November packed the smart home shelves with gear that fixes old problems instead of adding apps. A fingerprint lever lock, a flying camera and a box that revives dead speakers all made this list of five.
Prices run from $69 to $299.99, and four of the five picks sit on Amazon right now while one sells straight from its maker. Budgets stay sane here. Each pick below gets one job, one catch and one call, so you can match the gadget to the room that needs it most.
The five picks at a glance
| Pick | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Home Assistant Connect AUX-2 | $69 | Reviving older audio and serial gear |
| Wyze Lever Lock | $99.98 | Doors with no deadbolt |
| eufy TrackLight Cam S1 | $299.99 | Driveways that need a deterrent |
| SwitchBot Curtain Track 4 | $99.99 | U-rail curtains |
| Ring Drone Cam | $249.99 | Indoor patrols, ships January 27, 2027 |
1 Home Assistant Connect AUX-2
Connect AUX-2 is a small white box that gives older, not-so-smart gear a way back into a Home Assistant setup. It streams audio, controls RS-232 serial devices and hosts a Z-Wave adapter. One box, three rescues.
The audio side runs through a combo analog and digital jack, and the DAC chip inside is a TI PCM5122. Music Assistant groups it with other speakers, so a shelf receiver can play in sync with a HomePod in the kitchen.
Power comes from USB-C or Power over Ethernet, and PoE also carries the data on one cable. Two serial ports sit on the front beside a Grove port for add-on sensors too. The catch is real. Buy it if your old receiver still sounds great and deserves a second life inside the system.
What we like
- Streams audio to older hi-fi gear
- Two RS-232 serial ports for TVs and receivers
- PoE power and data on one cable
What we dislike
- Needs Home Assistant 2026.9 or later
- No audio or serial cables in the box
Home Assistant Connect AUX-2
Audio streaming · RS-232 serial control · PoE or USB-C power
Price: $69
Where to buy: Buy at Home Assistant
2 Wyze Lever Lock
Wyze Lever Lock puts its fingerprint reader in the handle, right where your thumb lands during every normal grip. Grab it, you’re in.
It unlocks in under half a second, and Wyze rates the fingerprint success rate at over 98 percent. One lock stores 50 fingerprints and 50 passcodes. Wi-Fi 6 is built in, so remote unlock and alerts run through the Wyze app with no hub plugged in anywhere.
The lever shape fits doors a deadbolt can’t, from garage entries and side doors to a home office or bedroom. Buy it if keys keep vanishing at your house and the door in question never had a deadbolt.
What we like
- Fingerprint reader sits inside the handle
- Built-in Wi-Fi 6, no hub to plug in
- 50 fingerprints and 50 passcodes per lock
What we dislike
- Grade 3 lock, not a deadbolt replacement
- Runs on 8 AA batteries you swap by hand
Wyze Lever Lock
Fingerprint handle · Built-in Wi-Fi 6
Price: $99.98
Where to buy: Buy on Amazon
3 eufy TrackLight Cam S1
eufy TrackLight Cam S1 mounts outside and follows people with a light beam instead of just recording them walking away. The camera pans for 360-degree coverage of the yard. A 105 dB siren backs the light up. It watches back.
Dual radars cover 40 feet across a 180-degree field, and three detection zones let you trim alerts down to the parts of the yard you pick. The 4K telephoto camera zooms to 10x when a face or plate sits too far away to read.
A 5.5W solar panel and a 15,000 mAh battery keep it running through cloudy weather. Storage needs a microSD card or a HomeBase, since the camera carries no built-in storage of its own. Buy it if the driveway is the spot that keeps you checking your phone at night.
What we like
- Light beam tracks people across the yard
- 4K camera with 10x zoom
- Solar panel and 15,000 mAh battery
What we dislike
- No built-in storage, microSD card costs extra
- No always-on lighting mode
eufy TrackLight Cam S1
360-degree coverage · 4K telephoto camera · 5.5W solar panel
Price: $299.99
Where to buy: Buy on Amazon
4 SwitchBot Curtain Track 4
SwitchBot Curtain Track 4 clips onto the U-rail curtains already hanging in your room and motors them open and shut. No new curtains needed.
The motor moves curtains weighing 12 kg. Wall clearance drops to 20 mm, and dual-track spacing drops to 40 mm, so the unit hides behind the fabric. A gentle pull starts it too, through Touch&Go. Schedules open the room in the morning and close it at night without a hand on the fabric.
The Battery+ version detaches its battery module for charging while the motor stays on the track, and the pack totals 6,400 mAh. Buy it if your curtains already hang on a U-rail and mornings deserve one less chore.
What we like
- Fits existing U-rail tracks
- Battery module detaches for charging
- Gentle pull starts the motor
What we dislike
- Voice control needs a compatible SwitchBot Hub
- Solar version needs real sunlight to skip charges
SwitchBot Curtain Track 4
U-rail fit · 6,400 mAh Battery+ pack
Price: $99.99
Where to buy: Buy on Amazon
5 Ring Drone Cam
Ring Drone Cam is a flying indoor camera that leaves its dock, follows routes you set and checks the rooms a fixed camera can’t see. It records 2K video. Two LED lights switch on in low light. While docked, its camera stays off and it records nothing.
AI Pilot maps your rooms during setup, suggests patrol points like a side door or window and steers around furniture on the way. A triggered Ring alarm or sensor can send it out on its own. Scheduled flights need a compatible Ring Protect plan.
The catch is the calendar, since Ring lists a January 27, 2027 ship date for US customers and the drone still needs FCC authorization before it can be sold. Wait for it if flying cameras sound fun, and buy a fixed Ring camera instead if you need eyes at home this winter.
What we like
- Flies custom routes on a schedule
- 2K video with a 148-degree view
- Camera stays off while docked
What we dislike
- Ships January 27, 2027, not this year
- Scheduled patrols need a Ring Protect plan
Ring Drone Cam
2K video · 148-degree field of view · Custom patrol routes
Price: $249.99
Where to buy: Buy on Amazon
