The Best Smart Home Devices for the Perfect Smart Home Setup

A smart home system is not only about staying up-to-date with technology for style. It's something more. It's about creating an automation system where almost everything in your house starting from lights, garage doors, security cameras to speakers, TVs, thermostats will be constantly integrated with the internet, allowing you to interact with them using a simple touch in an app or voice command.

Smart home systems combine the best of both worlds: aristocracy and utility. And we're here to guide you in buying the best smart home devices so that you can finally bring that dream to reality.

Table of Contents

Smart TV

• Samsung QN90A QLED
• LG G1 OLED TV
• Sony Bravia XR A80J

Smart Speakers

• Apple HomePod Mini
• Amazon Echo Family
• Google Nest Family

Smart Thermostats

• Ecobee SmartThermostat
• Nest Learning Thermostat
• Honeywell Home T9 Smart Thermostat

Smart Security Cameras

• Arlo Pro 4
• Wyze Cam v3
• Ring Stick Up Cam Battery

Smart Door Locks and Security Systems

• August Wi-fi Smart Lock
• Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt
• Vivint Smart Home

Smart Lights and Outlets

• Philips Hue White And Color Ambiance
• Wyze Bulb
• ConnectSense Smart Outlet 2

Smart Garage Door Openers

• Chamberlain MyQ Smart Garage Hub
• Nexx Smart Garage Controller
• Garadget WiFi Smart Garage Door Controller

Final Thoughts

Smart TV

A Smart TV is a primary requirement of a smart home. Smart TVs have long crossed the purpose of serving just as conventional television. These now act as a central command centre for all other smart devices of your house: lights, speakers, screens for security cameras etc. So you must buy the perfect Smart TV for your smart home. Let's introduce the best models we found in the market.

Samsung QN90A QLED

Samsung QN90A QLED is one of the finest Smart TVs of Samsung. Samsung's feature-packed model is available in 50" 55" 65" 75" 85" inches.

Since this model doesn't have an OLED screen, you won't have to worry about permanent damage due to overuse. One of its most advanced features is Samsung QN90A QLED's motion detector sensor: It automatically detects your movements and turns on when you reach its vicinity. In the same way, it turns the screen off to save power when you move away. This TV provides a wide viewing angle, 4K ultra HD panel, strong anti-reflection, high peak brightness and superb contrast that gives you the best HDR picture quality regardless of external lighting.

It also integrates perfectly with other smart home devices. You can play music, video etc. from your phone with a single tap. The remote has a mini solar panel at the back of it. So it can automatically charge using daylight. The 2.5 GB RAM along with 16 GB ROM allows you to store about 1200 high-resolution images. The simple yet effective interface will help you navigate through everything easily.

LG G1 OLED TV

LG has once again set the bar high with their next-generation OLED featuring model G1 OLED TV. This smart TV is a must for those who are looking to add aristocracy in utility. It's available on 55", 65" and 77" inch screens.

LG has introduced this model to make your living room look like an art gallery: the super slim design makes the smart TV hang like a digital painting on the wall. But it's not only for showing off. The OLED screen panel is equipped with an Alpha 9 Gen 4 processor and self-lit pixels. This causes it to display the best contrast features that bring the pictures to near realism. You don't have to worry about the durability of the OLED panel as LG is going to give you a robust 5-year warranty. The 4K resolution supporting smart TV is also equipped with the latest versions of Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision. 

The OLED motion Pro and Filmmaker mode reduces motion blurring and smoothing to retain the originality of the movies and games. The ergonomically designed remote makes it comfortable to hold in hand. It also uses built-in AI programs to easily navigate through the shortcuts and interact with other smart home devices.

Sony Bravia XR A80J

Sony has brought one of the best OLED smart TVs in the market. It has some of the most futuristic additions: 4K HDR, 120 Hz refresh rate, ATSC 3.0 and Google TV interface. It's available in 48", 55", 65" and 77" screens.

Bravia XR A80J's supremacy lies in its superior quality of screen pictures. The self-lit pixels are equipped with cognitive intelligence through its cognitive processor XR triluminos pro. This brings out a wide array of colours and contrast equivalent to near-infinity. In short, you'll get the most realistic images you can think of. 

