV watchers who are invested in Google’s entertainment ecosystem. This streamer’s remote has dedicated buttons for Google TV’s free streaming channels and YouTube (the latter of which can be remapped to YouTube TV or YouTube Music), as well as preset buttons for Netflix, Disney+, and Paramount+. Home theater buffs, meanwhile, will appreciate the support for Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos object-based surround sound. Read our full Walmart Onn Google TV 4K Pro review Walmart Onn 4K Google TV Streaming Box (2023 model) — Best budget-priced streamer Pros Feature-rich remote Google TV software makes sense of streaming Super cheap even without sale prices Cons Performance can drag on occasion No Dolby Vision or Dolby Atmos support Google TV guide still has some blind spots Price When Reviewed: Not available in the UK Why we like the Walmart Onn 4K Streaming Box At a regular price of $20, Walmart’s 4K streaming puck is an unbeatable value, and its button-packed remote has handy shortcuts to the settings menu, live TV guide, and even an input switcher. It runs Google TV, whose home screen does an excellent job recommending movies and shows to watch. It also plays nicely with various Google services, so you can use Google Photos albums as screensavers, control Google Home devices with the voice remote, and play music across your TV and other Chromecast devices at the same time. Who should buy the Walmart Onn 4K Streaming Box Those who are deeply invested in Google’s ecosystem will appreciate this budget streaming option, and it may also appeal to tech enthusiasts who want to sideload Android apps or remap the remote control’s buttons. Unless you need Dolby Vision and Atmos support, this is a better buy than Google’s own 4K Chromecast dongle. Read our full Walmart Onn 4K Google TV Streaming Box (2023 model) review Apple TV 4K (2022) (64GB) — Best high-end media streamer Pros Uncluttered, ad-free interface Performance is speedier than ever AirPlay, AirPods, and iCloud integration are nice to have Cons No remote-finder function Dual home screens can be confusing Remote gesture controls, while useful, might confound some users Price When Reviewed: £149 Best Prices Today: £139 at Amazon£139 at John Lewis and Partners£141 at AO Why we like the Apple TV 4K No other streaming device can touch the Apple TV 4K’s speed, fluidity, and overall feeling of classiness. The aluminum remote is slick, the home screen is free of obnoxious banner ads, and the tvOS software is brimming with useful features. (One underrated example: Inputting passwords by dictating each letter into the voice remote.) Apple’s TV app is a highlight as well, as it helps you save shows for later and jump directly back into what you’ve been watching in most apps. At $129, the third-gen model has a lower price than its predecessors, and it’s no longer out-of-whack with other high-end streamers despite being better in almost every way. Who should buy the Apple TV 4K The Apple TV 4K is nearly thrice the price of capable streaming dongles from other companies, so it’s not going to be for everyone, but it’s a worthwhile splurge for your main TV. Additional benefits also accrue to folks who are deeply invested in Apple’s ecosystem, with features like iCloud Photos screensavers and simple pairing with AirPods for private listening. This model provides Wi-Fi connectivity only. If you want it hardwired to your network, you’ll need to step up to the $149 128GB model. Read our full Apple TV 4K (3rd-generation, 2022) (64GB, model A2737) review Amazon Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) — best media streamer with voice control Pros Unparalleled voice control features Powerful remote; the “Recents” button is a revelation Super-fast app load times Cons The home screen is a disaster Upscaling isn’t a major improvement Costs more than most other high-end streaming boxes Price When Reviewed: £139.99 Best Prices Today: £139.99 at Amazon£139.99 at argos.co.uk£139.99 at Currys Why we like the Fire TV Cube (3rd gen) Amazon’s high-end streaming box is a niche pick, but it’s the only streaming device that you can control entirely by voice. With its built-in far-field microphones, you can use “Alexa” voice commands to launch programs, scroll through menus, select highlighted items, and jump back to the home screen. It’s also Amazon’s speediest streamer by a wide margin. Who should buy the Fire TV Cube (3rd gen) For anyone who’s unable to use a traditional TV remote, the Fire TV Cube is without peer. Voice control is also just a handy way to avoid Amazon’s chaotic, ad-ridden home screen. For smart home owners in the Alexa ecosystem, this box will eliminate the need to have an Alexa speaker in their home theater. Read our full Amazon Fire TV Cube (3rd Gen) review Other notable streaming devices we’ve reviewed Amazon’s Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick 4K, and Fire TV Stick 4K Max are all strong values, especially when they’re on sale, but their menu systems are difficult to navigate and bogged down by advertising. (You may even see ads instead of your selected screensaver.) They’re only worth considering if you’re deeply into the Amazon ecosystem. The Fire TV Stick Lite, meanwhile, should be avoided by pretty much everyone. If you want a Fire TV device, get the non-Lite version so you can control TV volume and power without a separate remote. The Roku Express 4K+ is a solid budget streamer for $30, but the Streaming Stick 4K is only $10 more for Dolby Vision and a more portable design that plugs directly into the TV without an HDMI cable. Avoid the basic Roku Express and the Walmart-exclusive Roku SE, neither of which have voice, volume, or TV power controls on their remote. Saving a handful of dollars isn’t worth suffering through those omissions. The Roku Ultra may appeal to Roku fans who want ethernet connectivity, USB media playback, and Bluetooth. But if you just want Roku’s best remote, you can buy the Voice Remote Pro separately to use with any Roku player. The Nvidia Shield TV and Shield TV Pro have devoted fanbases for good reason: They’re speedy streaming devices with impressive 4K upscaling and all the flexibility that Android TV allows. But for most folks, we hesitate to recommend a device that is now five years old and hasn’t received a software update since 2022. The Chromecast with Google TV 4K is worth considering over Walmart’s Onn 4K Streaming Box if Dolby Vision and Atmos support are must-haves and you want the same Google TV software, but it’s a lot pricier at $50. There’s not much reason to consider the HD version instead. The TiVo Stream 4K is now four years old and no longer worth considering as TiVo focuses more on smart TV software. Frequently asked questions about media streamers 1. Are streaming boxes better than streaming sticks? Set-top boxes tend to be faster, but streaming sticks have come a long way on performance while still costing a lot less. 2. Do I need HDR, HDR10+, or Dolby Vision support? And what about Dolby Atmos? If your TV supports these formats, buying a compatible streaming device will ensure that you get the richest color detail possible while watching supported content. Same goes on the immersive audio front if you have an Atmos speaker system. Just be aware that not all streaming services support these formats, and those that do will probably charge extra for it. 3. Can I control my soundbar or A/V receiver with a streaming remote? Most streaming devices can control external soundbars and receivers over HDMI-CEC. But if your sound system requires infrared control, be sure to choose a streaming device that supports this. (Roku players, notably, do not.) Otherwise you’ll need to juggle separate remotes. 4. Can I cast or mirror my smartphone screen to a streaming device? Apple TV and Roku devices support AirPlay, which allows you to stream audio and video from iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Google TV devices support Chromecast, which lets you play content from supported iOS and Android apps, but only allows for full-screen mirroring from Android devices and the Chrome browser. 5. What can I connect to a streaming device? Some streaming devices offer ethernet ports or ethernet adapters, which can be more reliable than Wi-Fi if your home is set up for wired ethernet. Streaming devices with USB ports can also be useful for playing media from external drives or using wired game controllers. 6. Can I use headphones with my streaming device? Most streaming devices support Bluetooth headphones and earbuds, with the exception of Roku’s Streaming Sticks and Express players. That said, you can use Roku’s mobile app to listen privately through headphones instead. 7. Which streaming device has the best app selection? These days, it’s rare to see any major gaps in app support on the major streaming platforms. That said, some live TV streaming services work better with specific streaming devices on features like launching channels by voice and finding content from the home screen. 8. Can I use a streaming device while traveling? Yes. Roku, Fire TV, and Apple TV streaming devices even have captive portal support, so you can log into guest Wi-Fi networks that have a web-based confirmation page. That doesn’t necessarily mean you can use every streaming service while traveling. Hulu + Live TV, for example, doesn’t allow you to use the service away from your primary residence. 9. How much storage do I need on my streaming device? All major streaming platforms now have the ability to automatically offload apps that you haven’t used in a while, making storage less of a concern than it once was. That said, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max and Fire TV Cube have 16GB of storage, which should be more than enough for streaming apps, and the Apple TV 4K has 64GB of storage in its base model. You’d only need more than that for gaming. How we test streaming devices Our testing involves using the streaming devices to play a variety of programs, switching between apps to measure load times, and comparing the availability of various features. We pay special attention to remote control functionality—as this is the primary way people interact with their televisions—along with the orderliness and efficiency of each device’s menu system. Preference in streaming platforms is inherently subjective, but we make sure to flag things that users are sure to dislike, such as overly aggressive advertising or promotional content that gets in the way of watching your desired shows.

More details about Apple’s still-unannounced home hub are trickling out, and the device’s potential features might sound familiar to those with Amazon and Google smart displays.  The latest buzz comes once again from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who describes a product that might look like a “low-end iPad” complete with integrated batteries, speakers, and a FaceTime camera for video chat.  Gurman had previously revealed that the wall-mountable “command center” would have a six-inch squarish screen powered by a new “homeOS” operating system, with smart home controls similar to those already available via iOS’s StandBy mode.  This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart speakers as well as the best security cameras. Now Gurman has some fresh details to reveal, although the usual caveats apply, given that Apple has yet to confirm the reports.  One of the most intriguing new details is that the upcoming “HomePad” (as it’s being called online) will be able to sense your position in the room and adjust its UI depending on your proximity—meaning, for example, it could boost the size of on-screen elements when you’re further away, or dial up the details when you’re closer to the device.  If that sounds familiar, perhaps you’re thinking of Amazon’s “Adaptive Content” functionality, which keeps on-screen items on its Echo Show displays (pictured both above and below) big and bold when you’re at a distance while drilling down with more details as your approach.  Like Amazon’s Echo Show 8 (pictured), the rumored Apple home hub could adjust its UI depending on your proximity to the screen. Google’s Nest Hub displays can do the same thing, with the Nest Hub Max capable of sensing where you are in the room and adjusting its interface accordingly.  If Apple does go ahead and follow the lead of Amazon and Google with such “adaptive” on-screen content, it wouldn’t be a big surprise—after all, it’s a clever feature, and Apple’s never been shy about borrowing effective features from competitors.  Other possible Apple home hub features include a FaceTime-powered intercom, a speaker base that allows you to place the device on the shelf or table, and the ability to display security camera feeds as well as control your HomePods, Gurman reports.  Even the more advanced Apple smart device said to be coming later—one with a display attached to a robotic arm—sounds an awful lot like Amazon’s latest Echo Show 10, which has a motorized display that can follow you around the room.  So far, so déjà vu, but the Apple home hub would offer at least one unique twist: it would be the first Apple-branded HomeKit display (not counting iOS’s StandBy mode), meaning that Apple users making do with Amazon Echo Show or Google Nest Hub displays could finally go all-in with a HomeKit-focused alternative. 

