The best smart home devices of 2020 are all about making your home a smart home where you can take full control of your appliances and devices remotely.
You can easily manage, automate, and improve anything from home security and safety to lighting and entertainment using your phone, tablet, computer, or a distinct system.
Smart home devices are a craze, and technology has made amazing things possible and easy today. In a rapidly growing smart home devices market, the following appliances have emerged as the most popular and trending best smart home devices of 2020 in their respective categories.
- Best home security camera: Arlo Q
- Best video doorbell: Ring Video Doorbell Pro with Echo Show 5
- Best smart lock: August Wi-Fi Smart Lock
- Best smart garage opener: Chamberlain MyQ
- Best smart smoke detector: Kidde Nighthawk
- Best smart thermostat: Google Nest Learning Thermostat
- Best smart light bulbs: Philips Hue White A19 Starter Kit
- Best smart plug: Wemo WiFi Smart Plug
- Best smart home hub: Samsung SmartThings
- Best smart home device overall: Amazon Echo Dot with Clock
1.Best home security camera
Arlo Q Security Camera
Unblinking Watch Bird
Size: 4.45 x 5.99 x 4.93 inches | Item weight: 1.0 Pound | Resolution: 1080p | Field of View: 130 degree| Compatible With: Alexa, Google Assistant, SmartThings, IFTTT | Free Offer-7-day cloud storage. $10-a-month paid storage
- Base station not required
- 7-day free cloud storage
- Cristal- clear videos
- Detection & notification work fine
- A bit expensive
Almost all of the modern security cameras offer a Full HD resolution, geofencing, person detection, 2way audio, night vision, and at least a bit of free cloud storage.
Arlo Q is no different in many aspects but has excelled in overall quality. It is Arlo’s wired camera. With its brilliant 1080p HD video and built-in 2-way audio, you can see, hear everything clearly and help protect your home and the loved ones.
The live-streaming feature and optional round-the-clock recording ensure you won’t miss all that happens around your home.
Most importantly, Arlo Q alerts you whenever motion or sound is detected and notifies you with instant alerts. And, you can deal with it as it’s happening. It comes with a 7-Day free cloud recording offer.
2. Best video doorbell
Ring Video Doorbell Pro with Echo Show 5
Constant Vigil
Size: 4.50 in x 1.85 in x 0.8 inches | Item weight: 1.0 Pound | Resolution: 1080p | Field of View: 160° horizontal, 90° vertical | Compatible With: Alexa| Free Offer-7-day cloud storage. $10-a-month paid storage
- Base station not required
- 7-day free cloud storage
- Cristal- clear videos
- Detection & notification work fine
- A bit expensive
With the Ring Video Doorbell Pro, you can keep a constant watch over your home in 1080HD video and answer the door from anywhere. In fact, it is not necessary to take the strain of monitoring yourself round the clock.
And you won’t miss a single moment of what happens outside your door. For, when anyone comes to your door, you’ll get mobile alerts instantly. So you can see, hear and speak to visitors from your phone, tablet, and PC.
The doorbell allows you to customize your motion zones to focus on any particular area of your doorstep and surroundings. The phone app and cloud service work really well.
3. Best Smart Lock
August Wi-Fi Smart Lock
Auto Unlock, Auto Lock
Size: 2.8 x 2.8 x 2.75 inches | Item weight: 13.9 ounces | Unique pins of friends and family | Security Verification: Biometric Verification | Compatible With Alexa, Homekit
- Easy to install
- Customizable Auto-locking
- Provision for key usage
- Work with Alexa
- Depend on Bluetooth to use auto-unlock
With the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock (4th Generation) in place, you can control the exit and entry to your home from anywhere.
Supported by the August app, the Smart lock allows you to remotely lock or unlock your door, check door status, grant virtual guest keys and always know who’s coming and going.
Connected out of the box with built-in Wi-Fi, the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is easy to install and attaches to your existing deadbolt so you can keep your original keys.
4. Best Smart Garage Opener
Chamberlain/Liftmaster Cigbu Internet Gateway For Myq
Awesome Addon
Size: 2.5 x 4.13 x 1.5 inches| Item weight: 0.64 ounces | Keyless features | Control lighting around the home from anywhere
- Easy Setup
- Can manage remotely
- Can control lighting around your home
- Automated open garage alerts
- Poor instructions
Chamberlain CIGBU MYQ Internet Gateway gives you peace of mind as it ensures cent percent security to your garage door.
The MyQ Internet Gateway connects to the internet through your home router, and on the back of other MyQ devices, allows you to open, close, and monitor your garage door opener and control your household lighting from anywhere via your smartphone.
5. Best Smart Smoke Detector
Kidde Nighthawk Plug-In AC/DC Carbon Monoxide Alarm Detector
Life-Saver
Size: 6.06 x 3.75 x 1.75 inches| Item weight: 1.1 pounds | Power source: 120VAC
- Displays the peak CO level
- Easy to Read Display
- Peak Level Memory Feature
- The LED display needs to be brighter
Kidde Carbon Monoxide Alarm Detector is intelligently designed to protect your family from the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) exposure. It has a Battery Backup and Digital Display and it provides reliable protection against the dangers of CO.
