Checklist · 10 picks · 4 categories
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Smart home fans always have one more thing to automate, and the easiest gifts plug right in.
The Kasa Smart Plug Mini 4-pack is Engadget's best smart plug overall, and the Kasa Matter plug is its best Matter smart plug. For lights, the Kasa Full Color bulb is Engadget's best affordable smart bulb, with no hub needed, and Philips Hue, its best overall, grows room by room. Match a speaker to their assistant: the HomePod mini is TechRadar's best smart speaker for Siri, the Nest Audio is its best for Google Home, and the Echo Show 8 is Engadget's best Alexa smart display. The Blink Mini 2K+ is TechRadar's best budget security camera. The splurges are the Sonos Era 100, Engadget's best smart speaker, and the eero 6, RTINGS' best budget mesh Wi-Fi system. Every pick is on one of my lists with its source.
Who this is not for. Skip this if they want gadgets for on the go; the tech gifts under 100 page has a power bank, an AirTag and a Bluetooth speaker.
| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (4-Pack) | mid | $25-50 | automating lamps, fans and coffee makers | 1 outlet |
| Kasa Matter Smart Plug KP125M (2-Pack) | mid | $25-50 | mixed Apple, Google and Alexa homes | 1 outlet |
| Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Smart LED Bulb | splurge | $50-100 | going all in on smart lights | 1 outlet |
| TP-Link Kasa Full Color Smart Light Bulb | budget | $15-25 | trying smart lights for less | 1 outlet |
Best smart plugmid pick · 4-pack
Best for automating lamps, fans and coffee makers
Engadget's best smart plug overall: works with all four major smart home platforms with a solid, stable connection.
Heads up. The model is about four years old
1 outlet. Engadget best smart plug overall.
$25-50
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mid pick · 2-pack
Best for mixed Apple, Google and Alexa homes
Engadget's best Matter smart plug: works with all four major platforms and is a good starting point for Matter.
Heads up. HomeKit can be spotty without a HomePod, and Kasa's non-Matter plug works just as well
1 outlet. Engadget best Matter smart plug.
$25-50
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Best smart bulbsplurge pick · A19
Best for going all in on smart lights
Engadget's best smart bulb overall: wide compatibility, an easy app, and a system you can grow room by room. Start on Bluetooth, add the Hue hub later.
Heads up. Expensive per bulb
1 outlet. Engadget best smart light bulb overall.
$50-100
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budget pick · A19
Best for trying smart lights for less
Engadget's best affordable smart bulb: strong Wi-Fi connection, no hub needed, and an app that shows energy use.
Heads up. No hub support
1 outlet. Engadget best affordable smart light bulb.
$15-25
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple HomePod mini | mid | $100-150 | iPhone households | 1 outlet |
| Google Nest Audio | mid | $100-150 | google Home households | 1 outlet |
| Amazon Echo Show 8 | mid | $150-200 | a kitchen or desk control screen | 1 outlet |
Top pickmid pick · Compact
Best for iPhone households
TechRadar's best smart speaker for Siri: incredible sound with Apple Music, a sleek design and useful functionality.
Heads up. Needs Apple Music for full function
1 outlet. TechRadar best smart speaker for Siri.
$100-150
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mid pick · Compact
Best for google Home households
TechRadar's best smart speaker for Google Home: it picks up voice commands particularly well, with better sound than its predecessor.
Heads up. Missing detail in the mids and trebles
1 outlet. TechRadar best smart speaker for Google Home.
$100-150
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mid pick · 8 in
Best for a kitchen or desk control screen
Engadget's best Alexa smart display: sized right for most rooms, with streaming apps and a touchscreen browser.
Heads up. No YouTube app
1 outlet. Engadget best Alexa smart display.
$150-200
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Best security camerabudget pick · Indoor
Best for a cheap camera that's easy to place
TechRadar's best budget home security camera: clear, detailed footage for the price and a small footprint.
Heads up. USB-C power limits where you can put it
1 outlet. TechRadar best budget home security camera.
$25-50
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Top picksplurge pick · Compact
Best for great music plus voice control
Engadget's best smart speaker: compact, with excellent sound that beats most smart speakers, and a start to multi-room audio.
Heads up. Room tuning (TruePlay) needs the iPhone app
1 outlet. Engadget best smart speaker.
$200-300
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budget pick · Mesh system
Best for mesh Wi-Fi that's easy to expand
RTINGS' best budget mesh Wi-Fi system: affordable, easy to expand, and fine with multiple 4k streams.
Heads up. Speeds drop more on far satellites, and many features sit behind the eero Plus subscription
1 outlet. RTINGS best Budget Mesh Wi-Fi System.
$100-150
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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me
A smart plug or a smart bulb. The Kasa Smart Plug Mini 4-pack is Engadget's best smart plug overall and works with all four major smart home platforms, and the Kasa Full Color bulb, its best affordable smart bulb, needs no hub.
Match it to the assistant they already use. The HomePod mini is TechRadar's best smart speaker for Siri, the Nest Audio is its best for Google Home, and the Echo Show 8 is Engadget's best Alexa smart display. For music, Engadget's best smart speaker is the Sonos Era 100.
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