With more affordable entry points than ever before, the smart home is more accessible to many. From security cameras to smart light bulbs, there’s no end to devices to get started on your smart home adventure . Before you get started, you should know a few things.

Many suggest that you not complete your smart home setup all at once. For those new to smart home gadgets, starting small is a good plan. Not will this be costly, but it allows you to buy only one or two products to test first. You may choose to purchase more gadgets, ensuring that they are all compatible. The best of each smart gadget category is listed below. We’ve also included additional ideas where applicable.

Are you planning a vacation? Before you do, think about getting one of the best home security cameras. You will be able to keep an eye on your house while you are away and be notified if anything unusual occurs. The Nest Cam is a well-designed piece of technology. Its magnetic base makes it one of the most easily installable home security cameras. The 1080p camera takes crisp photos both day and night. It also features a microphone and speaker to make communication a breeze.

The Nest Cam (battery) also comes with three hours of free rolling video storage. There is also detection for people, vehicles, and animals available. A Nest Aware subscription adds recognizable face identification. The ability to save up to a month’s worth of footage is also included in the subscription cost (beginning at $6 per month).

Our top selection for the best video doorbell is the Arlo Essential Video Doorbell Wired. In addition to having superb hardware and quick reaction times, it can discern between humans, animals, cars, and parcels . As a result, it reduces the number of false warnings, which is an issue with many other models. A $3-per-month Arlo Secure membership is required for improved sensing and recording video clips up to five minutes long. We do recommend the subscription as these capabilities are important and the price is reasonable. Without the subscription to motion/bell alerts and live video streaming are still available.

The Arlo doorbell camera also captures excellent video in a square format. The image features 1536×1536 resolution and a broad, 180-degree viewing angle. This gives a full vertical and horizontal view of the front of your door deliveries or visiting raccoons.

The features that determine the best smart lock will vary. A great deal depends on the door and the people that pass through it. Your smart home needs to have a door lock adapted to the standard lock rather than replacing the current deadbolt. After testing the different smart locks on the market, we pick the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock as the best smart lock. The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock features a retrofit August lock. It also adds a DoorSense open-close sensor to improve your existing lock. This smart door lock type has Wi-Fi, so you will not have to pay extra for a Connect module to gain remote access.

This smart gadget integrates with Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa for voice control and smart home integration. You will get unlimited user access and keyless entry credentials, as well as a log of every activity at your front door. Wi-Fi allows you to lock and open your door remotely from your Android or iOS device when you are not at home. The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is a robust and simple-to-install smart lock that took first place.

You will need one of the top smart home hubs as you add additional smart home gadgets to your house. A smart home hub serves as a single point of control for all connected devices. This includes lights, locks, garage door openers, thermostats, cameras, and more.

The Amazon Echo (4th generation) is the best smart home hub for most people. It has Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and Zigbee compatibility. Alexa’s routines are very advanced. These routines allow you to employ triggers to automatically activate smart home devices. It also works with Alexa Guard. The service offers glass shatter detection, smoke alarms, and localized emergency warnings.

The fourth-generation Echo now supports Amazon Sidewalk. This new low-power, long-range networking protocol allows Tile trackers and smart lights to communicate over considerably longer distances.

The best smart light bulbs should be much like standard light bulbs. They must provide the proper amount of lighting and brightness. Smart bulbs also need to have compatibility with standard smart home systems. A good smart bulb will be intuitive to operate with easy installation. After evaluating hundreds of types, the Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance bulbs are the best smart light bulbs. The Philips Hue light works with almost any smart home device. The stand-alone Philips Hue app also boasts a variety of capabilities on its own. It allows you to do more with your lights than any other smart light provider. The Philips Hue White bulbs are the choice for white lighting.

Philips Hue lights functions do require the Philips Hue bridge to link the lights to your Wi-Fi. There is a Bluetooth option for those with only a few lights. Those can be controlled from a smartphone without Wi-Fi

A smart thermostat does more than control the temperature in your house. You can change your thermostat from anywhere your phone has a Wi-Fi or cellular connection because it is an app-enabled device. You can control the heat level and air conditioning whether you are on vacation, at the store, or at home. The Amazon Smart Thermostat is the cheapest smart thermostat tested thus far. It works with Alexa voice commands and the Alexa app. To utilize voice commands, you will need an Alexa-enabled smart speaker or display. Since this is an Amazon-branded gadget, you do not need to set up an Alexa skill.

This thermostat is also attractive. It boasts a clean, modern appearance with an optional wall plate to hide old paint or holes. The touchscreen interface is simple. It allows you to easily control and toggle between heat, air conditioning, and other settings. The Amazon Smart Thermostat does not work with Google Assistant or Apple HomeKit. It does not come with a remote temperature sensor. You will also need a C-wire or a C-wire converter, which you will have to buy and install. Overall, this is a good product, but its incredible value sets it apart and makes it our current favorite.

If you’re looking for the perfect way to upgrade your lifestyle, try out some of our top picks! We guarantee that not only will you find your life more manageable but more enjoyable as well.