Smart devices: Speakers, lights, cameras and more!

You're not too late to join the smart home revolution — it's only just beginning. It might sound quite complicated if you haven't started building yours yet, but there's nothing to fear. Smart home devices are designed to make your life better, so a good user experience is all part of the package when it comes to the best products. You also don't need to buy all of the gear at once. You can start small with a smart speaker or a light strip and accumulate the gadgets that enhance your day from there. All you really need to know is which products are worth buying. To that end, here's our guide to the best smart home devices of 2024.

The Google Nest Audio isn't the flashiest smart speaker on the market, but that's part of its charm. It's a straightforward, budget-friendly smart speaker aimed at delivering balanced, quality audio in a compact design. You get a seamless integration with Google Assistant, letting you manage reminders, make inquiries, and stream content from popular services like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music.

With Media EQ and Ambient IQ, the Nest Audio adjusts sound based on media type and ambient noise. This makes it equally effective for music and podcast playback. The touch-sensitive top offers easy volume and playback control, and while its bass won't shake the room, the overall sound quality is impressive for its size. There are multiple color options to choose from, so you can pick one that matches your decor.

The Amazon Echo (4th gen) offers impressive audio quality and is a particularly good choice if you have other devices within the Amazon ecosystem. Voice recognition is highly responsive, even over music, and setup via the Alexa app is straightforward. It's very affordable compared to the competition, so it makes a versatile and accessible option if you want a quality sound experience on a budget.

The Sonos Era 100 is all about bringing great sound anywhere in your home with ease. Its compact design fits perfectly on a shelf, countertop, or nightstand, while dual tweeters and a larger mid-woofer deliver punchy bass and clear stereo sound. With quick setup through the Sonos app, you're ready to go in minutes. Trueplay tuning automatically adjusts the sound to suit your room's acoustics, so everything you play sounds spot-on. You can stream over Wi-Fi, switch to Bluetooth with a tap, or even connect a turntable, making it as versatile as it is stylish.

The Google Nest Hub Max is the jewel in the crown of Google's smart display lineup. It combines a 10-inch screen, integrated Nest Cam, and enhanced audio capabilities. Its auto-framing camera is ideal for Duo video calls, keeping users centered in the shot — a nice feature if you're moving around while chatting. The sound quality surpasses many other smart displays, with two 10W tweeters and a 75mm woofer that offer solid clarity and decent bass.

Gesture controls add convenience to the Nest Hub Max, letting you pause media or silence alarms with a wave. As a Matter-compatible device, it integrates seamlessly into various smart home ecosystems, enabling easy management of devices, notifications, and streaming services.

The Amazon Echo Show 8 (3rd gen) is a compact option with an enhanced auto-framing camera and adaptive color adjustments for comfortable viewing. Audio is solid, and you can use it to stream Netflix while you're making dinner. Alexa integration makes it a versatile smart home hub for voice-controlled management of compatible devices, and it's also a good option for video calling.

A bigger space needs a bigger Echo Show, and Amazon has just the thing. The Echo Show 15 is a 15.6-inch smart display that shines in the kitchen, thanks to Alexa's handy features and Fire TV. It offers a spacious widget panel for viewing personal schedules, shopping lists, and the weather, while Fire TV also adds entertainment via streaming. You can follow recipes, manage smart home devices, and control music or timers — all with voice commands.

The Homey Pro (2023) is a powerful smart home hub designed to bring various smart devices under one roof, supporting multiple protocols like Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Matter. It's all run through the Homey app, which enables intuitive, advanced automations without technical know-how. You'll be creating custom flows with simple drag-and-drop controls in no time.

Local processing in the Homey Pro enhances privacy, and it doesn't rely on subscriptions, offering a one-time $399 investment. It's not cheap, but it's perfect for those wanting sophisticated control of a mid-to-large smart home.

We've done smart displays, but a screen always makes things easier. The Amazon Echo Hub is a wall-mounted or stand-supported smart home controller priced at $179.99. Featuring an 8-inch touchscreen, it allows easy access to compatible devices from a central, guest-friendly hub. Support options include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Sidewalk, Thread, and Matter, so your other smart home gadgets will be under your control. Customizable dashboards let you prioritize devices, view camera feeds, and automate routines. Its infrared proximity sensor even switches between displaying photos and controls when you're nearby.

The Aeotec Smart Home Hub is a flexible and powerful foundation for any smart home. It supports Zigbee, Z-Wave, Matter, and Thread, allowing up to 100 devices per protocol, so you can easily add more lights, sensors, or plugs as your needs grow. Integration with the SmartThings app makes automating “Scenes” or monitoring security straightforward from your phone.

