Trust me: Smart home devices make awesome home upgrades as well as handy gifts for the person who has everything. But they’re not all created equal. I’ve been testing home devices for years, and I watch for several factors before I recommend them to people, including real-world results for saving money and energy, daily uses that actually make my life easier and features that help protect our privacy.
Here are my favorite devices that pass the test and are available for big discounts during Amazon’s October Prime Day. They include budget items that cost less than dinner and high-end additions, if you want to spend more to get the best. See what your home could use, below.
A tiny, LED indicator light lets you know the status of your smart plug and if it’s rebooting or shut down. / Molly Price/CNET
Smart plugs with extra tricks
Tapo Smart Plug 2-pack
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Humidity management could even lead to savings. / Tyler Lacoma/CNET
The prettiest, most cost-saving home upgrade
Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th gen)
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Nanoleaf has a few unique tricks for easy holiday setups. / Nanoleaf
Holiday lights done right, and more
Nanoleaf Smart String Lights, Indoor
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Zafro’s fan has excellent app controls and more. / Zafro
You won’t believe how good cool air feels
Zafro Smart Tower Fan
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What’s the best choice?
My Prime picks can work in all types of homes, depending on what you need. My personal favorite is probably the Nest thermostat because I watched mine pay for itself across a few years of use, but that’s not an upgrade everyone wants to spend money on. Another favorite is the Tapo smart plug pack, because Tapo is one of the very few smart plug makers that offer energy monitoring, which is also nice for saving energy when you’re using something like a space heater or my Zafro tower fan pick.
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Should I wait until Prime Day?
The best parts of these smart home deals are likely to kick in on Prime Day, so I’d say it’s worth waiting a day or two to see how much you can save. Just keep this list bookmarked so you remember what models to get.
Tyler has worked on, lived with and tested all types of smart home and security technology for over a dozen years, explaining the latest features, privacy tricks and top recommendations.
With degrees in business management, literature and technical writing, Tyler takes every opportunity to play with the latest AI technology, push smart devices to their limits and occasionally throw cameras off his roof, all to find the best devices to trust in your life. He always checks with the renters (and pets) in his life to see what smart products can work for everyone, in every living situation.
Living in beautiful Bend, Oregon, gives Tyler plenty of opportunities to test the latest tech in every kind of weather and temperature. But when not at work, he can be found hiking the trails, trying out a new food recipe for his loved ones, keeping up on his favorite reading or gaming with good friends.
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