Reviewed's 2020 Best of Year: Smart Home

Table of Content

• Reader’s Choice award: Google Pixel 7 Pro
• Frontpoint Home Security
• The 10 best new smart home gadgets we saw at CES 2020
• ecobee SmartThermostat with Voice Control
• Lightbulb or switch
• Smart Life (Tuya)

Add in all the other gear that Samsung makes – from TVs to smartphones – and you've got a lot of choice and flexibility. We're also seeing Assistant support arrive in speakers and displays from third party manufacturers including JBL, LG, Sony, Lenovo, Panasonic and Sonos. Thanks to recent improvements in iOS, you now have multiple ways to pair devices – via QR codes on the device, or by NFC if the device manufacturer supports it. HomeKit has also been updated to offer more complicated setups with Shortcuts, which are a way to combine multiple actions together that run with one tap on your phone or one Siri command.

This huge Gamepass title had gameplay revealed earlier this year to provide a glimpse into what we can expect.Built on an improved engine, The Creation Engine 2, the game shows clear strides over Fallout 4 and other previous titles. Space travel, world building, rendering technology, and more are all covered here in our IGN Performance Preview. PCMag supports Group Black and its mission to increase greater diversity in media voices and media ownerships. The Traeger Ironwood 650 is a wood pellet grill equipped with Wi-Fi and variable speed convection fans, making it easy to barbecue, roast, and smoke like a pro. Offering a smooth, quiet ride with long range, automatic electronic gear shifting, and a unique Turbo Boost button, the VanMoof X3 stands out as one of the best smart commuter e-bikes you can buy.

Reader’s Choice award: Google Pixel 7 Pro

Everything is controlled via the Home app on your iOS, iPadOS or macOS device, and as you would expect, it all works with Siri too. You can either fire up the Home app to change the temperature of a smart thermostat or to turn a smart light off, or just get Siri to do it for you. If you notice camera activity at odd hours or at times when you know that nobody is at home, it may be an indication that your system has been compromised. Finally, make sure your system software and all of your connected devices are up to date. Firmware updates often address security issues and can help protect your system from infiltration.

As with their indoor counterparts, outdoor cameras connect to your Wi-Fi network and allow you to view live video from your phone. They are fairly easy to install but, if you're not familiar or comfortable with electrical wiring, you may want to hire a professional electrician for the setup. The Wi-Fi-enabled hub also features a Z-Wave radio that lets you pair lots of third-party devices, a cellular radio that connects to an emergency response center, and an RF radio that communicates with Frontpoint sensors. The system performed flawlessly in testing and is easy to manage either via the web portal or a mobile companion app. It's easier than ever to set up a smart home in which you can remotely control your lights, lawn mowers, thermostats,vacuums, and just about everything else from a smartphone app.

Frontpoint Home Security

The two-camera kit will set you back about $600—though it’s often on sale, and Arlo’s range has other, more wallet-friendly choices. You’ll also need to shell out for a monthly subscription after you use up the three-month free trial, which ranges from $2.99 to $10.99 a month. The Nest Doorbell provides a wide field of view to capture more of what’s happening on your stoop, and its 960 x 1,280 resolution will let you get the details. The camera will save up to three hours of event-based footage in the cloud, and you can get notifications when anything happens, including smart identification of people, animals, vehicles, and packages.

Honeywell makes a quality smart thermostat and several of the best smart locks come from companies that have made locks for decades. You can see a selection of Google Home/Google Nest compatible devices here, including top smart thermostats, home security systems, lights, plugs, locks and more. Some have Assistant controls built-in, while others can be controlled by Google Assistant on your phone or through something like a Google Nest Mini.

The 10 best new smart home gadgets we saw at CES 2020

I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. Matter, a project that aims to provide greater connectivity across smart home brands, is creeping closer to its debut. The frequently delayed effort has sign-on from some of the biggest smart home companies, though it's always best to confirm a device you're considering is compatible and not count on future developments. The app is well-designed and lets you program the plug to turn on or off on a schedule or even based on your location.

The plug tracks energy usage and will even help estimate how much the device you’ve got plugged in will add to your electricity bill, but it doesn’t provide real-time monitoring, like some of the fancier models we tested. The video itself is the highest quality you can get from a smart security camera, with 1080p recording and excellent night vision. During the initial install, you specify the device that will be plugged in so that you can control its functionality from the app. Ecobee integrates seamlessly with apps and other home ecosystems like Alexa or Apple HomeKit. Plus, it’s able to control the room you’re in, rather than the room it’s installed. These bulbs work with most smart home systems, making them arguably the most flexible option.

You may already use energy-efficient light bulbs in your home, so installing smart bulbs is the next logical step. Besides saving money, they let you customize the way your home looks and even turn lights on and off from another location, as long as you have internet access and the complementing app. We also love that the Nest allows you to monitor the energy efficiency of your entire HVAC operation, letting you use this intel to create automated schedules for heating and cooling your home. Most of these devices will come with their own app and don’t have to integrate with Alexa/Google Assistant/HomeKit, but chances are you’ll want the convenience of controlling all of your devices using a smart speaker. If you've got central air and heating, you've surely seen the huge spikes you'll sometimes get in your power bill. A smart thermostat can help you manage the indoor climate with a little extra finesse, so you can hopefully avoid watching the furnace burn through your budget.