Moreover, the 120 Hz refresh rate allows it to have a nearly instantaneous response time which is heaven on earth for gamers. You'll also get Bravia core which will allow you to stream thousands of movies by redeeming those.

The best part of the Sony Bravia XR A80 is that it uses Google TV OS instead of Android TV. So you'll have access to more than 700,000 movies and TV series episodes along with living TV. This is the perfect TV for you if you are looking to build an ecosystem-based on Google assistant.

Smart Speakers

You can't think of a smart home without a smart speaker. Smart home speakers act as a centre of voice command. It integrates with the rest of the devices and provides results and feedback by a harmonious exchange of data.

Google, Amazon and Apple have released their forms of smart speakers to integrate with smart home automation.

We're mentioning those released speakers as a family. This is to help you build up your form of Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant ecosystem.

Apple HomePod Mini

Apple has released its smart speakers for the Apple smart home ecosystem. Apple has discontinued producing the original Apple HomePod and is currently focusing on Apple HomePod Mini.

As always, Apple has made no compromises in building one of the best smart speakers. Apple HomePod Mini has a 360° angle computational audio sound system even though it's only 3.3" tall. Because of the short height, you can place it anywhere you want to.  Also, you can integrate two or more HomePod Minis to form a high quality, immersive soundstage for your home. You may also play separate songs in separate rooms. Even if you play music at the loudest volume, Siri won't miss out on any of your commands.

Siri is now more smart and intelligent than ever before, always helping you in any day-to-day activities: playing music, calling a friend, asking for a date or time or temperature, checking if the front door is locked, asking to make a to-do list etc. Siri can recognise up to 6 family member's voices. Also if you have multiple HomePod Mini's you can use it to communicate with all or specific family members through Siri. In short, your whole smart home ecosystem will be controlled by Apple HomePod Mini.

Amazon Echo Family

Amazon released a series of smart speakers which are known as the Amazon Echo family. These are equipped with Amazon's highly intelligent assistant, Alexa. Alexa is the heart of an Amazon smart home ecosystem. Alexa allows you to control most of the smart gadgets of your house using voice commands: changing the temperature of the thermostat, calling or sending a text to someone, playing music, asking for mentioning time etc. Moreover, the Amazon Echo family has a superior sound quality mostly due to having robust bass systems.

If you're looking for a budget-friendly Alexa speaker, you can go for Echo Dot with Clock. Amazon Echo (4th Gen) is the best Alexa voice support, smart speaker. If you opt for a bit expensive Speaker which will show your input results on a screen, Echo Show 10, Echo Show 8 or Echo Show 5 all are viable options.

Google Nest Family

If you're willing to build an ecosystem-based on Google, you have no alternative to having a Google Nest Hub speaker in your list of smart devices. The speakers provide a superior sound quality in addition to immaculate interaction capability with other smart home devices.

Like that of other smart speakers, Google Nest speakers' voice control too can be used to control other smart gadgets. Google Nest Hub and Google Nest Hub Max can be your preferred speaker if you opt for an attractive screen. It'll allow you to stream movies or songs on Netflix, Spotify, YouTube etc. You can take part in conference calls and online meetings.

Nest Audio, Nest Mini and Nest Hub are better options if you're just looking for mini interactive speakers. Needless to say, Google Assistant is also capable of fully communicating with other smart devices similar to Amazon Alexa.

Smart Thermostats

What's the point of investing so much in a smart house if you don't feel comfortable in it? You should, and that is where Smart Thermostats come into the picture. The best home thermostats significantly reduce the cost of your HVAC system.

And the smart thermostats kick it up a notch: use motion sensors or geofencing to track your presence and function automatically, allow you to set the temperature with voice control and integrate with other smart gadgets to form a harmonious ecosystem.

Let's take a look at the best smart thermostats in the Market:

Ecobee SmartThermostat

Ecobee Smart Thermostat is the best there is: Fully supported by Amazon Alexa, motion sensors to detect your presence and a stylish design. 

Ecobee has truly upped its game with its SmartThermostat. It also acts as a background speaker that has access to Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Pandora and TuneIn. You can listen to your favourite music and podcasts here.

