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The best smart home tech of CES 2021

John Velasco
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Going virtual for a big show like CES 2021 was certainly an experience unlike any other, but for the smart home, the focus was on exactly what we expected — cleanliness, touchless experiences, keeping the home organized, and security. While CES 2021 didn’t have as many established smart home brands in attendance, there were still plenty of cool gadgets announced that aim to make the home more connected than ever. Our smart home team here at Digital Trends debated and subsequently voted on the best smart home tech at CES 2021, and here’s what we selected.

ces2021 samsung jetbot 90

Samsung Jetbot 90 AI+

Our pick for the best new robot vacuum of CES 2021 is the Samsung Jetbot 90 AI+. More than just your ordinary robot vacuum, it’s smarter when it comes to avoiding pesky clutter that can trip up other bots. It can also acts as a security watchdog when you’re out.

This tank-like robot vacuum not only has 30 watts of suction power courtesy of its Jet Cyclone system to ensure floors are clear of dirt and debris, but features an automatic disposal system that empties the contents of its dustbin into its Clean Station base. That means fewer physical disposals on your part.

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Its built-in camera and A.I.-enhanced object-recognition technology allows the Samsung Jetbot 90 AI+ to detect objects in its cleaning path and avoid them. Cables, pet bowls, and other clutter won’t trip up this bot. Lastly, the integrated camera can be accessed remotely through a mobile app, giving users eyes on what’s happening at home if they’re away. For Samsung, it’s a tremendous effort given its previous robot vacuums.

Read more about the Samsung Jetbot 90 AI+

NordicTrack Vault

There have been several connected home gym fitness displays to come along over the past year, but the NordicTrack Vault is one to watch because of how much of a gym experience it packs into one piece of equipment. Introduced at CES 2021, the NordicTrack Vault may appear similar to the Mirror by Lululemon, but it distinguishes itself in that it tucks away all the dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands to give you that complete gym workout at home.

With its mirrored finish, you’ll be able to look at yourself during workouts to make sure you have proper form — while also receiving instructions from the instructors on its 32-inch rotating smart HD touchscreen. The design discreetly stows away the handful of accessories that come with it, like the kettlebells and yoga blocks.

As more people jump on this trend of exercising from home, the Vault is a practical solution that will help keep them fit through strength and cardio workouts powered by iFit.

Read more about the NordicTrack Vault

Lockly Duo

Few new smart locks were announced at this year’s show, with many of them being previous models that received minor changes. One of the few that’s brand new is the Lockly Duo, a smart lock perfect for people who have two locks to unlock on their front door — the deadbolt and knob locks. The Lockly Duo is a 2-in-1 deadbolt and knob solution that can lock and unlock your door with one quick twist of the handle, while packing all the features we expect from a top-notch smart lock, including fingerprint unlock, PIN Genie tech, remote unlock via the app, and much more.

Read more about the Lockly Duo

ColdSnap rapid-freezing appliance

Do you enjoy frozen yogurt? Then you’ll love the ColdSnap, which takes the Keurig style of making coffee at home, but rather than dispensing coffee, serves up your favorite frosty desserts. It’s simple and easy to use, relying on disposable pods to whip up frozen yogurt, ice cream, smoothies, and much more — all in about two minutes!

Read more about the ColdSnap

ces 2021 top tech petpuls collar

Petpuls A.I.-powered dog collar

Taking a page out of Pixar’s animated film Up, the Petpuls is a smart dog collared powered by artificial intelligence that aims to determine how your four-legged friend is feeling. Based on the pitch and tone of their barks, Petpuls utilizes voice-recognition technology to inform you if your dog is happy, anxious, angry, sad, or relaxed.

Read more about the Petpuls

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John Velasco
John Velasco
Former Digital Trends Contributor
John is the Smart Home editor at Digital Trends covering all of the latest tech in this emerging market. From uncovering some…
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