When going this route, just make sure any other smart home devices you buy are compatible with Apple HomeKit. These days, there's a smart version of pretty much every home device you can think of. In general, these products connect to the internet, so you can control them from your phone via a companion app. You can make your home a little more livable—and a lot more automated—by adding appliances and devices you can control from anywhere. We've tested hundreds of smart home products in more than 20 categories to help determine which ones are best for every room in the house. The Nest Wifi doesn't support the newest, fastest version of Wi-Fi, called Wi-Fi 6, but you really won't notice the difference Wi-Fi 6 makes unless you're already paying for super-fast internet speeds of 500 Mbps or more.

It automatically detects up to eight users, syncs your data to Apple Health and other popular fitness apps, and features a rechargeable battery. It tracks 12 metrics, including your BMI, body fat percentage, body water percentage, heart rate, muscle mass, protein level, and weight up to 400 pounds. In the ultimate smart bathroom, you can even fill the tub with your phone or voice. If you're building a new house, or renovating one, consider a smart toilet for your bathroom. A smart air purifier can help you keep a close eye on your indoor air quality and breathe a little easier, especially if you suffer from allergies and asthma. The Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, our all-around favorite model, is both a capable HEPA air purifier as well as an oscillating fan, with a small footprint and Wi-Fi connectivity for phone and voice control.

Similar to the August Smart Lock, the Wyze Lock also retrofits over your existing deadbolt and can be configured to detect your phone when you’re in range, automatically locking/unlocking your door when you’re approaching. Compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, you can even use voice commands to control the lock from indoors or with the Alexa/Google Home app. With the Apple HomePod Mini, you can set up speakers throughout the home and go for whole-home audio or even pair two in the same space for stereo audio. You can call out to them to control smart home gadgets, have Siri set reminders, check the weather, or even send voice messages from one HomePod Mini to others in the home with the Intercom feature. If you bring your iPhone near the HomePod Mini with audio playing, it can automatically switch over to play on the speaker.

Best smart home devices for 2020

Table of Content

• Apple HomePod mini
• Best smart speaker
• Logitech Harmony Elite Remote Control, Hub and App
• Frontpoint Home Security
• Amazon Echo Studio

This hubless pair of smart plugs from TP-Link use 2.4GHz Wi-Fi to carry out their duties. Controllable via an app or Alexa/Google Assistant, you can use them to remotely control multiple devices without having to lift a finger. Apps such as Yonomi are useful, letting you control multiple devices at once and set up more powerful rules than is possible with IFTTT.

That all said, Wi-Fi has to be used for devices that need a lot of bandwidth, such as wireless security cameras. Having strong Wi-Fi everywhere is really important, so we recommend buying a mesh system, such as the Netgear Orbi. Like Zigbee and Z-Wave, Thread can connect all your devices together in a giant mesh.

Apple HomePod mini

It also supports IFTTT, so you can program it to automatically turn certain outlets on or off when another event, such as a camera motion trigger, takes place. If you have fewer devices you want to make smart, the Wyze Plug is our favorite affordable option. The Ezviz DB1C Wi-Fi Video Doorbell is an affordable smart doorbell that delivers sharp HD video with a wide viewing angle, cloud and local video storage, and support for voice control and lots of third-party smart devices. That's why our testers and writers lived with smart locks, WiFi bulbs, voice assistants, and connected appliances all year. We want to find out exactly what it's like to interact with this stuff, and whether a "smart" product is more hassle than helpful. The Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Starter Kit are the best smart light bulbs you can buy and they’re great for beginners.

It's worth a look beyond the smart home scene as well, with Applets covering all kinds of apps, services, devices, and more – you can use it to do everything from automating your tweets to changing the wallpaper on your Android device. It’s not the most intuitive system out there, but it is one of the most stable and if you’re willing to put a bit of time and effort in to get things set up, you’ll be well-rewarded with a proper smart home. The SmartThings Hub, including the new one that is made by Aeotec, has radios for both the Zigbee and Z-Wave standards, which means support for a lot of kit without the SmartThings branding too.

Best smart speaker

The Furbo 360 Dog Camera allows you to see your pet and dispense treats remotely, improving upon the original with color night vision and the ability to pan from side to side for 360-degree views. Finally, if you have a cat or dog, your smart living room wouldn't be complete without a pet camera that lets you monitor and interact with your fur babies 24/7, from wherever you are. The Furbo 360 Dog Camera is as functional as it is fun, offering barking notifications and a remote treat-tossing feature you—and your pooch—will love. After peering beneath my bed skirt to retrieve a fallen item, I was horrified to discover a thick coating of dust on the floor. My old-school corded upright vacuum was too bulky to fit all the way under, so I picked up a robot vacuum to handle the dirty work for me. A keyless design with no physical failsafe could indeed lock you out, but the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock isn't one of those locks.

