The Best Smart Home Gadgets and Accessories of 2023

We’ve rounded up our favorite current smart home gadgets: smart plugs, smart displays, smart cameras and smart Wi-Fi systems.

By Tucker Bowe

Published October 30, 2023

·

Updated October 30, 2023

Every product is carefully selected by our editors. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

This story is part of the 2023 Gear Patrol Tech Awards. To see the full list of winners, click here.

Creating a smart home doesn’t have to be difficult. You can start with a smart speaker — which you likely already have — and then, little by little, add things like smart plugs and smart lights. Soon you’ll advance to a smart video doorbell and a smart home camera (probably just to watch your dog). And then, once you’re fully infected with the smart home bug, you go balls-to-the-wall with a mesh router and a smart security system.

The point is: a smart home doesn’t have to be an instant, all-encompassing project. It can (and probably should) be a gradual development. Below, we’ve rounded up the smart home gadgets you can find in 2023 to get you on your way.

To learn more about our testing methodology and how we evaluate products, head here.

Best Smart Plug

Wemo Smart Plug with Thread

$22.00 at Amazon

$30.00 (27% off)

The Wemo Smart Plug with Thread is everything you’d want in a smart plug. It’s small enough so that it doesn’t block other outlets. It has a physical button on its side in case you want to manually turn it on or off. And it works with most major smart home ecosystems, including Apple’s HomeKit.

Best Smart Light Bulb

Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance

$40.00 at Amazon

$55.00 (27% off)

The Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance are admittedly one of the most expensive smart bulbs you can buy, but they’re easily one of the best. They’re bright, dimmable and can turn basically any color you want. Most importantly, they’re compatible with most major smart home ecosystems.

Best Smart Alarm Clock

Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)

$95.00 at Walmart

$100.00 (5% off)

Google’s second-generation Nest Hub makes an excellent smart alarm clock. It has a relatively big and bright display, and is one of the more well-designed sub-$100 smart displays. It lacks a camera, which you wouldn’t want in your bedroom anyway. And, thanks to its built-in radar sensor, it can actually track your quality of sleep.

Best Mesh Router System

Eero 6 Plus

$300.00 at eero.com

$320.00 (6% off)

Eero has been one of the biggest names in mesh-router networks since well before Amazon acquired them in 2019 — and the recent Eero 6+ is may be its best deal ever. A three-pack system costs less than $300, supports Wi-Fi 6 and super-fast gigabit speeds, and works as an Alexa smart home hub.

Best Smart Video Doorbell

Google Nest Doorbell (Wired)

$170.00 at Amazon

$180.00 (6% off)

Google’s second-generation video doorbell is the best bet for most people. It’s fairly affordable, extremely easy to install and is compatible with both Google Assistant and Alexa. And despite needing a subscription to unlock all its premium features, going subscription-less gets you quite a lot: two-way talk, live video feeds, night vision, people and motion alerts, and up to three hours of free video recording.

Best Smart Lock

Schlage Encode Plus Smart WiFi Deadbolt

$284.00 at Amazon

$299.00 (5% off)

The Schlage Encode Plus is a smart lock that does it all. It has built-in Wi-Fi, meaning you can remotely lock or unlock it from anywhere you have service. It has an integrated keypad, a keyhole and a built-in alarm. And it works with all major smart home ecosystems, including Apple’s HomeKit.

RELATED: The Best HomeKit Devices

Best DIY Smart Security System

Ring Alarm Pro

$300.00 at Amazon

The Ring Alarm Pro is an eight-piece smart home system — consisting of multiple door and window sensors, motion detectors, a siren alarm and a keypad — that you can easily set up yourself. The kicker is that it has an Eero Wi-Fi 6 router making it a simple hub for your smart home. It works with both Alexa and Google Assistant ecosystems.

Best Smart Home Camera (Indoors)

Nest Cam Indoor

$90.00 at Amazon

$100.00 (10% off)

The Nest Cam Indoor is our pick for the best indoor smart home camera for most people. It’s probably the most aesthetically pleasing option. Plus it comes with most of the features you’d want from such a device, such as 24/7 recording, two-way talk, and night vision. The only caveat is that it only works with Google’s smart home ecosystems.

Best Smart Home Camera (Outdoors)

Arlo Pro 4

$250.00 at arlo.com

Arlo’s Pro 4 series is the most versatile system of smart home cameras. Each camera is battery-powered and portable, giving you complete flexibility to place their cameras wherever there is Wi-Fi. There are indoor and outdoor models, so you put the cameras in or outside your home. And they can work with all major smart home ecosystems, although HomeKit compatibility requires a separate hub.

Tech Buying Guides