A smart speaker makes an easy first step into smart home technology. Before you kit out your house with thousands of dollars of lighting and security upgrades, you can familiarize yourself with voice-assistant technology while enjoying music, podcasts, and news in a hands-free home environment. Here are our top picks in several categories. If you want information about smart speakers in addition to our top recommendations, scroll down the page to read our in-depth buyers’ guide. Updated November 18, 2024: We’ve added a link to our news coverage of a rumor that Apple is developing its first smart display, with features borrowed from today’s Amazon Echo and Google Home smart displays. Why you should trust us TechHive’s editors and writers have been testing smart speakers since the early days of Alexa Siri, and Google Assistant, giving us more than a decade of experience with these devices and their accompanying mobile apps. Michael Brown has been evaluating home audio gear for just as long. He designed his own custom-built smart home in 2007 and has tested nearly ever smart speaker that’s come to market since then. James Barber has worked in music and technology for more than three decades as a music producer, A&R executive, entrepreneur, and reviewer of both audio gear and recorded music. We’ve evaluated basic smart speakers, models designed for audiophiles, portable speakers, and smart displays with built-in audio. You can trust TechHive to recommend the best smart speaker for you. Our top picks in smart speakers Amazon Echo Dot with Clock (5th Gen) — Best smart speaker for most people Pros Larger display conveys more information Highly useful ambient temperature sensor Accelerometer for gesture recognition Can operate as a node on an Eero mesh Wi-Fi network Cons Audio performance still pales in comparison to a Sonos One 3.5mm analog audio output has been removed Mesh node feature is useful only to those with Eero routers Best Prices Today: £62.99 at Robert Dyas Why we like Amazon Echo Dot with Clock (5th Gen) Alexa is the most popular voice assistant, and the Echo Dot with Clock (5th Gen) is the best value in Amazon’s smart speaker lineup. The speaker can do double duty as a tabletop clock and weather monitor. When you’re playing music, it can also display the artist and song title—even if they scroll do a bit too quickly across its 2-inch display. The unit can also act as a Wi-Fi range extender for anyone who’s using an Eero mesh router. Who should buy the Amazon Echo Dot with Clock (5th Gen) The Echo Dot with Clock (5th Gen) is an excellent way to control smart home devices that are compatible with Amazon’s Alexa ecosystem. The unit’s display makes it a great replacement for a bedside alarm clock. The audio quality is solid, if not good enough for someone who wants to use a smart speaker primarily for listening to music. Read our full Amazon Echo Dot with Clock (5th Gen) review Google Nest Mini — Best smart speaker for most people, runner-up Pros Improved sound quality Google Assistant rarely gets stumped Works great with other Nest devices Inexpensive Cons Capacitive buttons are easy to miss Sound quality still isn’t that great No cable management to go with the new mounting hole No analog audio output Best Prices Today: $49 at Google Why we like the Google Nest Mini The Google Nest Mini has an attractively low profile. In addition to supporting all Google apps, the speaker gives a user voice control for YouTube Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, iHeart Radio, Deezer, and SiriusXM. Who should buy the Google Nest Mini If you want the most diminutive smart speaker, you’ll find the Google Nest Mini easier to hide away than the spherical Echo Dot series. Google Assistant also offers better answers to general questions than Amazon’s Alexa, and Android users who depend on Google Assistant on their smartphones will appreciate being able to use the same commands with the Nest Mini. Read our full Google Nest Mini review Apple HomePod mini — Best smart speaker in the Apple HomeKit ecosystem Pros Impressive audio quality for its size Easy setup Works as a Thread border router for Matter “Intercom” feature lets you broadcast messages to family members Temperature and humidity sensor was recently added, along with sound recognition for smoke alarms Cons No physical mic mute control Intercom doesn’t support two-way calls Supports third-party music services, but only a few are on board We’ve heard better-sounding smart speakers in the Mini’s price range Still pricey Best Prices Today: $99 at Apple Why we like the Apple HomePod mini The Apple HomePod mini offers the best audio quality in the small smart speaker category, a feature that goes a long way to justifying its higher price when compared to the Amazon Echo Dot and Google Nest Mini. Apple has significantly polished the smart home experience for users who own devices that support its HomeKit ecosystem. Who should buy the Apple HomePod mini The Apple HomePod mini offers native support for Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, and Deezer, making it a solid choice for audio playback, especially when creating a stereo pair with a second HomePod mini. AirPlay 2 support allows you to stream Spotify, Tidal or Qobuz from another Apple devices. Apple users who have invested in HomeKit-compatible smart home devices will appreciate the HomePod mini’s ability to control their home setup. As for the larger HomePod (2nd Gen), that Apple shipped in 2023, we think it’s still too expensive for what it has to offer. Read our full Apple HomePod Mini review Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) — Best budget-priced smart speaker Pros A very inexpensive voice-powered smart home controller Very good audio reproduction Pretty industrial design Cons Still not recommended for critical music listening Google Nest Mini offers tighter integration with Android smartphones Price When Reviewed: £54.99 Best Prices Today: £43.98 at Amazon£43.98 at argos.co.uk£43.98 at Currys Why we like the Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) The Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) offers all the same features as our top pick, minus the display, at a lower price. Who should buy the Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) If you’re looking for a solid smart speaker at the lowest possible price, the Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) lists for $15 less than the Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) with clock. If you’re looking to put multiple Alexa-compatible speakers around your house, the savings can add up when deploying speakers in locations where you don’t care about seeing the time or temperature. Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin — Best smart speaker for music Pros Best-in-class stereo performance from a tabletop speaker Impeccable industrial design Streams high-res audio Cons Alexa is the only supported digital assistant Control buttons are difficult to see Why we like the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin The Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin justifies its high price with its arresting design and spectacular true stereo sound. The Zeppelin supports AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect, while the B&W app offers support for Tidal, Deezer, and Qobuz, with access to 24-bit/96 kHz streams where supported. Who should buy the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin The current Zeppelin supports Amazon Alexa, making this model B&W’s first smart speaker. If you’ve got the cash and want a music-first speaker with interactive support, the Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin will be your most impressive choice. And if you have other B&W audio gear—such as the magnificent Formation Duo—you can set up a multi-room audio system using the Formation app. Read our full Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin review Sonos Era 100 — Best smart speaker for music, runner-up Pros Honest, full bodied, stress-free sound Unusually well carved bass, natural-sounding mids, and whistle-clean highs A great smart speaker with either Amazon Alexa or Sonos Voice No one does multi-room audio better than Sonos Cons No support for Google Assistant You might need two to fill your listening space Lacks the channel preset buttons found on some competing speakers Optional accessory required to get line-level input and/or hardwired ethernet connectivity Price When Reviewed: £249 Best Prices Today: £225.93 at John Lewis£225.94 at Amazon£226 at Hughes Why we like the Sonos Era 100 The Sonos Era 100 delivers spectacular audio with a very small footprint, and the speaker supports both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections. You get access to the manufacturer’s own Sonos Voice digital assistant but can use Amazon Alexa if you prefer. Like all Sonos speakers, you can control playback with the company’s outstanding mobile app. Who should buy the Sonos Era 100 One Sonos Era 100 speaker offers outstanding sound, but invest in a pair and you’ll get outstanding stereo sound at a significantly lower cost than the B&W Zeppelin. If you want to create a multi-room audio setup, Sonos delivers an unparalleled experience. The platform that popularized seamless home audio has yet to be matched. Read our full Sonos Era 100 review Sonos Era 300 — Best smart speaker for spatial audio Pros Dramatic, embracing, and exotic sound from a shockingly small package A great smart speaker with Amazon Alexa and Sonos Voice Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity Cons Doesn’t support Google Assistant Trueplay Advanced Tuning depends on an iOS device; cross-platform Quick Tune isn’t as effective Price When Reviewed: £449 Best Prices Today: £359 at Audio visual online£376.27 at Amazon£378 at Hughes Why we like the Sonos Era 300 Sonos adds support for Dolby Atmos surround sound for users who want a more immersive experience. It still delivers the same excellent smart speaker experience as the Sonos Era 100 and similarly outstanding two-channel sound in a stereo pair. Who should buy the Sonos Era 300 To appreciate the Sonos Era 300’s immersive audio, you’ll need to subscribe to a streaming service that supports Dolby Atmos. Apple Music, Amazon Music HD, and Tidal subscribers will be able to enjoy these speakers, but Spotify users may want to opt for the less-expensive Sonos Era 100. Movie lovers can also use the Sonos Era 300 as surround speakers with a Sonos soundbar. Read our full Sonos Era 300 review Amazon Echo Studio — Best smart speaker for spatial audio, runner-up Pros Great audio performance for the money Supports 3D audio (Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio) Can be paired with Amazon’s inexpensive subwoofer and/or a second Studio for stereo Cons Lack of Z-Wave support weakens its abilities as a smart home hub You must subscribe to Amazon Music to get 3D audio Speaker enclosure is insufficently isolated from the surface it’s placed on Why we like the Amazon Echo Studio The Amazon Echo Studio speaker offers excellent spatial audio support for Amazon Music HD and sounds even better with a second speaker for a stereo pair. The speaker can do double duty as a Zigbee smart home hub. Two can be paired for stereo, and if you crave deep bass, you can add Amazon’s beefy Echo Sub to the mix (actually, you can add an Echo Sub to many Amazon Echo models). Who should buy the Amazon Echo Studio Amazon has limited immersive audio support to its Amazon Music HD service, so you’ll need to have a full commitment to the Amazon ecosystem to take full advantage of the Echo Studio. Amazon Music HD competes with Tidal, Qobuz, and Apple Music on the top tier of music streaming services (and costs less!), so the service is worth a look if you’re already an Alexa user and want a higher-quality speaker option. Read our full Amazon Echo Studio review Sonos Roam — Most convenient portable smart speaker Pros Exceptional sound for its size Auto Trueplay now works over Bluetooth Sound Swap feature lets you “swap” music with other Sonos speakers Small and light, with a waterproof design Cons Slow wireless charging (at least with third-party chargers) Sound Swap doesn’t work across Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and AirPlay 2 modes Price When Reviewed: 159 Best Prices Today: £124.99 at eBay UK$169 at Sonos Why we like the Sonos Roam A portable speaker should be, you know, portable. The Sonos Roam is the perfect size to stuff in a backpack while delivering the excellent audio experience you’ll get from the company’s larger speakers. Who should buy the Sonos Roam There’s a lot of competition in the portable speaker category, with plenty of excellent options priced less than $100. It’s the smart speaker features that justify the extra cash for a Sonos Roam. If you’ve integrated voice assistants into your daily routine and regularly ask Alexa for intel, you’ll appreciate being able to take that convenience with you (connect it to a mobile hot spot if you’re out of Wi-Fi range). Read our full Sonos Roam review Sonos Move 2 — Best-sounding portable smart speaker Pros Excellent audio performance—in stereo!   Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity—simultaneously! Very wide sound stage Incredibly long battery life Cons Still no support for hi-res Bluetooth codecs Still best described as luggable $50 more expensive than the already pricey original Price When Reviewed: £449 Best Prices Today: £398 at Audio visual online£398 at Hughes£398.62 at John Lewis Why we like the Sonos Move 2 The Sonos Move 2 offers true stereo audio and exceptional battery life, but that comes at a cost. The speaker weighs more than 6 pounds and won’t really fit into a small bag. That said, the impressive sound stage and support for simultaneous Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections make this heavy speaker worth the extra effort. Who should buy the Sonos Move 2 If you’re looking for a speaker to use in the backyard or something you can pack in the car for a trip to a vacation spot, then the superior audio quality makes the luggable Sonos Move 2 worth the upgrade over the truly portable Sonos Roam. If you use Apple Music, Amazon Music, or Deezer to stream your tunes, you’ll appreciate the ability to use those services with either Alexa or Sonos Voice Control. Read our full Sonos Move 2 review JBL Authentics 300 — best-sounding portable smart speaker, runner-up Pros Works interchangeably with Alexa and Google Assistant Makes a large and lively sonic impression Stand-out styling Competitively priced Cons Placement is critical for best sound performance Heavier than rival Wi-Fi portables JBL hasn’t published an IP code for protection from the elements Best Prices Today: £248.99 at Amazon£248.99 at argos.co.uk£270 at AO Why we like the JBL Authentics 300 We dig the JBL Authentics 300’s retro design aesthetic as much as we appreciate its dynamic, toasty-warm musicality. But the factor that sets it apart from other smart speakers is its ability to respond to both the “Alexa” and “Hey Google” wake words interchangeably. Who should buy the JBL Authentics 300 Anyone who loves JBL’s characteristic “West Coast sound” will feel right at home with the JBL Authentics 300. The same goes for smart home dwellers who don’t want to choose between the Alexa and Google Assistant ecosystems. Read our full JBL Authentics 300 review Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) — Best smart display Pros Display can automatically rotate so it’s always facing you Significant improvements in display brightness and image quality Strong home security features, including Alexa Guard and the subscription-based Alexa Guard Plus Very good audio performance Cons You might find the tracking feature to be creepy (it can be disabled) Wi-Fi and Zigbee radios onboard, but there’s no Z-Wave or Thread support Needs at least 5 inches of clearance all the way around if it’s to fully rotate Why we like the Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) The Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) adds a screen and cameras to the smart speaker experience. If you’re using it for video calls, it’s 10.1-inch