The digital display indicates the CO levels in parts per million allowing you to see if, how, and when levels change. You can easily install the Nighthawk and it will leave you confident that you and your family are protected against carbon monoxide.
6.Best Smart Thermostat
Google Nest Learning Thermostat
Beautiful & Functional
Size: 6.5 x 6.5 x 2.9 inches| Item weight: 1.6 pounds | Power source:Battery powered
- Easy installation
- Programs itself
- Energy-saving features
- Remote control
- Works with Alexa and Google Assistant
- Home/Away Assist is just average
The Google Nest Learning Thermostat learns your schedule and programs itself to help save energy. With the Nest app, you can control it remotely and it is compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant so you can adjust the temperature with your voice.
The stylishly designed nest thermostat features a big, bright display and its metal finishes will suit any home’s style. Although energy savings are not guaranteed as it depends on energy usage, weather, and other factors, independent studies showed that Nest thermostats saved people an average of 10% to 12% on heating and 15% on cooling.
7. Best Smart Light Bulbs
Philips Hue A19 LED Smart Bulb Starter Kit
Great Bridge & Bulbs
Size: 4.33 x 4.33 x 4.33 inches| Voltage: 110 Volts | Wattage: 9.50 watts | Item Weight: 1.85 Pounds | Color: Multi-colored
- Unlimited light scenes
- Easy to manage
- Can automate the entire lighting setup
- Scalable
- Expensive
Philips Hue A19 LED Smart Bulb Starter Kit gives awesome lights, super fun and easy easy to set up in just three steps. They are energy efficient LED bulbs; no wiring, no electrician, and no hassle. You can automate it by setting timers or routines, and schedule your own light scenes; to ease you to sleep, wake you up, and even help you concentrate.
With Philips Smart Bulb Starter kit your possibilities are unlimited. The Hub supports a whole-home lighting experience with up to 50 light points, both indoors and outdoors. You can control the entire light scenes by just the touch of a button on your mobile device or your favorite voice assistant, Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant.
8. Best Smart Plug
Wemo Mini WiFi Smart Plug
Protect Your Home
Size: 3.9 x 1.45 x 2 inches | Item weight: 14.4 ounces | Mounting Type: Plug-In Mount | Actuator Type: Push Button
- Remote Control
- Simple set up
- Schedule automatically
- Randomize lights
- Works with Home Kit
- Unstable device settings
The Wemo Mini WiFi Smart Plug bundle will let you manage your lights and appliances with your phone or tablet using your existing home WiFi network. You need to just plug all three Wemo Minis into electrical outlets, connect devices to the Smart Plugs.
Using the free Wemo app, you can turn your devices on and off remotely. Also, you can Schedule the devices like lights, fan, etc., to start automatically. For instance, you can sync lamps and devices to sunrise, sunset, or pre-set times automatically.
The smart plug works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Home Kit. There is Hub or subscription required.
9. Best smart home hub
Connecting Home Devices
Size: 5 x 5 x 1.2 inches | Weight: 8.0 oz. | Multipurpose Sensors | Motion Sensors | Water leak Sensors | Control lights & devices
- Wireless connectivity with smart devices
- Immensely Helpful
- App alerts from connected devices
- Voice commands to control devices
- Doesn't work with all smart home devices
Samsung Smartthings Hub connects wirelessly with a wide range of smart devices and make them work together. The devices include almost all home appliances or utilities such as lights, speakers, locks, thermostats, sensors and more.
With a single Smartthing app you can monitor and control such connected devices in your home. For instance, you can set devices to turn on and off when triggered by movement, time, moisture or temperature, and create automated routines like Good Morning, Goodbye, and Goodnight.
Incase of unexpected activity, you will receive alerts on your smart phone. The hub is compatible with Google, Alexa, SmartThings, and ZigBee communication protocols
10. Best smart home device overall
“Alexa, play top hits”
Size: 3.9” x 3.9” x 1.7” | Weight: 10.6 oz. | Speakers: 1.6″ speaker | Line in/out: 3.5 mm line out | LED clock display: Featured on Echo Dot with clock
- Compact smart speaker
- Immensely Helpful
- Voice Control home, music
- Can listen to news feeds, podcasts, etc
- Call anyone hands-free
- Inconsistent volume levels
The Wemo Mini WiFi Smart Plug bundle will let you manage your lights and appliances with your phone or tablet using your existing home WiFi network. You need to just plug all three Wemo Minis into electrical outlets, connect devices to the Smart Plugs.
Using the free Wemo app, you can turn your devices on and off remotely. Also, you can Schedule the devices like lights, fan, etc., to start automatically. For instance, you can sync lamps and devices to sunrise, sunset, or pre-set times automatically.
The smart plug works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Home Kit. There is Hub or subscription required.