Ecobee supports Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings. But it's better compatible with an Amazon ecosystem. Since there's a built-in speaker, you can use that instead of buying a speaker from the Amazon Echo family. But please note that Amazon Echo speakers have better audio quality.

Ecobee Smart Thermostat supports 2.4- and 5-GHz Wi-Fi. It can detect your presence and automatically switch between active and away mode. It also has a mode called "Follow me" which detects people in separate rooms and adjusts the temperature accordingly. It saves power and energy by controlling the HVAC system when the away mode is activated.

Nest Learning Thermostat

The tech giant Google has introduced the 3rd generation of the Nest Learning Thermostat. It's compatible with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and IFTTT.

The best part of this thermostat is its auto-schedule feature. Nest observes your preferred room temperature for the first week. After that, it creates a schedule based on that and it keeps getting more accurate. It also has a large LCD screen where you'll find information about the room temperature, weather forecast and clock time.

Nest has 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz wi-fi circuitry, Bluetooth radio and 512 GB of memory space. The room temperature control is immaculate as it has three-stage heating, two-stage cooling, a humidifier and a dehumidifier.

What sets Nest as one of the best home thermostats is that it uses geo-fencing to switch to active and ECO or energy conservation mode. As a result, the range is extended up to the entire house. When you leave the house with your phone it automatically starts the ECO mode. You can control Nest with the Google Home app.

Honeywell Home T9 Smart Thermostat

Honeywell Home T9 is the most budget-friendly feature-packed smart thermostat in the market. It uses Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Microsoft Cortana. It's soon going to be available for Apple HomeKit too.

Honeywell Home T9 has a uniform motion sensor that can detect occupancy of each room and automatically set the ideal temperature. It has a dual-band Wi-fi system. You can control Honeywell Home T9 using the Honeywell app or voice control. Apart from voice control, it can interact with other smart devices using IFTTT.

Honeywell Home T9 supports a geo-fencing schedule. It uses remote sensors to detect temperature (up to 20 sensors). But please note that you have to place the remote sensors in the wall. You have to switch between the active and away mode of the thermostat using the mobile app.

Smart Security Cameras

Smart homes are also about added security. And that's where home security cameras come in. These smart devices have a multitude of roles to play: record who's getting in and out of your house or territory and keep an eye out on your baby or pet. The best security cameras detect motion, have two-way communication, including night vision and upload data immediately in cloud storage. Amidst all these options, we're mentioning only the best home security cameras for you.

Arlo Pro 4

Arlo Pro 4 is one of the best wireless camera security systems out there. It outperforms many of its competitors in terms of video quality and storage options. It's compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit and Samsung SmartThings.

The best feature of the Arlo Pro 4 is its 2k video resolution. It records clearer images than the 1080p cameras. A durable battery will keep you untroubled for 6 months. It works perfectly both indoors and outdoors. Even though you have to pay for cloud storage, it's a measly $2.99 monthly subscription. 

Arlo Pro 4 covers a lot of ground with its 160° viewing angle. You can have a clear night vision using the low-intensity light or you can use the integrated spotlight to take a good look at your front door. You can easily control the camera with your Arlo app. As it has a magnetic mount, you won't have to worry about tough installation procedures.

Wyze Cam v3

Wyze Cam v3 is the best budget-friendly home security camera in the market. Even in a crazy-affordable budget, it provides a handful of features like colour night vision, indoor and outdoor settings and a built-in siren. It's compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT support.

The starlight CMOS sensor allows the camera to see the environment up to 25 times darker. The f/1.6 aperture collects up to 2 times more light. So, you won't ever have to worry about night vision with this camera. The 20 fps video playback speed makes it have smooth videos. It's equipped with a 2 times faster processor than the last version.

The 130° field of view will give you a wide viewing angle. A mini siren is added for increased protection. You can set up motion detection zones where the camera will always be alert. The moment motion or sound is detected, you'll be instantly notified. You'll get 14 days of free cloud storage and also a MicroSD slot for additional storage.

Ring Stick Up Cam Battery

Amazon's Ring Stick Up Cam is one of the best home security cameras out there. It works both indoors and outdoors and is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

Ring Stick Up Camera has been made keeping in mind the adverse weathers: it can work between temperatures -5° to 122° Fahrenheit, last in heavy rain, snow and storms. It has a durable rechargeable battery that lasts 6-12 months depending on usage and takes only 5-10 hours to recharge. You can also choose to use the solar panel instead of the rechargeable battery.

