IKEA wants to be the brand that makes smart home tech as easy to buy as a BILLY bookcase. And on paper, the pitch is irresistible: door sensors for $8, motion sensors for $10, water leak detectors for $10, all running on Matter, the protocol that’s supposed to make everything just work. Price: Varies Where […]
IKEA’s Budget Sensors Have a Big Catch Read More
People have spent years waiting for robot vacuums to handle everything on the floor. The fantasy is simple: the smarter these machines get, the less you’ll ever need to bend down. Yet after all the AI mapping, obstacle avoidance, and self-emptying bases, you still pick up your own socks before the vacuum runs. Price: $1,299.99
Robot Vacuum Picks Up Your Socks With a Mechanical Arm Read More
ARTICLE – Every flat iron on the market works the same way. Two ceramic plates heat up, you clamp your hair between them, and the heat forces it straight. It’s effective, it’s simple, and it’s been slowly cooking your hair for decades. Dyson looked at that entire concept and decided to throw it out. Price:$549.99
How Dyson Straightens Hair With Just Air Read More
The smart home space kicked off 2026 with more interesting hardware than most people expected. CES brought the usual flood of announcements, but this time, a surprising number of products feel ready to ship. Not concepts. Not renders. Actual devices with prices attached and pre-order pages live. Palm vein scanners, battery-free locks, a robot that
7 Smart Home Devices You Need to Know About in 2026 Read More
LG Electronics didn’t just show up at KBIS 2026. It showed up with a luxury laundry line nobody expected, a cooktop that literally vanishes into your countertop, and three new design collections celebrating a decade of its SIGNATURE brand. The exhibit runs February 17 through 19 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, and
5 Reasons This Modern Kitchen Showcase Is a Must-See Read More
NEWS – Kitchen layouts have quietly dictated appliance choices for decades, and the tradeoff has always felt non-negotiable. You measure the gap, pick the fridge that fits, and accept that the doors won’t swing all the way open if a wall sits too close. Samsung’s latest Bespoke lineup, unveiled at KBIS 2026 alongside its broader
Samsung Zero Clearance Fridges and Pro Ranges Hit KBIS 2026 Read More
NEWS – Most people don’t think about kitchen appliances until something breaks. Fridges hum. Ovens heat. That’s the gap Samsung is going after with its AI-first strategy, and it’s a well-timed bet on changing habits before they’ve fully taken shape. The pitch isn’t repairs or quick upgrades: it’s that a connected kitchen solves problems you
Samsung Bespoke AI Wants to Run Your Whole Kitchen Read More
Your phone doesn’t belong on your nightstand. Hatch has been making that argument since its first Restore, and the Restore 3 at $169.99 is the sharpest execution of that philosophy yet. It’s also the strongest case any Hatch alarm clock has made for ditching the screen entirely. It bundles a sunrise alarm clock, sound machine,
A Sunrise Alarm Clock Designed to Kill Your Phone Habit Read More
ARTICLE – Smart locks usually get Matter certification months after launch. Brands announce compatibility, ship the hardware, then file for certification when nobody’s watching. Dreame went the other direction with their Navo Smart Lock A10, which just appeared in the CSA’s official Matter device database before the company’s even confirmed pricing or availability. That’s the
Dreame Navo Smart Lock A10 Gets Matter Certification Before Anyone Expected It Read More
REVIEW – Opening and closing the same three blinds every morning and night gets old fast, especially when they’re on different windows and wrapped in cords. I wanted something that could give us soft light during the day, blackout at night, and do it automatically without anyone yanking on chains. That’s what led me to
NEWS – Amazon’s latest Alexa+ feature turns your Ring doorbell into a conversational assistant that can identify who’s at your door, understand what they need, and respond naturally on your behalf. Whether you’re home, busy, or simply don’t want to be interrupted, Alexa handles the conversation for you. What is Alexa+ Greetings? Alexa+ Greetings combines
Alexa+ Enables Ring Doorbells to Greet and Respond to Visitors Read More
The biggest reason people avoid smart home tech isn’t because they don’t want their lights to turn on automatically or their thermostat to adjust itself. It’s because the whole thing has felt like choosing a platform you’re stuck with forever. Pick Apple HomeKit and you’re in that ecosystem. Go with Google Home or Amazon Alexa
IKEA’s 21-Piece Smart Home Range Makes Matter-Compatible Living Affordable Read More
REVIEW—My home automation system has grown to over 100 devices, so I’m constantly looking for new ways to manage the gaggle of gadgets. SwitchBot’s New Hub 3 combines the functionality of its predecessors, plus remote control and more buttons! It’s my new go-to controller! Yay! Please join me for a closer look! ⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
SwitchBot Hub 3 review – Home automation control on steroids Read More
NEWS – My favorite smart home company is Eve. I love their approach to security and protecting my data. In the past, I’ve reviewed their Water Guard and Energy Outlet products, both of which I am still using in my home. A while back I purchased their Light Switch and had an electrician install it.
Eve adds support for Matter to their smart light switch Read More
REVIEW – My home office/studio is quite packed with equipment that includes multiple large EcoFlow power stations, several computers and monitors, and the network rack with the switches, security DVRs, etc. I am never worried during the NY winters because the equipment remains relatively cool. Still, during the summer, and especially this summer, the room
GoveeLife Smart Thermo-Hygrometer 3 Lite (1 Wi-Fi Gateway + 1 Sensor) review Read More
REVIEW – My neighbor’s washing machine hose burst while he was sleeping, causing thousands of dollars in damage to his home and a crazy amount of inconvenience and frustration. A low-cost SwitchBot Water Leak Detector could have saved the day. What is it? The SwitchBot Water Detector is a battery-operated, app-connected device that senses water
SwitchBot Water Leak Detector review – Detecting disaster for $18! Read More
REVIEW – In a perfect world, all of the powered gadgets that I own (fans, humidifiers, heaters, etc.) would be smart gadgets, capable of being controlled with nothing more than a voice command to Siri or a preset automation via the Home app. I don’t live in that world just yet, so one way to
Eve Energy Outlet review – the perfect smart outlet Read More
NEWS – Matter is a connectivity standard. The idea is that I should be able to buy any IoT device and instantly use it, regardless of the smart home platform that I use (e.g., Apple’s HomeKit, Google’s Nest). It’s a common language that is supported by over 200 companies. It’s been just over a year
Matter upgraded to version 1.2 Read More
NEWS – Masonite has designed what has been called the world’s first smart door. It starts with a high-end door and adds a video doorbell, a smart lock, motion-activated LEDs, and a door sensor. Plus, it’s hard-wired, so you never have to worry about batteries. Sounds fabulous, doesn’t it? It does! It’s the M-Pwr line
The smart door has arrived, but you’ll want to pass on this one Read More
REVIEW – As far back as I can remember, I have always had a fear of house fires. I think it may have to do with the destruction that I witnessed as a kid that was caused by a house fire. Since then, I have been very diligent in making sure that there are smoke
X-Sense Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector with Voice Location review Read More