Smart Home

Best Amazon Gadgets for the Home: The Room, the Gift, or the Carry-On

Marketplace listings describe a gadget as if it will land in a vacuum. It will not. It lands in a room with a particular wall,

Best Home Security System for Apartments: Renting, Shared Halls, or a Parent’s Place

In a rented apartment the first thing that limits a security system is not the floor plan. It is a document in a kitchen drawer.

Smart Smoke Detector for the Kitchen: Ten Feet, a Rental, or a Closed Door

Half of every year’s home fires start at the stove, and the alarm that is supposed to notice is the same one you have been

Sonos Smart Speaker for Home Assistant Setup: Your Phone Decides

The speaker is not the part of this purchase that will limit you. The phone you set it up with is. Sonos publishes its own

Best Smart Thermostat for Energy Savings: Rental or Old House

Every smart thermostat listing promises to cut your bill. Almost none of them mention that the size of that cut depends on your house, your

Robot Vacuum for Pet Hair: What Actually Picks It Up

Anyone who lives with a shedding dog or cat knows the routine: you vacuum, and by the next afternoon the baseboards look untouched. A robot

Top 5 Air Purifiers for Allergies Under 150: A Buyer’s Guide

Allergy season never really ends anymore. Between spring pollen, summer dust, and a cat that sheds all year, plenty of people end up shopping for

Best Smart Plug for Home Automation: A Buyer’s Guide

A smart plug is the cheapest way to find out whether you actually want a smart home. It turns a lamp, a fan, or a

Best Smart Doorbell Camera Buying Guide for 2026

Two doorbells that look identical on a shelf can cost very different amounts over three years. The best smart doorbell camera for your house is