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Best smart tech for a tiny home

A 42ft Denali XL Tiny House by Timbercraft Tiny Homes set up in the woods.
Image used with permission by copyright holder
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Get straight to the top tech—no junk, just the best.

When you've got a tiny home, there's only have so much space to work with. To make the most of the space, you'll need to be very deliberate in the appliances that find their way inside. Luckily, there are plenty in the smart home category that can provide maximum utility with minimum footprint. Let's explore some of the best smart tech for your tiny home.

Instant Pot Pro Plus
Instant Pot Pro Plus
10-in-1 kitchen
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Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Outdoor Light Strip 2m/7ft
Philips Hue Light Strip
Low-profile lighting
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MRCOOL Mini Split Ductless Heat Pump
MRCOOL Mini Split Ductless Heat Pump
Smart climate control
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Renogy 100W Solar Starter Kit
Renogy 100W Solar Starter Kit
Sun-powered
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LG WM3600HWA
LG WM3600HWA Washing Machine
Efficient and compact
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instant pot pro plus review
Simon Sage / Digital Trends

Instant Pot Pro Plus

Pros
  • Incredible versatility
  • Major usability improvements
  • Remote control functions fun and useful
Cons
  • Community recipes can be hit and miss

When it comes to cooking, you won't have a lot of room for multiple big appliances in a tiny home. Products like the Instant Pot are able to tackle multiple functions at once and maybe even replace a stove if you're in a pinch. Besides pressure-cooking, the latest models are able to sautée, make yogurt, cook rice, steam, sous vide, and more. You can even use it for canning preserves. The Pro Plus model pairs up with a mobile app so you can beam recipes directly to the cooker, or you can remotely control it. Of course, Instant Pot has a healthy range of products, so you can find smaller ones or air fryers among their ranks if that's your jam.

Instant Pot Pro Plus
Instant Pot Pro Plus
10-in-1 kitchen
philips hue lightstrip outdoor review feat
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Philips Hue Light Strip

Pros
  • 16 million colors with adjustable output to 900 lumens
  • Weatherproof operation in all conditions
  • Freestanding or screw-clip mounting options
  • Simple installation with extension kit available for longer runs
  • Support for Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
Cons
  • Strips can’t be cut to size
  • Drab silicone cladding

In a tiny home, you aren't going to have a whole lot of room for lamps. LED light strips are a great way to go since they have such a low profile and can be tucked into recessed areas. You'll likely want some kind of exterior illumination right on the house if you're counting on moving on to another site and don't want to affix much to the property. Running this Philips Hue light strip along the outside of your tiny home can handily take care of that. Philips Hue lights offer a wide range of fun color options, but they're also very energy efficient. Other models are available for indoor lighting, too. You can find some other great smart lights here.

Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Outdoor Light Strip 2m/7ft
Philips Hue Light Strip
Low-profile lighting
MRCOOL Mini Split Heat Pump placed on table.
MRCOOL

MRCOOL Mini Split Ductless Heat Pump

Pros
  • Heats and cools
  • Mobile app works with assistants
  • Energy efficient
Cons
  • Involved, lengthy installation
  • Inconsistent support

Smart heat pumps are among the most energy efficient heating and cooling you can find, especially if you're trying to avoid using fossil fuels in a low-carbon lifestyle. MRCOOL makes ductless mini split systems that accommodate rooms between 500 and 1,500 square feet, while heat ratings go from 12K to 36K BTUs. Wi-Fi connectivity provides remote control and access via Google Assistant and Siri. You can set up schedules, enable geofencing so the system turns on or off depending on how close you are, and maximize energy savings.

MRCOOL Mini Split Ductless Heat Pump
MRCOOL Mini Split Ductless Heat Pump
Smart climate control
Solar panels installed on top of a tiny house.
Renogy

Renogy 100W Solar Starter Kit

Pros
  • Rugged construction
  • Easy to install
  • Reliable performance
Cons
  • Occasional issues with included controller

To go even further off-grid, you'll need some solar panels. Renogy's 100W starter Kit has everything you need to set a foundation for renewable energy. It includes mounting hardware, a charge controller, and cables. You'll likely need another couple of solar panels and a deep cell battery to feed all of that power into. By plugging a separate Bluetooth module into the charge controller, you can pair up your phone and get rich data on your tiny home's power consumption and generation.

Be sure to read up more on our picks for best solar panels.

Renogy 100W Solar Starter Kit
Renogy 100W Solar Starter Kit
Sun-powered
LG WM3770HWA washing machine being loaded.
LG

LG WM3600HWA Washing Machine

Pros
  • Special steam mode for allergies
  • Excellent smart features
  • Great choices for cold and speed cycles
Cons
  • Extra features may be difficult to navigate

Finally, you'll need a washing machine that doesn't take up a lot of room, doesn't use a whole lot of water, and conserves energy. If it has smartphone connectivity, that would just be the cherry on top. Luckily, the LG WM3600HWA ticks all of those boxes.

Even without the smartphone app, this thing is pretty smart. It's able to figure out the type of fabric being loaded or execute a steaming cycle to remove allergens. In a bigger home, you might be lacking capacity in a washer like this, but it's a solid fit for a tiny home that's looking to save space.

