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Wondering what to buy for that tech head in your family or circle of friends? This year, give them the gift of the Internet of things (IoT) by helping them expand their smart home. This holiday season there’s a bevy of smart home tech to choose from at major discounts, including smart speakers and displays, LED light bulbs, thermostats, locks, and even bird feeders. And while the price of most things continues to rise, smart home devices are becoming more affordable as technology advances, making them reasonably-priced gift options. Ahead, learn about the best smart home gifts for the techie in your life.
1. Google Nest Hub
At the heart of any smart home is the hub, and few are better than this one from Google Nest. Its 7-inch display screen displays footage from home security footage. You can also use it to deliver reminders, video chat with friends and family, and even stream TV from a variety of services, including Netflix and Spotify. It even has a sensing chip that tracks sleep when set up in a bedroom.
Get the Google Nest Hub at Amazon for $90
2. Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen.)
Amazon’s Echo Dot is a great gift idea for a number of reasons. It comes equipped with all the standard features you’ll find on the Amazon Echo, and even though it’s small, still offers great sound quality. You can use the Echo Dot to listen to music, control other smart devices with voice commands, such as smart light bulbs and outlets, make calls, and set alarms and reminders. Best yet, it costs half the price of the larger Echo, making it a more affordable gift for both kids and adults.
Get the Amazon Echo Dot at Amazon for $59.99
3. Netvue by Birdfy Smart Bird Feeder with Camera
This smart bird feeder has a built-in 1080p camera with color night vision and 8x magnification, so that bird lover in your life can spy on their feathered friends close-up and in high definition. When paired with the Birdfy app, the camera can alert the user when the feeder receives visitors, and it uses AI to identify bird species. Users can also access an online community of bird nerds, with whom they can share their favorite bird videos. The camera connects via WiFi and the feeder comes equipped with solar panels that constantly recharge the camera on sunny days.
Get the Birdfy smart bird feeder at Amazon for $144.49
4. Govee LED Strip Light M1
Govee’s LED strip lights offer a simple way to add task lighting to your kitchen countertops, illuminate objects on built-in shelves or add mood lighting to a room. With a whopping 60 LEDs per meter, the Govee M1 lights create significantly more light intensity than most strips. This light strip is feature rich, with the ability to run 17 different animation effects, sync to sounds, and control colors on 20 separate segments of the strip. And it works with the most common smart home platforms, including Google Assistant, Alexa, and Apple HomeKit.
Get the Govee LED strip light with M1 at Amazon for $59.99
5. Amazon Smart Thermostat
Amazon’s smart thermostat offers one of the most affordable ways to upgrade from a standard thermostat to a smart one. While it may lack the high-end features you’ll find on much pricier smart thermostats, you can control this model with voice through various smart home devices and access robust control through the Amazon Alexa app. The thermostat even uses an AI function called Hunches to change the temperature setting when it senses, or “has a hunch,” that you aren’t home or are sleeping.
What our tester says: “Hunches is one of my favorite features on the Amazon smart thermostat. With Hunches, Alexa determines whether you’re home, away, or asleep based on the location of your phone and your interactions with other Alexa devices then sets the thermostat accordingly. The feature works very well and is a great advanced feature on one of the most affordable smart thermostats you can buy.” –Tony Carrick, Product Reviews tester and writer.
Get the Amazon smart thermostat at Amazon for $79.99
6. Kasa Smart Plug Mini 15A
Kasa’s Smart Plug Mini 15A offers one of the most affordable ways to turn ordinary lamps and electronics into smart devices, making it a stocking stuffer for those looking to expand their smart home. You can set on/off schedules via the app and track energy use, and it works with Apple HomeKit, Alexa, and Google Home. We found this kit, which comes with four plugs, to be the best affordable smart plug you can buy in our tested review of the best smart plugs.
What our tester says: “As with other Kasa Smart devices, setting up these plugs was a breeze. I was able to set up both plugs in just a few minutes, and I quickly programmed a schedule for the fan we position on the dog’s crate during warm days.” –Tom Scalisi, Product Reviews tester and writer.
Get the Kasa smart plug at Amazon for $11.59
7. Wyze 1100 Lumen Color-Changing Smart Bulb
There are smart color-changing light bulbs and then there’s Wyze’s color-changing smart bulb. The bulb isn’t cheap as LED smart bulbs go, but you won’t find a better light bulb when it comes to the vibrancy and richness of its colors even at lower light levels. It puts out an impressive 1,100 lumens and uses a Wyze app that makes dialing in color hues and adjusting color temperatures precise and easy.
What our tester says: “The Wyze color-changing LED bulb produces rich, beautiful colors in virtually any hue you can imagine. During testing, I witnessed no fading or loss in the vibrancy of the colors, even when dimming to very low brightness levels, which the bulb had no problem doing.” –Tony Carrick, Product Reviews tester and writer.