display can track your movement and rotate so that it always faces you as you move around a room. The audio output is excellent, and there’s an integrated Zigbee smart home hub. Who should buy the Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) The Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) doesn’t offer a best-in-class audio, video, or smart hub experience, but all of those features are good and no other device does as good a job of providing an all-in-one Alexa experience. If you want an even bigger display, consider the Echo Show 15, but read our Echo Show 15 review to understand why we didn’t pick that model in this category. Read our full Amazon Echo Show 10 (3rd Gen) review Google Nest Hub Max — Best smart display, runner-up Pros Impressive audio quality Excels as a digital photo frame Built-in Nest camera Google Assistant is one of the smartest assistants we’ve tried Cons No physical camera shutter No analog audio output Google Assistant’s smart home compatibility still lags Alexa Best Prices Today: $229 at Google Why we like the Google Nest Hub Max Android users know that Google Assistant has been closing the gap with Alexa, and it’s now a formidable competitor to Amazon’s smart assistant. The Google Next Hub Max offers surprisingly robust sound. Its smart home capabilities don’t quite match what’s on offer with the Echo Show 10, but it’s perfect for homes that are using Nest thermostats and security cameras. In fact, the Next Hub Max even does double duty as a Nest camera. Who should buy the Google Nest Hub Max If you’re a committed YouTube user, the Google Nest Hub Max offers an integrated app and the best viewing experience (Amazon Echo Show users must use the Silk browser to access YouTube). Read our full Google Nest Hub Max review What can smart speakers do? Digital assistants–including Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri–are mostly cloud-based software that understands natural language voice commands to perform tasks and fetch information for you. As smart speakers have become more sophisticated, some of that processing has moved down to the chips inside smart speakers and displays. Still, digital assistants aren’t quite sophisticated enough for truly seamless operation. While you don’t need to talk like a robot to them—e.g., “Alexa, set timer, 20 minutes”—they can all become easily confused, and you’ll hear a fair number of responses like “Sorry, I don’t know that one” (that’s an Alexa phrase, incidentally) when you trip them up. The good news is that the algorithms powering digital assistants learn over time and become better at predicting what you need. Here are just a few of the things that most smart speakers can do (you can add “and more!” to the end of each item on this list): Entertain Stream music over Wi-Fi Stream music over Bluetooth (most models) Work with Chromecast devices (Google Home models) Control your TV  Stream music to multiple speakers (multi-room audio) Play games Stream videos (models with displays) Retrieve news and information  News headlines Weather forecasts Traffic reports Date and time Wikipedia entries Manage your schedule Set appointments Provide reminders Serve as an alarm clock Maintain to-do lists Help in the kitchen Recite recipes (and show steps on models with displays) Set multiple timers Get measurement conversions (“How many cups are in one quart?”) Maintain shopping lists Set the temperature for a sous vide cooker Get basic nutrition information (“How many calories are in an apple?”) Contact friends and family Make and receive phone calls (video calls on models with displays) Serve as an in-home intercom Send text messages  Control your smart home * Turn your lights on and off (and dim them) Adjust your smart thermostat Manage your smart sprinkler controller Close your garage door Lock your smart deadbolt Arm your home security system Stream video from your home security camera (models with displays) Work with IFTTT * There are caveats when it comes to using a smart speaker for home control. Smart home devices that can be controlled via Wi-Fi don’t require any other hardware. Products that use the Zigbee or Z-Wave protocols depend on the presence of a smart-home hub, such as a Samsung SmartThings. Amazon’s higher-priced Echo models are exceptions to that rule, because they have an integrated smart home controller (although it’s limited to Zigbee). How to choose the right smart speaker Some soundbars can double as smart speakers. The Sonos Beam (Gen 2), for example, can be configured with Sonos’s own voice assistant, Amazon Alexa, or Google Assistant. Michael Brown/Foundry In a perfect world, smart speakers and smart displays would be interoperable, so you could buy one brand because it’s better for music, another brand because it’s the best for smart home control, and a third because it’s superior for retrieving general information from the internet. That’s not how it works in the real world. Once you commit to one platform, you’ll want to stick with it. There is one exception to this rule: The new JBL Authentics series of smart speakers can handle Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands interchangeably. That said, if you’re wedded to YouTube Music, streaming music from your account to an Amazon Echo is not perfectly seamless (the same goes for streaming music from Amazon Music Unlimited to a Google Home speakers). There are also some other major coexistence exceptions: Google blocks YouTube from appearing on the Echo Show devices, for instance (although you can get there using a web browser on an Echo Show). And Apple’s HomePod speakers are more or less locked to Apple Music. While tthere’s a recent workaround for Spotify, and you can use AirPlay to stream music from other services—provided both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network–stumbling blocks like that shouldn’t exist. Bottom line on this point: If you plan to mix and match third-party products with your smart speaker or display, do a little research to make sure they’ll work together. How we evaluate smart speakers How does the speaker sound? Most of the testing happens at moderate volume in home environments, but we’re also checking to see if the speaker distorts at higher volumes. The most important features are clarity and how natural the instruments sound. Especially with smaller speakers, we want to find out how much bass the speaker can deliver. Equally important for wireless speakers is how easily they can connect with an audio source and how stable that connection is during music playback. How far can you move the signal source from the speaker and still get an unbroken signal? Does the speaker support Bluetooth as well as Wi-Fi? Does it include an auxiliary input for wired playback? We also look at any smartphone app designed to work with the speaker. Does the app allow the user to adjust the sound to their preferences? Does the app allow a user to adjust the speaker’s smart capabilities? For smart speakers, we evaluate how well the speaker processes voice commands. A large part of the performance depends on the capabilities of Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple’s Siri. .

At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Very loud siren Supports up to 32 motion and/or door/window sensors Can be controlled via Alexa or Google Home Very inexpensive, and there are no subscriptions Cons Rocky setup Erratic sensor performance PINs can’t be time-restricted, and users aren’t tracked in the logs No professional monitoring options Our Verdict This security system is entry-level in every sense of the word, and it’s only appropriate to serve the most basic of security needs. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today I suppose if I was looking for a no-frills, absolutely basic security system, why, I might start my search at Home Depot, perhaps while I was picking up some spackle and spray paint to handle various other projects around the house. That kind of weekend warrior mentality seems to be the exact target audience for the Defiant Smart Home Alarm Kit, an utterly basic system that can fit easily in a plastic shopping bag and that won’t break the bank at all of 99 bucks. The Defiant Smart Home Alarm Kit includes five components, all powered by Home Depot’s Bluetooth-and-Wi-Fi-based Hubspace smart home platform: A combination hub/siren, a separate keypad controller, a motion sensor, and two door/window sensors. Most of the components feature a traditional, almost anonymous design. The kit includes a very Home Depot-like printed instruction manual, but the Hubspace app walks you through most of the setup. Unfortunately, I ran into roadblocks at nearly every step of the initial setup process, which involves onboarding the hub/siren box. Setup begins innocuously enough: Scan a QR code on the side of the siren, then walk through a few basic questions. The siren integrated into the Defiant Smart Home Alarm Kit’s base station gets plenty loud. But things froze after a couple of steps, when the app got stuck on a mysterious “Searching…” screen and was unable to proceed. Quitting the app and returning to it showed that the siren had been added to my Hubspace account, but without a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connection. The device claims to be able to work on Bluetooth only, but I couldn’t do anything without a Wi-Fi connection, and attempting to manually set up Wi-Fi repeatedly failed on this screen. While the app encourages you to “complete setup using the setting below” there was no way to do so. Home Depot’s Defiant Smart Home Alarm System starter kit includes (left to right) a numeric keypad for arming/disarming, a central hub, one motion sensor, and two door/window sensors.Home Depot I ended up deleting the connection to the hub, force-quitting the app, and attempting to reset the hub with its reset button multiple times, but I encountered these and other errors repeatedly. Eventually I was able to get things going by trying all of the above, removing the batteries from the hub, then trying the connection again. Finally, I was able to get the hub onboarded in the app. The good news is that connecting the four additional devices to the hub and the Hubspace app proceeded without complaint. Each of those comes preinstalled batteries preinstalled (AAs for the keypad, AAAs for the motion sensor, and coin cells for the chunky door sensors). Setup involves removing the plastic tab to engage the battery and then holding down a pairing button for five seconds, though the process is slightly different for each device. I had all the devices connected within just a few minutes, with the most difficult step in the process being prying off the extremely tight battery cover on the door sensors. Once paired, all devices can be wall-mounted with included screws or included, double-sided tape. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best home security systems. The system can be expanded to a maximum of 32 sensors (door/window and motions sensors are shown here).Christopher Null/Foundry Note that the hub/siren device is also powered by three AA batteries, but it also has a USB port for additional power; this port must be used during setup, and the manufacturer recommends leaving it plugged in 24/7. Certain features—including door/window chimes—will not function when the hub is running on battery power. With everything configured, it’s time to start using the system. Enabling and disabling the alarm system can be done either in the Hubspace app or via the numeric keypad. Operations are simple either way, covering the basics without a lot of extra fuss. The app offers access to three modes—disarmed, home, and away—which operate as expected and helpfully illuminate the base of the hub when activated. Away mode turns on all sensors, while home mode disables motion sensors by default. Each individual sensor, however, can be configured to activate in either home, away, or both modes, which allows you to turn off particular sensors altogether if desired, or you set the motion sensor to stay active while you’re home. An SOS button lets you sound the alarm on demand. Options in the app let you configure various arming delays and the duration of the volume-adjustable siren—which is plenty loud at max. You can also set different sounds for the siren and the chimes. Curiously, the motion sensor defaults to also initiating a chime as well as the door and window sensors, but this behavior can be disabled for any or all sensors. The central hub can operate on backup battery power in the event of an outage, but  the systems door and window chimes won’t sound off while it’s running on batteries.Christopher Null/Foundry Sensor performance was a little erratic during my testing, particularly for one of the door chimes, which didn’t properly register a state change every time it was opened or closed. It would often report being open when in fact it was shut, forcing me to open and shut the door a few times before the sensor status would finally change. This is especially problematic because you can’t put the system in its armed state if a door or window is registered as being open unless you manually bypass the faulty sensor. What’s more, on my first day of testing, the motion sensor incorrectly reported that its back cover was open, which required several remove-and-replace cycles to resolve the issue. User/PIN management is very basic. The system lets you create 4- to 8-digit PINs and assign a name to each, but every PIN provides full 24/7 access; there’s no way to restrict admittance to dates or times. Also, you’re limited to a maximum of 10 PINs, which is probably fine for smaller families. Lastly, while the system includes detailed logs that track all sensor activity, arm/disarm state changes, and alarm activations, you won’t know who armed or disarmed the system because the log doesn’t record PIN use. This can be a big problem if you have multiple users, because there’s no way of knowing who the last person in the house was if something goes awry. Much like the app, the keypad provides an offline way to arm and disarm the system and to manually activate the siren with the SOS button. Other than this, a few small LEDs serve to provide occasional status information, such as informing you if a door has been left open when you’re trying to arm the alarm. Again, it’s very basic with few frills, but it generally gets the job done. Hubspace veterans will find the Defiant Smart Home Alarm System’s mobile app familiar.Christopher Null/Foundry The Defiant system sends notifications to your phone for various activities, but I found these to be somewhat erratic, sometimes arriving out of order and/or slowly, with notifications that the alarm had been disarmed and the siren activated—in that order—up to a minute after both events had occurred. That’s not a catastrophic length of time, but it isn’t ideal. It’s also critical to note that Defiant has no professional monitoring option or any way to connect to emergency services. It’s completely self-monitored, so really what you’re getting is a loud siren and push notifications that your alarm has been activated. The inclusion of an SOS button can be particularly misleading on this front, as the button does not (and cannot) call for police, fire, or emergency medical services. It simply activates the siren. Given its $99 price tag, one should probably keep expectations in check. That outlay doesn’t get you much, of course, and I expect even very basic security needs won’t be met without some additional motion sensors ($10 each) or door/window sensors ($35 for two). The hub supports a maximum of 32 sensors of all types. There’s no way to integrate this system with other home security devices, such as floodlights–even Hubspace-branded ones–and there are no Hubspace security cameras at this time. The system does offer basic control via Alexa or Google Home. Still, even as a bare-bones, rock-bottom-priced security system, the Defiant system leaves a bit to be desired. This might be an acceptable product ifyou’re trying to scare hooligans away from a shed in your backyard, but I can’t see anyone relying on such a simplistic and often buggy product to protect the homestead.