Ring Stick Up Cam uses infrared rays to generate crystal clear night vision. It has a 1080p HD video quality with a 130° viewing angle. The two-way audio mode allows you to converse through the camera. You can subscribe to the Ring Protect Plan for cloud storage at only $3 for a month or $30 for a year. You can set it up perfectly with Google and Amazon ecosystems and also control the functions through the mobile app.

Smart Door Locks and Security Systems

It's time to replace those age-old key locks with modern smart locks. Why? Smart locks give you a wide array of features: lock or unlock from anywhere using a smartphone, use virtual keys and codes, notify you every time someone enters or leaves the house etc. There's also the factor of added security. Let's know the best smart locks in the market.

August Wi-fi Smart Lock

The small, stylish, streamline designed smart lock has taken the market by storm. It integrates perfectly with smart home ecosystems of Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit and IFTTT.

August Wi-fi Smart Lock attaches to the deadbolt inside the door which allows you to keep the original keys. You can remotely control it to lock or unlock the door, grant virtual keycodes to guests and observe who's coming and leaving. It has a built-in wi-fi system that allows it to easily connect to Wi-fi. So you don't have to spend money on additional hardware.

August Wi-fi Smart Lock has an auto-lock feature that automatically locks the door after a certain amount of time(up to 30 mins). You can control the lock with your smartphone app, Apple watch, original key or August keypad.

Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt

Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt is one of the most secured, stylish smart locks in the market. This easy-to-install wi-fi smart lock is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Amazon Key and Google Assistant. But not that it doesn't work with Apple HomeKit and IFTTT.

Designed to have a vintage look, Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt comes in two styles: The chiselled Century and the curvier Camelot. It includes a deadbolt latch mechanism and a weatherproof exterior keypad. It has to be connected with 4 AA batteries. You'll get a notification in your mobile app if the batteries need to be changed.

You can use the Schlage App (downloadable in Android and IOS) to set up as many as 100 virtual keys. The keys can be sent to guests or visitors via text. You can also create fixed schedules. It also tells you if your door is locked or not. The lock works perfectly with a 2.4 GHz Wi-fi network.

Vivint Smart Home

Vivint Smart Home is for those owners who don't want to spend money on expensive yearly security contracts. This security system self monitors the entire security system of your home at a very cheap monthly subscription. Moreover, Vivint Smart Home is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

Vivint Smart Home has 3 different plans for you to choose from: 

• Smart Security Monitoring: for $30 where you'll get just the Vivint app 
• Smart Home Monitoring: for $40 where you'll get the Vivint app along with voice commands, a Smart thermostat, Smart lighting and a smart door lock.
• Smart Home Video Monitoring: starts at $45 where you'll get all the previous mentioned features along with 24/7 live video streaming.

The contract length for the plans is from 42 to 60 months. You'll get 24/7 professional monitoring with a professional installation. All the equipment has a lifetime warranty. Vivint Smart Home can be run by both cellular and wi-fi modes. It has a system through which it detects "lurkers". It then rings an alarm that will "shoo" the lurker away. Moreover, you can control everything through the Vivint Smart Home App.

Smart Lights and Outlets

Smart Homes are all about cozy environments. And Smart Lights play an important role to ensure that. Smart lights Can integrate with smart locks or smart security cameras to detect motion and turn on or off easily accordingly. Also, their LED reduces energy consumption and power bill. Smart Lights can also function using voice commands in a smart home ecosystem. You can also use Smart Outlets/Plugs to control anything that's plugged in using a voice or phone app.

Philips Hue White And Color Ambiance

The Philips Hue White And Color Ambiance starter kit is the perfect option for any smart home ecosystem. Philips Hue has always made the appliances support a wide range of features that includes compatibility with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Amazon HomeKit, Nest or Samsung SmartThings.

Philips Hue White And Color Ambiance has about 16 million colours and shades of white to choose from. These wide ranges of colours will allow you to set the perfect ambience to support your mood. It has a 25000 hours lifetime. 

