smart home - The Gadgeteer

SwitchBot Thermometer and Hygrometer Plus review – Easy, capable, and economical, oh my!

By Dave Moore / March 25, 2022 / Reviews / Home Automation, smart home / 1 Comment

REVIEW – I’ve reviewed several SwitchBot products and have grown to appreciate them for their simplicity, utility, and budget-friendliness. With a larger display, the new SwitchBot Temperature and Hygrometer Plus makes monitoring and adding automation triggers based on your home’s environment simple, cost-effective, and fun. What is it? The SwitchBot Thermometer and Hygrometer Plus […]

SwitchBot Thermometer and Hygrometer Plus review – Easy, capable, and economical, oh my! Read More

X-Sense Smart Video Doorbell and XC01-WR Carbon Monoxide Detector review – Smarts for your smart home?

By Alex Birch / December 30, 2021 / Reviews / security camera, smart home / Leave a Comment

REVIEW – The term ‘Smart Home’ is a bit of a loaded catch-all. Whether it’s an alarm system, connected audio or controllable lights, if the products don’t fit into how you use your home, it may not make life easier which doesn’t sound all that smart. X-Sense sent out their Smart Video Doorbell and their

X-Sense Smart Video Doorbell and XC01-WR Carbon Monoxide Detector review – Smarts for your smart home? Read More

Switchbot Color Changing Lightbulbs review – Festive and fun lighting without the fuss!

By Dave Moore / December 1, 2021 / Reviews / LED lighting, smart bulb, smart home / Leave a Comment

REVIEW – SwitchBot has been impressing me for the last few months with their innovative, yet reasonably priced gadgetry like their curtain closing robot, contact and motion sensors, and now with their Color Change Bulbs. The Holiday season is a perfect time to try these out! What is it? SwitchBot’s Color Change bulbs are 120-volt,

Switchbot Color Changing Lightbulbs review – Festive and fun lighting without the fuss! Read More

The Flic Twist home automation gadget has been revealed

By Julie Strietelmeier / October 13, 2021 / News / Home Automation, smart home / Leave a Comment

NEWS – Five years ago I reviewed the Flic wireless smart buttons. These small buttons allowed for all kinds of interesting home automation funnery (I just made up that word – you’re welcome). I used one of mine to record the time I stopped eating at night so that I could figure out how long

The Flic Twist home automation gadget has been revealed Read More

Get a notification every time your mailbox opens using the Ring Mailbox Sensor

By Kathleen Chapman / November 29, 2020 / News / smart home / 6 Comments

NEWS – Do you have mailbox thieves or maybe just eager to get your mail? The Ring Mailbox Sensor detects motion and sends you a notification every time your mailbox is opened. The sensor measures 2.56″ (65 mm) x 2.44″ (62 mm) x 1.47″ (37 mm), comes with mounting screws and bracket as well as

Get a notification every time your mailbox opens using the Ring Mailbox Sensor Read More

Orvibo Smart Universal Remote Control Home Automation Hub review – Take control of your devices

By Garry Kolb / August 22, 2020 / Reviews / Home Automation, smart home, Universal remote control / 7 Comments

REVIEW – If you’re of a certain age, like me, you remember the first TV remote control – it was you. Your parent would tell you to get up and go change the channel to one of the other two that your TV received. Then, TVs started coming with Infrared (IR) remote controls, giving you

Orvibo Smart Universal Remote Control Home Automation Hub review – Take control of your devices Read More

Vivint SmartHome security system review

By Julie Strietelmeier / July 22, 2020 / Reviews / Home Automation, Home Security, smart home / 23 Comments

REVIEW – I’ve enjoyed testing and writing about many smart home gadgets, home automation devices, security systems, and dozens of security cameras, over the years. One thing that I’ve always found to be a problem is that each device I’ve continued to use has required its own separate app which means you have to search

Vivint SmartHome security system review Read More

Leviton Decora Smart Voice Dimmer and 4 Speed Fan Controller switches review

By Guanshan Fix / July 9, 2020 / Reviews / Home Automation, smart home / 4 Comments

Review In today’s day and age, a lot of people are moving towards smart homes. Starting out can be a daunting task as there are so many options available. The Leviton fan speed controller and the Leviton voice dimmer with Alexa are two great devices to start with as they don’t require a hub and

Leviton Decora Smart Voice Dimmer and 4 Speed Fan Controller switches review Read More

Alfred DB1-B Smart Deadbolt review

By Alex Birch / April 19, 2020 / Reviews / Locks, smart home / 4 Comments

REVIEW – Do you still carry keys? These days the only keys I use regularly are for my e-bikes and bike locks. When you don’t need to carry keys daily, it can be hard to remember to grab them on the way out. Your choices are to come up with a way to remember, or

Alfred DB1-B Smart Deadbolt review Read More

Novostella smart LED bulb review

By Howard Sneider / March 23, 2020 / Reviews / smart bulb, smart home / 2 Comments

REVIEW – As new manufacturers enter the growing market for smart LED bulbs, they complete for consumer’s attention with features, performance, and value. Novostella has provided three 16M color smart led bulbs for The Gadgeteer to review. Read on to see what I think!