Home security systems—once the exclusive domain of high-priced professional installers—have never been more affordable, and the hardware and software is simpler, more intuitive, and easier to set up than ever before. We have other roundups that name the best smart home hubs and components—everything from the best smart bulbs to the best smart speakers—but in this roundup, we name the best do-it-yourself home security systems. DIY home security systems come in a variety of types, ranging from standalone intrusion-detection setups to multi-input monitoring systems. They offer a sliding scale of protection levels from push-notifications on your smartphone to 24/7 professional monitoring capable of dispatching first responders in an emergency. Choosing the best option for your home and your budget can be tricky, but our roundup brings you the best of the field to make your selection simple. Why you should trust us TechHive’s editors and contributors have been building out their own smart homes for many years, and we continuously evaluate the latest hardware and software. We’ve experienced the great products, the not-so-great products, and everything in between. You can trust us to guide you to the right system for your needs. Update, November 15, 2024: We’ve added a link to our Defiant Smart Home Alarm Kit review. This exceedingly basic home security kit from Home Depot is affordably priced at $99; but unlike some other DIY home security systems, there is no option for added-cost professional monitoring. The best DIY smart home systems Ring Alarm Pro (8-piece kit) — Best DIY home security system Pros Very easy to set up An integrated Wi-Fi 6 router renders it a fantastic value Good Wi-Fi performance, and its range can be expanded with Eero mesh nodes Expandable battery and broadband backup features Cons Falls a little short of being an all-purpose smart home hub Subscription required for local video processing and storage Zigbee radio is still dormant, and there’s no Thread radio Why we like the Ring Alarm Pro Even though Ring has switched its professional monitoring option to an à la carte plan that will result in a de facto $10-per-month price increase for most users in one year (existing users were grandfathered into a cheaper plan, so there cost won’t go up immediately), you won’t find a more comprehensive collection of products or a better value in DIY home security. Some plans include 24/7 recording for an unlimited number of Ring security cameras (a limited number of wired models). And the Ring Alarm Pro also features an integrated Eero Wi-Fi 6 mesh router. Given that Ring Alarm systems also have Z-Wave and Zigbee radios on board (although the Zigbee radios are currently dormant), they make for the beginnings of a kick-ass smart home hub, with the Works with Ring program adding support for numerous third-party products, including smart locks, garage-door controllers, in-wall light switches, smart thermostats, and other smart home devices. It’s not quite as powerful a smart home hub as a Samsung SmartThings Station, but it will take you most of the way there. Who should buy the Ring Alarm Pro The Ring Alarm Pro is for anyone looking for a smart home security system that offers the option of professional monitoring. Ring also makes best-in-class video doorbells and security cameras, and when you plug an inexpensive endurance-rated microSD card into the Ring Alarm Pro, you get local storage and processing of all the video those cameras capture. The hub also serves as a bridge for Ring’s smart lighting products. If you don’t need to upgrade your home’s Wi-Fi router, and you don’t mind using a discrete bridge for your Ring smart lighting products, take a long look at the Ring Alarm (2nd Generation), which has everything but the router and the bridge. Read our full Ring Alarm Pro (8-piece kit) review Abode Iota — Best DIY home security system, runner up Pros Setup is as streamlined as it gets, and its all-in-one design makes it even more foolproof Pricing is solid, at least for a smaller home Plenty of thoughtful extras, including wireless connectivity and battery backup Apple HomeKit compatible Cons Integrated camera’s 1080p resolution is no longer impressive Integrated siren isn’t as loud as we’d like Best Prices Today: £587.76 at Amazon Why we like the Abode Iota The Abode Iota takes the original Abode home security system we reviewed in 2018 and incorporates a 1080p security camera and motion sensor into a smal enclosure. Like the original Abode system, which remains on the market, the Iota can operate as a capable smart home hub, having Zigbee and Z-Wave radios on board; plus, LTE backup in case your usual broadband connection fails (this requires a subscription). It’s also compatible with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, and IFTTT. Abode offers its own smart retrofit deadbolt, and its third-party device support is comparable to Ring’s, including control over Philips Hue smart lighting devices, Ecobee smart thermostats, and even Sonos speakers. You can monitor the system yourself, or sign up for professional monitoring at $24.99 per month or $229.99 per year. Who should buy the Abode Iota? The Abode Iota is a strong value because you’re getting a smart home/home security system and a home security camera all in one box. The Abode Iota is broadly compatible with all the important smart home ecosystems, and if you spring for a subscription, you’ll get LTE backup in case your usual broadband connection fails. The hub has a battery-backup feature that keeps it operating in the event of a power failure, too. Read our full Abode Iota review Arlo Home Security System — Best DIY home security system, 2nd runner-up Pros Sensors perform 6 functions in addition to reporting open/close state Professional monitoring available for as little as $10 per month (albeit with significant caveats) Attractive industrial design Cons Confusing array of subscription plans No third-party device support Arlo’s AI doesn’t add any value–yet Why we like Arlo Home Security Arlo is something of a rarity in DIY home security systems, in that you can opt to pay nothing for the product up front. Instead, you can finance an assembly of components over 3 years at zero percent interest, with the option of adding professional monitoring at a reasonable cost. We really like Arlo’s unique 8-function sensors that can detect if a door or window is opened, whether or not a room is occupied, if water is accumulating where it shouldn’t be, if ambient light levels indicate you forgot to turn a lamp on, and more. That said, Arlo’s array of subscription plans can be confusing, but our in-depth review lays all that out for you. Who should buy an Arlo Home Security System Whether or not cost is a barrier to entry for you, the Arlo Home Security System–especially with an optional professional monitoring plan–offers a comprehensive means of protecting your valuable property. Unlike the products from Ring and Abode, this system can’t also control smart home product, but it’s very easy to use and is very reasonably priced. Read our full Arlo Home Security System review SimpliSafe The Essentials — Best DIY home security system, 3rd runner-up Pros One of the quickest, easiest DIY setups you’ll encounter Attractive industrial design Self and professional monitoring options available Cons No support for smart lighting or any third-party products SimpliSafe can be slow to update key components (but SimpliSafe’s new indoor camera is great) Best professional monitoring plan is expensive at $30 per month Best Prices Today: $219.96 at SimpliSafe Why we like SimpliSafe SimpliSafe is an apt name for this sophisticated yet easy-to-use home security system. The starter kit we reviewed consists of a central hub, three door/window sensors, a motion sensor, a keypad for arming/disarming the system, and a wireless indoor security camera. You can customize your installation with anything else you might need, including indoor and outdoor cameras, a smart lock, glass-break sensors, leak and freeze sensors, a video doorbell, and more–and all these add-ons are very affordable. The hub has both battery and cellular backups, so you’re protected in the event of both power and broadband outages. You can use either the included keypad or a keyfob to arm and disarm the system. With SimpliSafe’s professional monitoring, $30 per month, an agent can use the system’s security cameras to verify and monitor a break-in and can even warn an intruder that they’ve been detected. Who should buy SimpliSafe Anyone looking for an affordable, strictly home security system–in other words, one that cannot also control the broader universe of smart home devices such as lighting, thermostats, and other home components should take a look at what SimpiSafe has to offer. This is one of the easiest to install alarm systems we’ve encountered, and it performs extremely well. But part of what makes it so simple is the fact that you can’t integrate any third-party products with it. Read our full SimpliSafe The Essentials review Minut Smart Home Alarm — Best security system for vacation rentals Pros Monitors noise levels Alerts to the sound of smoke/CO detector alarms Infrared occupancy sensor Temperature and humidity sensor Provides security without relying on cameras Cons Very limited smart home integration Third-party monitoring costs extra Why we like Minut This all-in-one device offers the assurance of home security without relying on privacy-intrusive home security cameras. In place of video, its onboard sensors monitor a room for the presence of crowds and high noise levels that indicate your guests are having a disruptive party with the potential for annoying your neighbors and increasing the likelihood of property damage. You can buy the device for $50, plus $120 per year for the ongoing service; or you can spend $180 for service and get the device at no cost. The higher-priced service includes some extra features that might or might not be worth your while. Who should buy Minut The Minut Home Security System is suited to any home, but it will be particularly attractive to people who own rental and vacation-rental properties. In addition to monitoring noise levels, it can detect temperature, the presence of cigarette smoke, and humidity levels that increase the risk of mold. The device can be integrated with Airbnb and other property-management systems, too. Read our full Minut Smart Home Alarm review What to look for when shopping for a DIY home security system Wired vs. wireless hub connection Many smart hubs must connect to your wireless router via an ethernet cable, which limits their placement and, of course, requires a free ethernet port on your router or switch. That can be an issue with puck-shaped routers that have just two ethernet ports–you’ll need to buy an ethernet switch to have enough ports. A smaller number of hubs are wireless and can be placed anywhere in range of the router, increasing your flexibility. Sensor range If your home is large or spread out, you’ll need to pay attention to the range that the hub’s sensors support. Hubs may support a wide array of connection protocols, including Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, and Zigbee, all of which have very different ranges. As with a wireless router, smart hub range can also be impacted by interference and device placement, and smart home devices themselves have different specs, as well. Take the time to look into the detailed specs to be sure sensors and third-party devices will work with your home’s infrastructure. Battery backup If the power goes out, your smart lights won’t be useful anyway; but other smart home features, like security sensors, rely on a hub that’s always powered on. Some smart home smart hubs feature battery backups (thanks to rechargeable or disposable cells). Even a short power outage can cause a significant delay while the hub reconnects, so a battery backup makes sense in many home environments. If you like everything else about a particular hub that lacks a battery backup option, consider investing in an uninterruptible power supply to plug it into. Mobile app usability You’ll probably be interacting with your hub primarily through its mobile app, so you’ll want one that’s intuitive and powerful, with all the key features you use front and center. App-store screen shots and, of course, our reviews can help you get a sense of what you’re dealing with on the app side of things. Overall complexity This is a companion consideration to the mobile app, relating primarily to the audience for whom the smart home system was developed. Is the system geared toward everyday users with limited customization needs? Or is it built with extreme flexibility in mind, to the point where the configuration decisions might overwhelm a novice user? Again, close attention to our reviews can help you gauge how comfortable you’re likely to feel with any system. Sensor support A companion consideration to the device support issue above, if you’re in the market for a DIY home security system, you’ll want one that supports all the sensors you need. Most security hubs only work with the sensors made by the same manufacturer, so you can’t mix and match as you would with a general-use smart home hub. Some security systems offer only a very narrow range of sensor types, while others have a wide variety to choose from. You’ll want motion and door/window sensors at a minimum. For added security, consider buying freeze, water leak, humidity, smoke and/or carbon monoxide sensors, garage-door, and glass-break sensors. Make sure the smart home hub you buy supports all the sensor types you wish to deploy. Cellular radio backup A security system that can be knocked out of commission by simply disabling your broadband connection doesn’t provide much protection. The best systems will include a cellular backup module that kicks in when your usual broadband connection drops. You should also carefully consider the battery backup consideration above, which is essential for dealing with power outages and is a standard feature on most security-focused hubs. Professional monitoring If you don’t want to monitor your own security system 24/7, you’ll at least want the option to engage with a professional security company that can keep tabs on it for you when you’re out on a walkabout. These invariably cost extra, which leads to our final consideration…. Service plan costs Service plan costs vary widely from system to system, and many vendors offer a range of plans to choose from. Some systems will work without a service plan at all, allowing you to self-monitor. Some require a plan to function at all. Also note that lower-tier service plans might provide only cloud storage for your security cameras. Wyze Labs offers one of the least-expensive plans: $9.99 per month with no long-term commitment, or $99.99 for a full year. Price out service plans carefully, taking the overall quality of the system into account, before you pull the trigger. Other notable smart home systems we’ve reviewed We’ve evaluated lots of other DIY smart home systems. If none of our top picks check all the boxes for you, take a look at these other products. Abode Smart Security Kit is virtually the same as the Abode Iota Security Kit, with the key difference being the integrated security camera integrated into the latter product. Both packages use the same accessories and sensors and support the same monitoring plans. Ecobee takes an interesting approach to home security, integrating its smart home hub into the company’s top-shelf smart thermostat. Ecobee also has a great home security camera, and the entire system is HomeKit compatible. Tapo H100 Smart Hub is a budget-priced home security that’s compatible with a very limited number of security products from the same manufacturer, and it doesn’t support security cameras at all. It’s main attraction is its low price tag. Roku Home Monitoring SE is yet another low-priced home security system, but with a twist: Roku sources this system from Wyze Labs and puts the Roku brand on it. Affordable professional monitoring is available. Wyze Home Monitoring is the same system as the Roku Home Monitoring SE, but Wyze manufactures both products. This is a low-cost security system with an extremely affordable professional monitoring subscription.