The Philips Hue A19 LED Smart Light Bulb in White and Color Ambiance brings flexible, colorful lighting to any room. With millions of colors and warm-to-cool white tones, these 60W-equivalent bulbs are perfect for setting the mood or adjusting brightness to suit your day.

Adding a Hue Bridge lets you control your Philips Hue lights remotely, enjoy stable connectivity with Matter, and set up handy automations. Voice control with Alexa or Google Assistant makes hands-free use easy, while the Hue app lets you create custom lighting effects for any vibe.

The Wyze Bulb Color gives you adjustable lighting from a powerful 1,100lm to a soft 30lm — perfect for setting any mood. With 16 million colors and adjustable white tones, you can create custom presets in the Wyze app for everything from cozy movie nights to bright work sessions. Set routines for waking up, automate reminders and even use "Vacation Mode" for added security. Voice control with Alexa or Google Assistant and group control options make it easy to manage your lighting hands-free.

The Govee LED Smart Light Bulbs are Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-enabled, allowing remote control through the Govee Home App or voice commands with Alexa and Google Assistant. 1,000 lumens of brightness make them perfect for large spaces, offering both vibrant colors and energy efficiency. Choose from 16 million colors, adjustable brightness, and a warm-to-cool white range for any mood. There are 54 unique scene modes and even a Music Mode.

The Govee Neon Rope Light 2 is a vibrant, flexible smart light strip ideal for adding personality to any space. With Matter support, it integrates smoothly with Google Home and Alexa, while Govee's app offers extensive customization, including color scenes, music-sync modes, and an AI-powered design option.

The 5-meter silicon strip in Neon Rope Light 2 diffuses light beautifully, and installation is simplified with adhesive and metal clips. It takes a bit of planning, but the strip allows for creative control over lighting direction, making it a fun, budget-friendly choice.

The Nanoleaf Essentials Matter Smart Lightstrip brings vibrant, high-res RGB effects with 60 LEDs per meter and individual LED control. Supporting Matter over Wi-Fi, it connects smoothly with platforms like Google Home and Alexa. It offers dynamic effects in many different settings, including desktop screen mirroring. Although non-expandable and lacking a diffuser, its affordable price and customization options make it a great choice for immersive, budget-friendly lighting.

According to Nanoleaf, the future of lighting is square. The Nanoleaf Blocks are versatile, square smart light panels that can add flair to any room. They're available in standard and mini sizes and mix with textured panels, pegboards, and shelves for creative displays and practical storage. Over 16 million colors and dynamic scenes can be controlled via the Nanoleaf app or smart home systems like Google Home and Alexa.

Not a fan of squares? Nanoleaf also offers a variety of classic Shapes.

The Eureka Stylus Elite combines powerful performance with smart convenience features, making it a standout stick vacuum for 2024. Equipped with an upgraded 350W BLDC motor, it delivers robust suction capable of tackling pet hair and large debris. Its integrated dust collection station takes convenience further by allowing hands-free dust disposal — just dock the vacuum and press a button to empty dust into a sealed bag, reducing exposure to allergens.

With an affordable price of under $200, the Eureka Stylus Elite is more accessible than many base station-equipped models. Other thoughtful additions include an anti-tangling brush, an LED light for visibility in low-light environments, 5-layer filtration, and an integrated auto-charging base that ensures it's always ready for the next cleaning session.

The Tineco Floor One S7 Pro offers efficient, hands-free floor cleaning, delivering continuous fresh water washing while recycling dirty water at 450 strokes per minute. Its SmoothPower bi-directional propulsion system makes it easy to push or pull, while a 40-minute battery runtime minimizes interruptions. It cleans edges within 0.4 inches and has dual-sided edge cleaning for thorough coverage. After use, its self-cleaning cycle ensures the roller and tubing stay clean and dry, reducing odors and upkeep.

The powerful V15 Detect has a Fluffy Optic cleaner head that highlights dust on hard floors, while the Digital Motorbar head works across all floor types, even detangling pet hair. The device converts to a handheld and includes advanced filtration to trap 99.99% of particles as small as 0.3 microns. With 60 minutes of run time and an LCD that shows particle counts, it's a powerhouse for whole-home cleaning.

The Eufy Security Indoor Cam S350 provides high-resolution home monitoring with dual cameras in 4K UHD and 2K telephoto, delivering impressive clarity and an 8× hybrid zoom. Its 360-degree pan and tilt function offers full room coverage, making it ideal for pet or family monitoring.