Novostella smart LED bulb review Read More

Eve Water Guard leak detector review

By James Garriss / March 22, 2020 / Reviews / smart home / 9 Comments

Review – We recently moved into a new, single-story house. When I first installed our washing machine in the laundry room, I failed to tighten the water drain hose on the back of the washer. Thankfully I was keeping an eye on it during our first load and quickly realized my mistake before too much

Eve Water Guard leak detector review Read More

Bulbrite Solana Smart LED Bulbs review

By Jacob Haas / March 20, 2020 / Reviews / LED lighting, smart home / Leave a Comment

REVIEW – Smart LED bulbs are the de facto entry drug into home automation, but you don’t need to be a networking wizard to set them up. Bulbrite’s Solana range of smart bulbs could be just the thing to get you started… see why! What is it? The Solana Smart Bulbs are a line of

Bulbrite Solana Smart LED Bulbs review Read More

Wyze Lock makes your dumb deadbolt smart

By Julie Strietelmeier / December 3, 2019 / News / Home Security, Locks, smart home / Leave a Comment

NEWS – I’m a huge fan of Wyze products. I have several of their Wyze cam security cameras in my home and view them many times throughout the day while I’m at work. I also use their Wyze Sense sensors in my home too. So every time I hear that Wyze has a new product,

Wyze Lock makes your dumb deadbolt smart Read More

SwitchBot now makes a robot that closes your curtains

By Julie Strietelmeier / November 8, 2019 / News / Home and Kitchen, Home Automation, smart home / 2 Comments

CROWDFUNDING NEWS – Making your home smarter is awesome. For example, I love my Neato Botvac robot vacuums and my Liftmaster WLED smart garage door opener. But one thing I don’t yet have are smart curtains because they are expensive and I’m a little intimidated to install them myself. And that’s why I’m so interested

SwitchBot now makes a robot that closes your curtains Read More

Brilliant Home Control Smart Switch review

By Dave Moore / October 23, 2019 / Reviews / Home Automation, smart home / Leave a Comment

REVIEW – How would you like to transform your house or apartment into an easy-to-use smart home without the hassle of setting up hubs, adding wiring, and changing batteries every few months? The Brilliant Smart Home Control panel and its all-in-one mobile app let you turn regular lights into smart lights and integrates with your

Brilliant Home Control Smart Switch review Read More

Finally…someone put Alexa into a light switch

By Michael Strange / August 28, 2019 / News / Alexa, Home Automation, smart home / 4 Comments

NEWS – I admit it I’m a sucker for smart speakers and home products. I like having the ability to control things like my lights and locks, using my voice. I own four Alexa enabled devices, and I use them all the time. Now, iDevices has taken Alexa and put her into the Instinct Smart

Finally…someone put Alexa into a light switch Read More

Awair Glow C air quality monitor and smart plug review

By Julian Perry / August 23, 2019 / Reviews / Air Filtration, LED lighting, smart home / Leave a Comment

REVIEW – Each day when I walk back and forth to take the railroad to and from work, it seems that there is a new building being constructed in the city. With all of the construction and materials and digging and trucks going back an forth, pollution seems to be at an all-time high. Since

Awair Glow C air quality monitor and smart plug review Read More

Nanoleaf makes smart home control as easy as touching a button

By Julie Strietelmeier / August 1, 2019 / News / smart home / Leave a Comment

NEWS – Nanoleaf is all about smart home lighting that is both beautiful and functional and now their customizable eco-friendly Nanoleaf Canvas light panel system goes one step further by adding new Touch Actions capability that turns their smart light panels into smart buttons. Integrating with all Apple HomeKit devices, the new FREE upgrade for

Nanoleaf makes smart home control as easy as touching a button Read More

Airstream Classic travel trailers are your smart home on wheels

By Janet Cloninger / August 12, 2018 / News / Home and Kitchen, smart home / Leave a Comment

NEWS – Earlier this month, Airstream announced that all of their new Classic travel trailers can be outfitted with Airstream Smart Control Technology. With a smartphone app, you’ll be able to monitor and control many of the functions of your Classic trailer. Smart Control adds the following features: Stay connected – to your Classic, to

Airstream Classic travel trailers are your smart home on wheels Read More

Retrofit your existing downlights with smart Philips Hue kits

By Janet Cloninger / March 17, 2018 / News / LED lighting, smart home / Leave a Comment

I have an old-style downlight in my foyer, and I wanted a smart bulb for it. I saw a lot of retrofit kits for recessed lights with the light source and trim kit in one. But those weren’t what I wanted, because none I found were wirelessly controllable. I gave up on those kits

Retrofit your existing downlights with smart Philips Hue kits Read More