At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Eufy Life app is extremely easy to use and master Scads of preset lighting modes, plus an AI tuning system Can be programmed to react to people (when combined with Eufy security cams) Cons Not the most attractive lights on the market Very wide spacing between bulbs makes the strand feel naked Some smart features were still in development at press time Our Verdict We didn’t love the look of Eufy’s string lights, but their rock-bottom cost makes them a decent choice for occasional lighting needs. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today At this point the smart string light space is getting downright crowded from the likes of Enbrighten, Govee, Lifx, and Nanoleaf, and other brands. And while this category hasn’t quite reached commodity level, it’s getting to the point where price will be a key factor in choosing which set you end up buying. The Eufy smart home brand is the latest into the fray with its Outdoor String Lights E10. Unlike most players in the market, Eufy sells its lighting system in just one length: a 98-foot strand with 30 Edison-style bulbs dangling from it. The bulbs are connected directly to the wire—they don’t hang down from a pigtail—and each has an included plastic clip that lets you easily attach it to a guy wire, if that’s your installation method of choice. Zip ties and screws are also included for alternative means of stringing them. Paired with a Eufy security camera, the Eufy Outdoor String Lights E10 behave in a welcoming fashion when family members approach, and in a warning fashion if a stranger/possible intruder is detected. Specifications The kit arrives in four pieces which are held together with screw-capped, weatherproof connectors. (The entire system carries an IP65 rating.) It’s about 2.5 feet from the AC adapter to a small control box with a single button on it (which can be used for manual on/off operations), then about 14 feet of wire until you reach the first bulb. Not needing to deal with an oversized power brick in the middle of the wire—hello LIFX—is refreshing; Eufy keeps everything tidy and compact. The bulb wiring is broken into two segments, so if you only want to work with 50 feet of wire and 15 bulbs, instead of the full 100 feet/30 bulbs, you can detach the last segment. Eufy doesn’t specify the system’s power draw of the system, but I measured it at 30 watts under the heaviest load I could muster. This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart lighting. The bulbs have a significant separation between them: There’s a bit over 3 feet from one bulb to the next, making it the longest of any smart string light system I’ve seen in my testing of string lights to date. In fact, there’s so much space between bulbs that Eufy provides a Velcro cable tie between each one to help you close the gap. That means that out of the box, each bulb is only about one foot from the next, but with two feet of cable bundled up in the middle, which is not a good look. Remove that Velcro and you’ll see why this choice was made: As with Govee’s outdoor bulbs, the strand can look naked with so much space going unused. Christopher Null/Foundry The maximum output of each bulb is just 60 lumens, which is slightly above average for the field. That said, while colors look rich and whites are highly tunable with a color temperature range of 1,500 Kelvin to 9,000K. The bulbs don’t feel particularly bright unless it’s fully dark outside. Part of this seems to do with the bulb design. The LED is built into the base of the bulb, with a conical, translucent shade directly on top. The transparent globe of the bulb in turn surrounds that shade. There’s nothing wrong with that design on the surface, but the globe of the bulb never really feels “lit up” the way a standard Edison bulb does. Instead, each bulb fells like it’s mostly empty, with the illuminated cone doing all the work. Ultimately it just doesn’t make for that attractive of a presentation. Installation and setup Christopher Null/Foundry Setup is performed in the Eufy Live app (not the Eufy Security app). The former is dedicated exclusively to smart lighting (Eufy is establishing quite the collection) and—oddly enough—smart scales. You can set up the lights to work with Bluetooth only or with 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, though the app notes that WPA3 security is not supported. I had the system onboarded in less than a minute. The system can be configured to sync with Eufy security cameras, so that the lights will not only turn on when people are detected, but thanks to the cameras’ person-recognition features, the lights can be programmed to behave in a welcoming fashion when family members approach, and in a warning fashion if a stranger/possible intruder is detected. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a Eufy camera on hand to test this feature. I understand TechHive editor Michael Brown is working on a review of the new Eufy Permanent Outdoor Lights E22, including with a Eufy camera, so this review will be updated with a link when that review is published. Alexa and Google Home are both supported for cross-platform control, but these lights are not compatible with the Apple Home ecosystem, nor are they Matter certified at this time. Day to day use Eufy’s Wonderlink technology allows compatible lights, including these, to be paired with Eufy home security cameras. Christopher Null/Foundry Management of the lights is very reminiscent of the way Govee handles smart lighting. You can drill down and control each bulb individually, or you can let the app take over by selecting one of some 80 preset themes. Anything you can imagine is here, including themes built around emotions (“romantic,” “quiet”), flags (nine countries included), weather (“thunderstorm,” “misty rain”), and even holidays. These modes are dynamic and shifting, though some are more intense and active than others. If none of those are to your liking, you can roll Eufy’s “Magic Dice” to get a random look and feel, or tell Eufy’s AI algorithm to come up with something based on your written description. This is similar to the feature Govee rolled out with its Permanent Outdoor Lights 2, except you can’t give Eufy a photograph to draw from, only text. All lighting modes can be tweaked manually, including the presets and AI-suggested ones, at least to some extent, letting you change colors and motion speed. Finally, a built-in calendar system lets you tell the app to turn on certain lighting modes automatically at certain times of the year. (That way you won’t forget Washington’s birthday!) The system is responsive and fast, and I didn’t have any issues in daily use of the lights. Eufy makes its smart string lights easy to work with—and plenty of fun. Govee’s interface is more powerful, but it quickly gets overwhelming, while Lifx’s app is decidedly unfriendly and Enbrighten’s seems uninspired. Eufy, however, is still clearly working on some features. A “Music Flow” mode, for example, that lets lighting change in time with ambient sound was in beta and didn’t work for me at press time. Should you buy Eufy Outdoor String Lights E10? The best feature here is the cost: Currently priced at just $90 after a $40 coupon on Eufy’s website (or at Amazon if you’re an Amazon Prime member), Eufy’s smart string lights are as cheap as they get. The Eufy Outdoor String Lights E10 aren’t the prettiest or the smartest string lights on the market, but for environments where you just need a casual, and possibly temporary, pop of color, at least they won’t break the bank. Correction, November 19, 2024: A previous version of this article mentioned using the Eufy Home app to set up these lights. The lights use the Eufy Life app. We regret the error.

