If you're looking to start upgrading your home with all the latest tools and gadgets, we've found the best smart home devices that work with your Wi-Fi to offer a convenient way to control your appliances, lighting and more with a simple tap of a finger — like magic!
To help us scour through the hottest tech products available, USA Today’s tech-life columnist Jennifer Jolly stopped by the 3rd hour of TODAY to share six of her must-have smart home-friendly finds. From a futuristic robot vacuum cleaner to a budget-friendly projector (for streaming outdoor movies all summer long), we've got you covered.
Keep scrolling to find the best expert-approved smart home devices and accessories from Amazon, Walmart and more — starting at only $11. As a bonus, we also added more clever tech gadgets to round out the list as well, including Shop TODAY editors' go-to goods.
Smart home devices as seen on the 3rd hour of TODAY
Tapo Matter Smart Light Switch
Modernize your house or apartment with this easy-to-install light switch that is compatible with most smart home setups. Simply replace your existing switch by wiring this one in. For further instruction, download the Tapo app on your phone for a guided step-by-step setup. Once you're connected, you can effortlessly turn the lights on or off with your own voice or the app.
We also found a dimming option:
Tapo Matter Smart Dimmer Switch
Goovi Robot Vacuum Cleaner and Mop Combo
Tired of spending your entire Sunday cleaning the house? You're in luck! Your weekly chores just became easier with this handy robot vacuum and mop combination. Featuring four unique cleaning modes, this ingenious gadget allows users to create customized cleaning paths from the comfort of their couch, using the smartphone app. This clever vacuum connects via Wi-Fi and also includes a small water tank to help get rid of dirt and dust.
GoveeLife Smart Kettle
Boil water using your voice or a push of a button with this GoveeLife smart kettle. This trendy kitchen essential holds seven cups of water and heats up in five to seven minutes, according to the brand. The best part? You can even control the temperature from your handy, dandy smartphone.
There are four presets (for green tea, black tea, coffee, and boil), or you can dial in your own temp — anywhere from 104 to 212 degrees — so your green tea doesn’t taste like burnt leaves.
Winees Water Leak Detector and Sensors
Say goodbye to messy spills with this Amazon's Choice smart water leak detector. This three-pack of wafer-thin sensors slides easily under sinks, near water heaters, behind toilets, anywhere a sneaky leak might strike. Once water hits the sensor, alerts are immediately sent to your phone to keep you up-to-date and informed.
It also blasts a 100-decibel alarm (that’s as loud as a blender) to let you (or anyone nearby) know there’s a problem right away, per the brand.
Hy300Pro Mini Projector
Get ready to binge all your favorite shows under the stars this summer with this affordable mini projector. At under two pounds, it can rotate a full 180 degrees, so you can aim it at a wall, ceiling, or wherever your popcorn-and-pillow fort setup demands.
It also included built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, making it easy to connect to your network and use wireless headphones or surround sound.
Monster Smart LED String Lights
These multicolored spring lights will spruce up any backyard barbecue this summer. Featuring 12 LED bulbs, these weather-resistant lights allow users to select different color schemes with a touch of a button (on the app). A built-in mic syncs the lights to your music, so they pulse and dance along with your playlist — perfect for parties, barbecues or even solo dance breaks, per the brand.
More smart home devices to shop
Kasa Smart Light Bulb
Social media editor Dani Musacchio tested this Kasa Smart Light Bulb and became an instant fan. "Aside from being able to turn my light on and off without needing to be anywhere near it, my favorite feature (and the reason I purchased the bulb) is the ability to set a schedule in which the light turns on by itself through the app," shared Musacchio. "Instead of being woken up by blaring alarms, I now wake up at my desired time with the help of gradual light from the lamp."
Musacchio credits this smart bulb for helping her get out of bed quicker in the morning. "Miracles do happen!" she said.
Chamberlain Smart Garage Control
If you forgot to close the garage before you left for vacation, don't fret! This smart device allows users to open or close their garage door from anywhere. Simply download the free myQ app and voilà! This smartphone-controlled product also allows you to grant access to friends, family and neighbors while you're away.
Amazon Echo Dot
"I love the Echo Dot!" raves associate editor Shannon Garlin. "I sync it to my smart bulbs, which I love to use to turn on at night when I’m not home for my cat, and I can ask Alexa to turn it on when I’m feeling lazy or don’t have to turn off the light and walk across the room with my shoes on."
Ring Video Doorbell
"Big Brother is watching you!" Just kidding. It's just your mom dropping off chocolate chip cookies! Keep track of visitors with this advanced motion detector camera that features two-way talk and customizable privacy settings. You'll never have to wonder "was my package delivered?" when you're at work again.
Splurge-worthy smart home devices
Hatch Restore 2 Sunrise Alarm Clock
“The gradual light increases that occur the hour before you’ve set the alarm to go off is really nice, especially for wintertime when the sun doesn’t rise until well after my alarm has already gone off.,” suggested associate editor Kamari Stewart. “I’m also a fan of the sounds you can set for both sleepy time and morning. I personally do rain for sleep and ocean sounds for the morning. It’s so peaceful! And, according to a few TikToks I’ve seen, you can also do custom sounds, which can be very fun.”
Google Pixel Tablet with Charging Speaker Dock
"I got this device from the Google event last year and was instantly impressed," says commerce writer Emma Stessman. "It's great because it's like two devices in one: a tablet and a smart home hub. When it's on the hub I can simply say "hey Google!" and ask it to play music or check the weather and the speaker is great quality."
Meet the expert
- Jennifer Jolly is USA Today’s tech-life columnist.
How we chose the best smart home devices
The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources, like Jolly, to provide a list of reputable products (in this case, smart home devices). We also comb through customer reviews and even use our own personal experiences to make shopping easier for our readers.
As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think TODAY.com readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not TODAY. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time.