You can use the mobile app to set daily routines, sunrise/sunset automation schedule, dim lights, switch to relax or focus modes etc. At the starter pack, you'll get 4 bulbs and a hub.

Wyze Bulb

Wyze Bulb is the best budget-friendly smart lighting in the market.  It provides all the features that an average smart light does at the cost of a regular LED bulb. Wyze Bulb is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT.

You can tune Wyze Bulb's temperature from 2,700k - 6,500k to set the perfect mood. It also evokes a dimmable 800 lumen (60 Watt) equivalent bulb. The lights can be individually or collectively controlled using the Wyze app or voice control. The vacation mode allows you to set specific schedules through the app when you're away.

You can automate the lights with other smart speakers, smart cameras and locks and integrate them with the smart home ecosystem. You can also set custom schedules to turn on and off.

ConnectSense Smart Outlet 2

ConnectSense Smart Outlet 2 is one of the best Smart Outlets in the market. The easy-to-use smart outlet is supported by Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant.

ConnectSense Smart Outlet 2 has two wi-fi sockets that can be individually controlled. You can control the sockets from anywhere with the ConnectSense app (available on Android and IOS). The app lets you monitor the power usage of the plugged devices. 

It also has a 2.4 amp USB charging port for fast smartphone, laptop and tablet charging. You can set custom schedules for the plug.

Smart Garage Door Openers

For years garage doors followed the age-old manual system. But with the advancement of technology, there has been the advent of automatic garage doors in the market. The best garage door openers integrate with your ecosystem and close or open based on voice commands. They also notify you if the door is open and allow you to close those from anywhere you want. We're making a list of the best remote garage door openers.

Chamberlain MyQ Smart Garage Hub

Chamberlain MyQ Smart Garage Hub is one of the best garage door openers in the market. It can work with almost all big brands of garage door openers starting from 1993. It's compatible with Nest, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, Google Assistant, Amazon Key and IFTTT.

If you're okay with the fact that Chamberlain MyQ Smart Garage Hub doesn't work with Amazon Alexa, this is the best automatic garage door opener. People who use Amazon Prime can get their packages delivered within their garage safely as it uses Amazon Key. It works perfectly if it has 2.4 GHz Wi-fi in a range of 50 feet.

You can easily open or close the garage door using your MyQ app (available on both Android and IOS). You'll be notified if the garage door is open or not. You can allow up to 3 people to open your garage door (their age must be more than 13). You won't have to pay for any of these features. 

Nexx Smart Garage Controller

Nexx Smart Garage Controller gives some of the best features at a very affordable price, making it a fan favourite. It's compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Samsung SmartThings.

Nexx Smart Garage Controller is extremely easy and swift to control. All you need is a 2.4 GHz Wi-fi connection. Your Wi-fi network can integrate with Nexx Smart Garage to form an integrated smart controller. You can open or close the garage door using the Nexx Home App or use voice control with Alexa or Google Assistant.

You can authorize multiple people to open and close the door. The Nexx Home App will also send a notification to your phone if you've left the door open. So you won't have to worry about your house's security at all. Also since there is only one controller per garage door, you can easily monitor who's using it. 

Garadget Wi-fi Smart Garage Door Controller

Where most remote garage door openers are for one door, Garadget WiFi Smart Garage Door Controller is on a different level: it works for multiple garage doors. And this amazing automatic door opener is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT.

Garadget gives access to multiple doors using multiple controllers. But the best part is that all the controllers can be accessed through a single account on multiple devices. It can detect your motion. It will also automatically notify you if the door opens at an unusual time or if it remains open for too long.

Garadget uses laser sensors instead of wires or other complex metallic builds. So it's extremely easy to use and set up. You can set it up within minutes. All the necessary instruments are provided in the kit. The security of Garadget is top-notch as it uses advanced encryption and authentication processes that are used in banks.

Final Thoughts

Switching to a smart home ecosystem is nothing short of a long time investment. Even though it may look like a costly option, the long term benefits surely outweigh that initial doubt.

Apart from adding entertainment, these smart home devices ensure quality, utility and effectiveness. It's best if you can build an ecosystem, but it's completely fine if you choose some of the devices for utility.

But regardless of what we do, this is a simple fact about smart devices: It's causing a technological revolution! And it's high time you became a part of it.