There are four ways of getting smart lighting into and around your home, and they aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive. The easiest and least expensive way is to buy smart bulbs for your existing dumb light fixtures. That’s also the cheapest way to get color lighting. The second way is to buy smart light fixtures. These are available in models that can produce both white and color light, but they’re more expensive than just buying bulbs. The third approach is to plug your lamps (and small appliances, in some cases) into smart plugs (see our top picks in smart plugs), and the final solution is to replace the dumb switches and dimmers in your walls with smart models. Neither of those solutions alone will deliver color lighting, and the latter scenario is more complicated and more expensive. There are advantages to that approach, however, as we discuss in our best smart dimmers and switches story. Updated November 15, 2024: We’ve added a link to our Eufy Outdoor String Lights E10 review. Price is one of the primary attractions of these café-style smart lights–at least at the time of our review, when they were selling for just $90. And while we haven’t done a deep dive into it yet, Eufy’s new Wonderlink technology that ties its smart lighting products together with its Eufy home security cameras looks like a compelling feature. Why you should trust us TechHive’s editors and contributors have been testing smart bulbs and lighting products practically since the category was invented. We continuously test the latest smart lights, accessories, and the apps that control them. We also have deep experience with a broad range of smart lighting devices, from smart A19 bulbs and color light strips to outdoor lighting and touch-sensitive light panels. You can trust us to guide you to the best smart lights for your home, office, back yard, and more. Our top picks in smart lighting products Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance — Best color smart bulb Pros Bluetooth support eliminates the need for the Hue Bridge Excellent light quality and smooth dimming Hue ecosystem is unrivaled in terms of size and depth Supports Apple HomeKit ecosystem Cons Philips Hue products are much more expensive than the competition Relying on Bluetooth limits you to 10 Hue devices You need the Hue Hub to assign Hue devices to rooms What we like about the Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance smart bulb Philips (now known as Signify) was one of the first players in this market, and the company’s experience shows. The addition Bluetooth support obviates the need for the $60 Philips Hue Bridge (although most smart home denizens will want the Bridge anyway). Signify’s Philips Hue lighting ecosystem is the industry’s deepest and broadest, with bulbs of every shape and size imaginable, not to mention lighting fixtures landscape lighting. Who should buy the Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance smart bulb Just about anyone looking to get started with smart lighting would do well with the Philips Hue White and Color Ambience smart bulb. It offers easy setup, doesn’t require the Hue Bridge (although you can always add one later), works with Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant, and boasts terrific reliability (our editors have been using them for years and have yet to report any serious failures). And while Hue bulbs tend to be a tad pricier than the competition, they’re worth the extra cost. Read our full Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance A19 (Bluetooth + Zigbee) review Wyze Bulb Color — Best color smart bulb, runner-up Pros Very inexpensive Connects via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth–no hub or bridge required Surprisingly bright considering the price Cons Can’t be grouped with the tunable white Wyze Bulb Only available as a 2- or 4-pack No competition for Philips Hue in terms of lighting ecosystem Best Prices Today: $34.99 at Wyze Why we like the Wyze Bulb Color Wyze Labs can’t match Philips Hue in terms of the breadth of its smart lighting ecosystem, but it beats Signify’s brand by a country mile in terms of pricing, and Wyze has a much broader array of product offerings when it comes to other areas of the smart home–most importantly in terms of home security. Wyze also now offers an excellent BR30 color smart bulb. Who should buy the Wyze Bulb Color Wyze’s color bulbs are among the most affordable on the market, and you don’t need a bridge to add one–or many–to your home. They’ll also work in tandem with your Wyze Cam, meaning you can set your Wyze camera to trigger a Wyze bulb if the cam detects motion. But the Wyze Bulb Color doesn’t support Matter, which means it’s a no-go for Apple HomeKit users, and the Wyze lighting ecosystem can’t match Philips Hue’s. Read our full Wyze Bulb Color review Philips Hue White Ambiance (Bluetooth + Zigbee) — Best white smart bulb Pros Bluetooth support eliminates the need for the Hue Bridge Excellent light quality and smooth dimming Hue ecosystem is unrivaled in terms of size and depth Supports Apple HomeKit ecosystem Cons Philips Hue products are much more expensive than the competition Relying on Bluetooth limits you to 10 Hue devices You need the Hue Hub to assign Hue devices to rooms Best Prices Today: $29.99 at Philips Hue Why we like the Philips Hue White Ambiance (Bluetooth + Zigbee) smart bulb Our choice won’t surprise anyone who’s been following this market. Philips dominates this space and is also our top pick for best color LED smart bulb. The latest Hue bulbs can be controlled via Bluetooth or Zigbee (the latter requires the Philips Hue Bridge), they deliver high-quality light, and are backed by a strong warranty. We only received the BR30 form factor for our review, but apart from form factor, that bulb is the same as the A19. Who should buy the Philips Hue White Ambiance (Bluetooth + Zigbee) smart bulb As with Philips Hue’s color smart bulb, we recommend the Hue White Ambiance for most folks who want to add smart lighting to their homes, although the A19 form factor is more appropriate for lamps and the like). It’s easy to set up, works with all the major smart home ecosystems, and the Hue Bridge is entirely optional (although certainly nice to have). The Hue White Ambiance is also considerably more affordable than the Hue White and Color Ambiance bulb, so peppering them around your home won’t break the bank. Read our full Philips Hue White Ambiance (Bluetooth + Zigbee) review Cree Lighting Connected Max Smart LED — Best budget smart bulb Pros Very inexpensive Good quality light, plus colors No hub requirement Several other form factors in the Cree Connected Max family Cons We experienced slight delays during our testing No Apple HomeKit support Why we like the Cree Lighting Connected Max Smart LED bulb You can’t beat the price of the Cree Lighting Connected Max Smart LED considering you get both tunable white and full color. Cree Lighting’s Connected Max family includes a full range of form factors, too, including BR30, PAR38, vintage filament, tape lighting, and even retrofit downlights. It’s not HomeKit compatible, but it does work with Siri Shortcuts. Who should buy the Cree Lighting Connected Max Smart LED bulb If you’re on a tight budget and absolutely don’t want a smart bulb that requires a bridge, the Cree Lighting Connected Max Smart LED is your best bet. It delivers impressive lighting quality for the price, you can easily expand your collection of Cree lights with other form factors, and it works with Alexa and Google Assistant. Read our full Cree Lighting Connected Max Smart LED (Tunable White + Color Changing) review Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus (2020) — Best LED light strip Pros Bright and colorful Supports both Bluetooth and Zigbee Apple HomeKit compatible (with the Hue Bridge) Robust scheduling and automation features Cons Much more expensive than competing products Power cable saddled with a chunky wall wart Lights can’t be animated without a third-party app Why we like the Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus The Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus makes for a great and easy way to add accent lighting to kitchen counters, stairways, and other indoor areas. The Philips Hue ecosystem is bigger than any other smart lighting solution, but Hue products are also much more expensive than the competition. Who should buy the Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus It may be pricier than other light strips on the market, but we still recommend the Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus even if you’re on a budget. The reason: Smart light strips are notoriously prone to failure, particularly the cheap ones. But a Hue Lightstrip Plus has been working flawlessly for years in a TechHive editor’s kitchen, and Hue has been good about replacing defective units if the need arises. Aside from reliability, the Hue Lightstrip Plus benefits from Hue’s robust ecosystem, support for all the major smart home platforms, and the fact that the Hue Bridge is optional. Read our full Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus (2020) review TP-Link Kasa Smart Light Strip KL400L5 — Best LED light strip, runner-up Pros Affordably priced Alexa, Google Assistant, and SmartThings integrations Solid collection of animated effects Plenty of scheduling, scene, and grouping options Cons Cumbersome Wi-Fi setup Can’t sync its LEDs with your music Flimsy construction Can’t be extended with additional light strips Why we like the TP-Link Kasa Smart Light Strip KL400L5 TP-Link built more features into this light strip than we expected for the price, and it even offers one feature that our top pick doesn’t: animation sequences. The Philips Hue product, on the other hand, feels much more durable, and you can add extensions to the end of a strip. The biggest factor in TP-Link’s favor? The price tag. Who should buy the TP-Link Kasa Smart Light Strip KL400L5 If you must spend less on a smart light strip, we’ll point you in TP-Link’s direction. While you can’t extend this light strip, you can put it on a schedule, group it with other Kasa lights, and use it with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings, and you can even tee up some nifty animated lighting scenes. Read our full TP-Link Kasa Smart Light Strip KL400L5 review Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagons — Most innovative lighting design Pros Beautiful and interactive lighting scenes Touch actions let you control other smart devices Alexa, Google Assistant, Thread, and HomeKit compatible Surprisingly easy to install Cons Panels can be difficult to remove from a wall (but don’t appear to cause any damage) Chunky AC adapter Expensive Best Prices Today: $199.99 at Nanoleaf Why we like the Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagons This is the first of Nanoleaf’s Shapes interactive light panels, and it set the stage for several other equally fun versions. This modular lighting system won’t illuminate a room–that’s not it’s intended purpose–but it can set a mood like nothing else on the market today. Who should buy the Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagons Whether you’re a Twitch streamer who wants to add some eye candy to their setup or you simply want to decorate your office or another room, Nanoleaf’s Shapes light panels are the way to go. They’re easy to install–and, crucially, remove when the time comes. They also work with Matter (following a software update), and their touch functionality remains unmatched. Read our full Nanoleaf Shapes Hexagons review LIFX Ceiling — Best smart ceiling light Pros Extremely easy installation A bevy of lighting features thanks to dual zones  Very high quality light, with ample range Cons Built-in wiring connectors aren’t the most secure and won’t work for all environments  LIFX app remains a bit obtuse Draws quite a bit of power  Why we like the LIFX SuperColor Ceiling The best feature LIFX’s SuperColor Ceiling light may well be how easy it is to install. Thanks to a cleverly designed mounting bracket and a handy clip that holds the fixture a few inches below the ceiling, the LIFX Ceiling light has an almost idiot-proof setup process. We also love the two-zone lighting as well as the Matter support. Who should buy the LIFX SuperColor Ceiling With its easy installation, the LIFX SuperColor Ceiling is a great choice for those who might otherwise balk at installing a smart light in their ceiling. And thanks to its Matter support, the LIFX light will work in Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings households Read our full LIFX SuperColor Ceiling review Philips Hue Lily — Best outdoor spotlight Pros Robust aluminum housing, glass lenses, and IP65 weatherization to withstand the elements Full color light, with up to 600 lumens of brightness Can be scheduled, controlled by Alexa or Google Assistant, and triggered by a Philips Hue Outdoor Sensor Low-voltage cables can be buried Cons Requires Philips Hue Bridge Range is impacted by having the the Hue Bridge inside your home, hardwired to your router Expensive, and each add-on spotlight costs another $100 Best Prices Today: £259.98 (£86.66 / count) at Amazon£260 at AO£260 at John Lewis and Partners Why we like the Philips Hue Lily Signify’s Philips Hue product line includes the most complete collection of outdoor and landscape LED lighting. In addition to the Lily spotlight, there’s the Lily XL spotlight, the Calla Bollard light, the Econic Outdoor Pedestal, the Amarant linear outdoor light, no fewer than 9 wall or ceiling-mount outdoor lights, and even outdoor LED light strips. That diversity, and the high-quality design and construction of these luminaires, justifies Signify’s high price tags. Who should buy the Philips Hue Lily Already invested in the Philips Hue ecosystem for your indoor lights? If so, then ponying up for Hue outdoor lights is a no-brainer, and the Lily spotlight is a great place to start. It’s weatherized for the elements, works with all the major smart home ecosystems (now that the Hue Bridge has been updated with Matter), and plays nice with a variety of Hue outdoor accessories, including the Hue Outdoor Sensor. Read our full Philips Hue Lily outdoor spotlight (3-spotlights and 1 power supply) review Hampton Bay Hubspace Landscape Spotlights — Best outdoor spotlight, runner-up Pros Comparatively inexpensive Hubspace ecosystem is increasingly comprehensive Can be powered by any 12/15-volt transformer, if you have already one Cons Spotlights are more fragile and wiring system is less sophisticated than the pricier competition from Philips Hue Transformer and wire sold separately from the spotlights There’s history of retailers abandoning their proprietary smart home ecosystems Why we like the Hampton Bay Hubspace Landscape Spotlights These budget-priced landscape spotlights deserve to be compared to the much-pricier Philips Hue Lily product line. The trade-offs include less-robust construction, less-sophisticated wiring, slightly dimmer brightness, and a less-complete smart lighting ecosystem, but you will spend significantly less money, especially if you deploy a lot of lights. Buyers should also be aware, however, that there is a long history of retailers abandoning their proprietary smart home platforms. For the record: We have not seen any indication of this from Home Depot; the company has released several new Hubspace products since we received this kit for review. Who should buy the Hampton Bay Hubspace Landscape Spotlights If you’re not already a Philips Hue user or you don’t have a Hue-sized budget, you can still up your outdoor lighting game with this affordable kit from Home Depot. It’s relatively easy to deploy, works with an increasingly wide range of Hubspace lighting devices, an–so far–Home Depot appears to be sticking by its smart home brand, unlike other retailers we’ve seen. Read our full Hampton Bay Hubspace Landscape Spotlights (3-pack) review Philips Hue Calla — Best outdoor pathway light Pros 16 million of color, plus temperature-tunable white light Robust construction and protection from the elements A component in the broad Philips Hue lighting ecosystem Cons Delivers only 600 lumens of brightness Must be hardwired to a plug-in power supply Very expensive compared to run-of-the-mill pathway lighting Why we like the Philips Hue Calla The Philips Hue Calla outdoor pathway light adds sophisticated safety to outdoor walkways and patios, and Philips has the most complete smart lighting ecosystem in the industry. But you’ll need an outdoor outlet to power this and all other Hue landscape lighting, and the components are very expensive. Who should buy the Philips Hue Calla At the risk of sounding like a broken