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Sep 02, 2023

Gadget Awards 2023: Smart Home

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Why Trust Us? Everything is connected these days. Here are the latest innovations to streamline

Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. Why Trust Us?

Everything is connected these days. Here are the latest innovations to streamline your home.

Ready to automate your life so that you can save some precious time each day? This equipment streamlines everything from turning on your lights to locking and unlocking your doors automatically. Save time, effort, and even money (thanks to lower energy usage) with these simple additions to your setup.

Apple’s HomePod may lack the bass of its predecessor, but its speedier performance and new built-in temperature and humidity sensors give it an edge over other smart- hub controllers. You can use these measurements to trigger HomeKit automations like closing the blinds of a room if it gets too hot or turning on a dehumidifier. HomePod is also Matter-enabled to serve as the control hub of a multi-platform smart home. Siri registers voice commands the fastest of any assistant we’ve tested, and its built-in microphones help with room sensing to tailor audio to your space—five tweeters and a woofer create convincing spatial audio for immersive soundstages in almost any type of room. Plus, the capsule design is thin and attractive, so it can fit into any room without looking out of place.

The Essential Wireless Video Doorbell from Arlo earns high praise from us for its easy installation, sharp video quality, and compatibility with third-party devices like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings. The wire-free version is a less expensive alternative to other options on the market, while still offering similar capabilities. Keep in mind that this is bigger than its wired counterpart, to account for the lithium-ion rechargeable battery, but it’s also easier to mount since there are no cables to deal with. You can register your device by using a QR code through the Arlo app, which has easy-to-follow instructions and installation tips. This video camera doorbell is a great choice for homeowners or renters who don’t have access to or don’t want to deal with wiring, hubs, or transformers.

The Brava Glass smart oven uses a mix of software and sensors to cook food to your liking. You simply identify a meal you want to cook on the Brava app, then arrange the ingredients on the tray. Select a desired level of doneness, and the oven automates the rest. Two built-in cameras provide you with a live video feed and updates sent to your phone. Brava stands out because it uses light to direct heat straight into the food and the tray beneath it, as opposed to chamber walls. This efficiency allows the oven to utilize significantly more cooking power, with rapid and precise temperature adjustments and independent cooking zones. That means food cooks much faster and you can place up to three separate ingredients on the Brava’s tray and heat them up to different temperatures simultaneously.

Fast, affordable, and easy to use, the AnkerMake M5 is the best 3D printer we tested. It streamlines the tedious preparation, thanks to its ability to calibrate itself across 49 grid points, and automatically optimizes the scale of 3D object files. This gives the printing process a level of press-and-play simplicity that’s been sorely missing. Just tap on its touchscreen or send a file to it, and you can create a figure as easily as you would print a paper document. Enthusiasts of any skill can easily print out original or downloaded objects at a consistently high quality from the easy-to-use app and computer interface. At 250mm/sec using PLA+ filament, the M5 has some of the fastest production speeds of any 3D printer under $1,000. A built-in HD camera provides live monitoring as well as time-lapse captures.

Ring’s CarCam combines a security camera, tracker, and dash cam into a sleek all-in-one gadget. This device provides you with a live video feed of your car’s interior and exterior over the internet. If someone comes near your car or breaks into it, the app records the incident and immediately sends a notification to your phone. You can click the popup to see what’s going on and use the built-in security light, microphone, and speaker system to help deter thieves remotely in real time. When you’re driving, the dual HD camera system records your cabin interior and windshield view so you can clearly see who’s at fault in the event of an accident, the shape or color of another vehicle, and road markers.

This small lightbulb by Nanoleaf is among our favorite connected home gadgets of the year because of its beautiful design, streamlined setup (no hubs needed), and strong, easily customizable luminance in millions of colors at an impulse-buy price. The accessory costs less than $20 ($50 for a pack of three), making home makeovers easy and affordable. Best of all, the Nanoleaf lightbulb is compatible with Matter—today’s best, most futureproof connected home standard. Developed in collaboration with Amazon, Apple, Google, and Samsung, to name a few, Matter ensures easy smart-home integration and compatibility with all leading virtual assistants.

Gadget Awards 2023: Video

Gadget Awards 2023: Audio

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