Be sure to read up on our top picks for washing machines if you're looking for more options.

LG WM3600HWA
LG WM3600HWA Washing Machine
Efficient and compact

Frequently Asked Questions

In which states are tiny houses legal?

You'll want to check with a lawyer before knowing for sure if a tiny house is legal where you want to build one. This will likely depend more on municipal laws than anything. Namely, unincorporated rural areas are more flexible with zoning than cities.

The folks at TinySociety have put together a great map, ranking each U.S. state by its friendliness towards tiny homes. Texas, New Mexico, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and Oregon all rate highly. Meanwhile, Montana, Wisconsin, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Iowa, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama all rate poorly.

What is a good budget for tiny house?

It's possible to spend a lot of money on a tiny house if you want to. You can expect to pay between $20,000 and $60,000 on average, or more if you're going to splurge. Here's a look at some incredibly affordable tiny homes.

Is it cheaper to build your own tiny house?

If you're handy, it's possible to save a lot of money by building a tiny house yourself. In general, labor accounts for about half of home construction costs.

What is the largest size a tiny house can be?

In order to remain towable, tiny homes should be at most 8.5 feet wide, 13.5 feet tall, and 40 feet long.

Simon Sage

Simon Sage is a green tech contributor at Digital Trends. He looks at all sorts of devices that can help reduce emissions through electrification, like power stations, solar panels, smart thermostats, and LED lighting. He's also keen on exploring right to repair and sustainable transportation.

Simon started journalism 17 years ago in the mobile tech space, covering the meteoric rise and fall of BlackBerry. Since then he's dipped his toe in mobile gaming, app reviews, and sponsored content. He's been to his fair share of trade shows, such as Mobile World Congress, the Consumer Electronics Show, E3 (RIP), the Game Developer Conference, and a smattering of smaller shows. He's done multiple TV interviews, the most surreal of which was explaining how Pokémon Go works on a morning show. Simon's also hosted over 100 podcast episodes.

Previous publications include BlackBerry Cool, IntoMobile, and Mobile Nations sites like Android Central, iMore, CrackBerry, and Windows Central.

Simon's based in Ottawa, Ontario, where he is constantly clawing against the gravitational pull of becoming a government drone. He studied English at Carleton University there, including a stint at Lancaster University in the UK. He has since levelled up his education in sustainability through the Climatebase platform. Simon spends way too much of his free time playing games, especially Magic: The Gathering.

Want smart lights for your home? Get this Nanoleaf Skylight bundle at $50 off
The Nanoleaf Skylight lighting up a room various shades of purple.

If you're thinking about installing smart lights in your home but you want something more than just simple smart light bulbs, you need to check out the Nanoleaf Skylight -- especially now that you can get it with a discount. A three-pack of the modular smart ceiling light usually sells for $250, but you can currently purchase it from Best Buy at $50 off so you'll only have to pay $200. With these savings, buying multiples of the bundle will be lighter on your wallet, but you're going to have to act fast because this deal expires at the end of the month.

Why you should buy the Nanoleaf Skylight
Smart lights can improve your home in a lot of ways by allowing you to control their LEDs through your smartphone or with the help of your preferred digital assistant. The Nanoleaf Skylight takes things further as it's a modular smart light that can be mounted flush to your ceiling. With its diffused multi-point lighting for even illumination with reduced shadowing, it can mimic the effect of the natural sky. The best part about the Nanoleaf Skylight is that you can install multiples -- it's possible to hard-wire the main controller panel with up to 99 additional squares.

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The best smart light bulbs
Wyze Bulb Color in lamp green

Smart bulbs offer a simple way to upgrade your home. Not only are they affordable, but they’re much easier to install than most other smart gadgets — allowing even DIY novices a chance to join in on the smart home movement. From allowing you to program schedules and change their colors to setting a “vacation mode” and syncing with other smart devices, they’re a well-rounded addition to most rooms.

However, choosing the best smart light bulb for your home can be a challenge, as there are tons of options on the market. Many of them share similar specs, but not all of them are reliable. Some are also slow to respond to your commands. Others are low-quality bulbs with a lackluster range of colors to choose from. Thankfully, the majority of smart light bulbs are LED bulbs, so regardless of which product you choose, it'll likely do a great job of cutting down your energy consumption.

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The 6 best smart displays for Alexa and Google Home in 2025
Nest Hub Max Hands-On Review

Smart displays are one of the best ways to organize your smart home. Offering displays so you can quickly see all your most important info, the ability to sync with other devices, and a wealth of apps for both productivity and entertainment, they often become the hub of the smart home. However, shopping for the right one can be a challenge — dozens of products are available, but not all of them will be a perfect fit for your needs.

Do you want a massive display or something tiny for your kitchen counter? Do you want access to apps like Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube? And what about connectivity — do you prefer Google Home, Alexa, or want the best of both worlds with Matter ? Whatever the case, we’ve put together 6 of the best smart displays for Alexa and Google Home. Regardless of what you’re seeking from your smart display, these are the best in the business, and one of them is bound to make an excellent addition to your smart home.
The best smart displays for Alexa and Google Home

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