record, Philips Hue’s lighting products are well worth their premium prices, particularly when it comes to outdoor lights like the Calla. That makes them the best choice for those who want to light up their outdoor pathways, especially if you’re already a Hue user, and they’ll work seamlessly with any other Hue lights in your yard. Read our full Philips Hue Calla outdoor pathway light review Ring Smart Lighting Solar Pathlight — Best outdoor pathway light, runner-up Pros Battery powered with integrated solar panel Built-in motion sensor Can be integrated into the robust Ring home security ecosystem Once you have the bridge, add-on lights cost only $35 Cons Fabricated entirely from plastic Much more expensive than dumb pathlights Requires Ring Smart Lighting Bridge (included), which connects only to 2.4GHz Wi-Fi networks Why we like the Ring Smart Lighting Solar Pathlight Ring’s smart lighting system isn’t as broad as Signify’s Philips Hue, but it covers the bases, and these Ring pathlights boast a couple of features that Hue’s don’t: solar charging as well as built-in motion detection. While we were initially concerned about the all-plastic housing, we’ve had one of the lights deployed for more than two years and haven’t detected significant deterioration. Who should buy the Ring Smart Lighting Solar Pathlight Have a Ring Alarm protecting your home? If that’s the case, going with Ring outdoor lighting is a natural next step, and the Ring Smart Lighting Solar Pathlight has much to recommend it, provided you’re already using the Ring Smart Lighting Bridge. Read our full Ring Smart Lighting Solar Pathlight starter kit review Enbrighten Wi-Fi Café Lights — Best outdoor string lights Pros Wi-Fi control, with Alexa and Google Assistant support Bright, vibrant colors, plus white light in six color temperatures Very good app with lots of customization and scheduling options Additional strings can be daisy-chained, up to 200 feet Cons No IFTTT or Apple HomeKit compatibility Bulky control unit housing the power supply and Wi-Fi adapter Expensive compared to a plethora of “dumb” alternatives Best Prices Today: $159.99 at Jasco Products Why we like the Enbrighten Wi-Fi Café Lights Jasco’s Enbrighten Wi-Fi Café Lights are certainly expensive, but they’re also very pretty, highly customizable, and exceptionally durable for year-round outdoor installations. There’s also surprisingly little competition in this admittedly specialized segment of outdoor lighting. Signify has outdoor Philips Hue light strips, for example, but that’s a very different look from café-style lights. Who should buy the Enbrighten Wi-Fi Café Lights Provided you have the budget, the Enbrighten Wi-Fi Café Lights is a good choice for decorative outdoor string lights that respond to Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands. These café lights are also a great pick if you have a lot of ground to cover, given that the strings can be daisy-chained together. Read our full Enbrighten Wi-Fi Café Lights review Enbrighten Eternity Lights — Best permanent holiday lights Pros Robust, weatherized components Bright, vibrant color and white lights Fun programming options Extendable up to 200 feet Cons Power supply not sold separately, so you can’t install spare strands in another location No Apple Home, IFTTT, or Matter support Lights can’t be synchronized to music Why we like Enbrighten Eternity Lights The winter holidays aren’t the only time it’s fun to decorate your house, but no one wants to drag the ladder out of storage several times a year to hang and then take down outdoor lighting. With the Enbrighten Eternity Lights, you don’t have to: Once you’ve installed them, they can stay up forever and you can program for every season–or just highlight your home’s architecture with tunable white light. They connect to your Wi-Fi network, of course, and they can operate on a schedule, with geofencing, or with voice commands spoken to Alexa or Google smart speakers. Who should buy Enbrighten Eternity Lights You don’t need to be a smart home enthusiast to enjoy these lights, all you really need is a Wi-Fi router, a smartphone, an outdoor outlet you can plug their power supply into, and the desire to decorate your home with light. Enbrighten Eternity Lights can glow in lots of colors as well as different temperatures of white light, and they can be programmed to flash, sequence, and dance in preset patterns or you can customize your own lighting scenes. These lights are compatible with Amazon Echo and Google Home ecosystems, but if your home revolves around Apple Home, you want to standardize with Matter, or if you like to use IFTTT to for cross-platform automations, you’ll want to know that these lights are compatible with any of them. Read our full Enbrighten Eternity Lights review What to look for when shopping for smart lights Color and/or tunable white With their rainbow of hues and myriad party tricks, color LEDs get all the press in the world of smart lighting. It’s fun stuff, but the reality is that most of us will rarely find much of a need to turn all the lights in the house blue or red—unless it’s time to celebrate our team winning the World Series. Even then, you’ll probably want to turn them all back to white after the celebration. White light is also important in its own right, as today there is plenty of science to show how various shades of white—with variations in color temperature—impact our psychological state. Cool light that’s closer to blue has an energizing effect, and is best in the morning. Warm light is relaxing, and is best after the sun goes down. Note, however, that not every white LED smart bulb is color-temperature-tunable. Check out the specs before you buy. White smart bulbs downplay the party features that are a staple of color-tunable bulbs. On the other hand, white smart bulbs are less expensive than color bulbs, making it more affordable to roll them out in multiple rooms. Smart lighting protocols and features Three control technologies continue to vie for leadership in the smart bulb market (Z-Wave is a major contender in smart lighting, but you won’t encounter it in bulbs—just in switches, plug-in modules, control panels, and smart-home hubs). Zigbee: Bulbs that use the popular smart-home networking protocol require a bridge to communicate with your home Wi-Fi network. This is the technology Philips has adopted for its Hue lineup, but it’s not the only one. Wi-Fi: This class of bulb talks directly to your Wi-Fi router, no hub or bridge required. LIFX and TP-Link both manufacture excellent Wi-Fi smart bulbs, but neither company comes close to Signify’s Philips Hue lineup in terms of the depth and breadth of the Hue ecosystem. Bluetooth: These bulbs skip your home network altogether and pair directly with your smartphone or tablet. As such, they can’t be controlled from outside your home. GE and a number of other manufacturers make Bluetooth bulbs, some of better quality than others. Signify has recently added Bluetooth radios to its Philips Hue line of smart bulbs, which eliminates the need to deploy the Philips Hue Bridge. Taking the bridge out of the equation reduces the overall cost of deployment, but adds some limitations. You can read more in our review of the new Philips Hue bulbs. Each of these technologies has pros and cons, so before you attempt to settle on a specific bulb, first try to determine which tech is right for you. If you want to hook your bulbs into a broader smart-home system—such as SmartThings or Nest—Bluetooth bulbs are out. You can control more than one bulb with your phone, but you can’t connect it to sensors or other systems inside your home. Don’t like the idea of pairing a bulb to your phone? A Wi-Fi bulb will work best for you, though you won’t have quite as many options as you’ll find with a Zigbee product. Smart bulb, or smart switch? There’s a significant argument about the best way to install smart lighting, and two approaches present themselves. You can either go with expensive smart bulbs and control them all individually, or you can use cheap dumb bulbs and install smart switches to control all the lights on that circuit. Both approaches make sense: With smart bulbs, the biggest issue is cost, but there’s also complexity to deal with. While bulbs can usually be grouped based on location, this is only as intuitive to manage as the bulb control app. Smart switches, on the other hand, are far more complicated to install—to the point where some users might be uncomfortable dealing with exposed wiring and would prefer to hire an electrician. Smart switches, however, provide more flexibility in many installations. Habituated from years of flipping hard-wired switches, many users (or their children) will instinctively use the wall switch to turn the lights out when they leave a room. Once that happens, all the apps in the world won’t be able to turn the light back on until the switch is returned to the on position. While this won’t be an issue if you install smart switches, they can’t change a bulb’s color or color temperature. That said, smart bulbs, no matter what the technology, still won’t be right for everyone. Notably, most of these bulbs cannot be dimmed via a hardwired wall switch (it messes with the power going to the radio, rendering them useless). A few will fail even if a dimmer is present on the circuit and dialed up to full power. The good news is that bulb prices are going down, so it’s easier to get started with smart bulbs and less punishing should you find that a product doesn’t work for you. Frequently asked questions about smart lighting 1. Do smart lights require a hub?  As we noted above, if a smart light doesn’t use either Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to connect to your home wireless router or your phone, it will likely require a separate hub to bridge the gap.  For example, Ring lighting products, which use Ring’s proprietary wireless protocol, require the Ring Lighting Bridge, while (older) Zigbee-only Hue lights need the Hue Bridge to connect to your home network.  But there are plenty of smart lights that do connect directly to either Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or both. Wyze and Cree smart bulbs connect via Wi-Fi, for instance, while most recent Philips Hue lights can connect directly to your phone via Bluetooth. (The latest Hue bulbs boast Bluetooth and Zigbee radios). Of course, there are benefits to smart lights that use a bridge or a hub—namely range. When connecting via Zigbee, for example, Philips Hue bulbs double as range extenders, with one Hue bulb able to connect to the next, rather than each bulb having to make a direct connection to your Wi-Fi router. A smart hub may also enable better responsiveness than bulbs that connect via Wi-Fi.  2. Can you control smart bulbs when you’re away from home?  In most cases, yes. Both Wi-Fi-enabled and hub-controlled smart lights typically can be controlled from anywhere, using either the manufacturer’s app or via the app of a compatible smart home ecosystem (Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, and so on). The same goes with smart lights that rely on a hub, like the aforementioned Ring lights.  A key exception are Bluetooth-only smart bulbs. As we mentioned earlier, Bluetooth has a limited range—just 33 feet or so, and you must be in the same room to control a Bluetooth smart light with your phone. That’s a key factor to consider if you buy a Bluetooth- and Zigbee-enabled Philips Hue light without a Hue Bridge—no Bridge, no out-of-home control.  3. What’s the difference between tunable white bulbs and dimmable white bulbs?  “Tunable” white bulbs allow you to tune the white color to different color temperatures, from warm while (2200K, or Kelvin) to soft white (3000K) to bright white (4000K) and daylight (6500K). Warm white, for example, is a nice, relaxing color temperature for a dining room or bedroom, while cooler color temperatures are better suited for workspaces, such as a kitchen counter, a desk, or a workshop bench.  “Dimmable” bulbs, as you probably guessed, allow you to change the brightness of the emitted light, from very dim to 100-percent brightness.  Some smart bulbs are both tunable and dimmable, while others are only dimmable. In the latter case, such bulbs are fixed at a specific white-color temperature. Before you buy a dimmable-only bulb, be sure that the set temperature is to your liking.  4. What’s the benefit of grouping smart lights together?  White you may occasionally want to control only an individual smart light, it’s far more convenient to take change of a whole group of lights at once, and this is a feature we expect from most smart bulbs.  Generally speaking, you’ll be able to group lights in a room—meaning, for example, you’ll have your “Bedroom” lights, your “Kitchen” lights, and so on. Some smart lighting ecosystems (like Philips Hue’s) may allow you to group “zones” of lights, such as all upstairs or downstairs lights. Once your lights are properly grouped, you’ll be able to control all the lights in a room or zone with a tap, or by asking you voice assistant, “Turn on kitchen lights” or “Set bedroom lights to 60 percent.”  Besides grouping lights, you should also be able to create lighting scenes that automatically set your lights to predetermined brightnesses or color temperatures. For example, a “Movie” scene in your living room might turn off most of your lights while dimming those in an adjacent hallway. You can usually trigger light scenes with a tap within an app or via a voice command.  5. How do you put a smart bulb back into pairing mode?  Out of the box, smart bulbs are usually already in pairing mode, meaning they’ll be discoverable by a compatible smart app as soon as they’re screwed in and/or powered on. But what if you want to put a smart bulb back into pairing mode? After all, with a standard A19 bulb, there’s no obvious button to push.  The precise answer depends on the manufacturer, but generally speaking, the trick is to turn the bulb on and off a set number of times in rapid succession. Check your user manual for the exact details.  Other notable smart lights we’ve reviewed We’ve evaluated many other smart lights. If none of our top picks check all the boxes for you, take a look at these other products. We’ve also listed some smart lights to avoid. Govee Neon Rope Light 2: More flexible and now with Matter, Govee’s Neon Rope Light 2 makes for an easy way to add an animated and eye-catching splash of color to practically any living space.  Govee LED Strip Light M1 with Matter: This affordable, easy-to-install light strip works with all the major smart home ecosystems thanks to Matter, and will keep you busy with its myriad features and light animations. Govee Glide Hexa Light Panels: Govee’s smart light panels are essentially bargain-priced Nanoleaf knock-offs, but they chop a lot of features and they’re not that much cheaper. LIFX String Light: LIFX is back with a 24-foot string light that boasts 12 big, chunky cylinders attached to a thick, rubberized wire. These attractive, three-zone lights can add an appealing splash of color to any backyard space, and they throw off an impressive amount of brightness compared to typical string lights. LIFX SuperColor Smart Light A21: Bright, easy to install, compliant with Matter, and packed with features, the LIFX SuperColor Smart Light A21 makes for a compelling smart bulb, even if it’s a tad heavy and chunky. LIFX SuperColor Spot: You can add a burst of color to your landscaping with the LIFX SuperColor Spot, but be mindful of all the extra wiring it requires.  Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Lightstrip: Nanoleaf’s Matter-enabled light strip is bright, affordable, and easy to install, but getting the strip to work with Matter involves jumping through some hoops. Nanoleaf Outdoor String Lights: Nanoleaf’s string lights are long and offer lots of flexibility, but the light quality leaves something to be desired.  Philips Hue Iris: A cinch to set up and compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, and HomeKit, the Bluetooth-enabled Iris makes for an easy and inexpensive way to warm up a room. TP-Link Kasa Smart WiFi Light Bulb (model KL125): The most affordable color smart bulb in TP-Link’s Kasa Smart lineup has some nifty tricks up its sleeves and deep scheduling functionality, even if other aspects of the bulb are rough around the edges. WiZ Bar Linear Light: Connected by a detachable cable, these smart light bars make it easy to cast multicolored splashes of light, and they even detect motion. WiZ Mobile Portable Light: The WiZ Mobile Portable Light makes for a lightweight companion that can glow in multiple animated colors, and it can even detect motion when grouped with other WiZ lights.

