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Smart Home Reviews

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Breville’s Super Q Blender Review: Is this $500 blender overpriced?

Most people are looking to eat better these days, and a good blender can help make healthy eating a little bit easier. We tested out the Breville Super Q Blender, a high-powered commercial grade blender with optional vacuum pump technology. Is it all it's cracked up to be? Here's our first-hand experience.
Nest Hub Max Hands-On Review

Nest Hub Max hands-on review

Google's new Nest Hub Max has a bigger screen and better speakers, but the camera is the real headline feature, and the clever tricks it enables will make you want a Max in your home. Read our hands-on review for more.
Chamberlain B1381 review

Chamberlain garage door opener protects your Amazon packages from porch pirates

Tired of porch pirates swiping packages off your property? Chamberlain's B181 garage door opener works with Key by Amazon, letting you get your Amazon packages delivered directly inside your garage. The opener has lots of other great features, as well as one flaw that can be frustrating.
Thermador DHDW870WFM review

Thermador DHDW870WFM review

Thermador is known for its high-end luxury appliances. But is the 24-Inch Masterpiece Stainless Steel Star Sapphire dishwasher worth its price tag of almost $3,000? We took it for a spin to find out how well it performs. Here’s how it went.
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June Oven Review

The June oven has some cool tech inside, like a temperature probe and camera, that promise to take the guesswork out of cooking. It’s not quite there, yet. We found the programs and recipes both overcooked and undercooked, depending on what it was making.
Arlo Chime

Arlo Audio Doorbell review

A lack of an integrated camera means that the Arlo Audio Doorbell isn’t as versatile as competitors, but a low price, simple installation and smart features make it an easy add-on for Arlo smart home fans. Read more in our full review.
Schlage Encode Smart Lock

Schlage Encode review

Easy to install and easy on the eyes, Schlage Encode’s integrated Wi-Fi and third-party platform support make it a fine choice for the smart home. But with other locks on the market, how does it stand up? We took it for a test run to see how well it worked.
kasa smart plug review wi fi  kp400 002

Power on and off: Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug by TP-Link brings weatherproof smarts

The Kasa Outdoor Wi-Fi Smart Plug grants remote control of two outlets in an IP-64 weather resistant housing. Controlled remotely via app, Alexa, or Google Home, the Kasa smart plug is a great fit for controlling holiday lights or keeping your back patio illuminated during the summer.
netgear arlo ultra 4k smart camera cam feat

Arlo Ultra 4K Security Camera Review

The 4K home security camera is finally here! Class-leading image clarity and a super-wide field of vision makes Arlo Ultra an early contender for the year’s best smart cam. While there are definite quirks to the device, the device delivers amazingly crisp, clear images. Find out more in our review.
instant pot max review max1

The Instant Pot Max has a ton of features, and one major flaw

The Instant Pot Max has more cooking functions and features than the Duo and most other Instant Pot models. It's appears to be a more efficient, quality, and luxury Instant Pot. But, is the Max worth the higher price tag? After 80 hours of testing, here are some of the great -- and not-so-great, things about it.
August View video doorbell

August View review

The wireless August View smart doorbell offers a step up in class from wireless competitors like Ring, but other than neat integration with the company’s range of smart locks, there’s little to differentiate it from the pack. We tested the device to see how it measures up.
honeywell rth9585wf1004 smart color thermostat review press

Honeywell RTH9585WF1004 Smart Color Thermostat review

We tested out the Honeywell RTH9585WF1004 Smart Color Thermostat for six months to evaluate its performance, ease of use, features, and its ability to serve as a money-saving device. Here’s our full review of the Honeywell Smart Color Thermostat.
reolink c2 pro smart cam review feat

Reolink C2 Pro Smart Cam Review

Five MP image quality and pan, tilt, zoom control are remarkable features in a $100 smart camera, but the Reolink C2 Pro is held back by a lack of cloud storage support and an old-school user experience. Here are the details in our full review.
lockly secure plus review press lifestyle

Lockly Secure Plus Review

With Bluetooth, an app, keypad, pin, fingerprint access and even old-school metal keys, the Lockly Secure Plus offers a dizzying array of access features, but is a little pricier and a little larger than the best value smart locks on the market today. We installed it on our front door to see how it stands up to competitors.
Amazon Echo Spot Review

Amazon Echo Spot review

The Amazon Echo Spot, the newest member of Amazon’s smart speaker family, is cute, fun, sleek, and the perfect little alarm clock. With this little device, you'll be snoozing the alarm just for fun.
instant pot accu slim sous vide immersion circulator

Instant Pot has another winner with its Accu Slim sous vide

Instant Pot is known for making pressure cooking devices that can perform multiple cooking functions all in one pot. But Instant Pot also has an immersion circulator called the Accu Slim, which lets you affordably cook sous vide recipes at home. How does it perform? We tested the device to find out.
Lutron Caseta Wireless Smart Bridge Kit White