That's a nice inclusion that'll let you connect Zigbee lights, locks, sensors and other devices to your setup without need for a separate hub device. Allows you to control the lights, play music, ask questions, set reminders and much more with simple voice commands. In addition, look for external devices for controlling your smart home, such as the excellent Flic 2 Hub.

Logitech Harmony Elite Remote Control, Hub and App

Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct. The objective was to create a unified smart home standard, with the Zigbee Alliance steering the ship. And things are set to become even easier soon, with the launch of Matter; a smart initiative backed by Big Tech that should, in theory simplify things for consumers setting up and managing a smart home. There are a plethora of hubs out there, so we’ve taken the liberty of breaking down the best of the best. Bethesda is one of the biggest studios within the Xbox portfolio, with its latest and arguably most anticipated title in Starfield releasing on Xbox Series X, Series S, Xbox One, and PC in 2023.

The only downside is that unlike some other smart bulbs, the Hue bulbs do require a hub in order to work. We’ve put these products through the wringer—testing the ins and outs of how they work. So, you can rest assured that these are the 15 very best smart products to make 2020 your easiest year yet. The Pixel 7 Pro was the runaway winner, amassing just over a quarter of the total points in our vote from a shortlist of 20 phones.

And if you ever misplace your phone for app access or the Wi-Fi is out and you want to turn something off, the outlet still has a handy hardware button to power the plug on and off. There’s no energy monitoring, though – if that’s important to you, look to the Belkin Wemo Insight. Our tour of the ultimate smart home wouldn't be complete without a visit to the backyard. The best outdoor smart home devices can help you keep your yard green, your pool blue, and your property safe. They also make it easy to create a warm and inviting ambience for backyard get-togethers.

Smart locks and video doorbells really go hand in hand — why not put them together? The Lockly Vision is a smart lock and video doorbell in one, and I think it's a brilliant combination. Without further ado, here are the 10 best smart home devices of CES 2020. We'll update this article when these products become available for purchase. I used to have to walk into the living room, turn the TV on, wait for it to start up and then pick a show before I could start making lunch in the kitchen. With the Logitech Harmony Hub, I can just tell my smart assistant to turn the TV on and control it with my voice.

The Arlo Ultra 2 isn’t only the best of Arlo’s smart cameras—we think it’s the best smart security cam you can buy, hands down. 4K HDR recording delivers an ultra-crisp picture, letting you zoom in on images for a better view of a potential criminal or some hilarious incident that deserves a share online. An integrated spotlight helps to see/scare off any chancing burglars in the dark hours. And it’ll run off your household wall power or the battery, which should net you 3-4 weeks of use before a recharge. The Rachio 3 is an eight-zone sprinkler controller that connects to your phone and offers the latest weather-based scheduling technology and works with lots of other smart devices. If you don't have central air, you might want to consider a smart air conditioner.

The Harmony Hub comes on its own or with the universal Elite Remote Control to let you simplify your remote situation. I can ask it to switch the input to a smart TV hub and then use that through a smart assistant. Our top pick for smart doorbells is the Google Nest Hello Smart WiFi Video Doorbell.

Although many systems use wireless components that you install with double-sided tape, some high-end systems use components that require professional installation. These soup-to-nuts systems typically cost considerably more than DIY systems and offer 24/7 professional monitoring, but you may have to enter into a multi-year contract and pay a hefty termination fee if you break it. Smart home devices can let you bolster your security with smart locks and a wide variety of security cameras or even video doorbells. If you want to save on your energy bill, you have a solid option to do that by cutting down on excessive heating or cooling by installing a smart thermostat. And, even if you don't want to shell out the big bucks to get a smart version of a product you already own, you can more or less convert any electronics into smart home devices by powering them through a smart plug. All of the systems we've tested feature an app that lets you use your smartphone as your command center to arm and disarm the system; create rules; add and delete components; and receive push notifications when alarms trigger.

The sleek August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is easy to install and packs a ton of features into its compact frame. Shop your favorite products and we’ll find the best deal with a single click. Another accessory included with the Wi-Fi Smart Lock model is the tiny open-close sensor. This lets the lock tell you if it's locked or unlocked and lets you know if the door itself is open or closed. Monthly subscriptions range from $4 to $20 a month, which is on the lower end of the DIY home security spectrum, and it includes more smarts than most such subscriptions.

Best devices to control your TV: Logitech Harmony, Amazon Fire Stick and Google Chromecast

August’s Wi-Fi Smart Lock is an especially smart addition to your home because it doesn’t involve a lot of work to add. The Wi-Fi Smart Lock can fit onto a bunch of different deadbolts simply by removing the indoor half of the lock. This means you can keep the deadbolt in place and you’ll still be able to use the same keys from the outside. Let there be light — smart light — with the Philips Hue White and Color A19 Ambiance bulbs. These are as good as it gets, giving you a ton of customization from a bright and power efficient bulb that’s also incredibly flexible with how you use it. The Weber iGrill Mini is a small connected thermometer that allows you to monitor the temperature of any dish you cook from your smartphone.

When looking to purchase a smart-home system, you want to look into reviews and its integrations.