Smart Home

Cameras, doorbells, plugs and one deliberately dumb timer. Two rules run through this whole shelf. Price the subscription as part of the purchase, because most of these are half a product without one. And before you buy anything that connects, go stand where it will live and look at your phone signal, because that is where most of these fail.

Every Smart Home Review

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Amazon Fire TV Cube

Amazon Fire TV Cube

Amazon's fastest streaming box, with hands-free Alexa and an octa-core processor twice as powerful as the 4K Max stick.

ANRAN 4G LTE Cellular Solar Security Camera

ANRAN 4G LTE Cellular Solar Security Camera

A camera with its own SIM and solar panel, for properties with no WiFi and no power.

Blink Outdoor 4 Wireless Security Camera

Blink Outdoor 4 Wireless Security Camera

Two years of battery on AA lithiums, 1080p with infrared night vision, and no wiring anywhere.

blurams 4K Solar Security Camera

blurams 4K Solar Security Camera

4K with a detachable 5W solar panel, on-device AI detection and 24/7 recording to a microSD card.

Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights 2, 100 ft

Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights 2, 100 ft

The 100 foot RGBIC kit with 100 scene modes, for a single-story front elevation.

Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights 2, 150 ft

Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights 2, 150 ft

The middle length, with AI-generated lighting effects on top of 100 preset scenes.

Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights Pro, 200 ft

Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights Pro, 200 ft

120 cuttable RGBWWIC lights rated 50,000 hours, installed once and run from an app for the next decade.

Kasa EP40 Outdoor Smart Plug, 2 Sockets

Kasa EP40 Outdoor Smart Plug, 2 Sockets

Two independently controlled 15A outlets, IP64, with 300 ft WiFi range and sunrise-sunset scheduling.

Kasa KP401 Outdoor Smart Plug

Kasa KP401 Outdoor Smart Plug

A single 15A weather-resistant outlet with the same scheduling, for one job done properly.

MEARI 2.5K Dual Lens Security Camera

MEARI 2.5K Dual Lens Security Camera

Two 4MP lenses and 360 degree PTZ on a wired connection, with AI detection that includes flame.

REOLINK Video Doorbell 2K Wired

REOLINK Video Doorbell 2K Wired

2K with a 4:3 sensor, a plug-in chime, and no subscription for the core features.

Ring Battery Doorbell 2K

Ring Battery Doorbell 2K

Retinal 2K with a wide angle, 6x enhanced zoom and a battery you recharge over USB-C.

TiFFCOFiO Outdoor Light Timer, Dusk to Dawn

TiFFCOFiO Outdoor Light Timer, Dusk to Dawn

A photocell timer with eleven dial settings and no app, WiFi or account anywhere in sight.

Amazon Smart Plug

Amazon Smart Plug

A compact Wi-Fi plug that puts a lamp, a fan or a coffee maker on a schedule or a voice command, with no hub and no bridge.

Blink Mini 2K+ Indoor Plug-In Camera, 2 Pack

Blink Mini 2K+ Indoor Plug-In Camera, 2 Pack

Two plug-in 2K indoor cameras in one box, with color night vision, a motion-activated spotlight and two-way talk.

Chamberlain myQ Smart Garage Control

Chamberlain myQ Smart Garage Control

A ceiling-mounted hub that turns a garage door opener you already own into one you can close from your phone, with schedules and open alerts.

Govee A19 Color Changing Smart Light Bulbs, 4 Pack

Govee A19 Color Changing Smart Light Bulbs, 4 Pack

Four 800 lumen A19 bulbs with 16 million colors, sunrise and sunset dimming, and Matter, Alexa and Google Assistant support.

Tapo C100 Indoor Security Camera

Tapo C100 Indoor Security Camera

A wired 1080p indoor camera with a microSD slot, two-way audio and a built-in siren, so the core job runs without a monthly plan.