Level makes some of our favorite smart locks—including in the retrofit class—so we were excited to hear last March that the company had achieved Matter certification. But we’ve been waiting ever since for the firmware update that would enable that support. That day has finally arrived—in a manner of speaking. Level has announced the launch of the all-new Level Lock+ (Matter), which is equipped with both Bluetooth and Thread radios, the latter to support Matter over Thread. Physically, the lock is identical to the existing Level Lock+ we reviewed in July, 2023. That lock also has Bluetooth and Thread radios, but the latter is dormant. The new Level Lock+ (Matter) is priced at $329, the same as the Bluetooth Level Lock but $20 less than the Bluetooth + Wi-Fi Level Lock (which comes with a Bluetooth-to-Wi-Fi bridge). This news is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart locks. The good news for existing Level Lock+ users who care about Matter is that a firmware update will finally activate that lock’s Thread radio. The bad news is that you’ll need to jump through some hoops to get that update. And once you get it, installing the firmware will remove compatibility with Amazon’s Sidewalk network, which could complicate things—at least temporarily—for users who have been connecting to their Level Lock+ over the internet via a Sidewalk bridge. All settings, permissions, key cards, and other settings established with the Level app will transfer over, but you’ll need to re-pair the lock with any third-party ecosystems.Michael Brown/Foundry The absence of Sidewalk support will most likely impact Ring and Android users, since the typical iPhone-using smart-home enthusiast probably has their Level Lock+ connected to an Apple smart home hub (e.g., an Apple HomePod, HomePod mini, or a 4th-generation Apple TV or later). Looking on the bright side again, buying a Level Lock+ (Matter) or updating an existing Level Lock+’s firmware opens a host of alternative connectivity choices via the Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, or Samsung SmartThings ecosystems. You’ll be able to use a Level Lock+ with any or all of those hubs. As for the hoops you’ll need to jump through: Level says the firmware update is irreversible, so you’ll need to visit Level’s update site, confirm that you wish to update a Level Lock+ (not the original Level Lock, Level Lock (touch edition), or the Level Bolt retrofit lock), confirm that you have a Matter-over-Thread-compatible smart home hub (various models of the Amazon Echo, Eero router, Apple HomePods and newer Apple TVs, Google Nest Hubs and Google Wifi routers, and Samsung SmartThings devices qualify (including the Aeotec Smart Home Hub and the Samsung SmartThings Station). Michael Brown/Foundry You’ll also need to ensure that the lock is paired with the Level app (a factory reset and re-pair is required if it isn’t), acknowledge that you’ll need to re-pair the lock with any third-party ecosystem (Amazon, Apple, Google, or Samsung), acknowledge that linking to Ring via Sidewalk will no longer work after the firmware update, and provide your lock’s serial number. But after all that, you still won’t get the firmware update. Instead, you’ll need to provide your name and email address and then wait for Level to contact you “with next steps.” No guidance is provided as to when that might happen. Don’t wait too long to act, though; Level says its firmware update will only be available for 60 days, until January 14, 2025.

Just as promised, Gemini AI is taking its first tentative steps in the Google Home app, with Nest camera feeds and home automations among the first beneficiaries.  Starting this week, Gemini will be able to write descriptions of what’s happening in captured Nest video events. And soon, the LLM will start helping you create Google Home automations based on natural-language queries.   Google is taking a cautious approach to adding AI functionality to the smart home, adding just a couple convenience features for its Nest cams and automation recipes before wading into more far-reaching improvements, such as imbuing Google Assistant with a more “fluid” conversational style.  This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best security cameras. The new Gemini features come on the heels of an extension for the Gemini app that lets Google’s AI model control your smart lights, thermostats, and other smart home gadgets.   For now, you’ll need to be a member of Google’s Public Preview program to try out the new Gemini-powered features, and you’ll also need to enable the “Experimental AI features” setting.  AI-powered Nest video descriptions  Until now, video events in your Nest camera feeds have been limited to such generic text descriptions as “animal or activity detected.” With help from Gemini, the Google Home app can now generate more specific labels based on what’s actually happening in the clip.  For example, the Gemini-generated description might read “the dog is digging in the garden,” or “package with ballons.” Tapping the information icon will give you a more detailed description, according to Google.  Gemini can now write descriptions of what’s happening in a captured Nest video event.Google Besides just browsing your Gemini-labeled video feeds, you’ll also be able to search on those descriptions.   For example, if you enter “Did I get any packages today?” into the search box, you might get a Gemini-generated result that reads, “Someone left a package and balloons this morning, and 2 people with a small dog dropped off 3 packages a little later.”  Even better, the description could include the name of a detected person in your “familiar faces” library if they’re the only person in the video event. If your “familiar” friend is in a group, their name won’t appear in the description, but you’ll still be able to search on their name, Google says.  The new Gemini-powered video descriptions still have some limitations, starting with the fact that they’ll only work on Nest cameras managed in the Google Home app. In other words, don’t expect AI descriptions with any legacy cams that are still stuck in the old Nest app.  Also, the new descriptions are only available in English, and just in the U.S. for now.  Finally, it’ll be interesting to see if the Gemini-generated descriptions fall victim to the hallucinations that plague most AI models. “Help me create” automations  Coming soon for those in Google’s Public Preview program is another interesting Gemini-powered feature: the ability to create home automations based on natural-language queries.  For example, you’ll be able to say, “Lock the doors and turn off all the lights at bedtime,” and Gemini will instantly create a Google Home automation for you, which you can then review or tweak as needed.  Gemini will soon be able to create automations based on your natural language queries. Google If you’re not quite sure what kind of automation you want, you can just give Google Home the gist (like “Help the kids remember to put their bikes away when they get home from school”) and Gemini will serve up some suggested triggers and actions.  Such “help me create” automations will start rolling out in public preview “later this year,” Google says.  Coming later: A better Google Assistant  Perhaps the most dramatic new Gemini feature slated for Google Home is a souped-up Google Assistant for Nest speakers and displays, complete with a more “fluid” conversational style.  With help from Gemini, the revamped Google Assistant on Nest speakers will sound “more natural” and will “better understand you,” allowing for more “back and forth” as well as follow-up questions.  Sounds enticing, but it’s worth noting that Google didn’t list the retooled Google Assistant in its list of Fall 2024 Google Home improvements, which suggests we’ll need to wait longer for that functionality to arrive. (AI video descriptions and “help me create” automations did make the cut.) 

Roku is once again rolling out a set of cheap streaming devices for Black Friday, which means it’s time for my grand holiday tradition of imploring you not to buy them. As in years past, Walmart has the exclusive on these budget Black Friday streamers, which include the $15 Roku LE (on sale from November 25 through December 1) and the $18 Roku Premiere (available now through November 17). Both are among the worst streaming devices you can buy at any price, and neither are worth buying on Black Friday except in a few narrow use cases. This story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best media streamers. It’s the remote, again The issue with these Black Friday Roku streamers isn’t related to their performance. Roku does a fine job optimizing its platform to run well on cheap hardware, and the Premiere model even supports 4K HDR video (albeit without Dolby Vision support). Instead, the problem is entirely in the remote control. As in years past, both the Roku LE and the Roku Premiere use Roku’s most basic remote, which does not support TV volume and power controls. If you’re new to streaming, please, do not underestimate the benefit of having those controls built into your streaming remote. Having to juggle two separate remotes is obnoxious and tiresome, and you should pay a few extra dollars not to suffer that indignity. Not convinced yet? The Roku LE and Roku Premiere remotes also don’t support voice control. If you want to look up a movie or TV show because you can’t remember which streaming service it’s on, you’ll need to navigate to Roku’s search menu and type in each letter one by one. Please don’t put yourself through this. The important buttons that Roku’s cheapest streamers lack.Jared Newman / Foundry There are precisely three scenarios in which Roku’s cheap Black Friday specials make sense: If you’re planning to pick up a Roku Voice Remote Pro and don’t need the extra features of a Roku Ultra box, these streamers would save you money. If your soundbar or A/V receiver does not support HDMI-CEC, Roku’s volume controls won’t help you anyway. You could pair these cheaper streamers with a universal remote, but you should also consider other streaming devices whose remotes can control external audio gear over infrared. (More on that shortly.) If you’re just trying to add Apple AirPlay mirroring to your TV and have no intention of using Roku’s streaming features, these cheap players will do the job. Outside of those scenarios, I cannot think of any reasons to buy the Black Friday Roku LE and Roku Premiere, especially when superior options are available at almost-comparable prices. What to buy instead Walmart’s superior Onn 4K Streaming Box costs $20 year-round.Jared Newman / Foundry Our current pick for the best budget streamer is Walmart’s own Onn Google TV 4K streaming box. It costs $20 year-round, supports 4K HDR video, and has a vastly superior remote with TV volume, power, and voice controls. (Unlike Roku players, the remote can also control soundbars and A/V receivers over infrared.) While the Google TV software has a slightly steeper learning curve, I personally prefer the way it surfaces recently watched shows and personalized recommendations on the home screen. Amazon’s Black Friday Fire TV deals are live now as well, including the Fire TV Stick HD for $18 and the Fire TV Stick 4K for $22. The remotes for both offer TV volume and power controls, capable of controlling any external audio equipment. While I have my qualms with the Fire TV interface, the remote’s Alexa voice controls are top-notch, and I’d still recommend these devices over the worst Roku players. If your heart’s set on Roku, the one Black Friday deal worth recommending is the Roku Ultra LT, which Walmart has for $34 from now through November 17. That’s a great deal on a powerful 4K Roku box with hardwired ethernet support, Dolby Vision HDR, and a remote with TV volume, power, and voice control. (It also includes a headphone jack for private listening.) At $34, the Walmart-exclusive Roku Ultra LE is a terrific Black Friday deal.Roku Roku’s Express 4K+ and Streaming Stick 4K are on sale as well, at $29 and $34 respectively, and both have better remotes than Roku’s Black Friday offerings, but those are common sale prices we’ve seen on-and-off throughout 2024. Remember: Streaming devices are always pretty cheap, because their business models revolve around bombarding you with ads and selling you on streaming content, not making money from the initial hardware sale. Don’t panic-buy for the sake of saving a few dollars, especially on things that aren’t worth buying in the first place. With that, I have fulfilled my annual duties, and look forward to being summoned again if and when these dubious device deals return. Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter for more streaming TV advice.