If you’ve noticed that nearly every home tech device is now considered "smart," you’re onto something. The smart home industry has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, with a wide range of devices including speakers, cameras, locks, lights, and even kitchen appliances. With various voice assistants and IoT standards to navigate, creating a smart home ecosystem from scratch can be overwhelming.
At Engadget, we’ve extensively tested numerous smart home gadgets over the years and continue to evaluate the latest offerings to identify those that perform well and provide value for your money. We recommend starting small rather than outfitting your entire home at once, as this can be costly and it’s beneficial to test one or two items initially. Additionally, selecting a preferred voice assistant and sticking with it can streamline your smart home experience.
If you’re ready to invest in new IoT gadgets, below are some of the best smart home devices available now, along with guidance on choosing the right voice assistant for your needs.
Best Smart Home Gadgets: Smart Speakers
Best Smart Home Gadgets: Smart Displays
Best Smart Home Gadgets: Smart Lights
Best Smart Home Gadgets: Security Cameras
Best Smart Home Gadgets: IoT Gear
How to Pick the Right Voice Assistant Before You Buy
While many smart home devices are platform agnostic, smart speakers and smart displays often require you to choose a specific voice assistant. Currently, this means deciding between Google Assistant or Amazon’s Alexa. Both assistants are compatible with a wide range of smart home products, but certain devices work better with one or the other. For example, Nest products are more compatible with Google-powered devices, while Amazon products function best within the Amazon ecosystem.
Amazon Alexa:
If you frequently use Audible, watch Prime Video, and shop on Amazon, you may prefer an Alexa-powered smart home device.
Google Assistant:
Google Assistant excels at answering questions and offers robust compatibility with smart home products. Google devices also support the Zigbee smart home protocol and can integrate with Google services seamlessly, making them a great choice for Android users.
Siri:
Apple’s Siri is another option, although it has fewer compatible devices compared to Google and Amazon. The HomePod mini and full-sized HomePod are currently the only Siri-compatible speakers on the market, but more third-party companies are adding support for Apple HomeKit.
By selecting the right voice assistant and incorporating the best smart home gadgets for your needs, you can create a seamless and efficient smart home experience.