Get the Wyze 1100 lumen color-changing smart bulb at Amazon for $17.99
8. Arlo Essential XL Security Camera
Arlo’s Essential XL security camera, which works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, offers excellent quality at a price that’s surprisingly affordable. You can upgrade the already-impressive 2K video quality to 4K by paying Arlo’s monthly subscription if needed. There’s also a remote siren, color night vision, and a broad 130-degree field of view, along with cool advanced features, including object detection and smart zones.
What our tester says: “The Arlo XL stands out with its sturdy build and sleek, modern design that sets it apart from other security cameras on the market. The 2K camera quality is already impressive, capturing sharp and clear footage, but the option to upgrade to 4K with a subscription takes it to another level, offering exceptional detail for those who want the best in security visuals.” –Paul Rankin, Product Reviews tester and writer.
Get the Arlo Essential XL Security Camera at Amazon for $89.99
9. iRobot Roomba i4 EVO Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum
iRobot’s Roomba i4 doesn’t have the features and cleaning power you’ll find on some of the higher end Roombas, but it’s an effective robot vacuum at a price that’s still somewhat reasonable for a gifting. You can use the app to schedule cleanings for specific rooms and it responds to voice commands via Alexa-, Siri-, and Google Assistant-enabled devices. Pet owners will also like the fact that its brushes are especially designed to prevent the Roomba from getting tangled with pet hair.
Get the iRobot Roomba i4 EVO at Amazon for $260.21
10. Furbo 360-Degree Dog Camera
This dog camera is the perfect gift for anxious pet owners who want to keep an eye on their furry best friend while they’re away. It rotates 360 degrees for full room coverage and can automatically track the dog. Plus, it has full-color night vision and 4x zoom. You can also speak through it and direct it to toss a treat, and it will alert you when it senses your dog barking.
Get the Furbo 360-degree dog camera at Amazon for $210
11. Google Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd Generation)
Help a friend or family member get a handle on their energy usage by giving them the gift of one of the best smart thermostats out there. This learning thermostat tracks user trends and uses geo fencing to set that just-right temperature that keeps the house comfortable while saving energy. It also has one of the most beautiful full color displays you’ll find on a thermostat.
What our tester says: “I love the many ways Google Nest allows you to optimize your energy use. For example, you can choose whether to have the thermostat begin heating or cooling before you arrive home or wait until you walk in the door to save energy. There’s also a setting that continues to run the fan after turning off the AC to maximize the circulation of cold air it produces.”–Tony Carrick, Product Reviews tester and writer.
Get the Google Nest Learning Thermostat for $182.99
12. Tapo TP-Link 2K QHD Security Camera
The Tapo TP-Link indoor/outdoor security camera is effective and affordable, making it the perfect gift for friends or family members looking to add a security camera to monitor the inside or outside of the home. It produces clear 2K video, includes built-in dual spotlights for better viewing in low lighting, and comes equipped with two-way audio and AI object and people detection. Plus, it fully integrates with Alexa and Google Assistant smart hubs and displays.
Get the Tapo TP-Link 2K QHD security camera for $24.99 at Amazon
13. Schlage Encode Smart Lock
Give the gift of better home security with this tough yet attractive Schlage smart lock. With its attractive styling and trim options, it’s one of the more aesthetically pleasing smart locks you can add to your front door. It’s also one of the most secure, thanks to a grade 1 ANSI rating.
What our tester says: “Encode is the rare smart lock that offers excellent security and looks good doing it. It’s a beautiful lock that you won’t mind gracing your front door, has an easy-to-use keypad, and offers the highest level of security you can buy for a residential lock.”–Tony Carrick, Product Reviews tester and writer.
Get the Schlage Encode smart lock for $212.83 at Amazon
14. Meross Smart Garage Door Remote
This smart garage door controller can turn an ordinary garage door opener into a smart one. It’s far more affordable than replacing the entire opener and without all the inconvenience that installing a completely new garage door opener requires, making it a good gift for those with burgeoning smart homes. It’s compatible with more than 200 garage door opener brands and works with most smart home systems, including Apple HomeKit, Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant.
Get the Meross smart garage door remote for $54.94 at Amazon
15. Google Nest Doorbell
Google Nest’s doorbell is a great gift for someone who has yet to upgrade their doorbell from a traditional model. Our testers found the Google Nest to be far and away the best doorbell camera out there, thanks to its sleek design, high definition video, and top-notch sound quality. It also comes in multiple colors and you can customize the doorbell sound to suit the season.
What our tester says: “The Google Nest doorbell combines stunning design with top-tier performance, making it the best on the market. Installation is simple, aided by an intuitive smartphone app, and its video feed is unmatched—crystal clear, lag-free, and offering excellent coverage. After testing several brands, this is the one I chose for my front door.” —Paul Rankin, Product Reviews tester and writer
Get the Google Nest doorbell for $99.98 at Amazon
The prices listed here are accurate as of publication on [date].
