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Smart Home: Buying Advice, Tips, and News

Latest Smart Home Stories

Want to keep your floors clean without lifting a finger? The best robot vacuums we've tested are more capable and affordable than ever.

Shark robot vacuum

Prepare for family, friends and holiday packages by connecting up your home with big deals on smart hubs, bulbs, plugs and more

Three smart home gadgets on circuit board background

Keeping your pool clean and safe for swimming can be time-consuming. We've tested the best smart pool tech so you can simply kick back and enjoy the water.

By John R. Delaney
Image: Getty/Alvaro Medina Jurado

A pet camera lets you monitor your cat or dog 24/7—and some even let you give them treats! These are the best pet cameras we’ve tested, plus some of our favorite security cameras that work as pet monitors.

By Angela Moscaritolo
Furbo Dog Cam

The best smart thermostats we've tested can control your home's heating and cooling with your phone or voice—and might help you save on energy costs.

By John R. Delaney  & Will Greenwald
smart thermostats

Looking for an alarm system to make you feel more secure? We've tested all the best professional and DIY home security systems to help you decide which is right to protect your family and property.

By John R. Delaney  & Alex Colon
Vivint Smart Home
4.0
Editors' Choice

The Ring Stick Up Cam Pro is a supremely versatile 1080p indoor or outdoor security camera that offers sharp HDR-enhanced video and advanced motion detection.

By John R. Delaney
Ring Stick Up Cam Pro (Battery)
4.0

The second-generation Ring Indoor Cam gains a privacy cover and color night vision while continuing to deliver sharp 1080p video, phone and voice controls, and robust third-party device support.

By John R. Delaney
Ring Indoor Cam 2nd Gen
4.0
Editors' Choice

The Ring Peephole Cam replaces your peephole lens with a smart doorbell that detects motion, records video, and lets you see who is out there before opening the door.

By John R. Delaney
Ring Peephole Cam
3.5

The Ring Battery Doorbell Plus captures motion events in lots of detail and gives you a wide view of your doorstep, but it locks recordings and other features behind a monthly subscription.

By John R. Delaney
Ring Battery Doorbell Plus
3.5

The Ring Mailbox Sensor will let you know when your mailbox has been opened and can trigger Alexa and other Ring devices.

By John R. Delaney
Ring Mailbox Sensor
3.5

The Ring Video Doorbell Wired is an affordable smart doorbell that works with lots of third-party devices, but it won't work with your existing chime and you have to pay to see recorded video.

By John R. Delaney
Ring Video Doorbell Wired
4.0

The Ring Alarm Security Kit home security system that is easy to install to install on your own, offers affordable professional monitoring, and interacts with other Ring devices and dozens of smart locks and switches.

By John R. Delaney
Ring Alarm Security Kit
4.0

Ring’s Wired Doorbell Pro offers lots of bells and whistles to justify its price, including highly detailed video, 3D motion detection, and a unique aerial view of motion activity.

By John R. Delaney
Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2
3.5

The Ring Outdoor Smart Plug lets you control appliances, lights, pool pumps, and anything else you use outside with the Ring app and Alexa voice commands, but it requires a hub.

By John R. Delaney
Ring Outdoor Smart Plug
4.0
Editors' Choice

The Ring Alarm Pro is a DIY smart home security system and a Wi-Fi mesh router in one, and handles both tasks with aplomb.

By John R. Delaney
Ring Alarm Pro
4.0

The Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro delivers excellent HD video, accurately detects motion, and is bright enough to light up most yards.

By John R. Delaney
Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Pro
4.0

The Ring Spotlight Cam Pro is a 1080p outdoor security camera that lights up your property and gives you an aerial view of motion events.

By John R. Delaney
Ring Spotlight Cam Pro
4.0

The Blink Outdoor 4 is a battery-powered and Alexa-integrated security camera that captures sharp daytime video, with a wider field of view than its predecessor and optional people alerts.

By John R. Delaney
Blink Outdoor 4
4.0

The Blink Indoor is an affordable battery-powered indoor security camera that offers sharp HD video, motion detection, and local and cloud video storage.

By John R. Delaney
Blink Indoor