Life
20 Smart Devices Under $35 That’ll Change The Entire Vibe Of Your Home
It’s time for some upgrades.
As smart home products continue to develop, what once felt like the gadgets of sci-fi novels — or Disney Channel original movies like Smart House — have now become the norm. Your friends are brushing their teeth with smart toothbrushes. The host at the last party you attended was verbally queueing up songs using an Alexa. Heck, even your friend’s trusty essential oil diffuser might be a smart product.
As tempting as it may be to elevate your home gadgets with smart products, individuals may not be enticed to create their own “smart home” simply because of the cost of some smart products. However, as the technology becomes more prevalent, all you have to do is search a bit harder to find budget-friendly smart products that may be right for your lifestyle.
Luckily, this list will make finding your perfect smart home gadget as easy as closing your smart garage door or turning out your smart light or checking your smart security camera. All of which are incredibly easy, FYI. From smart plugs to diffusers and so much more, here are some of the best smart home products for under $35.
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Smart Plug Extender
As life becomes more intertwined with technology, it also becomes more entangled with electronic wires and charging cords. Having a smart plug extender — which you can use to independently turn outlets and ports on or off with a smart device — can make your relationship with power cords as harmonious as ever.
- Pros: Offers both smart outlets and smart USB ports, is functional with Amazon Alexa and Google Home as well as its own app
- Cons: Three of the outlets are not smart outlets, some reviewers report not being able to independently turn outlets and ports on or off
Review: One reviewer highlights that you are able to give outlets different names in your smart app, so that you can turn them on or off individually by name.
Dimensions: 3.95 x 1.18 x 6.93 inches
Colors: Black, White
Smart Light Bulbs
Nothing says smart “home” like lights that you can not only turn on and off from your phone — but can also adjust the color and brightness of through an app.
- Pros: Works with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, dimmable, adjustable colors, can set to time and schedule, energy saving
- Cons: One reviewer reports bulb malfunctioning with certain lamps
Wattage: 8W LED (equivalent to 75W incandescent bulb)
Colors: Rainbow, Warm white
Smart Security Camera
Having security cameras outside to watch for intruders — or inside to check on infants and pets — has long been a practice for upgrading one’s home. Now, with smart security cameras like this one, you can check on your camera remotely and can even pan around an area of your home using just your phone.
- Pros: 1080p HD resolution, can pan and tilt camera for viewing, cloud and SD card storage, functions with Amazon Alexa and Google Home
- Cons: Some users report unnecessary motion alerts
Review: One reviewer highlights the camera’s motion tracking, which follows subjects as they move across a field.
Smart Diffuser
If you’re passionate about setting the ~vibe~ with essential oils, then this diffuser might significantly up your game. The smart diffuser connects to Wi-Fi, which allows you to turn the diffuser on and off, set schedules, and change the lighting.
- Pros: Compatible with any smart device to turn diffuser on and off, adjust light color and brightness, choose stream strength, and set schedules
- Cons: Appears to work better with Amazon Alexa than Google Home, based on reviews
Review: “Running it in my son's room for 8 hours a night, from a full tank, it lasts 4 days before having to refill the tank again!” writes on reviewer.
Colors: White
Smart Scale
If using a scale is part of your routine, then this smart scale can help with getting a better idea of your body data. Since it connects with many health apps, you can also use it to log and track your data.
- Pros: Detects 13 different types of body composition data; works with Apple Health app, Google Fit, and Samsung Health
- Cons: At least one reviewer reported the scale breaking upon first use
Dimensions: 11x11 inches
Colors: Black, white
Smart Dimmer
Gone are the days of clap-on clap-off lights. With a smart dimmer switch, you can remotely turn on or dim your lights with your phone.
- Pros: Dim your lights from anywhere remotely, set schedules for light cues, compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Microsoft Cortana, iPhone, and Android
- Cons: Some reviewers report a delay in turning lights on and off
Review: “Adding outlet to Kasa App took less than a minute,” writes one reviewer.
Colors: White
Philips Hue Smart Plug
If you’ve been wanting to try out Philips Hue — the smart lighting system that’s become a favorite of TikTokers — this might be the perfect easy upgrade for you. With this smart plug, you can integrate any lamp you have into a Philips Hue system so you can remotely adjust lighting the same as you would with a Philips Hue product.
- Pros: Smart fit allows for convenient application into outlet, can set timers and schedules, allows any lamp to be added to Philips Hue system
- Cons: Some reviewers say that the device is too big, doesn’t allow you to dim lights remotely
Review: “Now I can control the string lights outside on my patio with my phone. Exactly what I needed,” writes one reviewer.
Colors: White
Philips Hue LED Candle
Catch yourself leaving the house constantly worried about whether you blew out your candles? With smart candle light bulbs, you can set some mood lighting and still have the ability to remotely turn them off, so you won’t without ever have that worry again.
- Pros: Functional with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, dimmable
- Cons: Some reviewers report a faint buzzing sound from lights
Review: “I was excited to find ‘non-standard’ Hue bulbs for my ceiling fan,” writes one reviewer. “I enjoy finding ways to automate things in my home and this just adds to ease of use and money/energy saving opportunities.”
Colors: White ambience, white
Lenovo Smart Clock
If you’re a fan of gadgets like the Amazon Alexa and Echo, but enjoy a more visual component for you alarm clock, this Alexa-compatible clock from Lenovo might be a great fit. The clock works the same as an Alexa — but with an added home screen display of stats like the time, weather, and date.