Naturally, it's equipped with advanced night vision and captures clear images up to 32 feet away in low light. Intelligent tracking powered by AI lets the camera follow family members or pets, and it supports NAS storage for added convenience.

The Wyze Cam v4 delivers 2.5K QHD resolution for detailed monitoring and is equally effective outdoors thanks to its IP65 weather resistance. A built-in siren, amplified audio and voice prompts improve interaction and security, while setup is simplified with Bluetooth. Users can choose secure cloud storage via subscription or opt for local recording with a microSD card.

Of course, you always have the option to stay in the Google ecosystem. The Nest Cam offers 1080p HDR video quality and night vision, while the AI-powered alerts can detect people and animals without cloud reliance for faster responses and privacy. While offering free three-hour event storage, the Nest Aware subscription adds essential features like extended cloud storage and familiar face recognition.

We just hit on the perks of the Google Nest Cam, and there's an equally effective outdoor version. The outdoor battery model offers easy, wire-free installation for flexible placement around your property, even in harder-to-reach spots. Built with IP54 weather resistance, it's designed to withstand rain, wind, and dust, making it a solid choice for monitoring entrances, garages, or backyards.

The camera's compact, minimal design helps it blend seamlessly into outdoor settings. It also integrates smoothly with the Google Home ecosystem, allowing for simple control and setup, especially for those looking to expand their existing Google smart home network.

The Tapo MagCam offers IP66 weatherproofing and hassle-free installation with its magnetic base. A 10,000mAh battery ensures up to 300 days of power on a single charge, with an optional solar panel for uninterrupted operation. Its 2K QHD resolution and 150-degree field of view capture everything on your property, while color night vision powered by a Starlight sensor keeps details sharp at night. For storage, you can go with the 512GB of local memory or Tapo Care's cloud service.

The Arlo Ultra 2 brings top-notch 4K video quality with HDR and a wide 180-degree view. It's designed to work with an Arlo SmartHub or a base station, and it's also compatible with Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit, and SmartThings, meaning it slots into any smart home setup. A three-month Arlo Secure trial is included.

If you don't need a 4K resolution and prefer to spend less than $300, the Arlo Pro 5S is a more affordable version.

Arlo's latest high-end doorbell delivers 2K HDR video, capturing every detail. With a 180-degree view, night vision, and motion sensor, you'll spot visitors anytime, day or night. It offers two-way audio for easy interaction and an integrated siren for added security.

On top of all that, instant notifications alert you when the doorbell rings or motion is detected. A trial of the Arlo Secure Plan provides access to 30-day cloud storage, people and package detection, plus 24/7 emergency response. It's the real deal.

Google fans always have an option, with the Nest Doorbell offering easy installation, reliable AI-based notifications, and strong Google Assistant integration. Its 960p resolution, 3:4 aspect ratio, and 145-degree field of view capture essential details, even if it isn't the clarity of some other competitors. With IP54 weather resistance and three hours of free cloud storage, it's well-suited for basic monitoring. For continuous power, you can opt for the wired version.

The top-tier security features of the Ring Video Doorbell Pro include 1536p HD Plus video that provides a head-to-toe view of your visitors. Its advanced 3D Motion Detection and Bird's Eye View let you monitor specific zones, and Nighttime clarity ensures reliable visuals even in low light. The doorbell's quick-release battery pack simplifies recharging, and Alexa compatibility enables hands-free notifications and communication.

The Matter-certified TP-Link Tapo Smart Plug Mini also integrates seamlessly with Apple HomeKit, Alexa, Google Home, and SmartThings. It offers energy tracking with visual insights to help optimize consumption and estimate costs, while smart scheduling allows automatic power management during off-peak hours for cost savings.

Built-in smart charging in the Tapo P110M cuts off power to prevent overcharging and protects devices from overcurrent. Voice and remote control through Alexa, Google Assistant, or the Tapo app lets you manage your connected devices, making it the ideal smart plug.

As handy as smart plugs are, there's only so much functionality they offer, so those on a budget don't need to fork out too much. The Wyze Plug hits the sweet spot between features and price point. It brings voice-controlled convenience with Alexa and Google Assistant, can be operated from the Wyze app, and has schedules like Vacation Mode for an added layer of security.

If Amazon is your ecosystem, this smart Plug is a quick and simple smart home control. With an easy setup process, this plug connects directly to the Alexa app, enabling voice commands and automated routines. While it lacks compatibility with Google Assistant or Apple HomeKit and has limited energy monitoring, its sleek design usually avoids blocking other outlets.