Lutron’s Fan Control makes ceiling fans smart, but has some turnoffs

Is your goal in life to tell your ceiling fan to start while you lay in your bed? Lutron recently came out with a new smart switch that controls ceiling fans, the Lutron Caseta Fan Speed Control Switch. How does it stack up? Here's a first-hand review of the Lutron Fan Control switch.
ring stick up cam battery review wireless feat

Ring Stick-Up Cam Battery review

Doesn’t it feel good to be detached from the wires in your life? You can be with Ring’s Stick Up Cam Battery, a smart home security camera that you can put literally plop anywhere. We got the chance to review the device, and it helped us catch some strange activity in our yard.
neato botvac d4 connected review feat

Neato Botvac D4 Connected review

The Neato Botvac Connected D4 is a reasonable mid-range robot vacuum cleaner, but a high price and limited performance means it fails to compete for value with capable, low-cost competitors. Read more in our full review.
Philips Hue Outdoor Sensor

Philips Hue Outdoor Sensor review

The Philips Hue Outdoor Sensor allows you to add motion control to any Hue light, boosting safety and security with a welcoming ambience on your return home. Once you have it, you’ll wonder how you lived without it. We took it for a test run and came away impressed.
Giddel Toil

Hate poop? Then $500 may not be too much to pay for this toilet-cleaning robot

Which is better for cleaning your toilet: A good, old-fashioned toilet cleaning brush or a $500 robot toilet cleaner? We decided to take the Giddel robot by Altan Robotics for a couple of test runs to see whether the device is actually worth the cost. Here’s how things went.
casper glow review feat

Can Casper’s Glow Light help the sleep deprived? I tried it to find out

Casper, the same company that sells luxury mattress, created a light that's designed to help you fall asleep. What is it all about? And, more importantly, does it really work? I tried the Casper Glow to find out if it really can help with sleep. Here's how things went with Casper's Glow night light.
Kwikset Kevo Convert review

Kwikset Kevo Convert review

While it lacks the features and overall value of the August Smart Lock, Kwikset’s Kevo Convert offers a friendly route to upgrade your front door’s deadbolt . It’s a simple and versatile kit for upgrading a traditional “dumb” door lock, adding smartphone control and more.
Anova Precision Cooker WiFi review

Anova Precision Cooker Wi-Fi review: Never cook meat on a stove again

If you want to dip your toe into the low-temperature waters of sous vide, the Anova precision cooker is a good way to start. It has a robust app and an easy-to-use interface the just may convert you to a whole new way of cooking. You'll never cook meat in a stove again.
Miele TWI180 review

Miele TWI180 WP dryer review

Miele’s Heat-Pump Dryer is a compact machine that steams your clothes by recycling the water collected during the drying process. But how well does this method work for getting clothes dry? Read our review to find out.
ring spotlight cam wired offset

Ring Spotlight Cam Wired review

With an integrated spotlight, crystal-clear video, and color night vision, this device makes home security a cinch. Here's why we like the Ring Spotlight Cam Wired as a great choice for outdoor home security. Get the details in our full review.
Ring Video Doorbell 2 review

Ring Video Doorbell 2 review

The Ring Video Doorbell 2 may lack the style and sophistication of premium door-dingers, but few can match its simplicity and versatility. The device, available in both wired and wireless configurations, is easy to set up and adds instant security to your front door. Find out more in our full review.
ecovacs deebot 711 review feat

Ecovacs Deebot 711 Review

Ecovacs’ Deebot 711 looks just like a typical robot vacuum, but with features like room mapping, systematic cleaning, and Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility, the device has a lot of features to offer at an affordable price. How does this little robot stack up against the competition? Read on to find out.

Amazon wants you to push its buttons, but are these Echo add-ons worth buying?

Amazon is bringing a bit of that old school gaming feel back with its Echo Buttons -- buttons you actually press, so you can sit down in the same room with someone and play a game together. They can also control your routines. Are Echo Buttons worth it? Here's my hands-on review of Amazon's Echo Buttons.
Miele WWH860 review

Miele WWH860 review

This compact machine with its TwinDos automatic detergent dispensing system does a surprisingly good job at getting clothes clean. But is it worth the price for the limited amount of clothes you can wash in a single load? Read our review to find out.
Blink outdoor cam on a tree.

Blink XT One Camera System review

With a two-year battery life and a strong app, Blink’s XT outdoor camera could be the introductory home security system you’re looking for. And with more Amazon Alexa integration and activity zones, the camera is smarter than ever. Read our review to find out more.
eufycam review by anker feat

EufyCam review

The EufyCam offers a great look, several home security features and is truly wireless, but with missing voice assistance and some features lacking, it’s difficult to justify its high price. Check our EufyCam review for full details on how it stacks up against competitors.
Neato Botvac D7 review

Neato Botvac D7 review

Neato’s range-topping Botvac is pricey and imperfect, delivering good cleaning performance and an evolving range of features that require more polish and upkeep than you’re probably looking for. We took the droid for some test spins around our test home. Find out more in our review.
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Ring Video Doorbell review

Along with the door itself, the doorbell is one of the first items most visitors will interact with when entering your home. The Ring Video Doorbell can show you who's at the door, whether they've actually rung the doorbell or not. Here's how it stacks up to the competition.