- Pros: Compatible with Amazon Alexa to set timers, alarms, and reminders; displays weather; mute option to turn off microphone; can play audio via Alexa
- Cons: Only compatible with Alexa app
Review: “Smart, yes, but simple in a good way,” reads one review.
Colors: Misty blue, red
Window Alarm
These window alarms detect movement and glass breaking and reacts with a sound, so you can elevate your home’s security.
- Pros: Peel and stick on any window, red LED warning light, emits alarm when it detects break-in
- Cons: Some reviewers warn that the adhesive is extremely strong and may damage windows when removing
Review: One reviewer says that the alarm is loud enough to wake them if triggered.
Dimensions: 3 x 3 x 0.67 inches
Smart Garage Control
Level up from your finicky garage remote with this smart garage control system. You can open or close the door at any time, and even set schedules so you can always get home from work to an opened door. Note: The system is also compatible with safety sensors from post-1993, so you likely don’t need to worry about any potential issues when closing the door remotely.
- Pros: Compatible with any smartphone, can set schedules for opening and closing, can receive activity alerts
- Cons: Some users report connectivity issues
Review: One reviewer highlights added convenience when getting deliveries or letting guests in remotely.
Smart Bedside Lamp
If the reach from your bed to your nightstand feels like a mile when you’re trying to turn off your light before bed, this smart bedside lamp can help you set the mood of your room from the comfort of your phone. Make your life even easier by adjusting the colors and lighting or setting schedules and countdowns with this smart lamp.
- Pros: Compatible with Apple HomeKit, Apple Watch, Siri, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant; 16 million color settings; adjustable brightness; ability to set timers, schedules, or countdowns
- Cons: Some users report difficulties connecting with HomeKit specifically
Review: “My wife and I like how the ambience of the room changes very easily,” writes one reviewer.
Dimensions: 3.94 x 3.94 x 5.59
Deerdance Strip Lights
Strip lights have become all the rage with TikTokers. Even if you’re looking for something a bit more mature than the red and blue lighting that often lines Gen Z’s ceilings, strategically placed strip lights can be a great way to set ambient lighting. With smart strip lights, you can choose from a vast variety of color options and brightness settings, set timers, and even sync your lighting to music.
- Pros: Offers 16 million color options, can sync to music, ability to set timers, adjustable brightness
- Cons: Better for ambience lighting.
Review: Some users report the product falling down frequently
Dimensions: 32.8 feet
Dash Smart Shelf
If you’re someone who gets to the grocery store and realizes you completely forgot what you need to restock at home, a smart shelf might be a lifesaver. The Dash smart shelf detects when a certain good is running low, alerting you and even giving you the option to automatically order refills via Amazon.
- Pros: Allows you to automatically replenish goods via Amazon by detecting when you’re running low, customizable preferences
- Cons: According to reviews, the smart shelf doesn’t register some items below 10%, so you may not know when your product completely runs out before it’s too late
Dimensions: 7”x7”; 12”x10”; or 18”x13”
GE Smart Plug
Once you’ve given your indoor lighting and gadgets the smart technology treatment, why not level up the outdoor too? With an outdoor smart plug, you can connect any outdoor gadgets with the option to individually turn outlets on and off. So when it’s freezing cold out and you realize you forgot to turn on your Christmas lights, you can sit back and turn them on remotely — or even set a schedule.
- Pros: Can individually turn outlets on and off, weather-proof, can set schedules
- Cons: Some users report issues with connectivity and setting schedules
Review: One reviewer writes that they use it for Christmas lights, and another says they can easily stop charging their garden tools remotely so as to not harm their batteries by over-charging.
Water Leak Detector
A smart water leak detector can quickly alert you via your phone whenever water is detected. This gadget is perfect for the basement or anywhere else in your home that may be prone to flooding.
- Pros: Connects to home Wi-Fi, sends smart device alert and audible alarm when a leak is detected
- Cons: Some reviewers report connectivity issues
Review: One reviewer says they were saved by the device when a hot water heater leaked in their house.
Dimensions: 3.14 x 3.14 x 1.4 inches
Humm Smart Toothbrush
If you’ve been wanting to join the smart toothbrush wave but can’t validate a $100+ spend, a Colgate hum could be the next best thing. The toothbrush functions like most smart toothbrushes — connecting to an app that allows you to analyze your brushing and adjust your speed.
- Pros: Smart guide ensures proper coverage of all teeth, adjustable pulse, timer included, Bluetooth connectivity, offers smart re-order when toothbrush heads need to be replaced
- Cons: Does not offer different brush softness options
Review: “Didn’t realize how much I was missing brushing my teeth! Wish I had this when I was younger,” writes one reviewer.
Colors: Blue, teal
Sonic Smart Toothbrush
The Bitvae smart toothbrush is another great option for a smart toothbrush on a budget. The toothbrush comes with eight different heads, and has an app that analyzes your brushing habits, times the length of your brushing, and more.
- Pros: Free app for brushing analytics and guides, adjustable intensity and two- to four-minute timer, pressure sensor to prevent aggressive brushing, timed reminders to switch sections, includes 8 different toothbrush heads
- Cons: Some users report a poor battery life
Review: One reviewer says the toothbrush’s pressure sensor allowed them to become a less aggressive brusher, as advised by their dentist.
Colors: Black, white