Smart home
From colour-changing room lights to robot vacuums: the smart home gadgets people are buying now, with the privacy and subscription small print.
Photo: Joshua Rawson-Harris on Unsplash
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Smart home & lights · Amazon
A small smart speaker with Alexa for music, timers, reminders and smart-home control.
One of Amazon's most heavily discounted devices in every big sale event.
Heads-up: It's always listening for its wake word: review the privacy settings and use the mic-off button when you want.
Illustrative photo: Bence Boros on Unsplash
Smart home & lights · Amazon
A smart speaker with a screen: video calls, recipes, a doorbell view and a rolling photo frame.
A popular gift for grandparents: family can video call it, and photos appear on it automatically.
Heads-up: Set it up before gifting, and turn on the camera shutter when it's not in use.
Illustrative photo: Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash
Smart home & lights · Ring and others
See and speak to whoever is at the door from your phone, wherever you are.
A top seller in every Amazon home-security sale; doorbell clips are a TikTok genre of their own.
Heads-up: Saving and reviewing recordings usually needs a paid plan. Point the camera at your own property, not your neighbours'.
Illustrative photo: Sophie Dale on Unsplash
Smart home & lights · Govee, Philips Hue and others
Colour-changing light strips for bedrooms, desks and behind the TV, controlled from your phone.
The backbone of every "room makeover" and gaming-setup TikTok.
Heads-up: Strong adhesive can peel paint off walls. Test on a hidden spot first, or use mounting clips.
Illustrative photo: Joshua Rawson-Harris on Unsplash
Smart home & lights · Various
A lamp that throws a warm, golden-hour glow onto your wall.
One of the original TikTok-made-me-buy-it gadgets, and still a selfie-lighting favourite.
Heads-up: Very cheap versions can be flimsy. Look for a proper plug and safety marks (UL in the US, UKCA/CE in the UK/EU).
Illustrative photo: Nathan Van Egmond on Unsplash
Smart home & lights · Roborock, Eufy, Shark and others
Vacuums (and often mops) your floors on a schedule, then empties itself.
Robot vacuums are among the biggest-discount items in Black Friday and Prime sales, and pet owners love the hair-pickup videos.
Heads-up: Self-emptying docks need replacement bags. Check how it handles rugs, cables and pet mess.
Illustrative photo: Onur Binay on Unsplash
Smart home & lights · Aura and others
A Wi-Fi photo frame the whole family can send pictures to from their phones.
Consistently one of the most-recommended gifts for grandparents in gift guides.
Heads-up: Check if any features need a subscription, and pre-load photos before you wrap it.
Illustrative photo: Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash
Smart home & lights · Apple AirTag, Tile, Samsung SmartTag
Coin-sized trackers for keys, wallets, bags and suitcases.
"Where's my luggage?" airport videos made trackers a travel must-have.
Heads-up: AirTag works with iPhone and Samsung SmartTag with Galaxy phones; pick the one that matches your phone. Never use one to track a person.
Illustrative photo: Dimitri Karastelev on Unsplash
Smart home & lights · Various
Projects a swirling galaxy of stars and nebula onto your ceiling.
Bedroom glow-ups and “cosy night” videos made galaxy projectors a TikTok staple.
Heads-up: Choose a reputable brand with clear laser-safety labelling, and don’t let young children look into the light.
Illustrative photo: Olena Bohovyk on Unsplash
Smart home & lights · Bird Buddy and others
A bird feeder with a camera that snaps visiting birds and identifies them in an app.
Close-up “bird postcards” turned garden birds into a viral TikTok genre.
Heads-up: Some features need a subscription, and it needs decent Wi-Fi where you mount it.
Illustrative photo: Andrey Larionov on Unsplash
Smart home & lights · Levoit, Blueair and others
A quiet HEPA purifier for bedrooms and small living spaces.
A long-running Amazon best-seller, especially during allergy and wildfire-smoke seasons.
Heads-up: Replacement filters are an ongoing cost. Check the clean-air delivery rate (CADR) suits your room size.
Illustrative photo: Álvaro Bernal on Unsplash
Smart home & lights · Apple
Apple’s new smart home display: a touchscreen hub for the Home app, FaceTime, music and smart home controls, in tabletop and wall-mounted versions.
Announced at Apple’s 13 October 2026 “Welcome home” launch; pre-orders are open, with availability from 13 November.
Heads-up: Not sold in the EU at launch. The wall-mounted version needs a separately sold mount. Brand-new product: wait for full reviews.
Illustrative photo: James Yarema on Unsplash
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Prices change constantly, so we never list them here: “Check today's price” opens a live retailer search. Photos are illustrative and may not show the exact model. We may earn a commission from some links, at no extra cost to you. How we make money.
Last updated: 14 October 2026
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